I might not be able to tolerate protein powder any longer...

[Brandy]

I'm just past nine months and generally doing great. 118 lbs gone for good. I'm a pound away from achieving a BMI in the "overweight" category and not considered obese for the first time since Jr. High. But about two weeks ago I think I got some kind of stomach flu, or maybe it was very mild food poisoning; my husband had it also. He, however, bounced back in 2 days and I went through 10 days of feeling horrible. I tried everything and finally realized that I woke up feeling fine but got sick after drinking my protein shake and felt better about six hours later. So yesterday I didn't have a protein shake. It was *really* hard. I feel like I'm breaking promises to myself and my loved ones even though I know that the promise was really "Health first" and not "Protein powder always." On the other hand, it is so nice not to feel sick.

So I need advice. My plan is to give myself a few days then switch protein powder blends and try again. I'm generally back to a post-surgery diet right now. Not the clear liquid one, but the simple foods one. I know that a few of you have said that you had to avoid protein powder, what are your best strategies? Is there anything you tweak with your vitamins/supplements that help? I'm open to all advice and suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[newanatomy]

Don't worry about protein powders if you are able to eat enough protein. At nine months out, I am betting you are able to eat all your protein if you need to rather than have to resort to powders. How many grams of protein are you currently eating? If you add a couple of protein snacks and bump your intake at meals slightly, I am sure you will be where you need to be.

 

[DianaCox]

Why in the world are you not getting essentially ALL of your protein from food by now? I got my DS to be normal and eat STEAKS, not to gag down shakes.

 

[Brandy]

Although the days of needing 150 g of protein are behind me, I weigh around 200 lbs and therefore should be taking in 100+ g. I have been consuming about 100 g of protein from powders (One, sometimes two, two-scoop and heavy cream shakes a day) and then consuming what protein focused food I could since about January. I typically just got in one meal and one snack. All are typically protein focused with a small amount of veg and fruit to keep regular. Many, many of those meals are steaks. I didn't eat any flour based foods at all. I average about 2 to 3 lbs lost a week. Yes, someday, I want to eat a normal diet, but first I want to get through my honeymoon.

Today I feel like I've eaten more than food than I have since the surgery and I only got in about 80 g of protien. Maybe I can get in something else tonight, but it's 2:30 am. I will do better tomorrow. I think I've been in a bit if a vicious circle. The protein powder was making me sick, so I didn't eat much else and at the end of the day I would calculate my numbers and then drink more protein powder. This is a whole new ballgame for me.

 

[star0210]

I drink a can of pure protein frosty chocolate pretty much every morning for breakfast because I'm just not at all hungry in the mornings and I figure at least this way I'm getting something rather than nothing.
But i can get enough protein from just food too.
You really don't need to stay on shakes to lose and maximize your honeymoon period. There is nothing at all wrong with eating real food for every meal.

 

[southernlady]

It REALLY depends on your sleeve size. I have a very tiny sleeve and at 4.5 years out STILL typically have a protein shake to get in ENOUGH protein in during a day. Nothing wrong with needing a shake. However, check the label of the last one you used...it's possible they changed the formula. Should read whey ISOLATE as the first ingredient not whey concentrate or whey blend. Other options, egg protein shakes or soy protein shakes. I can't do soy...too much screws with my thyroid meds.

 

[hilary1617]

Also, as I just mentioned on another thread, some people become lactose-intolerant post DS and many protein shakes are high in lactose, which can result in gassiness and upset stomach. I drink ISS "Oh Yeah" shakes because they are lactose-free.

 

[Dave0168]

There are alternatives to whey based powders if you think you've become lactose intolerant.

 

[Brandy]

So thanks everybody for the support. I am on day 4 now without protein powder. It's odd, but everyday I've gotten to 80 g of protein just by eating. Even though one day was salmon and one day hamburger and one day roast beef. But if I hadn't had a DS, then my daily protein requirements would be around 72 g, so it makes sense in a way that I'm having to fight my body for too much above that. Silly body. I had hoped that this push on eating actual foods would increase the amount of foods that I can actually eat, but that seems to be slow going. I feel like I'm back in the "sip, sip, sip" days only now it is "chew, chew, chew".

I do feel much better though and think I'm ultimately on the right path now. Either today or tomorrow I'm going to gag down some protein powder just so I don't go too many days running protein deficient, but I will be trying different brands and types.

Thanks again.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Why in the world are you not getting essentially ALL of your protein from food by now? I got my DS to be normal and eat STEAKS, not to gag down shakes.

Me too....and not just steak, but anything I want to eat. Again before people read that wrong, of course protein is the focus but I sure the hell didn't put myself through this to count carbs and do protein shakes (those things still make me want to hurl). Like anything in life, it is all about being flexible and adjusting as need be. If I start gaining I will adjust (could be more exercise, less carbs, more protein...combination of all).

 

[Brandy]

I wish. I just can't eat that much. I wasn't a big eater before the surgery. I was a fat because my short intestine was over almost two meters longer than average. "Almost one for the record books" was Dr. Ungson's comment after my surgery. Then I developed a swallowing problem after surgery because one of the surgical scars was triggering some nerves when I tried to swallow. It was two and a half months out before I moved onto a reliably soft diet from the liquid diet (although I had found a way to sneak in steaks cut into tiny, tiny pieces.) And since then I've been relying on protein drinks for 100 g of protein a day and only having to eat 50 g. I knew I was not eating enough, I struggled to keep my calorie count over 1,000; but honestly, I didn't think that this was a problem you fixed when you still have 50 lbs to lose. Unfortunately, my body is rejecting the protein powder, so I have to fix it now, but if I had my choice I would still be drinking my 100 g of protein powder shakes until I hit my goal + buffer for bounce back.

This year my manta has been "I can put up with eating anything for a year" and that has been true and makes it almost easy. I would recommend this to pre and early surgery people, even if that means 4 protein shakes a day.

The mantra: "I didn't get the most awesome DS so that I was forever on a diet" seems to be ideal when you have hit your target or decided that enough was enough and decide to stick where ever you are. I can see this time is coming and that this is also going to be a whopper of a transition for me, but a much more fun one.

The problem I have now forcing my stomach to stretch and to teach myself how to eat whist still in the ~50g carbs, 100 g protein stage. Like having two eggs in the morning rather than just most of one. On the other hand, whist my body rejects 100g of protein powder, I have high hopes it will be ok with 20 g of protein just before I go to bed and then my problems are solved until I'm done with losing phase, although I think I should still concentrate on learning to eat more food.