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The 42g New Whey protein bullets are the easiest way to get your protein. Unfortunately, they are about 3.50 each. Each bullet is only 3 oz. so it is really easy to drink it. It takes maybe 5 sips to get the whole thing down and it is more than half of what you need for the whole day. If you haven't tried them, they have a tart taste. My husband says if reminds him of a Sweet Tart. Some people complain of an aftertaste, but I don't notice it. I like the tropical punch. If you buy them make sure you get the ones that say 42g.

I was sleeved on the 5th, I had the chest pain and could not take deep breaths and my pulse ox was so low they kept running in to remind me to breathe! I had to practice taking long,slow ,deep breaths. About 10 an hour. The doc said that slowly expanding the lungs will push the bubbles out of the chest and abdomen and it did help. Hang in there! If you are really lightheaded, maybe the pain meds are not liking you much. Tell the doc. It will be better soon. Also, I was told to drink one oz of protein every 15 or 20 mins. I couldn't take the sweet protein shakes so I used chicken broth and stirred unflavored protein into it.

yes!!! I don't 'eat' all of mine either..i do love tuna though... however, i found MUSCLE MILK LIGHT...it's 100 calories, NO SUGAR, and 15g of Protein. I usually have one in the morning and sometimes in the evening... Once in awhile i will have a Protein Bar if i need something quick and small...but the ones i like are not low in calories....they taste like a fricken Reece's PB cup...yeah...lol they're called Supreme Protein Bars and they come in 2 sizes...200cal for 15g protein, or 30g protein for 400....if i haven't eaten a lot of calories by the end of the day i'll have one..but they're REALLY good and i will totally overindulge so i usually only buy the small ones...

Still on the protein shakes,broth and some soups now, soft foods next week

I'm so frustrated I could scream. It's been almost 4 weeks now and I'm down between 2 and 3 pounds depending on the day. I'm doing everything right and it's not working. I'm not overeating, I'm not making bad food choices. Yes I'm thrilled to be down as much as I am, but I hoped at this point I'd be down at least 10-15 more than I am. My one cheat has been yesterday we went to Rainforest Cafe to celebrate some birthdays. I had fish and chips and ate less than a third of it, maybe 4 tortilla chips with queso, plus a itty bitty portion of brownie and ice cream (maybe 5 tiny bites). My breakfast and my dinner were each about 150 calories of almost pure protein to allow for my overindulgence at lunch so I came out fine on my daily totals, yet today, that flucuating pound is back. Even after going through all I have to get help, I'm failing. It makes no sense at all. I've gotten used to the 20-something pounds being gone and lost that feeling of being smaller and I just feel like a cow again. I guess after getting adjusted thursday it will be better, but honestly I don't see how I could eat much less than I am right now.

I had my 1st fill on Wed and when I talked to the aftercare person she told me that if I didn't take in my 50-60g of protein a day I would start seeing brital nails, hair loss, saggy skin, etc. So are you getting enough protein? If not that might be your problem.

Hello all, I just joined the forum. I have not taken any action (other than to join here) toward the lap band surgery. I'm researching it & wondering should I do it? A little about myself--I live in Cullman Alabama. I'm very happily married to a wonderful man. He has 3 grown children--I don't have any children of my own. I am 45 yrs old. Monday at my sleep dr's office I weighed 265.5--I'm 5'9". I would love to weigh 155-160. I have lost the weight twice before--first, thru a low carb/high Protein dr monitored plan. That was 14 years ago. I lost 42 lbs then & got down to 169--looked & felt good. Gained it all back plus some--of course. In 2000 & 2001 & lost 50 lbs on Weight Watchers--got down to 176--looked & felt good then, too. Started dating my now dh in 1/2002 & immediately started gaining the weight back. We got married in 3/2003, I weighted 200. Now, nearly 6 years later 265. Sad huh?? I've tried going back to WW. Tried the low carb thing on my own. I have every diet book ever written I think & nearly every piece of exercise equipment. But I consistantly gain weight & consistantly fail to do what I know to do. I haven't used any of the exercise equipment in I don't know when. I know what to do--I just can't do it. Is the lap band for me? Things like vomiting, hanging skin, mucus, etc--scare me away from it. I really just want to stop obessing about weight & food & just live a normal life not thinking about it. Constantly searching the web & magazine covers for the "holy grail" that never is. I need to know what it is really like. I know the weight loss & health improvements are great & in the end will overshadow the negatives. But while you're going thru everything from the seminar all the way to goal. What is the experience really like? Are the negatives mild or so severe that at the time you feel like you are dying & wish you could? I need some 'good ol', down to earth, tell it like it is' straight talk. Can I hear it from some of you please? Thank you in advance--I'm desperate. Pam

I am not sure how many fills you have had at this point. Just for reference I was banded on 1-7-08 and have lost 34 lbs. You also didn't say what your BMI was so not sure how much you want to lose. Mine was almost 40. I have had 1 fill and do not feel a lot of restriction. I have however changed my eating habits. I stay below 1000 cals a day. I also work out at the gym 5-6 days a week. I haven't overeaten yet so the band is not really doing what it was intended to do yet. I just want to be very conservative with my fills. Not looking forward to sliming or pbing so trying to work on issues without the band for now. It will be more helpful to me as I get down closer to my goal and just maintaining. Are you for sure getting in 60 grams of protein and 64 oz water a day. Very important for continued loss. Are you eating out a lot? Lots of hidden calories there. Hey be happy 33lbs is a good amount. Just stay the course.

OMGod !! Sorry but you will grateful later !! Can u switch up ur shakes? Try pure protein or muscle milk.I was on full liquids for a month which included jello and sugar free Popsicles and creamed soups.I hated it.At this point I've sworn off protein shakes ! I refuse to have them as part of my diet.I am sure I'll add them back but right now I don't want to see a shake.But pure protein ready made shakes have a really crisp clean taste., not so frothy

Also check out carnation breakfast essentials that you mix with milk - pretty tasty for a protein shake. The costco ones had tons of protein 30 grams I think and if I plugged my nose I could get them down. Can you make one like with your fav flavors, milk and protein powder or something? There's got to be more options out there... EAS makes them, even special K does now. Good luck I hope it gets better!!

I actually use the Protein powder...I can't seem to eat before lunch time except maybe fruit, cheese sticks or yogurt, so I usually have a protein drink. I've never bought the ready-made so I'm not sure but you won't know until you try it, right? Start with maybe a capful at a time and see what you like. The syrups are sold near the coffee or tea. The SF ones have the blue label, regular have red labels. Walmart actually had a better selection than Target, but not sure if that is everywhere. I was even surprised at the selection at sams club; that's where I found the coconut. I would like to buy more flavors, just need to make sure I will use them! Since you mentioned it I will go check their website for recipes. Eggface also has recipes on her blog, mainly for protien shakes and protein ice cream using the syrups. Those might be of interest to you also Have a great one! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

I also found several choices from the vegetarian section. Low sodium vegetable broth For some reason the vegetarian section in my store has low sodium, low fat chicken and beef broth (go figure?) but it seemed much healthier than the campbell's choices and was still packed full of Protein. And good too. Chinese food restaurants have great egg drop and hot and sour Soups, but they will be high in sodium. As a matter of fact, I think I had hot and sour Soup on my liquid diet and it was just too darn salty. Of course, pre-this whole experience, it would have been perfectly salted. =P Must have Crystal Light, I even buy the generic brand and it tastes just as delicious. Let's see........Oh, I found a dry packed just add Water enchillada soup, kind of like a tortilla soup. I was allowed to eat the ingredients though, but if you were desperate for flavors you could strain out the ingredients. When I buy a soup or something now I try to stay under 500mg of sodium, that in itself is still very high, so very few that I buy have THAT much. But if you don't read the labels you may very well end up with sodium as high as 900-1200mg per serving. Browse the dry packet soup section you may find something there to your liking. Good Luck!

Maybe flavored Water like Propel? I just bought a whole bunch of stuff from Dietdirect.com, they have Protein enhanced soups, different Protein drinks, Protein Bars and bariatric Vitamins... Good luck! diane5467

The following information came from my Dr. (Steven Clark) 1. Avoid rough treament by using a brush or fine-toothed comb, or towel- dry your hair. Do not use a blow dryer or other heated appliances on your hair; let it dry naturally. Do not comb your hair until it is dry, as wet hair tends to break off. 2. Try shampoo that has biotin in the formula to aid in hair growth and durability. 3. Try Nutri-Ox System or Nioxin shampoos (shampoos, conditioner,scalp treatment). 4. Do not take large dose of vitamin A for an extended it can cause hair loss. 5. Vitamin recommendations may be made by your dietician to ensure nutrient adequacy. My beautician also told me about the 50 or so hairs that we loose on an average day. Yes I did leave out the fact that stress can cause hair loss woops. I was not aware that shampoos with high proteins could cause my hair to become brittle and break off it makes me wonder why on earth my Dr. office would have recommended it. I was also told by my Dr. and dietician to get 80-90 grams of protein a day. I do not know what any other Dr. say. I try not to give bad advice. JP

My preference is definitely the powders (canned just taste tinny but are great for convenience sake) and the powder I'm stuck on is the IDS Multi Pro in the Belgian chocolate flavor. Here's the stats: <TABLE class=nfTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=nfServingSize colSpan=3>Serving size: 1 scoop</TD></TR><TR><TD class=nfHeaderRow1 colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR><TD class=nfVariations></TD><TD class=nfVariations></TD><TD class=nfVariations></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameA>Calories</TD><TD class=nfValue>106</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR><TD class=nfHeaderRow2 colSpan=3>Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value*</TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameA>Total Fat</TD><TD class=nfValue>less than 1g (0%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameB>Saturated Fat</TD><TD class=nfValue>less than 1g (0%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameA>Cholesterol</TD><TD class=nfValue>5mg (0%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameA>Sodium</TD><TD class=nfValue>12mg (2%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#d6e3e6><TD class=nfTableNameA>Total Carbohydrate</TD><TD class=nfValue>3g (0%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameB>Dietary Fiber</TD><TD class=nfValue>0g (0%)</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameB>Sugars</TD><TD class=nfValue>1.5g</TD><TD class=nfValue></TD></TR><TR onmouseover="this.bgColor='#D6E3E6'" onmouseout="this.bgColor='#FFFFFF'" bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=nfTableNameA>Protein</TD><TD class=nfValue>23g (47%)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Each one of us is different--so you probably need to explore which one is right for you. My favorite site is Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more which has a gazillion flavors and sizes. (Find samples and go from there). Some people like the unjury but I can't get past the smell. It's important to find the one for you--to take good care of your bod...:smile:

Maddysgram- Thank you, I'm hoping my dinner options are something soft and really moist.

:yikes: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ON THIS WEBSITE. I AM SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY ON JAN. 27, 2009 IAM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. I CAN NOT WAIT. THE ONLY THING THAT IS DISCOURAGING IS THE 2 WEEK LIQUID PROTEIN DIET. I TAKE IT DAY BY DAY.

So, my scale keeps fluctuating about 4 lbs, i lose these 4, they come back, lose them, come back..ect...For about 4 days now... Ive been drinking about 2 Protein Shakes a day, 40g of Protein each time, and drinking about 2 qts of Water. Im starving. But Im SO sick of broth that i cant bear to open up another can and heat it up. So, ive been eating about 2-4 sf jello's a day. I also, have been working out, every day for the past 5 days, for 40mins a day on the eliptical. Still cant get passed 287. I dont know what to think, Im frustrated. I feel like im doing all this starving for freaking nothing.

I went to the store today and found greek yougart. Not bad if I say so myself, kind of thick so eating it slow but it is good, love the blueberry. Still doing research on Protein bullets and pills if I find out more I will let you know. Kim

Hi I was just banded Tuesday of this week. I feel really good so far. But I have a found that the Boost protein drinks are really good. They have 15 grams od protein and only 8 oz in the drink. Plus they have serveral vitamins in it. I think they are very tasty. Hope this helps.:biggrin:

Hello, I guess I should jump on board and try and get some support for this new journey I'm about to get on. I'm so excited! I'm self paying and so I am heading to Mexico on June 26th. I will be staying a couple days in SanDiego and then heading over to Tijuana for sugery. I'm supposed to do a 2 week liquid diet of protein drinks prior. Looking forward to chatting with some of you. -Heather

I don't remember the numbers, both both brands had values that fit within my surgeon's carbs/protein/cal requirements.

I hate to be a kill joy but I had a sleeve and I'm sagging like crazy. 60lbs in 4/5m But it all depends on you what the best option is. Bypass scared me too I'm happy with the sleeve Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

Today is day 3 of the preop diet and yesterday I almost buckled!!! I felt weak and starving! I'm allowed popsicles and hello but nothing was helping. I can have cream of wheat with milk, smart ones meal at lunch (200 calories and highest protein), and high Protein shakes. If I need to do things, it's burning calories and I feel sick. Left the house Saturday for a hair appointment, was sitting in the chair waiting for the color to process and went to the bathroom 3 times. Watery mouth, heat flashes, and stomach aches!!!! If my body has been in (since 11/29) and will be (until 12/5) in starvation mode, doesn't that put your body into store fat mode. Myfitnesspal says when I complete my daily food diary I can shut down my metabolism. I'm wondering how much this affects weight loss after banding.

Do you have an option if it appears to be too much for you too soon? Do they know at work you had this done? I would begin the next stage of foods very carefully since you will also be changing your routine at the same time. Make sure to keep your Protein up, so you do not fatigue too easily. Good Luck! Kat