When I first got home i thought the key to hunger was Protein, so I dutifully drank down my Isopure Alpine Formaldehyde Splash and got three huge tubs of Unjury( why does this sound like Injury? Are the manufacturers aware of this similarity? ). Days three through six were the worst. I was so hungry the screaming in my belly was so loud I could not sleep on my stomach because it hurt.

Okay, who knows what that was.

Then I woke up yesterday and I was the opposite of hungry. I didn' t want *anything*. No tea, no Water, no....nothing. The protein makes my stomach ache and tires me out getting it down -- I get it down okay but it takes a little while for the whole crew to settle down in there once I'm done. And usually I need a nap soon after.

Today. No protein. I don't, I mean I really DO NOT want it. It's not because of the pain, I'm seriously just not interested. This is the weirdest thing. I drank a thirty two ounce jug of purple gatorade and then I had a V-8 because I was bored. This has been my nutrition for the day thus far.

I'm not crazy about protein to begin with. I like fat. Butter. I like fat on fat transerence objects such as toast. In fact normally if I were sick and just recovering from surgery normally it would be Toast Fiesta Week in Toast Town. Protein not so much. I don't like steak or chicken or...lamp or veal or pork or...tuna...come to think of it I just am not a big fan of eating anything with a face and this is not moral or political, I just...you know, maybe the face is still down there, getting ready to haunt the shit out of me. Anyway. . The only thing I really can get down protein wise are Beans, cottage cheese and Peanut Butter normally anyway.

This is kind of a real disovery for me. I never really asked anybody WHY they were having such a hard time getting their protein in. I can see now I'm going to have a hard time with the protein because I don't want it. What about you?

I am pre-op but concerned about this. Alot. I am planning on trying to add the unflavored unjury protein to everything. Like to V8. It sounds nasty now but I hope I can do it post op. Otherwise it's on to plan B. And there is no plan B so I'm screwed! Lol

I do not crave it... I eat it like medicine, and try to make it taste good and enjoy it. Without it you lose muscle mass, and do not heal well. virtually everyone says "Protein first". I think this is probably true. I eat more protein now then before surgery when I was eating 2500 calories a day. I am a vegetarian, and do not eat anything with a face.

Fortunately, I am the opposite. If greens and grains vanished from the earth, I would be fine. Give me meat! Seafood! Fish! More Meat! Even bugs!

This may be why my friends refuse to accompany me on my adventure trips--they know that I would eat them if I had to .

I'm worried about this to. Its the Protein in the liquid form that gives me concern. As you say "formaldehyde" and that is NOT going to go down easily. One thing I'm going to try is make some SF Jello and add in the unflavored Protein powder and drink it warm. When I was a kid and we were sick, my mom would make us cherry jello to drink and it tasted so wonderful (c'mon I was a kid) so I'm hoping to try to recreate that with SF jello and protein powder, I can dream can't I?

I'm sorry that is the case for you, the not liking Protein foods part- because it will make this journey harder!

First of all it is ultra important to get that staple line healed and protein is the thing that will do it. Much as you might like to beautifully rewrite that fact....uh, that would be a no.

Then there is the long path of weight loss ahead of you.

When I went to the first appointment with my surgeon, he actually sat down and started drawing a truck, which looked like any pre-schoolers ideal of a primitive looking truck- I'm sure you can picture it! He started explaining something about two gas tanks and at first I, as usual, felt my mind wandering while I also tried not to giggle at his drawing.

However, something, maybe the tiny part of me that is trying to save my life by having this surgery, started listening and I actually got what he was saying- one tank being the sugar and carbs we eat, and other tank being the fat excess (call it junk in the trunk if you want). I had myself a major aha moment when I got that if you keep putting things in the carb/sugar tank, even a lesser amount, your body wont switch to using the other one. And unless you eat enough protein, your body will consume muscle to make up for you starving it, even if you have a TON of fat to lose. Consume a lot of protein, and when that carb tank empties the switch to the fat tank will occur.

You have to do it girl. Yep, really. I suggest finding some unflavored powder to mix in to other things that taste better to you. That sounds like the best bet for you....

love meggie the toastaholic

. Okay, I managed to get down two scoops of chocolate Injury. I mixed it up with a lot of ice and Water and drank it pretty slowly. And then my stomach started to feel sort of distended and I was a little uncomfortable at the top of my stomach and I walked around like for a while thinking I really had some kind of Chocolate Injury.

And then you know what I realized?

I was *full*. I was absolutely positively freaking unbelievably stuffed. I *overate* Protein powder.

You're right meggie this is going to be long haul, it already seems. Congrats on your date by the way! That's my son's birthday!

One more thing I wanted to mention about getting enough protein -- I was on Medifast kind of on and off this whole past year and I have a bunch left. I wrote Gaby an emai and she said Medifast was fine for the appropriate phase. These are puddings, soft serve ice cream, and oatmeal ( also shakes, bars, and pretzels) with 15 grams of protein per serving. I definitely plan on snarfing those down pretty soon, even though I'd rather have a chalupa.

I'm right there with ya in Toast Town. I despise any and all Protein. I could easily be a vegetarian and for no other reason than I just prefer the delish carby side dishes. I am having a heck of a time getting my protein in. I cannot tolerate the Protein shakes AT ALL. And I, too, bought 3 tubs of the Injury powder. Everyone raved about the 'chicken soup' flavored one and I can't gag that crap down if someone had a gun to my head. I also bought the unflavored, which is not quite as bad but still intolerable for me. I had to wait till I could eat some real protein to get any in. I *think* I remember Tiff saying she could not get protein in till much later, too and well, we all see she turned out just fine. I've read many others here that couldn't get it in early on, and all their doctors said concentrate on liquids FIRST. Protein will become easier in time. No one is gonna waste away if they don't get all the protein in the first few weeks or month.

Just do what you can, and like Tiff said, that protein is not gonna do you a BIT of good if you just upchuck it after you drink it. In fact, that will do worse damage to your staple line than not drinking it to begin with.

Good luck, and when it's time, you can eat your Beans, cottage cheese, etc.

One more thing I wanted to mention about getting enough Protein -- I was on Medifast kind of on and off this whole past year and I have a bunch left. I wrote Gaby an emai and she said Medifast was fine for the appropriate phase. These are puddings, soft serve ice cream, and oatmeal ( also shakes, bars, and pretzels) with 15 grams of protein per serving. I definitely plan on snarfing those down pretty soon, even though I'd rather have a chalupa.

Hey Crosswind,

Medifast is my pre-op diet. I found that adding in the Torrani SF syrups into the strawberry pudding/shake and Aloha Mango smoothie really enhanced the flaver. I added raspberry syrup to the strawberry and mango syrup to the mango smoothie. I do both in the blender with a little bit of ice.

Slpenda brown sugar is great on the medifast oatmeal.

The Medifast chicken and rice Soup is good, I add a little poultry seasoning and salt and pepper.

To the scrambled eggs, which are my fav, I add a little Molly Mcbutter cheese sprinkles. I add it before cooking and it mixes in really well.

Hey Crosswind,

Medifast is my pre-op diet. I found that adding in the Torrani SF syrups into the strawberry pudding/shake and Aloha Mango smoothie really enhanced the flaver. I added raspberry syrup to the strawberry and mango syrup to the mango smoothie. I do both in the blender with a little bit of ice.

Slpenda brown sugar is great on the medifast oatmeal.

The Medifast chicken and rice Soup is good, I add a little poultry seasoning and salt and pepper.

To the scrambled eggs, which are my fav, I add a little Molly Mcbutter cheese sprinkles. I add it before cooking and it mixes in really well.

Medifast isn't the greatest tasting stuff but I'm never hungry when I'm on it. It's PRICEY but I can see it -being a good post op alternative because it's lowcal, lowcarb and spares Protein, People were talking in another thread about what diet they would do if the started to regain and I think this would be my choice.

Gotta have the Toranis, though. They definitely make a difference. My favorite stuff they make are the brownies and the chili.

Please drink your protein. Like feedyoureye said, you have to think of it like medicine. It's important to get your 60-80 grams in a day - otherwise you can lose your hair! And I'm sure skinny and bald was not your ultimate goal. My nurse was talking with me about how some women come in looking like they have been through chemotherapy because they aren't getting in their protein and chunks of hair started falling out. So - just hunker down and sip it down. This phase is just temporary and it too will pass!

. Okay, I managed to get down two scoops of chocolate Injury. I mixed it up with a lot of ice and Water and drank it pretty slowly. And then my stomach started to feel sort of distended and I was a little uncomfortable at the top of my stomach and I walked around like for a while thinking I really had some kind of Chocolate Injury.

And then you know what I realized?

I was *full*. I was absolutely positively freaking unbelievably stuffed. I *overate* Protein powder.

You're right meggie this is going to be long haul, it already seems. Congrats on your date by the way! That's my son's birthday!

YOU ARE CRACKING ME UP!

Its a learning experience. The cut has been cut, and its time to figure out what you need to do to get the healthy eating job done.

Its harder in the beginning than after 7 weeks when the menu gets bigger. You will also probably feel like eating a little more.

The chocolate Injury might even start tasting more like chocolate and less like an Injury! Keep up the humor, it will help everything taste better.

I LOVEEEEEEEE Protein...i am actually dreaming of Beans, and fish, and chicken OH MY!

Pish tosh at this shake crap lol

Please drink your Protein. Like feedyoureye said, you have to think of it like medicine. It's important to get your 60-80 grams in a day - otherwise you can lose your hair! And I'm sure skinny and bald was not your ultimate goal. My nurse was talking with me about how some women come in looking like they have been through chemotherapy because they aren't getting in their protein and chunks of hair started falling out. So - just hunker down and sip it down. This phase is just temporary and it too will pass!

Sadly, even if you get your protein in, chances are you will lose your hair. The hair loss comes from drastic/fast weight loss and low calories, hormonal shifts, and sometimes anesthesia. There are lots of threads here on that very subject. Good thing, though, it will grow back.

Ha Ha, I adore you for saying this "come to think of it I just am not a big fan of eating anything with a face and this is not moral or political, I just...you know, maybe the face is still down there, getting ready to haunt the shit out of me."

That sounds exactly like something I'd say, lol. Trust me I'm dealing with pretty much the same. I'm 4 days out of surgery and can't stand the shakes. I have tried the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury which tastes like Injury and the Bariatric (Dis)Advantage powders. They were all awful to me. However, I know the importance of Protein in order for this surgery to be successful and to keep my muscles from poofing. I went to GNC and got unflavored whey protein isolate powder. I have become a master at mixing it into everything. I prefer drinking drinks like Vitamin Water Zero , Crystal Light, Mio, Arizona Caffeine Free Diet Green Tea, etc.. So I just put a little in so I can get about 15 grams of protein in each drink and I switch them up so I don't get bored. I don't load a lot into the drinks because I don't want them to be thick. I just drink more which is no problem because I need to stay hydrated anyways. This also helps me because I'm lactose intolerant. We won't even go there.

My surgeon is dead set on minimum 60 grams of protein a day. I heard "Protein Protein Protein " so much prior to surgery that I went to call my Propane company to pay my bill and the receptionist asked "How may I help you?" and I said "I need to pay my Protein bill" instead of Propane.

I've been making Jello, pudding, and yogurt and mixing the unflavored in it too, works for me. I think it will be better when I get into the "mashed" food stage. Protein is important for the success of this surgery, your health, and the weight you'll lose. You just have to experiment and I think in time you'll find something that will work for you. Good luck!