Need Protein Help

[Joni 94]

Please tell me how you are getting/got in your Protein and fluids at 2 wks postop. Yesterday, I was to start purees but that's turning me off. I tried some tuna - gagged. I tried an egg - after 2 bites I was full. Cottage cheese did not sit well. In the grocery store, just looking at some foods is enough to make me gag.

It seemed so easy the first week. The second week was a lot harder, and now the start of the third week, I feel like I'm in trouble. All the Protein Drinks are turning me off bad. Water still goes down the best. food fills me up so fast after just a couple teaspoons, how can that even count for a good amount of protein? I would really like to get more protein from food so I don't have to drink those shakes. This morning I tried some greek yogurt which was 12 gm prot for 5.3 oz. I thought great, I'll eat this and have 12 gm done. I ate half and was full. So that was only 6 gm. So I tried to supplement with a Protein Drink, got in approx half for 11.5 gm. Total of 17.5. My goal for the day is 70 gm protein. I will sip water now, and will have to force other things on myself the rest of the day.

Also, anything that sounds good, like Tomato Soup which I really enjoyed that 1/4 cup for a couple days last week, now it can gag me to think about. And that's the way it's been going - things that I do like for a couple days suddenly are gross. Any tips, suggestions, advice for me? Thanks

[Lauranbob Mc 94]

I love eggfaces ricotta bake. went down nice aand easy. also hard parmesan cheese has 10 G of Protein in it per ounce :-) Calorie wise it is higher but sometimes you need the protein. also crab meat was a savior. really mushy and high in protein. fish also. I could only eat an ounce at a time and was constantly reheating my food and adding more pepper & garllic (nothing tastes the same) it will get better.

[Wheetsin 714]

Please tell me how you are getting/got in your Protein and fluids at 2 wks postop. Yesterday, I was to start purees but that's turning me off. I tried some tuna - gagged. I tried an egg - after 2 bites I was full. Cottage cheese did not sit well. In the grocery store, just looking at some foods is enough to make me gag.

Straight up? I wasn't. In fact I think this week is the first time I actually made the Protein goal (70 gm per my plan). I was 6 weeks yesterday.

Around 2wks post-op I think I was maxing out between 20 & 40gm per day of protein, and about 40 oz of Fluid (including protein drinks). At 2 weeks I still had about 1 or 2 tbl capacity. I still do, but mostly in the evening. I can eat more in the mornings. All I really wanted was ice Water, I made myself do everything else.

What worked the best - hummus, refried Beans, black Beans pureed with hot sauce and sour cream, fish chowder I made & boiled the fish until it almost disintegrated... tuna (I like it with white beans, mayo, red onion which I omitted, vinegar, and rosemary which I also omitted). I ate a lot of Lebaneh which I thinned with lowfat Greek yogurt cut with FF milk. Tried to eat Greek yogurt but it was (and still is) just too darn thick, fills me up way too fast. Soy bean hummus, cottage cheese... but really no more than 2 tbl of any of that at a time, and the 2 tbl could've taken 30 - 45 mins.

Honestly, I just didn't worry about it that soon post-op. I could only do what I could do. I was having to make choices like, "Hmm, protein or Vitamin? Because either one will fill me up for 2 hours." So I focused on doing my best with hydration #1, protein #2.

[CAsleeve 56]

It will get better. To get enough Protein in, I would add a scoop or two of Beneprotein (purchased on-line or some Walgreens have it) and a little soy mild to my Premier chocolate Protein Shakes (purchased at Costco). I also added Beneprotein to Soups (smooth soups), but Beneprotein will curdle if it gets too hot so you have to let your Soup cool a bit then add it.

I also went to the asian market and got the super super soft tofu (I think it is a fresh pudding-like tofu that comes with a little sweet ginger syrup). Heat that up and enjoy. I love this, but, I also really like tofu. I'm also lucky to live in the San Francisco Bay Area where there are lots of asian markets and it is possible to get fresh soft tofu.

I couldn't handle yogurt much.

Whatever you do, just eat/drink as much protein as you can. You can always do 2-4 ozs as often as possible throughout the day.

Anyway, that is my two cents.

Congrats! You are doing GREAT!

[CAsleeve 56]

Oh, also, I would get a teaspoon of hummus periodically throughout the day...a little Protein boost and it satisfied the want for something savory (rather than a sweet shake).

[Finding Myself 146]

I am so glad to read this thread. I am not sleeved yet but wondering how you guys do it, esp given the scenario of being turned off by food.

When you say it takes 30 mins to eat 2 tbs of something, why is that? Is it because it hurts to swallow much at a time? Because your nauseous? Can you explain that better?

Trying to learn what to expect.

[Sassiesmiles 8]

I was the same way as Wheetsin. I didn't worry about it the first several weeks. My main focus was keeping hydrated. Somethings worked one day but not the next. I will be 6 weeks post-op on Tuesday and am just now working up to the daily Protein intake. One thing that I can say that has worked for me with the protein drinks (to me, they are a necessary evil) is to drink them from a straw rather than out of the container. They go back further in your throat and don't immediately hit your taste buds. Weeks 2-4 were tough for me, just do what you can and don't worry so much at this point. You will find what works - until then just stay hydrated and listen to your body. The good thing is, you don't have to eat right now if you don't want to.

[ShapeShifter 64]

If you are handling Water so well, could you add flavorless Protein to your water? Unjury has one that you can compare to beneprotein. I've not done that research yet. Then perhaps you could consume more things that are healthy, but not necessarily high in protein content. Good luck!