Hello!

I saw the doc for my post op visit yesterday and complained about being so very tired. Well, the answer to my problem appears to be Protein.

Seems protein is the answer to everything. Not only does protein prevent hair loss, and the drawn look people get from weight loss - it also helps increase energy.

I've been informed to increase my protein from 60g per day to 80-100g per day to increase my energy level. By the way, I wanted to share a tip that the nutritionist shared with me - I hate the chemical/weird smell of protein powders; well, the nutritionist suggested that I add extract to the shakes. I add 1 teaspoon to each drink and that has actually gotten rid of weird smell. She also suggested, almond, orange... extracts.

Just wanted to pass this along.

If only we could take that protein in a pill and be done with it, eh. I also dont like the shakes smell so much. I cant say the taste does anything for me either. I know what your saying. I feel like I could just gag when I think of drinking one right now.

Hello!

I saw the doc for my post op visit yesterday and complained about being so very tired. Well, the answer to my problem appears to be Protein.

Seems protein is the answer to everything. Not only does protein prevent hair loss, and the drawn look people get from weight loss - it also helps increase energy.

I've been informed to increase my protein from 60g per day to 80-100g per day to increase my energy level. By the way, I wanted to share a tip that the nutritionist shared with me - I hate the chemical/weird smell of protein powders; well, the nutritionist suggested that I add extract to the shakes. I add 1 teaspoon to each drink and that has actually gotten rid of weird smell. She also suggested, almond, orange... extracts.

Just wanted to pass this along.

My Dr. says for me not to drink any of my protein, so I am having a hard time learning how to get that much protein in a day. I do eat a Protein Bar but how can you eat ½ cup of food at a meal 3 meals a day:rolleyes: with no Snacks and get that amount of protein in?

My Dr. says for me not to drink any of my protein, so I am having a hard time learning how to get that much protein in a day. I do eat a protein bar but how can you eat ½ cup of food at a meal 3 meals a day:rolleyes: with no snacks and get that amount of protein in?

try the liquid protein shots

For those having problems with the Protein powders, I would suggest trying a ready to drink Protein shake. I drink Worldwide Protein shakes (available at Vitamin Shoppe and online). They come in vanilla, chocolate, Strawbery, banana Cream and Cookies n' Cream. The Cookies n' Cream tastes like Oreos (they even use an Oreo type cookie being dipped in mild on the can). It is a lightly minty chocolate and my favorite. It provides 35g protein per shake.

Also there are fruit flavored powders, like nectar brand, also available at Vitamin Shoppe. Most of the flavors can be mixed in Water (some in milk), and give about 23g protein. Nectar has a wide variety of flavors, including coffee type, and iced tea, lemonade, and a host of others.

unjury powder comes in the usual Vanilla, Chocolate and strawberry, but also in unflavored (you can add a scoop to fat free/sugar free instant pudding to bump up the protein content), and chicken Soup flavor (like a chicken broth). Go to unjury.com to check that out.

There is also a liquid called Profect. It comes in what looks like a large test tube with a lid, in fruit flavors and gives about 25g protein. A couple swallows and it is gone. Haven't seen their ads lately, but I would guess profect.com would get you to them.

I hope this helps, and good luck on your journey.

Edited August 21, 200917 yr by PATCHELTON

In the USA protein seems to be the answer to everything. Tiredness could also be from a lack of complex carbs and fruit/veg. You need to get all the required vitamins & minerals and if you are not that can also make you tired.

try the liquid Protein shots

She posted that she is not suppose to drink the protein, so the liquid shots wouldn't work.

The hair loss is not from lack of protein, it's from the trauma of surgery. I routinely get more than my daily protein, and have since day one, and still had thinning hair (coming back now thank goodness). I find it so interesting that different doctors have different anecdotes.

My Dr. says for me not to drink any of my Protein, so I am having a hard time learning how to get that much protein in a day. I do eat a protein bar but how can you eat ½ cup of food at a meal 3 meals a day:rolleyes: with no Snacks and get that amount of protein in?

Hey, that is almost exactly my question: How can I get that much protein when eating only 1/2 cup per meal 3 times a day...BUT without a proteing drink or powder? I can't bear the smell or taste.

My nutritionist and my doctor basically said it was impossible to get in 70 grams of Protein a day given the volume of food we are eating (1/4 cup!)!!!! I am not sure you were given good advice......

Good Luck.

If I don't get all my Protein in for the day I have to rely on the IDS protein vials.

It is my opinion that the hair loss some of us are experiencing is NOT from lack of protein. I am getting all my protein in and I am losing hair like crazy. I have not heard one clear reason for the hair loss and don't buy the trama of surgery excuse. I have had surgery several times before and NEVER lost my hair from surgery. I suspect it has to do with the trama to a vital organ (having a band on it) or our bodies adjusting to drastic decrease of fat or carb consumption.

Funny, in all the literature I read while researching the band, hair loss was not listed as a side affect of the lap band.

Anyway, I'm sure somebody would love to argue the point with me but I'm pretty much not interested in debating the issue. I just wanted to make my point for some food for thought.

I sure hope I look good as a bald woman because with each passing day baldness is becoming a reality for me.

My nutritionist and my doctor basically said it was impossible to get in 70 grams of Protein a day given the volume of food we are eating (1/4 cup!)!!!! I am not sure you were given good advice......

Good Luck.

I'm eating 3/4 cup of food at a time and have no problems getting my protein in without the liquid shakes. For Breakfast I typically do greek yogurt - 4 oz has 15gm protein. lunch is usually fish like tuna or salmon, both of which have high amount of protein. For dinner I have a boca burger sometimes which has around 15gm of protein. I try for each meal to get 15-20 gm of protein per meal. Then I usually have one snack at some point. A lot of times I have the greek yogurt as a snack as well.

It's definitely doable. You just have to pick foods high in protein and eat those first. My doctor doesn't have a problem with drinking my protein - he wants me to get most of it in through solid food but if I need to supplement that's fine. If at the end of the day I don't think I got the amount of protein I should, I will do a shake every now and then. And like someone else mentioned, I also make sure to eat well-balanced meal with veggies, fruits, etc

I also don't buy that it's from lack of Protein, nor do I subscribe to the "trauma of surgery" theory. I do, however, believe it does have something to do with the anesthesia. I read something about the anesthesia interrupting the fallout cycle of the hair when you're under anesthesia for several hours. I don't know how long you went under in your previous surgeries, though, so you might be able to totally discredit this, since you've had lots of surgeries. This was my first.

Anyway, it's said that it "resets" the hairgrowth, so to speak, and puts the follicles in resting state. So for a while a large portion of hair follicles are on the same fall-out cycle and the hair loss seems more extreme. That makes sense to me, because I drowned myself in protein and still had hair loss BUT... the hairloss is slowing now. I'll post a link that kind of explains the hair cycle thing. Oh, just read that it's called telogen effluvium.

http://www.hairsite.com/female-hair-loss/forum_entry-id-21940-page-0-category-32-order-last_answer.html

I'm not a doc or even a nurse, and I don't know if that's right, but I think it's interesting and plausible.

If I don't get all my protein in for the day I have to rely on the IDS protein vials.

It is my opinion that the hair loss some of us are experiencing is NOT from lack of protein. I am getting all my protein in and I am losing hair like crazy. I have not heard one clear reason for the hair loss and don't buy the trama of surgery excuse. I have had surgery several times before and NEVER lost my hair from surgery. I suspect it has to do with the trama to a vital organ (having a band on it) or our bodies adjusting to drastic decrease of fat or carb consumption.

Funny, in all the literature I read while researching the band, hair loss was not listed as a side affect of the lap band.

Anyway, I'm sure somebody would love to argue the point with me but I'm pretty much not interested in debating the issue. I just wanted to make my point for some food for thought.

I sure hope I look good as a bald woman because with each passing day baldness is becoming a reality for me.

Edited August 22, 200917 yr by jlray

what ever u do dont add peppermint extracyt ewwwwwwwwwwwww i almost got sick lol

I guess I've been lucky, I haven't experienced ANY hair loss and I'm actually starting to see some definition in my face. I've since increased the Protein and don't feel as fatigued - could be mind over matter.

Whatever the case, whether there's a correlation between hair & protein - energy & protein... I'll continue to follow the docs orders - increased protein, walking, Vitamins... as this seems to work for me.

My hair loss didn't start until about 2 months after surgery. I think was the concensus in an earlier thread about hair loss... it takes a while to start, and takes a while to stop. Hope you don't have to deal with it.

A great way to diisguise the taste/smell of the protein powders is in a SF/Decaf Latte. I use General Foods Sugar Free/Caff Free French Vanilla Instant Coffee.Mix 2 tablespoons with 4 oz milk, 1 scoop protein powder ( i use unflavored). Add ice, additional sweetener( Splenda) as desired. Blend - Great treat and the milk adds extra protein. The coffee taste hides the protein powder. I make these for me and my husband ( he just had the gastric bypass in June). Nutritionist at our Dr's office said we were okay with this shake - no problems.