Hello everyone,
I need your opinion. I have a friend who had the gastric bypass. We were talking today about protein shakes and here is what she says her doctor said to her..........No protein shakes because they can cause you to gain weight. He said that people will have them and then still be hungry causing them to eat more, or drink more. The protein shakes are meals and so you are doubling your meals because of still being hungry with the protein shakes. So I asked her how in the world she got in all of her protein. She said by eating lots of broths. 
So, I am trying to wrap my mind around all this, thinking the doctor is  NUTS! There is no way in the world to get in all of your protein by broths with such a small tummy! 
So, please help me out. I am thinking correctly that this whole idea is crazy? Has anyone ever heard of this? 

I have never heard that, but I am not technically eating protein shakes. I tried them right after surgery and it went right through me so I am kinda scared. I am 2 weeks out tomorrow and I drink Isopure which has 40 grams each (I split it into 2 servings), I add strawberry unjury to Chobani- 1/2 cup and 1/2 scoop making it 22 protein, and then I usually have a strained cream of chicken or cream of something. Adding 1/2 scoop unflavored unjury, makes it around 12 grams.

I am not a doctor but I certainly don't agree. At one time in my life, I was a serious weightlifter (BC-before cancer). I used Protein shakes as meal replacement twice a day and I ate 5-6 times a day. I was very careful about what protein shakes I used. I am a huge EAS Lite fan. That said, I also made sure I added nonfat yogurt and ice to make it count. I could go three plus hours without eating if I sipped on a shake.

 Well it sounds goofy to me.  I didn't think broth had that much protein for one thing.

I could see that a high carb/lower quality protein shake might not be a good choice.  

And I could see that someone that is some time out from surgery they might not find a protein drink to be satisfying.  But right after surgery? 

I never heard of this either--but I am 3 months out and I have not had a protein shake since before surgery-I tried and I just could not stomach it like before surgery-All I eat is protein to make sure I get it all in! Recently, when I stalled, I substituted a fruit for breakfast instead of protein and the weight loss continued--so, I can now say I eat protein for all meals except breakfast :) 

Amber,

How in the world do you get enough protein then? I can only eat about 2 oz (pushing it) of dense protein at a time and thats only like 12ish grams of protein.  Even with three meals thats only 36 or so and my doctor has me at 65g protein a day.  I know I am not getting enough but I really cant stomach the shakes.  

 My NUT suggests getting protein by eating protein rich foods and not "drinking" calories. This is a goal. I cannot eat enough at this point to get in necessaru protein so I drink atleast one shake daily if not 2. The idea is to eat dense protein so u stay full longer.  

My surgeon is very anti-protein shakes. He doesn't want you to drink any calories. Dense protein only once you can tolerate it. His diet progression to solids is very fast compared to most I've seen. He isn't really concerned with your protein intake in the first few weeks. I admit I ignored the ban on protein shakes when I was on liquids and until I could easily get in my protein with solids. I drank a shake every morning to take my vitamins and not feel sick. It was probably two or three months before I cut the morning shake. But since then I've done well with no shakes.

Dr.s definitely seem to have very different opinions on protein shakes.

Doesn't sound right to me. I drink the special K shakes, and I'm good for a couple of hours. I mean it does depend on how many calories your body burns at rest and if you're getting any exercise. It also depends on the brand of shakes. The COSTCO brand is delicious! But wow, a lot of calories. It also depends on keeping busy. At work, I'll drink a shake, and I'm good for a few hours. The colder the better. Making your own protein drinks isn't my way, but Unjury brand powder tastes great, and with non fat yogurt and ice keeps the calories down. Hope this helps.

My program has you limiting shakes to 1 per day AFTER you are able to get your protein from food. 

I drink 1 Premier Plus Protein (30g) a day right now usually as a mid morning snack.  I'm not sure about the feeling hungry thing.  I usually feel full and satisfied from my shake for at least a couple hours.....more if I mix it with a little greek yogurt or something.

I could not hit the 90g a day goal they set for me without a shake RIGHT NOW.  Eventually I probably will....but six weeks out I still require that extra dose.

I *have* to have them.  No amount of dense protein that I EAT is going to help my lab values.  Only eating my protein in dense protein form (which keeps me full yes!!) makes my labs go into the ****ter, and the danger is NOT that I will lose my hair, but the danger is that my body will eat my muscles, my heart being the most important muscle.

I have to average them into my daily intake.  I have them as a supplement, like I take iron, like I take calcium.  Its not an option for me to not have them.  Period.  End. Of. Story.

I do not know what kind of broth she is drinking that has protein in them, but I cannot imagine (if you did have a proteiny broth) how in the WORLD drinking broth is going to keep you full for any different amount of time than a shake would.

It sounds like a misunderstanding, or perhaps I am misunderstanding.  :s

*edit to add, the program I was given does NOT endorse drinking your calories.  I do not think any program really does - but for me, protein shakes are not recreational calorie drinking - they are necessary for my physical health.  **AGAIN, let your labs be your guide.  Doctors can say what they will about things like this, but whether or not anyone believes that you do or do not need shakes to be healthy - what your blood serum tells you is what you ought to listen to.

OK... I see (to some extent) the point that if ppl r getting hungry, dense protein will fill them up longer than a drink, but my biggest problem with that situation is...... HOW IS BROTH ANY DIFFERENT THAN A PROTEIN SHAKE!?!?!? LOL  deffinately nuts in my opinion!

 Thank you all for your responses! I agree with the fact that broth probably can't keep you full as well. When I asked her what she ate after surgery for the first few weeks, she just said broth, jello, popsicles. I agree that after you can start eating your protein, then you should lay off the shakes, but for a while after surgery, that should be your life line, unless your doctor doesn't care about protein intake......