Just had surgery on 10/10/11 protein issues

 Hi, if you liked vanilla ice cream, Walmart has a protein powder (BODY FORTRESS, SUPER ADVANCED WHEY ISOLATE  30G OF PROTEIN FOR ONE SCOOP WITH ONE 6OZ CUP OF FAT FREE MILK for around $19.97 (it tastes like melted vanilla ice cream) and I am also a finicky eater, this is the only protein that I've been able to hold down.  I haven't tried unjury, i did make some chicken soup (leave out the beans and anything that produces gas and bloating) and used the magic bullet to blend and i have also been getting my protein from the chicken that is in the soup.  I try to stick to the basics and so far the protein powder from walmart has worked.  I have plenty of others, but i tend to stick to that one.  Can you do yogart (Chiboni, just mixed the flavored ones well and chew the pieces of fruit really well)?  That has a ton of protein as well.  Good luck

You will NOT get all of your protein in at first. 55 grams is on the low side. You need to keep going until you find a protein you like. I like Pure Protein (it's a concentrate not an isolate) Right now I am using Body Fortress Super Whey protein from Walmart (vanilla) I also like their Isolate also. I am NOT a fan of chike, Nectar or a lot of others. But I kept going until...My favorite shake right now is 8ox skim milk with 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder with a heaping TBS of decaff coffee.  After my surgery I really like Unjury Chicken soup broth and The Isopure single serve's in the glass bottle. It took me a while to find the few I like. I like them b/c they contain protein AND go towards your daily fluid intake all in one bottle. Actually, I had surgery a few weeks ago and was placed back on the bariartric floor and I ordered a Peach mango Isopure. I am 4 months out and STILL drink 2 shakes a day to get all my protein in.

So deep breaths....just take one day at a time...You can do this!

I think your doc's suggestion of only 55 grams is probably less than you really need (unless your goal weight is really low, like 110 pounds).  But anyway.

Here are my tricks:

1.  First thing in the morning, put one scoop of unflavored protein powder in a dish on your kitchen counter.  Every time you get something to eat, try to put a little bit of the protein in it.  Just start with a little pinch in your yogurt, pudding, soup, sugar free hot chocolate, whatever.  Just a pinch, stir well and see if you think another pinch will still be edible.  Even using just a little pinch at a time, by the end of the day you'll have gotten an extra 20 grams of protein or so.  And if you are really just using a pinch at a time, it should not affect the taste or texture of your food at all.

2.  Eat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.  For the yogurt, buy plain and mix in something for flavor.  If you mix in a spoonful of sugar free cheesecake flavor pudding mix, it will taste like real cheesecake.  (you can add a tiny pinch of protein powder too and you'll never even know it's in there).

3.  Make protein ice cream.  See theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com.  I've only known one person ever to say they didn't like it.  It saved my butt in the beginning.  I didn't find a protein shake I could stand for the first few months but I had protein ice cream every day.

4.  Go to Vitamin Shoppe or GNC and buy some ready to drink shakes.  Just single bottles so if you don't like them you aren't stuck with a whole case.  Try these, if you can find them: Oh Yeah! brand in chocolate, cookies n creme and/or banana (lots of people seem to like those flavors, though not everyone does, of course); Isopure smoothies, not the ones that look like Gatorade, but it says smoothies on the bottle; Cytosport, which to me seemed a lot like the Isopure only I actually thought the Isopure was better - but I know some people that hate Isopure but love Cytosport, so try them); Atkins ready to drink, especially the mocha one  if you like mocha stuff; any others that look like they might be good.

5.  If you haven't tried hot protein drinks, try them.  You can find tons of recipes at bariatricfoodie.com but basically, say if you wanna make protein hot chocolate, you mix the protein powder with a little room temp liquid until you get a paste, then pour in ho****er/milk and the hot chocolate powder and stir.  Make it warm enough to be hot chocolate, but not super hot - like, don't add boiling water.

6.  Try the Unjury chicken soup, if you haven't.  Get a sample on their website.

7.  If you like coffee drinks, I have found that a spoonful of Maxwell House International French vanilla cafe mix (sugar free, decaf) makes almost any vanilla shake taste better.  Covers up the protein smell, too

I'm not sure if your state has a Cost Co but they have a brand called Premier and they have a chocolate flavored one that wasn't to bad. I must tell you though even if you do like the taste it is very hard to get all of the protein in. I had to buy little containers and I would pour 4 oz at a time and put the rest in the refrigerator. My drink need to cold otherwise I could not drink it. It made it easier but by the time I got to the last couple of shakes I did not want them. Just think its only 2 weeks that you have to drink that stuff. Some people make shakes out of them adding ice. I didn't like the way the shake tasted but give it a try. 2 weeks will go by before you know it. Hang in there and just try to be positive. In my personal opinion the protein drinks that are already made taste way better then the powder.

I had my surg on the same day I have had the same problems as you but i am focusing on keeping hydrated at this point but I have found on the baratic pantey web site there is a protein called Nectar syntrax the chocolate and strawberry I have been able to handle I mix it with skim milk and it tatse like chocolate or strawberry milk not thick and does not have that protein taste.  I am like you I can not tolerate what I don't like and since we have to sip it is so much harder to get down.  Keep your head up it will all come together.  Good luck.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions and well wishes! It means so much to me to hear other people who have gone through it. I also find it pretty cool that some of us had surgery on the same day A few of you expressed my protein intake seemed like a low number..all I know is my doctor said it was based on my height. I'm a shortie..barely 5ft! I went for my first follow up today and have lost 19 lbs. I will definitely be visiting my local GNC and try some of the other suggestions as well. Also,thanks for the websites recommendations. I can't wait to look them up

That is great