Needing a meal replacement drink. Having a hard to keep weight on

Posted by puprluvr @puprluvr, Dec 24, 2025

I’m 6.5 years cancer free from an esophegectomy at Mayo Clinic, but I’m having a difficult time keeping my weight on (114lbs). I am an active person, eat when Im hungry, but not getting in enough calories. Im needing some suggestion's for a meal replacement protein drink or powder that is low sugar, high in calories and good quality. I would appreciate and welcome any and all suggestions.

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@lindainca
I’ve lost around 30-35 lbs since surgery and can’t gain weight which is 113lbs currently. My surgery was 2019 at Mayo..

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@puprluvr Have you enlisted the help of a licensed nutritionist?

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Profile picture for naoshapiro1 @naoshapiro1

@lindainca I can't digest anything high in oxalate because I make kidney stones and I am intolerant to Coco, which would give me high reflux problem. I can't eat flaxseed coconut oil raises my cholesterol level. I work within a nutritionist and every meal is very very carefully laid down I do eat hempbpowder and hemp hearts I eat banana oatmeal, ground pecan ground pumpkin seed and ground walnuts and I can tolerate up to 10 sprays of olive oil on my sourdough bread. I also make a purée of one or 2 ounces of bok choy fennel carrots 3 ounces and einkorn, which is very much like farrow or sorghum everything is weighed by ounces and grams. I eat four small meals a day. My last meal is at 4:45 and it's my lowest value meal just 2 ounces of sourdough bread 10 sprays of olive oil and a tablespoon of my nut butter that I make I have ---so many food intolerances and pre-diabetic and hypoglycemic there's just so much going on I did try MCT oil for a while which they give to babies to help them thrive it'll certainly add weight if that's what you're looking for, but it will raise your cholesterol considerably so I quit that I work with a nutritionist doctor. I also small the boiled potato and banana and kiwi, which are all digestible as I said everything is worked out by grams and ounces. I wish you luck.

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@naoshapiro1 More evidence that each and every body is different in significant ways. I guess that’s why it can be such a long journey to discover the micro-management sweet spot for each individual. Best of luck to you as well.

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Profile picture for naoshapiro1 @naoshapiro1

@lindainca Try Liquid Hope or Nourish you can find them on amazon. I had my esophagectomy June2019 and went in 108 and came out 108 but it is very hard to maintain weight after that operation, I just lost 3 pounds from having a bad cold and cough and have to have a D&C next week and a stone removed after that, I cannot tolerate liquid hope any more too many food intolerances, very hard life now!!!!!!

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@naoshapiro1
My esophajectomy was April of 2019 at Mayo. Like you, I also cannot gain weight since surgery. I was over 150 lbs and my last weight was 113. It is not now, an easy life but we are still above ground! I am thankful!

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Profile picture for lindainca @lindainca

@puprluvr Have you enlisted the help of a licensed nutritionist?

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@lindainca
No I haven’t. Only a dietician with knowledge of an esophajectomy.

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Profile picture for puprluvr @puprluvr

@naoshapiro1
My esophajectomy was April of 2019 at Mayo. Like you, I also cannot gain weight since surgery. I was over 150 lbs and my last weight was 113. It is not now, an easy life but we are still above ground! I am thankful!

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@puprluvr That is good news I was up to 111 but got a bad cold with coughing and lost three pounds eating the same amount. next week have to get a D& C then after that have to deal with large kidney stone though I drink 92 ounces of water per day and eat low oxalate and add calcium citrate powder at every meal. If I die at one of these procedures it will be a mistake as I don't want to die -do everything every day to follow the diet and exercise etc, It's very hard -I'm so lucky to hav e a loving partner who went on a ten day trip called me every day sometimes 2 or three times and I dealt with everything that came up and boy did it come up, broken heater in my apartment at 4am, broken computer, leak in the car, so many appts to prepare for the operation and I did it. But am very scared. Do breathing exercises and Nerva program for IBS. Hope to be talking to everyone after Tuesday!

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Profile picture for puprluvr @puprluvr

@lindainca
No I haven’t. Only a dietician with knowledge of an esophajectomy.

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@puprluvr Either a dietician or a nutritionist who have expertise in treating esophagectomy patients is a must. Has your dietician helped?

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Dietician has not made a big difference in adding pounds to my body. One of my issues is not eating enough meals throughout the day. I do use butter, cheese, but have to limit desserts etc or I’ll get ill with dumping syndrome. It’s a battle. Thx for the advice.

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