Yeah, I was thinking, that while lack of protein is ONE common culprit of breaking hair, many people look to protein treatments immediately, especially the hardcore ones, BEFORE exploring other options, or considering a different source of the problem altogether...
And in reality this can lead to even more damage.
However, since you (OP) said that your your breakage did not start until after you did the self relaxer with lye, a good protein/moisture balance would seem like your best chance at curbing the breakage. (Since lye relaxers, as I understand them thus far, generally require the hair to have more protein than moisture, whereas no-lye, the focus should be more on moisture than protein.)
The ORS Replenishing Pak does contain moisturizing properties, but it is generally regarded as a mild protein treatment. By the way, it is a great deep conditioner...I must restock on it.
One product that I truly adore and one of the very, very few products that I can call a personal staple is
BPT Wheat Germ Vegetable Protein Rinse. It's a Dominican hair product and when I used it regularly I had literally no shedding or breakage. I would co-wash with it, mix it with deep conditioners, or make a deep conditioner out of it by mixing it with oils, honey, etc. My hair is insanely strong, yet soft, when using this product. And I mean, the strength I felt in my hair from this product was like nothing I've ever felt...it trumps Aphogee 2 Min. for me by a landslide. And it felt and looked much thicker! ( I have fine strands ) I highly recommend this product. Wheat germ contains ceramides which prevent moisture loss, add moisture and aid in better moisture retention, which is what I experience with this product. Not only that, but vegetable proteins, in my opinion, are very gentle (can be used regularly provided you're not ridiculously protein sensitive, it's hard to overload) on the hair and gradually increase strength and resilience. Put them together and this product is nothing but moisture/protein balance. And the product is incredibly versatile. HTH! Good luck!
Reviews on Round Brush:
http://www.roundbrushhair.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=13
Edit: Oh, and if you're interested in buying this online provided you can't find it at one of your local stores, I buy mine from
www.ibeautyny.com because it is the cheapest I could find....a dollar in difference from Round Brush Hair.