I'm 6 weeks out and I do not handle meat very well:(

If it is mixed in something like a chicken salad that works. But I try to eat grilled fish or chicken and the pain is horrible in my chest!

Does this ever get better???

Yes. But u HAVE to eat it slow, slower than you are now and chew chew chew. Your body will teach you but eating meats, crab meat etc too fast was the only time I felt yuck.

Good luck! Surgery 1/19/15 for me.

Thanks! I do eat slow but I guess with the meat I will have to do better

Meat is very dense, so may I suggest using a pressure cooker to help tenderize it? The process also has the fantastic benefit of developing incredible flavor, AND is best on the less expensive cuts of meat, like chuck roasts. I like to sprinkle powdered onion soup mix over the roast, then add a couple of cups of water. The time it takes to cook is way less than typical roasting, and it doesn't heat your kitchen up in the summer! There are lots of brands of electric pressure cookers out there, which is my preference, and they can be very inexpensive, as well. And you can do so much with them...don't forget to get a pressure cooker cookbook with it!

The pressure cooker is a GREAT idea. I even looked for one after surgery since I think we threw out ours years ago! I have to admit I avoid dense meats or just have a nibble and been sticking with fish, pulled pork/chicken, etc....

Eating dense makes me tired? Is that odd? I think of it as my body working too hard to digest it.

I still make the mistake of eating too fast from time to time and my body yells at me by making me feel ill and "stuck" for an hr or better.

But heck! If that's what it takes to be a "LOSER"I'll take it! ????

It does get better just keep trying a little at a time to reintroduce it into your diet.

I found if I cut it up super super small and chewed the crap out of the little pieces it went down no problem. And also it was easier to chew a small piece rather than a large piece! Good luck!

Edited March 13, 201511 yr by Dreamingofhealth

I think that cutting it into really small pieces and chewing is the best advice. I am 2.5 years out and still try to do this - on occasion that I haven't, then yes, I still get the stuck feeling

I find the biggest difference for me is that the denser the protein the moister I need it to be. Broth, low fat sauce, etc is critical.

Yes, that is normal. I can eat fish and chicken just fine if they are very moist, but at over 4 months out, I still have not tried steak, just ground beef. We eat a lot of ground meats now that I have had the surgery.

If you get the pressure cooker they show on tv, I have it but I have a love/hate relationship with it. The seal sometimes doesn't seal so it doesn't pressure up. You have to hold it shut till the pressure latch catches. Once that happens its amazing. About 10-15 minutes lol

@@kyrickchick64

I got a couple different sizes off of QVC, a huge one for when we have company, and a smaller one for the 2 of us. Try a whole chicken in it. just melts in your mouth! Leftovers are great for anything calling for cooked chicken. And don't forget to freeze the leftovers in small, usable sizes!

@@kyrickchick64

I got a couple different sizes off of QVC, a huge one for when we have company, and a smaller one for the 2 of us. Try a whole chicken in it. just melts in your mouth! Leftovers are great for anything calling for cooked chicken. And don't forget to freeze the leftovers in small, usable sizes!

When you cook the chicken in a slow cooker- what the best sauce that you would recommend?

@@LSF

Don't laugh, but I am a specialist! NO SAUCE AT ALL! However, I like to rub different spice combinations over the whole thing, and don't forget to add a cup or two of liquid (water, broth, Soup....), I tend to lean towards typical poultry spices (thyme, marjoram, sage...), but there are some great rub-blends out on the market that are awesome, as well. Have you seen the grilling rubs? I've tried those, and some give an interesting smoky flavor. costco has some Chicago Steak seasoning (who says it has to be only for steak?!), and lemon pepper seasoning (my husbands fav). Let us know what you come up with! I like to play around with different combos. To the adventuresome!