Hey guys!

I'm 6 weeks post op and my doctor says I can now move to solid food- but I'm having a hard time with meat- even the really soft kinds like slow cooked pork, beef and chicken. I can however have ground pork and beef and it's fine.

How long until you sleevers got to tolerate actual solid food and what did you start with?

Thank you!

Edited December 4, 20187 yr by vsgnewbie77

It can take many months. Seafood is, by far, the easiest to go down. Usually rotisserie chicken is very tender. Things like slow-cooked pork still have very long, tough fibers that are hard to chew down enough. Some meats will go down easier if you have some sort of low-cal condiment to eat them with to add some moisture (ketchup, gravy). At 6 weeks, ground meats are pretty normal. You're doing well!

I was pretty easy. I used "meat lube" aka sauces and gravies (low cal/low carb/low sugar) and used types of meat that were fall apart tender.

And foil wrapped fish was super easy peasy to make and eat at first!

I still struggle (occasionally) depending on the type. Fish is easier, poultry spotty at best, red meat is hard. And all animal proteins tends to cause some level of constipation for me ?.

(But I think I was always this way on some level and it just intensified after VSG)

Safe Journey!

Edited December 4, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

44 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

It can take many months. Seafood is, by far, the easiest to go down. Usually rotisserie chicken is very tender. Things like slow-cooked pork still have very long, tough fibers that are hard to chew down enough. Some meats will go down easier if you have some sort of low-cal condiment to eat them with to add some moisture (ketchup, gravy). At 6 weeks, ground meats are pretty normal. You're doing well!

Thank you!

Unfortunately I'm allergic to most seafood so I don't have that option ( I wish I could have shrimp as I feel like that's a good starter for solids ) I'm doing well with burger meat though and so far I've been having that if my choices are limited when eating out. Weirdly chicken doesn't go down so well either- both ground and soft but I'm experiment with other ways of cooking and hopefully I find something that works

33 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

I was pretty easy. I used "meat lube" aka sauces and gravies (low cal/low carb/low sugar) and used types of meat that were fall apart tender.

And foil wrapped fish was super easy peasy to make and eat at first!

Thanks!

I tried fish a few days ago and unfortunately it wasn't so pleasant. Tuna I can't tolerate as well I'll experiment with other kinds and hopefully I find a few choices that work

13 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

I still struggle (occasionally) depending on the type. Fish is easier, poultry spotty at best, red meat is hard. And all animal Proteins tends to cause some level of constipation for me ?.

(But I think I was always this way on some level and it just intensified after VSG)

Safe Journey!

Thank you! Weirdly it's the "harder meat" I can tolerate and fish and chicken just don't sit well on my sleeve. Hopefully this is just a phase and my sleeve will get over it.

Thank goodness for eggs as that's the best I can tolerate for now

I estimate it took me at least 2 months to figure out how to eat meat and even today, I don't do well with dry meats. I'm with FluffyChix. It's much easier with some sort of "meat lube" like a gravy or sauce of some kind. I also realized that seafood (aside from canned tuna, which can be dry) seems to go down easiest. Shrimp is now one of my favorite sources of protein.

I'd say that I have more trouble with eggs than I do with meat, maybe with the exception of pork chops. My only experience with them thus far didn't end well. They were just too dry.

P.S.: a crock pot or insta-pot might become your best friend to get moist, tender meats.

Edited December 4, 20187 yr by S@ssen@ch
Add more info

6 minutes ago, S@ssen@ch said:

I estimate it took me at least 2 months to figure out how to eat meat and even today, I don't do well with dry meats. I'm with FluffyChix. It's much easier with some sort of "meat lube" like a gravy or sauce of some kind. I also realized that seafood (aside from canned tuna, which can be dry) seems to go down easiest. Shrimp is now one of my favorite sources of Protein.

I'd say that I have more trouble with eggs than I do with meat, maybe with the exception of pork chops. My only experience with them thus far didn't end well. They were just too dry.

P.S.: a crock pot or insta-pot might become your best friend to get moist, tender meats.

Eggs are a godsend for me right now as it's my easiest protein source. I don't think I'm ready enough for porkchops any time soon haha

I'll definitely try some slowcooker recipes and hopefully they're soft enough for my sleeve to tolerate.

Thanks!

Make sure you are chewing the meat as much as possible which can help. Everyone is different. I found deli chicken was easiest in the beginning.

Anybody pureed meat ??

I have been thinking when it is time - that might be the move - like make my own baby food ?

I have a can of chicken breast figured when it was time (only 6 days PO-not yet) will try to puree it.

I have a hard time with slow-cooker meats. It seems as if all the moisture in the meat leaches into the sauce/gravy/liquid and leaves the meat dry inside. Chicken is okay if I stick to dark meat and eat slowly and is better with a sauce or gravy. Dense fish, like salmon and tuna, comes right back up every time, but sautéed cod and trout are fine. Well-marbled beef is wonderful, juicy and delicious. Eggs are hit or miss, scrambled are a no-no, soft boiled or over easy are fine. Chili is good, too. Give it a little more time and you'll find what works. You can always vary the taste of your protein with spices, sauces, and gravies.

I still struggle s lot with meat and I'm 3.5 months post surgery. It's very frustrating because I love meat and I want to enjoy it again but I really have a hard time with it. I try to focus on chewing a lot and eating slower because I definitely have a problem if I don't. But if I do chew enough to mush up the meat then it doesn't seem like meat anymore and I get turned off by it. Sigh.

I was very fortunate with meat tolerance. My program has you on soft foods (fish/shellfish, ground meats, stewed meats) after 1 week post-Op. You continue this for 3 weeks and starting week 5, start introducing regular foods. I was able to handle that schedule with no problems. I'm 49 days post-op and had a filet mignon and flank steak last week. Have been eating seafood, chicken, and turkey for weeks. My program suggests, trying a food per schedule and if it doesn't agree with you then reintroduce in a couple weeks.

I started with looser-textured fish and meat at 6 weeks and then increased the density until now (5 months), when I can quite happily eat steak. However, I find that the denser the texture of the meat, the less of it I eat in one meal. If I eat steak, I just eat a small piece cut off the corner of my partner's steak, whereas I can polish off a fillet of salmon all to myself! ?

14 hours ago, Lrorrio said:

Make sure you are chewing the meat as much as possible which can help. Everyone is different. I found deli chicken was easiest in the beginning.

I'm getting much better with the chewing though I still have to remind myself to slow down sometimes. Turkey ham has worked great so far