Ground beef ---any hope?

HI! Well, I'm 8 weeks out now..and down 55 lbs! But, it seems like I'm having harder struggles now with food. I swear I'm eating less of it...or is it just that i'm getting used to the portion size? I've been very nauseous this last week. (much like morning sickness when I eat..but no...I'm not pregnant..its not possible) Also, ground beef does not work well for me at all. I end up in the bathroom; So, there goes my favorite of tacos/taco salad. But, I can have it with a spaghetti sauce..so, I can't figure out if its the ground beef or the taco seasoning. Brett had warned me about grilled meat..and well, that doesn't do well for me either(chicken); So, its really been quite an experiment lately. I bought some protein ice and another new protein drink at carb busters with 42 grams of protein..and trying to get in my protein..as well as adding unjury when I have the opportunity. So, anyone out there..have luck with ground beef later? How long should I wait to try it again? I have not tried steak..I'm too nervous for that yet. Luckily, I have a EGD scheduled in a couple of weeks to check my lining..so i'm curious about strictures..but think i'm ok. I'm sorry I'm rambling...but, I'm getting so bored with food. I'm going to go to my stand-by of soup tomorrow. Its so warm for my pouch...and feels good. But, I'm going out of town for 10 days soon..and hope that travelling won't be so hard and eating out. Although, I'm trying to figure out my pouch now..I do not regret this one bit. I can't believe how much I have lost..I could have never been this successful before. I'm thrilled about being able to cross my legs now! Thanks for listening! Hugs, Kimberly

Kimberly, Congrats ... that is a fantastic loss!! And crossing your legs ... the bomb right??? So cool!!! As far as the ground beef goes ... that one is always iffy on my pouch also. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I have yet to figure out a pattern with it. I used to love spaghetti and meatballs and have tried it several times since surgery (minus the noodles - they don't sit well with me) but to no avail. However I can eat a piece of ground round cheeseburger from Cosco (about 1/6) even with a small piece of the bun. I am thinking that perhaps it is the fat they ground up in the meat that is not really working for me ,... who knows ... however, I do steak a lot now and have since I was early out. It is one of the things that sit the best on my new tummy. I go to my local grocery store and get the chipped round steak and put a little bit of Worcester sauce in a frying pan and throw the steak in, salt & pepper, and it is on my plate within a couple of minutes and has always settled well for me so far ... oh, I also eat it with steak sauce to help keep it moist. It is so tender and already cut so thin that it is easier for me to take smaller bites. I keep my bites of it about the size of an eraser still. I am curious as to what Brett said about grilled meats? I haven't heard anything about that. Kimberly, at two months out, I was still doing a lot of soups and that is still my main dish when I am away from home and eating. It is one of those things that I can pretty much count on sitting well and you can almost always find soup beans, or another kind of soup at a restaurant. The protein drinks are great to help meet your protein needs and the convenience of the prepackaged ones are great for travel. I have always liked the protein ice, but really like the newer drinks that I just got from Carb Busters even more. (EAS Myoplex Carb Sense 10.5 oz 22 gms of protein, 0 carbs and sugars - EAS Precision Protein 20 oz, 42 gms of protein, !

Hi Kimberly, Good job!! 55 LBS You should be so proud!! I have trouble with ground beef/turkey also. At 8 weeks out I tried a half of a turkey hamburger. No good. Then I tried a half of a meatball. Also no good. The following week I tried the meatball again and it was okay. Then I tried some chili and was okay the first time, a week later no good. It always goes down okay and tastes so good, just sometimes I get the indigestion and burping, then hiccupping and then it's just easier to makes ya feel better. Turkey wing did the same thing. I was nauseous for an hour and finally couldn't keep it down any more. I think its trial and error. Just don't give up keep trying. Eventually we'll adjust and be okay. In the meantime I try to focus on proteins. I'm going away next week on vacation. I am anxious about food also. I'm gonna carry a cooler with cottage cheese, yogurt and a couple cans of soup with me. Gotta figure out a way to carry my protein stuff with me too. This is gonna be an experience. I'll share with everyone when I get back. I won't be at the meeting at PMRI on Saturday the 1st. So if someone can take notes. ((HUGS)) Elissa

Hey Kimberly, Congratulations on your 55 pounds. That is great. As far as beef is conerned, I have not had any trouble chowing down on 1/2 a cheeseburger (no roll), meatloaf, taco (although I can't tolerate the Taco Bell variety). I use turkey burger a lot, sometimes using buffalo burger, and then using the leanest brand of sirlion burger. Sometimes the cooked fat in some of the other meats will not sit well, and certainly does not keep if you are having left-overs. I have more trouble with the grilled meats, unless they are extremely tender and moist. Chicken is probably the hardest to figure out how to get it down and what to moisten it with. Fish is great, although if you are sticking to the 30 minute rule, it gets pretty chewy near the end of the meal. I think you are suppose to try and reintroduce a food every two to three weeks. Good luck on traveling. I find it real hard to get the liquids in when I'm traveling, and hard to get the protein in since it's not as easy to grab a smoothie. Rob

Kimberly- Congrats on the weight loss!!! I have not had any problem with beef, but I did figure out the more lean it is the less gas I get. I always buy the 93% lean fat. I also use some ketchup or steak sauce when I eat it. I do notice that I must eat smaller bites and chew well. Becareful with sauces as they do contain some sugar. I know there is a receipe out there to make ketchup with out sugar, you use a sugar subsitute instead. I actually have more energy when I eat red meat vs. chicken. What about taking some protein bars with you on vacation? I am curious what Brett had to say about beef too? I grill most of my meats and have no problems. Also, please explain to me about the EGD. I know that they scope to check everything, but is this standard after every operation? I never had to do this. Congrats and hugs Nicki

Wow! What a wonderful group! Thanks for all the advice! I really needed it! About grilled meats..Brett just warned me they are hard to get down. Since they are drier--and I do have a problem with those right now. The reason I have to get another EGD is that when I had my one prior to surgery, they noticed my espogus(spelling) lining was not great. She had put me on Zantac prior to surgery and wanted to re-check following surgery to make sure it was getting better. Apparently, you don't want problems like that, it could be pre-cancerous--but, I'm not worried. Dr. Wynn is just following-up. I had asked her at that time, if when she did the EGD would she check for a stricture as well. Since she is going to be in there...she said she would. Tammy, I bought some of that new EAS drink as well! I love it! I'm going to have to stop back by there..and pick some up for my trip! They are truly wonderful in Carb Busters..just like everyone has said. They had run out of discount cards...but I still managed to spend my $50.00. Hopefully, they will have more soon. Again, thanks for all the tips! Ya'll are the greatest!!!! Hugs, Kimberly

Hi Kimberly - You have gotten some great answers already but I'll just add my 2 cents. I don't have any trouble with ground beef - it really seems to be a person to person thing. What I have heard is that after the first 4 - 6 months you begin to tolerate more things & more things better. I had not had stea****il this past Saturday & I am 6 mo post op. I don;t know why becasue it was GREAT. It was cooked on the grill to well done *(I think medium well would have been better & softer). Then I think the key was slicing it really thin. I dipped it in bbq sauce & it was so good & I ate more then I thought I'd be able to - some people can't tolerate bbq sauce though so use your own judgement with sauces. I've found when using them for dipping that I don;t really consume enough for any sugar in them to bother me. You are doing GREAT and look wonderful. Just keep trying things. Like Elissa had mentioned too, one week a food is fine - the next week - yuck - for no appearent reason. Just one of the quirky things.

Kimberly, I can eat ground beef. I just make sure it is very lean and really chew it well. Try making meatballs with it. Good Luck deb