Soft Food Stage: Tolerating meats and fish

Hi all --

New to the boards. Surgery date June 1, 2015 ...

I started the soft food stage on the 29th of June. I went through liquid and puree like a champ. No vomiting or frothing. So far, in the last 5 days, I've had three incidents when trying to eat any meat or fish that isn't raw (sashimi). I'm about to return to cottage cheese ... Had a bad beef experience (but my body didn't like it pureed either) and lost my meal for the first time. Have major frothing/ burps and feeling of stuck food with salmon tonight and stewed pork the other night. I'm trying to chew everything to applesauce consistency and eat slowly ... maybe I'm missing that cue for the "last bite" and am going "one bite too much" ... but I'm eating 2 - 2 1/2 oz and no more. during puree, lunch and dinner were each 3 oz and tolerated well. What am I missing? It feels like my body just doesn't want denser proteins ...

You are now eating a denser protein (or trying to).  It will fill you up differently, not like a slider food.  Do you actually weigh your food?  If so and you are trying to eat between 2-3 o, then cut back to 1-1 1/2 oz for a few meals and see if that helps.  Try chicken.  Beef is hard for some people when they first start out on soft foods,  Fish should be good so cut back on portion at first,  Hopefully this will help.  I am sure there are others out there that has better or different options,  Have you gone to "the world according to eggface" site yet?  She has ideas and recipes for all stages of this journey.  Good luck.., Pam

Im still pre op but try tilapia or.cod or do less ounces see.if that helps try different proteins try meats with sauces maybe they are too.dry?? I hope you get this figured out

I don't have trouble with chicken or fish. But I tried a little steak that my son grilled for us a few weeks ago. It seemed tender enough. I took tiny bites, chewed thoroughly, and about 15 minutes later had to run to the bathroom to hurl. My sleeve does not like steak, which isn't a bad thing, since I don't much like it either. 

Sometimes you have to wait until your sleeve says you're ready for denser protein.

psychoticparrot

I couldn't eat 2 to 2.5 ounces until I was 8 weeks to three months post op.  So my first thought is that you are eating too much.  Cut back on the portion.  try eating only an ounce or two and see if that helps.  I wasn't allowed beef until 3 months post op.  That was because so many people in my program had trouble with beef.   Even chicken was hard for me when I first started solids. 

I'd suggest just taking it slow both in quantity and variety for a while.  It'll get better.

best wishes

Carol 

I've been luck with everything but early on with the dense proteins, make sure they are moist.  I bought fat free gravy for the first month a a mixr and it worked well.  Good luck.

I too have heard that using a light sauce or gravy helps in this stage.  And most say don't do beef for much longer.