Help with chicken

Ok, as most of you know, it has been 6 months now since my surgery and I still can't seem to keep food down. I want to try and cook some chicken and see if I can keep it down. Tax time is over and now I need to explore more foods. Can you guys please tell me how you cook yours so that I can try it that way and see if it stays down. Since my surgery, I haven't been able to keep foods down so if you can then there must be something still wrong with me. But I don't really want another scope. I don't need another tear in my esphogus. I'm babeling...........ok, this is what I'm trying to say, if you can keep food down cooking it a particular way, then I should be able to keep it down too????? I just had a visit by someone who had the surgery a month after me and she can eat everything. There isn't anything she can't eat. Man, that makes me mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can I get some help from some of you out there. What foods did you try in the beginning and how did you cook them?? Arlene

I'm not sure what your particular issue is, but I would like to invite you to explore my website BariatricBytes.com - there are a lot - over 160 - of postop friendly recipes (good for families, as well) as well as tips and tricks for eating, cooking, getting extra protein through food, etc. If I can help with something specific I'd be glad to try. I do find that dark meat chicken is the 'easiest' on the pouch - more moist. In the beginning, if I put it in a pot with chicken broth and poached it (simmered****il it was cooked through, it was very moist. Then I cut it into pieces the size of an eraser. In the crockpot is wonderful too. But really stick to thighs and legs until your pouch toughens up. Hope that helps!!!! Oh and try and make meal time as stress-free as possible so all your muscles (including your pouch and esophogus muscles) are relaxed. Play some music, sit in a comfortable spot, breath deeply - relaaaaaaaax Hugs, Toots

I would suggest cooking it in what ever method you enjoy that will leave it moist. And, add some FF gravy to it. I still can't eat white meat. It is just too dry. Thighs seem to be ok. Shredded may or may not give me trouble. It goes down better if I add something to it. Salsa is often enough to help chicken go down better. How about chicken soup? At one point when I have having trouble getting things to go and stay down, Dr. W said it was ok to sip a little with my foods. But, he warned to only do it for a limited time. Drinking anything with my meals still makes me barf. So, that didn't work for me. But, it might for you. Hat

Hi Arlene, I am 7 and a half months post op and I still can't come close to chicken, I try it thinking maybe that day I will be ok....but I always end up stricturing out on it. I really can't get any meats down, I have gone to tofu for suppliment. It takes awhile to learn how to cook tofu, but if you like to try new things you'll like it and get the hang of it fast. A good tip- use extra firm tofu and drain it and pat it dry before cooking. You can also go to trader jo's- (there's on at University place in Tacoma) and get pre-made tofu allready seasoned, you just bake it- it's yummy. If you keep trying to push your stricture it will only make it worse and add more scar tissue. I have noticed mine is getting a little better in the past week or so. I can drink more water. Rachael