Question:
What's the deal with CHICKEN?
Hi all, I was just wondering why so many post-ops have trouble with CHICKEN. It is one of my favorites things (I don't eat any red meat), so I wanted to know what people think the trouble with it is. I'm still pre-op, but due to have surgery Jan/Feb 2002. Thanks in advance! Hugs, Joy — [Deactivated Member] (posted on November 9, 2001)
November 9, 2001
Beats me. Chicken, especially white meat, is something I've given up
on.Regardless of how well I chew it, it causes pain. No great loss
actually; I prefer dark meat anyway. I have found that either a sauce or
light gravy helps, though.
— Chuck O.
November 9, 2001
I don't personally have any problems. I think that most people tend to try
and eat the leanest part which is the breast. The breast tends to be very
dry especially if over cooked. Its a great low fat source of protein if you
can eat it!!! Sauces and marinades add fat or calories BUT sometimes make
all the difference!!!
— tn683
November 9, 2001
Joy, I was a real meat-eater before surgery and so far, at 7.5 weeks
post-op, I've not had any trouble with any meat. Chicken is one of my
staples. It does seem to need some kind of sauce or to be otherwise wet,
like in soup, but that's no big deal. I think it varies from person to
person.
One thing I have heard, that makes sense, is that you should start eating
meat as soon as allowed after surgery; your body makes specific enzymes to
digest meats and if you don't need them, your body stops making them
eventually. Seems like many people stop making those enzymes kinda quickly
after the trauma of surgery. Good luck with your surgery!
— Julia M.
November 9, 2001
How about canned Chicken, It is very moist, and is delicious cold or warm.
good luck.
— [Anonymous]
November 9, 2001
For some reason, chicken is a tricky one. More post ops have trouble with
chicken than with beef, in my observations. I know chicken is the one
thing that can still plug me up big time! However, I am able to eat it..
just very small amounts and very carefully! An interesting aside on this
topic, my dentist once told me that the majority of patients who come to
him with a broken tooth broke it while eating CHICKEN! Go figure!
— BethVBG
November 9, 2001
Hi Joy! I'm almost 4 most post-op and have absolutely NO problems with
chicken. Well...one time I threw up (my only time), but it was entirely my
own fault. I was eating chicken and rice and I ate WAY too fast. Other
than that, I just chew chicken (and everything else) and have no problems
with anything.
— careywatkins
November 9, 2001
The problem with chicken is that it is a dense protein and can be very dry
if it isnt cooked perfectly. Think about the texture of chewed up chicken
breast when it is dry... that is why people have problems with chicken. You
know how juicy a rotisserie chicken is that you buy at the grocery store...
well that is chicken that people dont have trouble with. It is a texture
thing. Stew some skinless chicken thighs in a jar of Paul Newmans
Sockerooni spaghetti sauce for an hour until the meat is falling off the
bones... that is chicken that people dont have trouble with. Think of going
to a barbeque and having a chicken breast that is all charred with sauce on
it and biting into it and it is really hard to chew... that is chicken that
we have trouble with.
Buy a meat thermometer and roast your 1 1/2 lb chicken at 475 degrees for
one hour or until an instant thermometer reads 165 when you test the
thickest part of the thigh... and the juices run clear when you pierce the
thigh joint with the tip of a knife. This is a juicy roast chicken that no
one will have trouble eating. Good protein and low fat if you can resist
the skin!
— SusanMaria
November 9, 2001
I also have problems with chicken, Light meat, dark meat and canned. It is
very frustrating, because I don't like fish and can only tolerate turkey.
I was always a red meat person, but the surgeon says no red meat for 1
year. Yogurt and cottage cheese are getting boring as protein sources.
— Danielle M.
November 9, 2001
Hey you guys...thanks for all the info on CHICKEN. I'm going to copy and
paste all your answers into my ongoing WLS document, so I can refer to them
later (I'm still pre-op). I guess the best thing to do is make sure it's
moist, and then take a teeny, tiny bite and see how it sits. And since
we're all different, maybe I'll do ok with it, maybe not. Like anything
else, I'll just have to try it and see. Thanks so much! Hugs, Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
November 11, 2001
I have given up chicken, beef, and lamb since my surgery 14 weeks ago. They
all made me feel sick. They aren't worth feeling that bad. I eat many soy
products and some fish to get my protein. So far I've lost over 80 lbs.
(and no hair loss), so I'm very happy. Best wishes to you.
— Debbie C.
November 13, 2001
I am 12 weeks post op and at 4 weeks out my surgeon allowed me to eat
anything I could tolerate. So for the next two weeks I tried a little bit
of everything and found that chicken and eggs just would not stay down. So
at my 6 week check up the Dr. asked how I was doing and I told him about
the chicken and eggs. He told me to try again but make the bites the size
of a pea and chew chew chew. He also said if you try bites bigger than
that and chew chew chew its just like a big gulb of saliva and chicken and
the more you chew the more saliva builds up and makes the gulb bigger and
harder to digest. Sorry to be so graphic, but I thought this might help in
your quest to enjoy chicken again. I know I love chicken and eggs and was
highly disappointed that I wouldn't be able to tolerate them again, but now
I can!
— Heather J.
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