Question:
Help! what can I eat! I'm 4 months out and have problems with most meats!

   — HAILEY (posted on July 19, 2006)

July 19, 2006
I am now 7 months out and I can not tolerate meat. I spoke with my nutritionist at PENN just last week and some people, especially those that have had a VBG, can not eat meat. Maybe 12 months, maybe forever. Increase your protein intake with shakes. I use Whey protein, it disolves better. I take a cup of "LIGHT" Vanilla Silk, a scoop of Vanilla Protein, and a Banana, add 1 or 2 ice cubes and blend in blender. I think they taste great. Sometimes I add a strawberry or some fresh pineapple. The only meat I can eat is "Taco Meat" like form Taco Bell. I can eat 1 Taco, Hard Shell Only!! CHEW! CHEW! CHEW! Also, I had a VERY RARE Filet Mignon in Las Vegas, and I was able to eat a good portion, but I had to wait over 1 hour before drinking. I waited my usual 20 minutes and I almost got sick. I made a filet at home, again very rare and I marinated for 2 days in Frig. I was able to eat most of it, but again I could not drink for over 1 hour. I can not eat chicken or pork, I can not even eat meatballs. If I eat 1 meatball that is ALL I can eat. I have just come to terms with it and have increased my protein in other ways.
   — WMKaisla

July 19, 2006
Hi Hailey! I too could NOT tolerate any animal protein until after four months. I used tofu, tofu hot dogs, ricotta cheese, low fat cottage cheese, egg salad (made mostly with whites and a little yolk) until I could finally tolerate moist fish. Chicken took 6 months, and I have not really had much beef. The key to keeping things down is small amounts, eaten VERY slowly, and prepared in a very moist manner. If it was not moist, I could not handle it. I threw up 5 times daily for the first four months. It will get better. You may want to touch base with your surgeon to make sure you don't have a stricture. Keep me posted, feel free to e-mail if you want extra enouragement. Very best wishes, Pam
   — pjwilsen

July 20, 2006
I'm now just 5 months post op. It does get better! I can now eat basically any meat which I prefer fine ground meat. I can eat pork when I make a boston butt and cook it down literaloly down to shreddered pork which take basically most of the day to cook. I cook chicken in it's own juice by baking it at a lower temp like 325 makes it really tender. I don't tolderate marinades they cause dumping for some wierd reason just like I took xenical. I eat alot of tuna now am able to eat about 4 to 6 oz if the stuff is soft and well chewed. I drink liquids with my food only a few sips at a time for some reason it works better for me cause before I had a problem with chronic nausea like the food wasn't going anywhere at all only after several hours. I know the rule of thumb about liquids with RNY surgury is to wait 15 to 20 minutes after eating. I'm down 105lbs now and still losing all my labs done recently are normal range.
   — Deborah Joyner