10 months out from surgery and still have hard time eating meat

I know that my body is still healing and you can't compare your progress to someone else's but let's admit it...we all do.  I had my surgery January 19, 2015 and have lost weight at a steady pace and am getting the end of the road where my body is slowing down on lose and will be hitting my body's happy point soon.  Even 10 months out I still have a hard time eating any meat.  Some are better than others but it seems like I can really feel my stomach working to digest the meat.  I know others who have had the surgery and have not had the issues.  I wondered if anyone else has this issue of still having hard time digest dense protein like meat.

I had my surgery about 2 weeks after you did. I can eat meat but only if it is very, very tender. If the meat, whether beef, pork, or chicken, is overcooked and tough, I don't even bother trying to eat it. I still can't eat steak, no matter how tender it seems.

For me, this is not too much of a problem, as I'm not a fan of red meats or chicken. I prefer fish, eggs, tofu, and beans anyway, and get most of my protein from them. 

Those who are more than a year post-op and long-time maintainers are more qualified to answer your meat question. We're both still newbies compared with their experience.

psychoticparrot

I'm having some difficulties too.  I used to be a big meat eater..... enjoyed everything.

Steak - no problems, love it and it's the best thing for fulling me up and keeps me satisfied for a long time.  Burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, not really liking them anymore.

Before surgery, I loved chicken -- white meat, dark meat and the skin too; baked, broiled, fried, BBQed - any way at all.  Now, the only thing I can eat are chicken wings and sometimes chicken salad.  I have a whole deli-cooked chicken in my fridge, and I've had a few bits of it - I've been feeding the rest to my dog so it's not wasted.

Pork chops or Italian sausage....so-so.  I can get them down and digest okay, but barely.

Cold cuts and hot dogs.... okay, but not great. 

Now I eat lots of eggs and cheese and yogurt.  And chicken wings and steak.  (BTW, why the heck are chicken wings more expensive than boneless chicken breasts???)

I don't have a problem with any foods after lunch.  For breakfast I have to baby my pouch with a warm tea or coffee w/protein shake.

We were told to use a little meat tenderizer in warm water if anything (pills or food) got stuck.  I suppose you could use a little when you cook your meat, or make a little sauce/gravy after you cook meat.  Another thing they said we could do was to use pineapple.  It also helps to break down meat.

Assuming your portions remain small (3 oz or less) and you're chewing well, I don't think you should be having much difficulty eating meat that is not overly dry.  I'm also assuming that you mean you aren't trying to fit a serving of veggies in on top of a 3 oz meat serving.  A bite or two with a 3 oz meat serving are standard fare for those of us who have smaller sleeves At less than a year out.  

Unfortunately, digestion can be negatively impacted by the way the sleeve was formed by the surgeon - techniques are not standardized.  I don't want to alarm you, but if it was me, I'd be asking my surgeon about this if it continues much longer. 

I had my surgery a couple of months before you (I am almost 14 months out) and I can eat meat, just not as much of it as other foods.  I really have to watch my portion size with meat, as it fills me up quicker than anything else.

I am similar to psychotic parrot. If it is tough or dry, I don't touch it. Ground hamburger, even if a bit pink in a burger is a potential puke fest too. Not sure why, but if I don't chew that really, really well I pay a terrible price! Slow and tender I am fine with- pressure cooker or crock pot. Even scrambled eggs have to be moist or blech!

I found that the key is in the preparation to make sure your meat is as moist and juicy as possible.  Think crock-pot.