post op question re introducing new foods

Im about 3 weeks post op and on pureed foods as of Wed, I have done well with cottage cheese, refried beans w/cheddar cheese, & tuna and I love them all however i want to try eggs and chicken/turkey but I have seen so many post re people having difficulty with those items I am quite fearful--so far I havent been nauseous or thrown up with anything thank goodness. Can anyone suggest a good way to prepare these items and what are the usual signs that something isnt aggreeing with your pouch? Would i feel it after 1 or 2 small bites? please advise and thanks in advance! lori

I am still cautious about trying things. And everyday is a new experience. And every tolerance is different for me. Here are my experiences: I can not do eggs at all. They make my stomach cramp and I don't feel queezy, but I feel like I would rather them up then have them stay down. I knew right away, after a few bites. Ground turkey gave me an upset stomach, but not cramping like the eggs, just an unsetted feeling. I was able to eat about 1/2 small patty before I felt the upset stomach feeling But, I did try moist chicken, which was fine. Also shaved deli turkey meat was fine and I also do OK with premade meatballs. Overall, the more dense/dry the food the worse off I am. So, the softer and more moist the food, the eaiser it is for me to digest. As far as advise goes, I would take a few bites and wait before consuming more... testing out your pouch before committing to eating it all.

Hi Lori, Don't be panicy! Everyone is different. You have to try it to see how you will do. I have tried a lot of things and so far so good. In fact tonight I had steak, yes steak! I just chewed the heck out of it before it went down. I've had eggs w/cheese, chicken, tuna, turkey, cottage cheese. No problems with anything so far. On the other hand, I had problems with my drain site getting infected, so we all have our battles to fight I guess. Just add one new food at a time and chew chew chew chew chew. You will do just fine. Regards and hugs, Ronna

Hi Lori, I had my surgery the same day as you. I really started "eating" this week. So far I have been successful with Homemade Guacamole Refried Beans Corn Tortilla - toasted in the oven until pretty crisp Salmon - baked in oven w/ some lemon juice Crab - steamed Egg - scrambled with milk and cheese Egg Salad - minced in food processer Apple without the skin Chicken with stars soup Orange with out the membranes Lunch meat - Ham and Turkey - Deli Select - it is shaved so thin you can almost see through it. How are you doing with meeting the protein and liquid requirements? God Bless, Jen

OMG...I am so jealous. I am only 3 days behind you and I am still on smoothies....I tried eggs, was nervous so I didn't eat much, but not bad. I haven't gotten the official go ahead from my surgeon to start soft foods...but the second I do....I am making some guacamole!!!!! Sounds like you are doing fabulous..I am so happy to hear it.

Hi Lori! I haven't tried dry food alot, but the chicken can be a bit dry if its cooked too long. My mom makes the best chicken lol. We only eat Foster Farms chicken (sorry for the plug ). Before mom puts it on the pan, she spinkles a little Mrs. Dash on one side. She cooks it until its not pink anymore, sometimes she cuts it into pieces to help the process. Its absolutely delish! Nice and moist. I've had beef as well. The best is when we put it into the crock pot with stew seasoning, carrots, and whatever else you like (no celery yet) and leave in the pot all day. Oh my gosh, the meat was super tender and easy to digest for my pouch. That's just me... enjoy! Jaci

Hi Lori, We had our surgery the same day! I started soft staged foods yesterday. For dinner I had a 1/2 can of white chicken (looked like tuna) and I poured a little fat free chicken gravy over it. I heated it up in the microwave and it was really good. My husband said it smelled like cat food, but I liked it. This morning I made 1/2 cup (4 oz) of "egg beaters". I ate about 3/4 of it. I had no problems at all with either. The good thing about the eggbeaters is that they are low calorie, fat free, and cholesterol free. For lunch today I am going to dice up some Perdue smart cuts chicken and pour a little bit of sugar free, fat free honey Dijon dressing on it. I'm excited that my doctor said I can start using my elliptical machine today. He said not to go faster than a brisk walk, but hey, it's something. Up until now I feel like I haven't contributed to my weight loss other than food. I thrilled to start burning real calories now. Dawn

If you want to try chicken, I suggest the Underwood chicken spread or the deviled ham by underwood, I started with that. It was seasoned and easy to eat. ::hugs:: Cyndi