Strange cravings

I spent a wonderful week in the hospital 2/2/09-2/8/09, bleeding ulcer damn near killed me, in any case 4 of the 7 days were intensive care, no food just ice chips for 60 hours, then a bland clear diet, unsalted beef or chicken broth, usweetened jello, unsweetened apple juice, and an ice pop. Turns out I, like 50% of my fellow citizens carry something known as a H Pilori bacteria, it goes after whomever it picks on, it's a leading cause of ulcers and also stomach cancer, 100% treatable with antibiotics, I don't even have to change my diet, or lack of diet. In any case, I came out of the hospital, craving fish, my desire for meat is zilch, every night for dinner I have either Talapia, Farm raised Cat Fish, or Grouper. I am amazed as in the past the only fish I ate on any kind of a regular basis was Shrimp, I was a meat  man, maybe I'll go back, but now I can't wait for my fish fix, every night, anyone else have any similiar experience after a long hospital stretch?
PS. Next blood or stool test, get a test for H pilori, antibiotics quickly kill it, could save you a stomach ulcer or worse!
 
 

Ive been down since my last heart attack.  I have to fight with myself to eat a small meal these days.  I have no appetite and can go days without solids.  Ive lost all taste fow meat.  Even a few bites of a jucy staek is about all Ican handle.  This is coming for a true carnivore.  I used to live on meat for years.  No veggies or starch.  Jusr steak or pork chops.  Now its like sawdust in my mout.
Ive reaaly learned to like frsh fruits and veggies.  We got some beautiful pencil asparagus at Kroger for .99/lb.  I ate about 3/4 of a pound for dinner.
I was really hooked on clementines.  After finding(and almost eating) a live bug in the center I found 4 more in the same bag.  I cant even look at them now.
If you look at your change of appetite, its only for the good.  Replacing meat with fish can never be bad for you unless the fish has a warning on it(eat only 2X/mo, etc)  These days our fish we catch in fresh water almost all carry such warnings.
britt

They say (whomever 'they' are) that the body will crave what it needs at times, especially after being ill. Just roll with it.  If you're meant to need meat again, it'll come back.  Or maybe it won't.  Sometimes an illness can change your body chemistry for a time or for forever.
 
I had all sorts of weird changes occur in me after being bitten by a brown recluse spider, and discovered in research that it can change your blood chemistry forever.  Mine gave me skin allergies that I never had before.  Why shouldn't your body have a similar reaction when a violent (I mean that relatively speaking) change occurs?
Sympathy for you though.  I'd hate to lose my love of meat.
 
My current craving is for Cameo apples.  Dont' know why.  But I could pick worse things.  Like Krispy Kremes, which would be bad since I'm a diabetic.

I used to be a huge meat eater also. Since finding out I was diabetic I've slowly been changing my diet ( slow enough you'd think I was sneaking up on it ). Now I find I very seldom crave meat. My current craving is pencil thin asparagus with lots of lemon juice squeezed over top and some salt. I eat it at least once a day, love it!

I just nibbled up the left over asparagus from dinner.  Krogers had it again for .99/lb.  Twice in a row it was beautiful penicl size, edible almost to the bottom.  No real string or woody parts.  It was so tender and sweet.  Too bad you cant stock up.  We tried last year and it didnt freeze well at all.

Chewing one and all... without our health, as you know, we have nothing. Some folks don't understand that.

Pwings... well said! And those spiders are bad. A friend of mine was bitten. I did allot of research about it... bad stuff. Just glad you are still here posting! :~)
Joe

PapaJoe -- those spiders ARE awful.  If I hadn't trapped the spider in a book, I don't think my doctor would've believed me -- he had never seen a bite from one of those before.  It made a hole wide enough and deep enough to insert my index finger in up to the first knuckle.    Makes me shudder to just remember it.  Worst experience of my life.  Took five months to heal.
 
Sorry, didn't mean to derail the thread. 

Yikes!!
I've never been bitten by a brown recluse, nor yet had a heart attack or bleeding ulcer. But I've had two kids. I really don't remember any cravings during my second pregnancy, but during my first I'd crave sweet gherkin pickles and sharp cheddar cheese. I'd eat a bite of one and then the other. Apparently the pregnant body (at least early on) craves salty, sweet, and sour flavors. Hence the old "pickles 'n ice cream" thing.

yes, illness and meds (especially when you get them by iv) can change your system.  and, yes, your body will crave something when it needs a certain nutrient...ever hear about people craving dirt?  it's a very real phenomenom.  i forget what the body lacks, though, to cause that.

anyhoo,  just go with the flow - fish is good for you and this will be an opportunity for you to stretch your tastebuds a bit and try some new things!!  (oh, btw, shrimp are shellfish, not fish)
 
now, since you're in rock hall (i love rock hall!! ) you've got access to lots of FRESH fish and there's nothing better than fish that's just been caught!!!
 
when it becomes available, try striper!  it's absolutely FABULOUS!!!!  just some fresh pressed garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice and broil until it just starts to flake with a fork.
 
man-o-man!  you'll never have anything better!!!

eventually your taste for meat should return...

glad you survived being in the hospital - hard way to learn that it's just a simple bacteria that is so easily treated.  doctors sometimes miss the boat, don't they?  simple test would have told you  what you had.

joclyn


yes, illness and meds (especially when you get them by iv) can change your system.  and, yes, your body will crave something when it needs a certain nutrient...ever hear about people craving dirt?  it's a very real phenomenom.  i forget what the body lacks, though, to cause that.

anyhoo,  just go with the flow - fish is good for you and this will be an opportunity for you to stretch your tastebuds a bit and try some new things!!  (oh, btw, shrimp are shellfish, not fish)
 
now, since you're in rock hall (i love rock hall!! ) you've got access to lots of FRESH fish and there's nothing better than fish that's just been caught!!!
 
when it becomes available, try striper!  it's absolutely FABULOUS!!!!  just some fresh pressed garlic and fresh squeezed lemon juice and broil until it just starts to flake with a fork.
 
man-o-man!  you'll never have anything better!!!

eventually your taste for meat should return...

glad you survived being in the hospital - hard way to learn that it's just a simple bacteria that is so easily treated.  doctors sometimes miss the boat, don't they?  simple test would have told you  what you had.

 
Amen to your post, especially the last 2 sentences...A second opinion 4 years ago, from a brilliant Doctor at Washington Hospital Center in DC. Kept me from a horrific protocol, [treatment program], mandated from a Doctor in one of the world's leading Physician groups at Johns Hopkins, dealing in Prostate cancer...perhaps more later on second opinions!

chewy

I dont know what it is about hospitals that make you crave fish.  Several years back, I was in for a stay of 5 days, bland liquid diet.

I came out and for the next month I had fish every night, baked, broiled, steamed.  I had to go to the grocery twice a week to stock up on fish.

Now I am over my cravings, but still love a GOOD fish.  this past time while in FLA I had amberjack twice in one day, and grouper twice the next day.