Surgery Tomorrow

[watata]

I'm having surgery tomorrow to remove my ovaries due to large complex cysts and other troubles. They said I could be in the hospital a few days. I have never been hospitalized since being diagnosed. Are hospitals pretty good at following gluten free diets and keeping cross contaminants away. I am horrible with nausea with anesthesia I definitely don't need the added stress of worrying. Should I bring my own food? Just wondering if any of you have had any experience with this and have any tips to share.

Thanks!

[kareng]

You definetely need to have someone bring you food. its probably too late now to talk to the dietary department and quiz them well. Even then, many people still get food that is not gluten-free. I have heard of eggs served with white toast on top. The dietician saying tha was fine. Most hospitals have minimum wage people fixing & serving the food. No special training. I know one hospital was supposed to give my mom low carb/sugar because her blood sugars were a mess after a sugery. They sent white bread, potatoes, applesauce but wouldn't let her have the pudding. If they can't get a diabetic meal right, they really can't do gluten-free.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Ditto what Kareng said. Take your own food and see if you can get someone you know to bring you gluten-free take-out. I've heard of a few hospitals that know their stuff and can feed us safely but they are the exception and not the average. Most hospital cafes are clueless as to what gluten-free means let alone being clued in to preventing CC. Don't risk being stuck there without anythign safe to eat or taking a chance eating there and getting sick after surgery. You shoudl still inform them that you need gluten-free food but also take your own so you have a back-up.

[ravenwoodglass]

Some hospitals are good but I wouldn't risk it. Last thing you need is to get glutened after surgery. Have someone bring you food that you know is safe.

[pricklypear1971]

Do you have DH? If so don't forget the iodine thing going into surgery!!!'

[mushroom]

Most wards have refrigerators you can use. I keep yogurt and berry fruit for breakfast, grapes, ice cream bars, a stash of larabars in my bedside drawers, and have hub bring my main meals in. There is very little from the kitchen you can put your trust in, unfortunately. They have something like twelve different diet plans, and not one of them is gluten free

With regard to nausea from anesthesia, I have found that it is the morphine that they routinely use at the start of anesthesia that makes me nauseous. Perhaps you could ask for Demerol instead if that does not bother you. With that being said, I told an anesthesiologist once, "No morphine" and got it anyway

[Takala]

Have someone look after you and make sure they do NOT feed you anything. Take your own glutenfree food. Assuming you are in the USA. God - awful cluelessness. Anybody on a special diet in hospitals....

Re nausea: they have made great strides in this anesthesia in the past few years, you may be okay. Do tell the anesthesiologist doc/nurse.

Don't eat or drink anything after midnight before surgery. Don't eat a lot of carbohydrates today, stick with the higher protein stuff.

With the laparoscopic technique you could sail thru this and be out tomorrow.

[Jenniferxgfx]

I actually worked in a hospital cafeteria before I went to college. My HS diploma let me work as an assistant dietitian (I could counsel everyone but the ones on parenteral nutrition) and supervise the kitchen and its staff (I was responsible for all patient meals in evenings and early on weekends). I took my job very seriously, and learned a LOT, but a lot of others didn't. (I actually lost my job because I was replaced by someone with a degree, and she caused several diabetic reactions because she gave diabetics standard desserts. A degree doesn't mean better!) we knew NOTHING about cc. I had several celiac and gluten-free patients and we didn't do anything different except omit bread and gravies (and all desserts were pudding or canned fruit). I did speak with these patients and none educated me about cc either, but they shouldn't have had to. It makes me so sad to think about it now. The dietitian I worked under didn't know anything about it either. So sad.

Good luck with your surgery. Bring your own food!

[watata]

Do you have DH? If so don't forget the iodine thing going into surgery!!!'

What iodine thing?

[watata]

Unfortunately I am all too familiar with hospitals as this is my 11th surgery. I had a minor procedure in July that was supposed to be an in and out in an hour and I was there for 5 days so my track record is not good for doing things quickly. My body does heal and respond just not quickly. I have a hard time with nausea, pain control and breathing post op. Nothing life threatening, just enough I need a few days of extra help. A little oxygen and breathing treatments, some IV pain meds and nausea meds and usually just IV fluids the first day or two before I can eat anything. I was just diagnosed with celiac in August so this is very new and I do not want the bloating brain fog sharp icky and pain back on top of all this so I will pass on hospital food. They can give me liquids via IV and packaged things I can read labels to (beverages, etc.) but I will once i can eat solids bring my own food it sounds by your recommendations. I have chex cereal, rice crackers, some plain peanut butter (gluten free of course). I unfortunately live far from the hospital (an hour away) so will not have my husband with me the whole time but will have him ask the nurses if they have a fridge that he can store some gluten free stuff in for me (yogurt,etc ) I won't need much for maybe the day I will be on solids before I go home. Thank you all for the advice as I would have probably had more faith in their dietitians than I should.

[pricklypear1971]

What iodine thing?

If you have DH (rash from celiac disease) make sure you warn them not to use iodine during the procedure since it can cause an outbreak (especially if they gluten you).

[ravenwoodglass]

Unfortunately I am all too familiar with hospitals as this is my 11th surgery. I had a minor procedure in July that was supposed to be an in and out in an hour and I was there for 5 days so my track record is not good for doing things quickly. My body does heal and respond just not quickly. I have a hard time with nausea, pain control and breathing post op. Nothing life threatening, just enough I need a few days of extra help. A little oxygen and breathing treatments, some IV pain meds and nausea meds and usually just IV fluids the first day or two before I can eat anything. I was just diagnosed with celiac in August so this is very new and I do not want the bloating brain fog sharp icky and pain back on top of all this so I will pass on hospital food. They can give me liquids via IV and packaged things I can read labels to (beverages, etc.) but I will once i can eat solids bring my own food it sounds by your recommendations. I have chex cereal, rice crackers, some plain peanut butter (gluten free of course). I unfortunately live far from the hospital (an hour away) so will not have my husband with me the whole time but will have him ask the nurses if they have a fridge that he can store some gluten free stuff in for me (yogurt,etc ) I won't need much for maybe the day I will be on solids before I go home. Thank you all for the advice as I would have probably had more faith in their dietitians than I should.

You may find after you have healed from the celiac that your recovery process is a bit easier. In your previous surgeries your body had to fight not just to recover from the surgery but also the gluten reaction that was unknowingly going on. I hope things go smoothly for you and that you are quickly feeling better.