Being admitted to hospital for non eating disorder reasons while in recovery - answer

Hi Izzy - I have just found out that I have to go into hospital soon for an operation and I am getting really worried about how I`m going to manage my eating whilst I`m in there. I`m going to be in there for at least a week, maybe a little longer. Do you think I should tell them I am following a recovery meal plan? I`m worried about things like having my snacks and what the menus will be like. Should I take my supplement drinks in with me? I`m also worried that the operation itself and how I feel afterwards is going to negatively affect my eating - I mean when I get ill my appetite completely disappears so I am guessing I won`t feel much like eating for the first few days and I don`t want this to set me back. Do you think its best/easier just to forget my meal plan whilst I`m in there and just to eat what I want from the menus or should I tell them what I`m doing and see if they can accommodate it, which I`m thinking is unlikely as it just won`t be practical for the staff. From past experience the menu for the next days meals is given out the day before and you just choose from the options what you want, I remember there being things marked gluten free/vegetarian option/low sugar/low calorie options but not anything like options for those needing to gain weight, and I am worried about portion sizes too - they are tiny!
If you have any advice about how I should manage this I would be so grateful.

Hello,

  I understand you are worried, and i hope your operation goes well. I would suggest that you talk to the doctor or the nurse/person in charge at the ward you will be admitted to and say that you are following a meal plan and need to eat a certain amount as well as at certain times. In school we recently talked about patients being in hospital and how hospital food really isnt up to standards... there are so many people involved, lots of stress and not the right education about nutrition in hospitals. Of course some places are better than others, but i know from my own experience all the hospitals i have been admitted to i.e the regular hospitals, not eating disorder ones, the food has been terrible. So terrible that i didnt eat, would lose weight and spend even more time at hospital... so my mum would begin buying food for me at other places and bringing to me and my dad would bring a whole box filled with snacks from fruit, crisps, biscuits, bars etc just so that i would eat something. My mum also did a whole lot of complaining about the food i got in hospitals both in Ireland and Sweden because it was almost unedible, not to mention that it was just a standard portion/food and not at all catered to the fact that i have CF and have different nutrition requirements.

Now a days i think there is more knowledge and dieticians play a bigger role in the food at hospitals, but there is still alot wrong with how the food is served and what type of food is served, not to mention that if you have to eat while surrounded by sick people or peeping or just feel like you are in a "sick" or very sterile environment it makes food very unappetizing. I remember when i was in hospital last year because of an inflamed pancreas, i wasnt allowed to eat but i was stuck in a room with 3 or 4 other elderly people who were rather sick and it was not a nice environment, so even if i would have been allowed to eat i dont think it would have been enjoyable, not to mention that when i was finally allowed to eat the only vegan option they have was some vegetable broth type soup.

And another memory.... after i overdosed on painkillers and ended up in hospital i had to spend 24 hours there before being admitted back to Mando and the hospital staff knew i had an eating disorder and was following a meal plan but they could barely cater to that, not that i actually ate but they didnt even give me the food. Of course i understand hospitals are stressful and there are SO many patients with different requirements but if there are more educated staff within the food area then it shouldnt be a problem.

SO hopefully there will be change in this area in the future, i mean nutrition is one of the big parts in recovery while at hospital from all illnesses most often. With the right nutrition and energy recovery from an operation or illness goes quicker.

So to answer your question.... talk to someone in charge, mention that you are on a meal plan which you need to follow and ask if they can accomodate to that. But also come prepared... bring snacks with you! Also remember, its much better to eat something than not eat at all... i.e even if you get served food you might not normally eat, its better to eat that than not at all. I would also recommend maybe asking for supplement drinks if you might find it hard to eat... usually when you have an operation you might get alot of painkillers that can make you feel nauseous andnot so hungry, so then drinking supplement drinks can be useful for a few days/ a week. Not to mention that if you dont feel like cooking or making food when you are home you know you will atleast get the right energy into you.

Also remember that recovery from an operation takes time and requires a good amount of energy, so dont eat less even if you may need to be very still. Your body still needs alot of energy to help it heal and recover :)

Do you best to communicate with the staff, if possible ask to meet a dietician if you can or talk to the people in charge of the food at the hospital. It may seem scary or uncomfortable or like you are being a burden, but you need to do what is best for you... and if the staff dont know about your nutrition requirements they cant help you either. So maybe ask for bigger portions or tell them that you need to gain weight (i.e been told by a  proffessional that you need to... they might listen more then), and that you would like if you got served snacks as well as bigger portions. Maybe they cant accomodate, but like i wrote earlier... come prepared with snacks as well as maybe if you can get supplement drinks to help.

Just do your best and dont worry about being a burden and making your requirements heard if you dont ask you will never know! I hope your operation goes well and you heal quickly :)