Advice needed - getting back after surgery

[Zarabelle]

Hi Guys

I had to go for an unexpected, urgent operation last Saturday. They gave me glucose/sodium drip for two days following surgery. I have not been eating much at all so have maintained my lowest weight despite being knocked out of ketosis and not eating low carb as a rule.

I have stopped taking the strong anti-microbes (which made my head swim) and am going to get back on plan tomorrow. How long should I do a strict induction for before going back to rung six? I am definitely not in ketosis. I feel rotten anyway so doubt I would notice induction flu too much!

I have no appertite but figure I eat much healthier on Atkins than off and will get more nutrients if I jump right back on the wagon.

Zx

[not2late]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

Jump back on!

You could do a couple of days of Induction----long enough to get into ketosis, then pick up where you left off in OWL.

Regarding the dextrose solution they gave you....it's typically D5 or dextrose 5 grams per 100 ml of the solution. Or about a teaspoon of dextrose per 100ml. So if they gave you a liter, you were getting 50 grams of dextrose. Moreover if you weren't eating anything while on that dextrose-sodium solution, even if they gave you 2 liters per day, you would still be only getting 100 grams of dextrose per day, which is still within the daily "ketogenic diet" range for carbs. (This is why I don't truly understand why the medical profession is so anti-low carb.....they more or less low carb everyone in hospital!)

[Zarabelle]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

Thanks Megs - I will get in to ketosis and then get back on previous plan.
I didn't eat anything until 8pm on Saturday and then it was half a sandwich... half a sandwich the following day - you get the idea. I was in a lot of pain and needed something easy to eat. Anyway, I didn't use it as a reason to go mad and am happy I have maintained. x

[not2late]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

I hope you are much better.

But since they more or less kept you in the ketogenic range, just do enough Induction to definitely be in ketosis then pick up where you left off in OWL.

Seriously, giving adequate nutrition in hospital is a problem. The only place I've seen nutrition being addressed regularly was when I worked at a Children's Hospital---the pediatricians were more on top of it because the children were growing and they didn't want to stunt their growth and development by keeping them undernourished. Plus, they were under the impression that if you are ill your body is using its energy stores to fight off that illness, so by keeping up your nutritional needs you'll recover faster.

[Zarabelle]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

Megs, can I ask another question? I have to take Voltarol (up to three times a day). The pain is too much to avoid it. They contain lactose... will this throw me off?
PS I could have eaten a lot more in hospital - I went private (in the UK) and had a big menu to choose from. I just had no appertite at all... My Dad was in a NHS hospital last year and the food was terrible. He was suffering malnutrition following three weeks on life support in ICU and they did nothing to tempt him with nice food! We ended up taking food in. I agree that they should sort it out. x

[not2late]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

My thoughts about medications are to go ahead and take them if they help you. Like I said, I wouldn't worry so much about the amount of sugar in those pills because it's probably a small amount---I don't think they're stuffing 100 grams into every pill!

The worst I saw was in a Veteran's Administration hospital I worked in about 14 years ago (when I was a very young child of course ). I remember there was a veteran who was on a D5W IV for about 2 weeks before anyone noticed and decided to order something more life sustaining. Seriously, I used to wonder if anyone came out worse than when they came in.

Anyhow, I hope you are feeling better.

[Zarabelle]

Re: Advice needed - getting back after surgery

OMG that is shocking!! When my Dad woke up from sedation, he had no movement at all in his arms. We used to go in and feed him and the sister said one day 'thank you for helping as we would never have time to feed everyone that needs feeding' what?!!!! So they would go hungry? My Dad was 62 (now 63) and fully aware and able to speak so I don't think they would leave him (although we didn't test it even for one day in three months!) but you wonder about the infirm...