What's in a Hospital IV?

em said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in the
hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet. Are those IV things are all
sugar water or what? Is there a way around it, e.g. request a special kind
of IV?

It's worth asking, but consider that life has priorities. Low carb is
not going to be at the top of the list at a time when you're
considering
having a doctor cut into you with a knife. If it takes you off plan,
the
rest of your life is still ahead of you.

Quoted message said:

Finally, if it is sugar and no way around it, what is the typical
approach to overcome the damage? Back to induction for two weeks?

Back to Induction for a week or two will handle it. If your cravings
do
not get turned on just return to the point of your plan you left off.

em said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in
the hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet.

Most likely, it's saline - salt water. They're not trying to feed
you, just trying to keep you from dehydrating.

If they do put food in it, it's most likely going to be glucose and/or
vitamins, and glucose is the least dangerous of the carbs when you're
LCing, as it can go straight to the muscles without passing through
the liver, so it's less likely to cause hormonal changes.

Quoted message said:

Is there a way around it, e.g. request a special kind of IV?

You could mention you're doing low carb, and request that the hospital
dietician adjust your meals (and perhaps IV feedings, depending on
your recovery length) accordingly.

If they insist on feeding you high-carb foods, remember - gravity is
your friend ;-)

Quoted message said:

Finally, if it is sugar and no way around it, what is the typical
approach to overcome the damage? Back to induction for two weeks?

If you're having surgery, really, your diet should not be at the top
of your priority list. Healing requires a lot of energy, you'll get
that energy from carbs as well as other sources. Once you're healed,
you can probably just to back to where you were before. Induction can
be used if you have problems with cravings.

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in the
hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet.

This is a joke, right? You cannot be serious.

It is not a serious surgery. I've had the same surgery three times before,
its an outpatient thing. Two hours under the knife & a long weekend at home.
Sadly, after the surgery, I will not be able to play the saxophone.

Regardless of whether the surgery is serious or not, knowing what is being
pumped into your veins when you're on a seriously sugar restricted diet is a
reasonable concern.

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in the
hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet.

This is a joke, right? You cannot be serious.

DJ Delorie said:

em said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in
the hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet.

Most likely, it's saline - salt water. They're not trying to feed
you, just trying to keep you from dehydrating.

If they do put food in it, it's most likely going to be glucose and/or
vitamins, and glucose is the least dangerous of the carbs when you're
LCing, as it can go straight to the muscles without passing through
the liver, so it's less likely to cause hormonal changes.

Quoted message said:

Is there a way around it, e.g. request a special kind of IV?

You could mention you're doing low carb, and request that the hospital
dietician adjust your meals (and perhaps IV feedings, depending on
your recovery length) accordingly.

If they insist on feeding you high-carb foods, remember - gravity is
your friend ;-)

Quoted message said:

Finally, if it is sugar and no way around it, what is the typical
approach to overcome the damage? Back to induction for two weeks?

If you're having surgery, really, your diet should not be at the top
of your priority list. Healing requires a lot of energy, you'll get
that energy from carbs as well as other sources. Once you're healed,
you can probably just to back to where you were before. Induction can
be used if you have problems with cravings.

The Eades book states that going to the hospital is a higher priority
than staying on plan.

Why is this such a difficult thing for the OP to grasp? Oh! That reading
thing again.

"Jim" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The Eades book states that going to the hospital is a higher priority than
staying on plan.

Why is this such a difficult thing for the OP to grasp? Oh! That reading
thing again.

That's right, just read it and believe it. Hey, two billion Catholics can't
be wrong.

I can't believe the response I'm getting here. I asked three simple
questions: is it sugar, if so, can it be avoided, if not, what to get back
in control once done? Now, here you are, "the guy that reads", didn't even
read the damn questions.

Well, I say screw 'em all. If they're going to pump sugar into my veins, I'm
gonna have a piece of cheesecake on my way back from the hospital that *same
day*. What the hell.

(Low-carb cheesecake, damnit, so long as *that's* not in affront to the
Eeeaades.)

Ask them, it is most likely just saline, tell them that's what you
prefer. We have no control over it, talk to the people who do.

em wrote:
||
|| This is a joke, right? You cannot be serious.
|
| It is not a serious surgery. I've had the same surgery three times
| before, its an outpatient thing. Two hours under the knife & a long
| weekend at home. Sadly, after the surgery, I will not be able to play
| the saxophone.
|
| Regardless of whether the surgery is serious or not, knowing what is
| being pumped into your veins when you're on a seriously sugar
| restricted diet is a reasonable concern.

Pat said:

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in the
hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet.

This is a joke, right? You cannot be serious.

Please check the email address used by the OP

[email hidden] or:
I dunno

This could be one of those great jokes.

Better, as fitting end, would be a future posting announcing his passing
away from the surgery and his impending funeral. This would be a
distressed message from his significant other.

It would be sent from the email address [email hidden] -- I too dunno.

She would be looking for ideas on how to fulfill her dear departed's
deepest wish..... a Low Carb Funeral.

em said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in
the hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet. Are those IV things
are all sugar water or what? Is there a way around it, e.g. request a
special kind of IV? Finally, if it is sugar and no way around it, what
is the typical approach to overcome the damage? Back to induction for
two weeks? Thanks! -- Mike

By default, it's glucose. Saline is an alternative.

There's almost no way around it. You can flatout tell them you're
diabetic and don't want sugar and insist on saline instead, but the
first time someone changes the bag when you're not watching, it'll be
sugar.

--
http://www.ornery-geeks.org/consulting/

If he's having simple outpatient surgery they probably won't change it, they
just put it in as a safety precaution during surgery.

Jackie Patti wrote:
|
| By default, it's glucose. Saline is an alternative.
|
| There's almost no way around it. You can flatout tell them you're
| diabetic and don't want sugar and insist on saline instead, but the
| first time someone changes the bag when you're not watching, it'll be
| sugar.

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Jim" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The Eades book states that going to the hospital is a higher priority
than staying on plan.

Why is this such a difficult thing for the OP to grasp? Oh! That reading
thing again.

That's right, just read it and believe it. Hey, two billion Catholics
can't be wrong.

I can't believe the response I'm getting here. I asked three simple
questions: is it sugar, if so, can it be avoided, if not, what to get back
in control once done? Now, here you are, "the guy that reads", didn't even
read the damn questions.

Well, I say screw 'em all. If they're going to pump sugar into my veins,
I'm gonna have a piece of cheesecake on my way back from the hospital that
*same day*. What the hell.

(Low-carb cheesecake, damnit, so long as *that's* not in affront to the
Eeeaades.)

I thought it was saline solution so you don't get dehydrated. That would be
salt water.

DJ Delorie said:

If you're having surgery, really, your diet should not be at the top
of your priority list. Healing requires a lot of energy, you'll get
that energy from carbs as well as other sources. Once you're healed,
you can probably just to back to where you were before. Induction can
be used if you have problems with cravings.

I completly disagree.

There's an awful lot of data showing that tight control of bg greatly
reduces complications and speeds healing.

I not only throw a fit to keep glucose out of my IV, I refuse to eat the
[censored] they bring me either. Last time, I had hubby bring me a fridge
full of meat, cheese and veggies.

When you're hospitalized is the LAST place you wanna let your health go
to hell.

--
http://www.ornery-geeks.org/consulting/

"FOB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If he's having simple outpatient surgery they probably won't change it,
they
just put it in as a safety precaution during surgery.

Yes, that is exactly what they do. I'll request the saline. Thanks to
all! -- Mike

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"FOB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If he's having simple outpatient surgery they probably won't change it,
they
just put it in as a safety precaution during surgery.

Yes, that is exactly what they do. I'll request the saline. Thanks to
all! -- Mike

The best thing to do though is to heal properly from surgery and then after
you get home you will have plenty of time to get back to eating LC. You may
need some carbs in order to aid healing
Diane

"Diane B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"FOB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If he's having simple outpatient surgery they probably won't change it,
they
just put it in as a safety precaution during surgery.

Yes, that is exactly what they do. I'll request the saline. Thanks to
all! -- Mike

The best thing to do though is to heal properly from surgery and then
after you get home you will have plenty of time to get back to eating LC.
You may need some carbs in order to aid healing

Interesting thought. I'm wondering if it is at all true. (Not questioning
you, just the comment.)

Quoted message said:

Diane

x-no-archive: yes

em said:

Looks like surgery sometime this year & I'm concerned about what's in
the hosp IV and how it will affect my low-carb diet. Are those IV things
are all sugar water or what? Is there a way around it, e.g. request a
special kind of IV? Finally, if it is sugar and no way around it, what
is the typical approach to overcome the damage? Back to induction for
two weeks? Thanks! -- Mike

Tell them NO DEXTROSE or GLUCOSE unless you go severely hypo. Have your
doctor put it in an order that you get straight saline only.

Susan

Diane B said:

"em" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"FOB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If he's having simple outpatient surgery they probably won't change
it, they
just put it in as a safety precaution during surgery.

Yes, that is exactly what they do. I'll request the saline. Thanks to
all! -- Mike

The best thing to do though is to heal properly from surgery and then
after you get home you will have plenty of time to get back to eating
LC. You may need some carbs in order to aid healing

No, you need managed bg and protein to speed healing. There's any
number of studies on this.

Sugar DELAYS healing and increases post-surgery complications.

If you wanna go off low-carb, wait until *after* you're healed and go
get a sundae or something. It won't interfere with your healing and
it'll be a heck of a lot more enjoyable than IV glucose.

--
http://www.ornery-geeks.org/consulting/

Diane B said:

I thought it was saline solution so you don't get dehydrated. That
would be salt water.

Around here, all the hospitals use glucose by default. You have to
specifically ASK for saline.

I've had arguments with them about this when my bg was over 300 and they
wnated to stick some MORE damned sugar in there.

--
http://www.ornery-geeks.org/consulting/

Actually and this is coming from an old wound care nurse he Needs MORE
protein to heal. When someone has a wound the first thing we do is up their
protein by food or other supplementation. Sugar is bad for healing
especially if you are diabetic it delays it.