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hospital food

M

myracat

Well-Known Member
Messages
74
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
can anyone tell me why a diabetic who has been coping with diet would be offered totally unsuitable meals e.g white pasta whilst in hospital and obviously trying to keep Bg down, tonight's menu was lasagne - while pasta, sandwich (plastic bread) or quiche ( egg allergy)? tia
 
Totally crackers, isn't it. I suppose the only alternative is to have food brought in but one shouldn't have to resort to that.
 
myracat said:
can anyone tell me why a diabetic who has been coping with diet would be offered totally unsuitable meals e.g white pasta whilst in hospital and obviously trying to keep Bg down, tonight's menu was lasagne - while pasta, sandwich (plastic bread) or quiche ( egg allergy)? tia
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Yes. It is for the same reason that the NHS dietary advice generally for diabetics is as much use as attempts to communicate over distance by two tins and string. Training is out of date, budget restraints dictate policy and many managerial heads are jammed up certain places where there is very little sunshine.
 
myracat said:
can anyone tell me why a diabetic who has been coping with diet would be offered totally unsuitable meals e.g white pasta whilst in hospital and obviously trying to keep Bg down, tonight's menu was lasagne - while pasta, sandwich (plastic bread) or quiche ( egg allergy)? tia
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It's not because they are trying to kill us, but the result is the same. Absolutely idiotic. If you weren't admitted as an emergency, you could have advised hospital administration I suppose. The recent experience of one type one I know is scary. It was arranged that he would have a low carb alternative while in hospital; so he was given cereal most days he was in, right up to the last few days, when he did get what he needed.
 
My daughter is vegetarian. She has an autoimmune disorder and has been in hospital fairly often. On one visit she was given jacket potato and chips. We took all her food in after that.
 
Last time I was in hospital I wasn't diabetic, but I still had to have food brought in for me because the hospital food was dire in the extreme, and inedible. (apart from breakfasts - orange juice, cereal, bread and marmalade with low fat spread :arghh: )
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Last time I was in hospital I wasn't diabetic, but I still had to have food brought in for me because the hospital food was dire in the extreme, and inedible. (apart from breakfasts - orange juice, cereal, bread and marmalade with low fat spread :arghh: )
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The food at our local hospital is quite good. My father has neuropathy and is admitted fairly regularly. He quite enjoys the food. But I have a real fear of ever having to be admitted, and having no other choices than the high carb stuff on offer. I think it would do real damage.
 
myracat said:
can anyone tell me why a diabetic who has been coping with diet would be offered totally unsuitable meals e.g white pasta whilst in hospital and obviously trying to keep Bg down,
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To be quite brutal (about the NHS), they do not have the funding or resources or probably even desire, to provide proper nutrition for all of their patients, they are, after all, a hospital and not an hotel. The US hospital I was admitted to wasn't much better, and you pay for that, per visit, just as well I was only there for 24 hours. Even private hospitals in the UK aren't to good although I did have some decent choices when I had my knees done, just went without the carby thing which is pretty much how I manage at home as well. I'm not saying it's right, in an ideal world there would be choices that suited everyone. Without it being paid for, we just ain't going to get it.
 
The last time I was in hospital they refused to discharge me until I had eaten something (I had a tooth extraction under general). When I arrived at hospital and when I came round, my sugars were on the high side. The nurse said 'oh they're rather high, we can't let you go until they come down a bit'. She then gave me full sugar low fat yoghurt and when I refused she offered ice cream! In the end I signed myself out stating that I'd never leave if they continued to offer me sugar loaded food. The thought of being admitted scares me silly.
 
On the last few occasions I have been in hospital if mobile I would make my way to the staff canteen/restaurant at least there though the food was only marginally better there was more choice.
 
When I have been in hospital ive learnt to go for the halal option for main meals if theres nothing salady on the menu which means I get a lot of v acceptable curries and just ditch the rice side. I used the hosptal cafe a lot on one hospital stay as they had a v good salad bar - last time I was at the same hospital for a work meeting however, the cafe had been radically changed and all offerings involved chips, white pasta or sandwhiches - i didnt bother.
Ive only ever been offered a choice between high carb or even higher carb as a hospital breakfast so always got family to bring supplies of natural yogurt, which works well until it gets nicked from the ward fridge
 
purplepenguin said:
The last time I was in hospital they refused to discharge me until I had eaten something (I had a tooth extraction under general). When I arrived at hospital and when I came round, my sugars were on the high side. The nurse said 'oh they're rather high, we can't let you go until they come down a bit'. She then gave me full sugar low fat yoghurt and when I refused she offered ice cream! In the end I signed myself out stating that I'd never leave if they continued to offer me sugar loaded food. The thought of being admitted scares me silly.
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Idiots. It's my greatest fear about being hospitalised. A guy in the local support group I mentioned earlier was woken up atv3am every morning to have his BG checked. It was too high, so they dud nothing about it. Some seem to think that you can only have insulin when you've eaten. He also experienced a hypo during his stay, and they insisted on trying to give him orange juice, which would have upset his stomach. I the end, he asked them to just give him a cup of tea and a biscuit, and leave him alone.
 
JohnEGreen said:
On the last few occasions I have been in hospital if mobile I would make my way to the staff canteen/restaurant at least there though the food was only marginally better there was more choice.
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So would I if I could.
 
I'll never forget the fat free sugar laden mucous mayo. Yuk. I either snuck out to the salad bar or had hubby bring me food.

The only thing palatable on the menu was the cheese omelet for bf. The salad bar was beautiful and very fresh.
 
Kristin251 said:
I'll never forget the fat free sugar laden mucous mayo. Yuk. I either snuck out to the salad bar or had hubby bring me food.

The only thing palatable on the menu was the cheese omelet for bf. The salad bar was beautiful and very fresh.
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Omg. The omlette would have been my choice.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Probably like rubber the length of time it takes from cooking it to bringing it to your bed.
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Ah. Well, there is that, or course. I suppose I should really consult Carbs & Cals to see how many carbs there are in rubber, just to have everything covered.
 
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