Hospitals and Your Supplements
Surgery has a major impact on your body and your mind. Even though surgery is done with the best of intentions and in a clean environment, your body needs to put out extra effort to mend from even minor surgery. The demands place a strain on your immune system in particular. While you're recuperating, you're more vulnerable than usual to a range of infections and skin breakdown.
Not all doctors have the same approach to nutritional therapy and surgery. If you are facing surgery and want to pay special attention to nutrients that might be helpful, you'll have to find a doctor who uses methods that you feel most comfortable with.
The hospital and your supplements
When you have to go into the hospital for surgery and you take your supplements with you, someone will tell you not to take them, and you're left wondering why.
The situation is this: Vitamins are considered medications, and in the hospital, you need your doctor's approval for every medication you take. You are not able to take whatever tablets you were taking outside the hospital - not even your vitamins - without explicit approval.
You may even find that the attitude of the staff is less than supportive for you taking supplements. Many health professionals who practice orthodox medicine are not aware of the many health benefits associated with nutritional and other supplements. You will need to find a Doctor who is supportive - these Doctors will not require convincing that you need nutritional supplements and will be informed about the supplements that would be best in your particular situation.
For example it is recommended that surgery patients be prescribed about 400 IU of vitamin E daily prior to surgery - but don't take more than 600 IU without your doctor's okay, especially if you've had a stroke or bleeding problems in the past. In large amounts, more than 800 IU, vitamin E can worsen bleeding problems and if you're taking anticoagulants, it's best not to take vitamin E supplements. Vitamin E itself acts as a natural anticoagulant.
When you're going into surgery, it's a good idea to be aware that all the nutritional and herbal therapy you are taking that might interfere with blood clotting, such as taking garlic for heart conditions. Garlic can cause bleeding problems, and it is recommended that garlic is stopped for a few weeks prior to surgery. Taking any kind of supplementation may interfere with the surgical procedure and recovery so to be safe, take supplements only under supervision of a health professional. A few weeks prior to surgery, you might want to discuss any supplements you've been taking with your doctor.
So what do you do?
Talk to your Doctor about the supplements you want to take before you have any surgery and continue to keep your doctor and other caregivers as informed as possible about what you have been taking, in order to avoid any possible complications. Talk to your Doctor and gain approval for whatever supplements you want to take while you are in hospital. Ask your Doctor to 'write-up' the supplements on your hospital medication chart and to sign them as approved 'medications'. Then if anyone questions your taking them, refer that person to your medication chart.
Special note
Orders for "nothing by mouth" prior to surgery apply to everything and this includes taking supplements. You need to have an empty stomach prior to surgery.
Getting the nutrition you need when you have surgery is important for your healing and overall health. Taking a quality, non-contaminated vitamin and mineral supplement will assist with your recovery. However not all health professionals, especially those who practice orthodox medicine, are informed about the benefits of nutritional supplements for people who are going to undergo surgery. This means that you will have to ensure that you inform your Doctor and other members of the health care team (as necessary) about what nutritional and other supplements you have been taking and want to take.
30.01.2008. 21:18
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