To expect that a hospital should be able to meet my dietary needs?

[Balloonsandroses]

Pretty sure I’m not being unreasonable! Been in hospital 24 hours now and just been to eat a meal for the first time (my choice). There is nothing gluten free. I have coeliac disease which they’ve known since admission. Gluten makes me vomit. So I can literally eat pepper, cucumber and lettuce. To add insult to injury this is a psych ward and I was admitted under section (still furious about this) so I can’t even leave and go and buy some food.

Daft vegan diet I bet you call yourself and “animal luvaaaa” too.

So people should at allergens then? And just hope for the best? Or maybe some will die and then hospitals wont need to deal with people with allergies anymore. Good plan.

@Nicecow because it’s a common autoimmune problem and I’ll vomit everywhere if I eat something else. Not to mention the fact that I’m being forced to be here against my will AND then given nothing I can eat

Seems like that's the least of the issues for the NHS right now

It's a medical condition. Not a lifestyle choice.

Wow ignorance level is something else with that

Coeliac here too. Had to starve for 24 hours until I was discharged after my last section (during covid, they wouldn’t even let dh drop off food because of covid risks and took the food I brought in off me for the same thing - but the midwives were being delivered free “thank you nhs takeaways” and didn’t see a covid risk with that).

It really is unacceptable.

Can't believe anyone saying it's ok or understandable. You do realise Coeliac disease is an actual illness not someone who just decided they're intolerant to wheat/dairy whatever?

You wouldn't give diabetic people food that will make them seriously ill would you?

Also vegans should be catered for too IMO.

Disclaimer- I am not vegan and have no allergies or intolerances!

Well really they should cater to every medical need, otherwise whats the point?

@nicecow what do you think should happen then? They can make me stay here for a month. I might well have no one who could bring me food. I’m not allowed to leave even for 5 minutes to go to the hospital shop. While I’m here should I
a) not eat and jeopardise my physical health
b) eat gluten and jeopardise my physical health.

either way the nhs is going to be left picking up the pieces, might be cheaper for them to keep a tin of beans, baking potato and microwave on hand

You think its okay for a patient in hospital to either not eat or to eat food that will harm them? Why do you think people who are unwell don’t need food that doesn’t harm them?

@Jo586 tell me more. How is a specific diet that treats a physical illness daft? I don’t get it.

Doesn't matter if its the least of the issues for the NHS, they cannot starve a patient, no matter how much hassle it is for them they have to provide the required food.

You are damn not BU! Both my kids are coeliac and I totally feel your pain. Tell the staff you need more than a basic salad to survive - then, if you get nowhere, speak with PALS

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease that can only be treated by the absence of gluten in the diet. Any amount of gluten, including tiny crumbs or cross contamination, can cause pain, vomiting, diarrhoea in the short term and lead to permanent damage to the patient’s intestines in the long term. There are a number of other problems like increased risk of digestive cancers, calcium malabsorption to name a few. Hospitals should absolutely have gluten free food available for coeliacs as it’s a medical need.

I feel your pain!

When I was in for 3 months, I saw dieticians regularly about what I could eat and what I definitely couldn’t. Every single day they brought me food I could not eat.

I was literally starved. When I was admitted I was 8.4. When I left I was 5.6. 5.6!!!! This was nhs.

I had an operation a while later (not related), went private. Dairy free was explained to hospital more than once. They didn’t even have a milk alternative for a cup of tea. They served me the absolutely disgusting porridge. Really vile.

With the money I was charged you would think they could manage a brew with 6 weeks notice!!!

Oh do shut up!

Massive eye roll.
it's very simple to incorporate a variety of medical/cultural/religious diets and vegetarian/vegan into a couple of choices that don't contain meat. Nobody vegan or vegetarian is demanding a whole new menu when the problem can easily be solved by offering 1 or 2 choices that are meat-free. Shock- even meat eaters might select them! In fact, a baked potato with baked beans

Well, that applies to meant eaters too.

People ear meat by choice. Some people dont eat meat by choice. Both are a choice.

Maybe hospitals should serve only vegan. That's a legitimate as serving only meat meals. Both are simply choices of lifestyle.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease that is very easily controlled by diet. It's completely out of order that no gluten free food is available to you.

How on earth are you meant to get better mental if the only food you are given makes you physically sick and gives you diarrhoea.

The long term consequences can be huge too if you are constantly vomiting

I'm sorry to vegans, there should be food available for you but it's not a medical need

Am also a coeliac, have also been psych inpatient, have also taken MAOIs. Those saying YABU haven't got a fucking clue. When the state can jump in to your life and force you on to a ward, where you're not allowed to leave and your contact with the outside world is heavily controlled, the least they should do is provide food that won't damage your organs.

If OP eats something like a baked potato that was cooked on a baking tray that was previously used for pizza and wasn't thoroughly decontaminated, her immune system will overreact to the presence of gluten and destroy part of her intestinal lining. Until this grows back, she'll fall to absorb important nutrients from her food, which can over time result in permanent damage to parts of the body as diverse as bones and nerves. Repeated damage to the gut caused by the presence of gluten can also raise the risk of some kinds of cancer. The immediate symptoms of eating gluten can also be miserable but it's the damage that's dangerous. It's not anything like being vegan. It means ordering in from random unknown takeaways is risky, and requires a lot of care to reduce the chance of contamination.

Hospital food is of the lowest possible quality. It's an area where they've obviously cut costs as much as possible. I'm not surprised they don't cater for dietary requirements.

Was in hospital last year on a really hot day (the ward was 27 degrees) so was pleased to see ice cream on the menu. Unfortunately it tasted foul and when I looked at the ingredients the first thing listed was vegetable oil. There was nothing fresh or tempting it was all low fat yogurts full of sugar and corn starch, mashed potato made from powder, ugh. I don't know how anyone is supposed to convalesce on that sort of thing. It's ok if you're out in a few days.

I also have coeliac disease, and when I had an operation they wanted me to eat something before I was allowed home but they only gave me non-gluten free toast.

My dad has been admitted twice 2 different hospitals same issue no diabetic menu! Even a dietician sat with him went through the menu choices and said no there isn't anything you can eat. My mum ended up providing all his meals and using hot flask things