Appendectomy is considered a fairly common operation, which is faced by a large number of people. Removing the appendix is considered a fairly safe and uncomplicated procedure. But this does not mean that after an appendectomy a person can lead the same lifestyle as before. It is very important to maintain proper nutrition after appendicitis surgery . The rate of recovery of the human body will depend on this. If the patient does not adhere to the recommendations of the doctor, then he can aggravate his situation and face unpleasant consequences.
basic information
First of all, it’s worth understanding what exactly happens to the person with the diagnosis of appendicitis. The appendix is a small process located in the cecum. If its severe inflammation occurs, then this phenomenon is called appendicitis. A similar ailment is faced not only by adults, but also by children. There are many reasons why appendicitis can develop, so it is important to pay attention to pain symptoms in the peritoneum and to visit doctors in a timely manner.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that today there is no drug treatment for this ailment. Therefore, the only possible solution is appendectomy. The inflamed process is carefully removed through a small incision. After that, the recovery process is pretty fast. However, no matter how well a person feels after the procedure, it is very important to adhere to a special diet. Particular attention should be paid to food in the first days after the removal of appendicitis. It is important to listen to all the recommendations of the doctor and clearly follow them.
The basic rules of the diet in the postoperative period
Before considering the features of nutrition after appendicitis surgery, it is worth turning to a few useful tips:
- Food should be exclusively fractional. This means that food is taken at least 5-6 times a day. Servings should be small enough so that after breakfast, lunch and dinner, the patient continues to experience a slight hunger. If you heavily load the digestive tract, then this can lead to quite serious complications.
- It is best to eat boiled food or steamed.
- If we are talking about permitted products after the removal of appendicitis, it is important to always check that they are fresh and have the appropriate consistency. This means that even if vegetables or fruits are allowed to be eaten, they must be grated and served in liquid form.
- To introduce new products into the menu after the removal of appendicitis should be very careful. It is better to serve new food in very small portions. If there is discomfort or pain, then it is better to abandon new products.
- Do not eat food cold or hot. This can lead to intestinal irritation and cramping. The temperature of the dish should be between 37-38 degrees.
- Use of salt is permitted, but only in a very minimal amount. The permissible dose for an adult is not more than 8 g per day. However, if the patient can refuse salt, then it is better to do so. The fact is that this seasoning provokes thickening of the blood. Because of this, decay products linger in the human body much longer. As a result, the healing process is complicated.
- A patient who has undergone appendectomy should completely abandon alcohol. Alcoholic production has a depressing effect on tissues, slowing down their regeneration.
What will happen if you do not follow a diet
If a person does not adhere to the rules of nutrition after the operation of appendicitis, then he risks harming himself. First of all, if you do not abandon bad habits, this will lead to a longer healing and recovery process. In addition, the wrong approach to your diet only provokes the rapid development of the bacterial environment.
In the postoperative period, gas formation, bloating, constipation and diarrhea are very dangerous. Accordingly, by using prohibited foods, a person only risks provoking serious complications, exacerbation of chronic pathologies and the development of new ailments. Therefore, in no case should you ignore the recommendations and instructions of the doctor.
How long does the diet last
Only a doctor can accurately determine the time period during which a person must adhere to strict recommendations. Also, much depends on the type of appendicitis, possible complications, as well as the method of performing the process of removal of the process. Of course, the individual characteristics of the patient are also considered.
For example, if laparoscopy was performed, the healing process is much faster. Therefore, the diet can last from several weeks to a month. In the case of more "clumsy" methods of operation, more tissue is damaged. In this case, the diet lasts up to 2 months.
If we talk about the diet every day after the removal of appendicitis, adult patients are recommended table No. 0A. This means that you need to eat 7-8 times a day. Food should be predominantly in liquid form.
First day of diet
At the beginning of this diet, it is important to draw up a clear menu with your doctor and check with him for a list of prohibited and permitted foods. After that, on the first day of the diet, it is worth starting with strained compote. The next meal will consist only of a sweet broth of wild rose. After that, you can drink some weak tea with a little sugar. The second part of the day has a richer menu. It is recommended to cook a hated broth on lean meat. The next meal consists of boiled rice. You can’t eat at night. It is best to drink strained jelly and after a while a little juice. However, it should be borne in mind that the latter should be diluted with water in a proportion of 50/50.
On the first day, you should be extremely careful when choosing a diet after appendicitis surgery. Do not eat stale foods. Juices and jelly should be natural. It is important not to eat food and liquid, which can cause gas formation. Therefore, you need to abandon grape and vegetable juice.
The next few days of the diet, you must adhere to the table menu number 0B. In this case, we are talking about six meals a day. One meal should not be more than 400 g.
2-3 day
In this case, you can start the day with liquid and mashed porridge (doctors recommend eating oatmeal, rice or buckwheat). You can cook it on the broth, which is previously recommended to be diluted a little with water.
It is also allowed to eat mucous light soups on cereals, meat broths (you can add a little semolina). You can cook omelet or soft-boiled eggs. However, such dishes are only allowed if they are only steamed. Fried foods should be completely excluded from the diet.
Also, the second and third day of nutrition after the removal of appendicitis in adults may include soufflé prepared with their lean meat or fish. You can add a little cream to the dishes (but not more than 100 g per day). For dessert you can treat yourself to berry jelly or mousse.
The next two days, the diet should correspond to table No. 0B. In this case, we are talking about a relatively rational, but still dietary nutrition.
Next days
On the fourth and fifth day, you can cook light puree-type soups. You can also treat yourself to mashed cottage cheese with the addition of a small amount of milk or cream. Allowed some steamed fish, chicken or minced meat. You can eat 100 g of white crackers (but without seasoning). You can drink dairy products.
Doctors are allowed to cook mashed potatoes without milk and butter. Potatoes can be replaced with pumpkin or zucchini. For dessert, bake apples or grind some fruit. In the evening, drink mono tea with milk.
On this, the nutrition on the so-called zero diet ends. After that, the doctor recommends sticking to table No. 1. It also includes light meals and completely eliminates fatty, salty, smoked, spicy, hot, carbonated or too cold products.
What foods can I eat
The list of allowed foods is enough to diversify your menu. For example, doctors allow you to cook grated soups using a weak meat broth. Also, oat, buckwheat, semolina or rice porridge is added to liquid nutrition. If we talk about butter, then it should be no more than 5 g in soups. Starting from the 4th day, you can add a little meat or fish to the liquid food, but only in the form of minced meat.
Those who love chicken should be careful with this seemingly light meat. First, the fillet is prepared in the form of a souffle, and only after that the creation of cutlets or knives is allowed. The same goes for fish. It must be passed through a meat grinder. If we talk about the type of fish, it is better to give preference to low-fat varieties. It is recommended to choose cod, pollock or hake.
If you don’t feel like eating vegetables after removing appendicitis, then you can replace them with baby food.
Eggs are recommended to be consumed every day. They can be cooked soft-boiled or in the form of an omelet. As in the case with other dishes, cooking is possible only on steam.
Drinking milk in its pure form is not worth it, as it can provoke flatulence. It is best to add it to cottage cheese or tea. The same goes for cream. You can season them with soups, but drinking them is strictly prohibited.
If we talk about what fruits you can eat after removing appendicitis, then preference should be given to non-acidic apples. However, when fresh, they can also cause bloating and diarrhea. Therefore, they must be baked or cooked on their basis jelly. Only at the very end of the diet, doctors are allowed to gradually switch to hard apples.
What products will have to be excluded
In the diet of a person who has undergone a similar operation, in no case should be legumes (peas, lentils, beans, etc.), as well as cabbage. These products not only provoke gas formation, but can even lead to quite strong intestinal colic.
Also, hard sausages should not be consumed; smoked products should be discarded. Mayonnaise, ketchup and various sauces are also excluded.
Mushrooms are very difficult to absorb by the human body, so they should not be on the table, even if they are steamed.
You will also have to completely exclude:
- Baking (even when it comes to bread).
- Canned food and fat.
- Sweets (especially ice cream).
- Harmful food (in no case should you eat fast food).
- Spices (even if not sharp).
- Too greasy or salty cheeses.
- Pasta.
- Sour berries or fruits.
If we talk about diet recipes after removing appendicitis, then, as a rule, all food is steamed. For example, it is worth considering the simplest liquid food that doctors recommend.
Chicken bouillon
To cook this simple dish, a little chicken fillet, onion, carrots and herbs are required. First, the chicken is sent to the water. After that, chop the onion finely and chop the carrot into cubes. All of these ingredients are also sent to the chicken. Next, you need to bring the broth to a boil and leave on low heat for another hour. Greens are added a few minutes until fully cooked. The resulting liquid is expressed and cooled to 37-38 degrees, after which a tasty broth can be drunk.
Menu example
First of all, it is worth saying that the diet after the operation implies a gradual expansion of the diet. Thus, the body again gets used to a particular food and goes into the usual mode of operation. The first week is considered the most difficult, as the patient must keep himself within. Most of the day he will be forced to experience hunger. But if you follow your desires, you can harm the body.
On the first day, you can make the following schedule:
- 8:00 - drink tea with a little sugar and liquid jelly (fruits will have to be thrown out). The volume of drink - 100 g.
- 10:00 - no more than 180 g of compote is allowed, but only without adding fruit.
- 12:00 - you can cook a light chicken broth. Drink no more than 200 g.
- 14:00 - for lunch, you can cook 150 g of fruit jelly and drink it with the same amount of rosehip infusion.
- 16:00 - only 200 g of tea is allowed (you can add a slice of lemon).
- 18:00 - for dinner you can prepare a decoction of rice porridge (not more than 180 g), and for dessert treat yourself to fruit jelly.
- 20:00 - you can’t eat anything. You can drink 200 g of rosehip infusion.
At night, a little compote is allowed without pieces of fruit or berries.
However, this menu is an example. Every day a diet should be drawn up by an experienced professional. You should not risk it and make your own menu. If a person has additional pathologies (for example, a stomach ulcer), then the diet is strictly reviewed. It is possible that the list of permitted products will be significantly reduced.