getting proper nutrition during your rotations

[E Z Daring]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm reflecting upon my surgery rotation, and it occurs to me that the single biggest problem (which I actually had power to solve!) was not eating right and feeling hypoglycemic during the long hours. I tried to maintain a somewhat decent eating routine but of course I fell flat on my face during those 114 hour weeks.

Any tricks up your sleeve? This goes to all the single people who don't have a spouse to make them lunch n stuff. I've even pleaded to friends to bring me food but they are always a bunch of flakers 👎

I tried so many different brands of powerbars - IMO it's like eating vitamins and sand. Any good brands you guys like?

 

[13538]

Yeah....total parenteral nutrition 🙂

 

[franklinthedog]

I tried so many different brands of powerbars - IMO it's like eating vitamins and sand. Any good brands you guys like?

Detour, Uturn, made by the same company. Pretty good. Also, peanuts and banannas are often a good meal. Although get the peanuts that are lower in salt.

 

[Chicago Doc]

Nature Valley trail mix bars are really good and pocket sized (the apple cinnamon and fruit/nut ones are great). I get them at Costco in a box of 36 and put them in my backpack or pocket when I'm at the hospital. Okay it won't last all day but at least you won't pass out before you get some chow

 

[debvz]

Personally, i'm a big fan of bagels with lotsa cream cheese 😀 .....but, one of my chief residents suggested keeping graham crackers and peanut butter handy -- he said that the fat/protein in the peanut butter won't give as much of an insulin rush and post-snack hypoglycemia...

 

[MD'05]

A 9,000 calorie farmer's breakfast, supplemented with the occassional granola bar and lots of water, would keep me going for 24 hours straight. Unfortunately, I gained 30 pounds, but I felt great!

 

[EMDrMoe]

I tried so many different brands of powerbars - IMO it's like eating vitamins and sand. Any good brands you guys like?

Detour, Uturn, made by the same company. Pretty good. Also, peanuts and banannas are often a good meal. Although get the peanuts that are lower in salt.

I second the Detour/Uturn (and there's another one I can't remember) bars. Kelloggs Krave bars are pretty good, too. Nature Valley granola bars are good, but they don't keep me full for long.

 

[Vincristine]

I like Kellogg Krave bars and Balance Gold bars. Krave bars don't at all taste like energy bars. Both are covered with chocolate, but neither made me feel like my blood sugar dropped 30 minutes later. But, be careful about keeping them in your scrub pockets because both melt, though taste just fine. (I left mine in my coat pocket, when I remembered.) I'm also a big fan of graham crackers (they're all over our hospital, and very easily fit in your scrub pockets). And when the day ends and you realize you've consumed less than 500 calories all day, find someone to pig out with 🙂

 

[gwyn779]

I was so good about eating enough to prevent any hypoglycemic episodes that I gained 10 lbs during my surgery rotation. 🙄 Basically, whenever we had a break I'd grab something to eat. I actually didn't eat that many granola bars, but I'm having trouble remembering exactly what I did eat. Oh well. Luckily I had enough time to make healthy food during my psych rotation so I lost those 10 lbs in 2 or 3 weeks.

Hmm, granola bars that are good...I'd go with Nature Valley. Oh and Real Food Bars (or something). They're made with "real food" only, not protein powder, etc., so they're really good.