After your UFE procedure, your first priority is to heal. There is pain to be expected, and with that discomfort, it can be hard to feel like eating or even drinking anything. This is particularly the case when the pain causes you to feel nauseous.
Though you may not feel like eating soon after your procedure, it’s smart to pay attention to your diet after UFE. Proper nutrition can aid healing and recovery, and eating the wrong foods at the wrong time can trigger uncomfortable complications. Our nurses will give you specific instructions regarding what to eat after your procedure, with these written out as part of your post-procedure instructions to take home with you.
Eat/Drink: Non-Alcoholic Liquids
After your UFE, your immediate post-procedure diet will consist of liquids: water, ice chips, apple, grape, or cranberry juice; tea; broth; gelatin; electrolyte drinks; and popsicles. Electrolyte drinks and broth are preferred.
Don’t guzzle liquid; go slowly at first. You can pick up the pace when you’re able to drink liquids without triggering nausea or vomiting. You will have received sufficient intravenous hydration at our Center prior to discharge, so don’t worry if you’re not very thirsty when you get home. Rest and sleep are more important in the afternoon and evening after your UFE procedure. Beginning with the morning after the procedure, increasing your fluid intake is recommended to avoid any dehydration.
Eat: Yogurt
Yogurt contains healthy bacteria that can help restore gut health after UFE. Some patients who undergo UFE will receive antibiotics, and restoring gut health is particularly important as antibiotics can alter the bowel flora. Activia yogurt contains probiotics which can improve the balance of microorganisms in the gut, which reduces abdominal discomfort (exs, bloating, gas). Yogurt is also easy to tolerate; it is unlikely to cause nausea or vomiting after UFE. It also contains zinc and protein, two nutrients that promote healing.
Eat: Whole Grains
Whole grains contain a lot of fiber, which can help you avoid (or treat) post-procedural constipation. Consider choosing runny (i.e., thinned with milk or water) oatmeal over boxed cereal and brown rice rather than white rice. If you eat bread, look for whole grain versions rather than prepackaged white bread, which is typically low in dietary fiber.
Other whole grains, including bulgur, quinoa, barley, and millet, also contain protein, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins, which are nutrients that promote healing and help the body fight infection.
Avoid: Cheese
Constipation is incredibly common after surgery. It is due largely to the narcotic medication that you will be discharged home with, and it is encouraged that you discontinue this narcotic by the end of the 2nd post-procedural day (sooner if possible).
Consuming cheese is to be avoided as it is also constipating, so it’s best to steer clear for at least the first week post-UFE. (High-fat foods like cheese can also trigger nausea.)
Avoid: Fried or Fatty Food
You already know that fried and fatty foods aren’t a great nutritional choice. After UFE—when you don’t feel like eating much anyway—it’s a good idea to focus on foods that contain the nutrients you need to heal, such as protein, vitamins C, D, & E, and zinc, instead of filling your body with less nutritional foods. Additionally, fried and fatty foods can cause nausea and vomiting. When you’re fully recovered, it’s okay to enjoy fried and fatty foods in moderation.
Avoid: Alcohol
You might be eager for a drink, but it’s in your best interest to say no to any alcoholic drinks for at least the first week post-procedure. You will be on post-procedural narcotics for a few days, and alcohol should not be combined with this medication. If you’re taking any narcotic medication, you must avoid alcohol, as alcohol plus pain pills can affect thinking and decrease breathing to potentially dangerous levels. Alcohol is also dehydrating, and your body needs plenty of fluids to heal properly.
