If you react to MSG -- either by experiencing migraines or exhibiting any of the other symptoms contained on page 5 -- you might be thinking that the only safe place on the planet has to be a hospital, right?  Nothing could be further from the truth!

Think about it:  What is the first thing you are served after surgery?  Chicken broth, Jello-O and juice.  We know that the first 2 items have MSG, and chances are your juice might also be suspect.  If you are served ice cream or sherbet, chances are this contains "Natural Flavors" or "Carrageenan", too.

Hospital Dieticians are well trained in the areas of Nutrition, but I have yet to find a Dietician who knows how MSG affects sensitive people, not to mention the names it is hidden under in ingredient labels.  The following outlines my personal experiences with hospitals and MSG.

Before I became aware that MSG was my migraine trigger, I underwent two surgeries.  After each operation, I was returned to my room in fine condition.  The first thing I was brought to eat was the usual "soft diet":  Chicken Broth,
Jell-O and juice.  Within 45 minutes of consuming this, I was in the throes of a full-blown migraine:  throbbing head pain, eyes sensitive to light, sweating, non-stop vomiting, neck and shoulder muscle spasms.  Fortunately, I had the surgeon write orders for injectable migraine medications prior to surgery.

When I rang for the nurse, she was shocked to see how my condition had so rapidly changed.  When the staff doctor arrived, I yelled, "Get my migraine shots NOW!"  The Demerol and Phenergan shots killed the pain for less than an hour....at which point the whole process of pain escalation and vomiting resumed.  "More shots!" I gasped at the horrified nurse.  The second round of shots, plus IV rehydration, finally put me out of my misery.

The same scenario played itself out during my second surgery.  Doctors chalked up the
the migraine episodes to "stress of surgery".  It was only much later that I realized my reaction to MSG was the real cause.  Since that time, I have been through another major surgery with no hint of migraine -- because I bring my own food and beverages to the hospital.  See the next page for how this was accomplished.