This need for increased calories and protein usually persists at least 50 days post-transplant. Most transplant patients are put on a restricted diet for several days, weeks or months following their transplant. The diet is designed to limit their exposure to potential infection-causing organisms present in some foods. At a minimum, fresh fruits and vegetables are prohibited until the patient's white blood cell count returns to normal. At some centers, processed meats, deli foods, and other commercially prepared foods are also prohibited.
Some centers allow patients to eat only foods specially prepared by the hospital.
Even after dietary restrictions are lifted, some recovering transplant patients have difficulty tolerating certain foods for several months. Before sending food, check with the transplant center or patient's family to determine what is allowed. Before a patient undergoes a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, her caloric and protein requirements are assessed by a dietitian. A nutrition care plan is designed to ensure that the patient receives sufficient calories, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fluids during the recovery period. Dietitians use a number of tests to track the amount of fluid, calories, protein and other nutrients the patient consumes while hospitalized.