chemo and dehydration

littlesewflake
littlesewflake Posts: 15 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am struggling badly with being dehydrated due to a lot of nausea and looking for some ideas on getting in fluids. I cannot just drink a whole glass of water, I will throw it up almost immediately, sorry I know thats more info/drama whatever, than necessary. I am getting IV fluids but if I hope to have any chance of going home and not directly to hospice or have home care all the time, I need some ideas on how to get even small amounts of fluid in repeatedly. I am on an anti-emetic and hope that will help a little better too. Just frustrated.

Replies

  • HiCarol1
    HiCarol1 Posts: 34 Member
    Hi, have you tried drinking maybe an hour before or after meals. Perhaps not drinking so close to your meal might help?
  • Tigg_
    Tigg_ Posts: 43 Member
    I'm so sorry to hear how tough things are :(

    Have you tried ice pops? Although a completely different thing, when I was pregnant I had quite horrible nausea and although I wasn't able to drink water - I could manage ice pops/popsicles, especially more lemony ones or citrus.

    This recipe might also help you later down the line when you can stomach a little more-
    "Nausea Pops
    3 cups strawberries, hulled & quartered
    2 bananas, sliced
    1 cup blueberries
    1 cup apple juice
    1 cup Greek yogurt, vanilla
    2 Tbsp. honey
    1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

    1. Wash and chop fruit and add to blender.
    2. Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend on high until smooth.
    3. Fresh ginger is more potent and works best but substitute powdered if it's all you have.
    4. Pour into popsicle molds/paper cups with pop sticks or whatever works. My molds are Tupperware hand-me-downs from grandma, but these molds are cute, colorful and come in several different shapes. The fishie ones could later be used for homemade baby treats!
    5. Freeze, enjoy and feel better!"

    I hope you feel much better soon x
  • suzyjane1972
    suzyjane1972 Posts: 612 Member
    Sipping drinks rather than gulping helped my mum. ...also ice lollies.
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    Just going to say that you are amazing :)

    And as for fluids, could you sip broths? When I have been unable to keep anything down, broths often sit better than straight water.

    You could also try sparkling water, they have flavoured kinds to mix it up. Or sprite/diet sprite works too. Jello is like 90% water, so you could nibble on that. Smoothies made with your favourite fruit & ice cubes would work too, and might feel nice if your mouth feels dry and sore.

    Good luck to you, stay strong! xx
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    If you can stomach solid food, try high-water content foods - watermelon, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, celery, tomatoes, etc. The electrolytes certainly won't hurt either.

    Ginger tea may also help; ginger's a decent legal nausea fighter.

    If its legally available in your state, medical marijuana can help as well.
  • littlesewflake
    littlesewflake Posts: 15 Member
    Thank you for the responses. Marijuana is legal in this state and my oncologist has talked about it. I struggle with knowing what to do about it. I struggled as a young person with some poor decisions and I worked very hard to make some right decisions and using marijuana is a struggle for me because of the guilt of those bad decisions as a youth. I promised myself that I would be more than I had become... now I fear that I am regressing. I don't entirely know how to deal with that issue.
  • MarriedToTheBob
    MarriedToTheBob Posts: 25 Member
    Just drink one sip at a time and don't be hard on yourself about smoking weed.
  • happygalah
    happygalah Posts: 343 Member
    Give yourself a break. No reason to feel guilty about smoking if it will make you feel better. Are you done with this round of chemo? Your care team should have ideas for fluids for you.
  • littlesewflake
    littlesewflake Posts: 15 Member
    I am now done with chemo and going through the process of being released to hospice as treatment has been unsuccessful thusfar. My oncologist mentioned vaping and not smoking Marijuana, I am not technically sure what the difference is. I am going for a consult on Wednesday to discuss it. I just am not entirely sure of intelligent questions to ask which leaves me feeling a bit vulnerable. Thank you for the responses.
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    littlesewflake wrote: »
    I am now done with chemo and going through the process of being released to hospice as treatment has been unsuccessful thusfar. My oncologist mentioned vaping and not smoking Marijuana, I am not technically sure what the difference is. I am going for a consult on Wednesday to discuss it. I just am not entirely sure of intelligent questions to ask which leaves me feeling a bit vulnerable. Thank you for the responses.

    You can get medical marijuana sugar packets...use them like you would any sugar or sweetener. You can add to iced tea or coffee perhaps or even homemade ice pops?

    I've gone through a few rounds of chemo myself. I would absolutely go with the popsicle/ice pop recommendation that has popped up here a few times. Was always easiest for me.

    As far as smoking vs. vaping - smoke can burn/not feel the greatest going down after chemo and/or radiation. Vaping makes it more of a steam, like a humidifier of sorts so you don't have that pain.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited July 2016
    littlesewflake wrote: »
    I am now done with chemo and going through the process of being released to hospice as treatment has been unsuccessful thusfar. My oncologist mentioned vaping and not smoking Marijuana, I am not technically sure what the difference is. I am going for a consult on Wednesday to discuss it. I just am not entirely sure of intelligent questions to ask which leaves me feeling a bit vulnerable. Thank you for the responses.

    It sounds like a meaningless platitude and I hate that it does, but keep fighting and good luck. If it were me I'd say that the marijuana may help here and given it's available I'd try edibles and vaping. Vaping Isn't going to burn your throat and lungs like smoking.
  • minniemoo1972
    minniemoo1972 Posts: 295 Member
    Go ingestion if smoking isn't palatable....it isn't legal here in the uk but if it helps you at this time then go for it, I'd like to see it medicinally available here ....you have to do what you think is best for you NOW then in the future you can have a rethink.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Can you get oil? I'm looking into it. I can't ingest bud for medical reasons (I have Crohn's and can't do fiber) and I've never been a smoker so if I decide to use it I will use oil.
  • hittingitonemoretime
    hittingitonemoretime Posts: 7,615 Member
    When I was on chemo, I found that I couldn't drink very much water and I got really dehydrated. Pedialyte popsicles, boost watered down, try having some crackers first.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    littlesewflake wrote: »
    I am struggling badly with being dehydrated due to a lot of nausea and looking for some ideas on getting in fluids. I cannot just drink a whole glass of water, I will throw it up almost immediately, sorry I know thats more info/drama whatever, than necessary. I am getting IV fluids but if I hope to have any chance of going home and not directly to hospice or have home care all the time, I need some ideas on how to get even small amounts of fluid in repeatedly. I am on an anti-emetic and hope that will help a little better too. Just frustrated.

    If you're somewhere where medical marijuana is available, get some edibles. Or, ask your doctor about Cannibino, a derivative.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    Try fruit with a lot of liquid like watermelon or any type of melon. If you feel like marijuana will make you fall back into old habits that you have tried hard to break then stay away, but you can get different types of Marijuana to make you feel different ways and you could get a drink or something that you just drop under your tongue. This helped my cousin a lot when she was going through chemo.
  • lovinkatie
    lovinkatie Posts: 2 Member
    Can you try chewing ice chips? I drink a ginger &peach tea (hot or cold) and that helped with nausea while I was pregnant ... totally different scenario I know, but chewing ice and sipping tea will help with dehydration. Hope it gets better!

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