Hydration seems to be a big issue with lots of folks here so I thought we could start a thread regarding tips for that.

My RO�s nurse told me she waned me to drink 2 liters of water a day during treatment. I got cases of 500ml bottled water and pulled 4 out every morning. Before bed I should have finished all 4.

It was a simple system for me, but I did not have a PEG so I�m sure others have different ways of keeping up with the hydration..

Kelly

For Bill...with six cans of Nutren a day and hmmm..can't remember how much water... required, I had to chart each feeding because between the feedings and twice a day radiation treatments...the times all ran together and it became a big blur unless I wrote it down.

So, each feeding I wrote down how much water...supplement and meds went in the PEG and in addition, I would place a small bottle of Gatorade Rain by Bill's chair and make sure he finished that by the end of each day (that was as much as he could take by mouth..he was so painful....but I knew he was swallowing something.) He never got dehydrated though...I watched him like a hawk. It definitely helped that he was rarely nauseated and he never vomited, so all the liquids that went in him stayed in him.

Deb

I got dehydrated and I was and am drinking no less than 8 1.5 liter bottles of water a day. THat was right after I got out from the implants and have had no more problems. It just took a couple of IVS and I was ok but had to be in the hospital.

I wish I has been smarter about hydration. I always thought I was so good. I did start out writing things down, then with the pain and the meds I just lost it. I was dehydraded often. My treatment included daily amino-phos- some -name and it included one IV bag of fluid every day. Without it I would have been way more dehydraded. After about 5 weeks they said they would put me in the hospital if I did not get more fluids in. Yhat did get my attention. I had trouble early on swallowinfg so all hydration was through the PEG, 2 oz at a time.

So all the newbies who read this thread, remember hydration, hydration, hydration......
Steve

And also for all the newbies(and some currently undergoing treatment) ...............YOU REALLY NEED A CAREGIVER.

There is no way Bill would have ever gotten the proper nutrition, hydration, doctors, treatments.....anything without my intervention! Some of that was/is his nature. But most was because he was too sick to take care of himself and keep up with things.

So please everyone, find someone who can accompany you to doctor appts, watch over you to see that you are taking meds and eating and drinking (no matter the route) and checking to make sure you are not running a fever. I promise, it will make a major difference in how you get thru treatments.

Deb

All,
Like Bill, I would not have gotten through it without my wife Kathy, also known as the calorie nazi.
I never had a peg, so it was a struggle from about week 3 of radiation.
She devised a system using a white board stuck to the refrigerator on which she charted everything I put in my mouth, with a goal of 2 liters of fluid and 2500 calories a day.
Most days I was successful, every day I struggled. Overall, I still lost 50 pounds, going from 182 to 132. I'm now steady at 150 and thriving, six years out.
Consider a white board to keep a running total.

Good Health,
Chuck

Yep caregivers...use that chart! While I didn't use a whiteboard, I did write down every feeding, watering, and med by time and amount. You have to...the hours and days run together over the course of treatment and there are so many other things to worry with. Easier to just jot it down.

Guess we need to start the Calorie Nazi club...I am a proud member of it and now that Bill is better, he thanks me.

Deb

Ironically, I never had a problem with hydration during my entire TX the first time (with no PEG) but only when I was in the hospital after the surgery for the recurrence. I kept a chart also to make sure I got each Ensure down. I credit it to all the Seltzer water I used to rinse out each the mucous between each swallow of Ensure.
charm

Charm, if you have a Sam's club near you, they have Members Mark in the same bottle and made by Ensure , but it is exactly the same drink but costs $10 less with sam's on it. I use it all of the time.

I keep up good with the Hydration after being dehydrated and hospitalized. Now I also drink 6 cups of coffee and also drink milk along with the 8 1.5 liter bottles of spring water a day. I pay for it when I go to bed tho. LOL up about every hour.