Thanks Dr. Mike! Where were you a couple of weeks ago!

Hello Everyone, I had an interesting day today! I actually fainted! I was just getting some stuff at the health food store and wham, I just dropped out! It was definetly not fun, the firemen and ambulance people showed up and they took my BP and pulse. I told the I was okay and had the people at the store drive my truck home for me. I called my oncologist and they want to give me a bag of liquid tommorrow. Has anyone else had this happen, I feel like my neck is tight, like high blood pressure but its fine. It might be the jugular veins, I don't know. Just really curious.

wow tony ..not good

well it turns out I was dehydrated and I lost 10 pounds in a week. So they gave me a liter of saline and told me to drink a lot of water. I am feeling much better, not perfect but not too bad. This is going to be harder than I thought. It will be worth it once it is over. I know there are people out there that are much worse off. I wish you the best.

well it turns out I was dehydrated and I lost 10 pounds in a week. So they gave me a liter of saline and told me to drink a lot of water. I am feeling much better, not perfect but not too bad. This is going to be harder than I thought. It will be worth it once it is over. I know there are people out there that are much worse off. I wish you the best.

Uh-huh. Keep hydrated. If you can't drink enough liquid, go in for IV hydration every day. My son had to drive me in for IV hydration every day for 2 weeks. It's ok. It will get better.

The hydration issue seems to be pretty common. For me it was one of those things they didn't tell us ahead of time - we too found out 'the hard way'. I ended up being down there 3 times a week or so getting fluids once we knew what was going on.
I think you also have to be careful - in my opinion you kind of lose the ability to be a good judge of yourself and your own condition during treatment - sometimes it takes somebody else keeping an eye on you, to figure out you need something.

Best of luck - like RileyMc said, it will get better.

Hi Tony, here's a "grandma" trick to include. Pedialyte [found in the baby section of grocery stores] is great to have in your pantry. It is made to give kids who have vomiting and\or diarrhea and have lost too much fluid. It has needed electrolytes, etc. There are flavored and unflavored choices. You can alternate between the Ped. and water during the day, or add the Ped.to soups or other liquids you are consuming. It will give you a hydration boost and maybe keep you out of the ER! You will be fighting this paroblem for awhile. Amy in the Ozarks

Hey Amy I got some pedialyte. 1 bottle is $2.70 for generic at walmart. That is just alittle too much money for me to drink like water. So I got a case of water for $5.00 and I'm drinking alot. They say you need to drink 3 quarts a day! I couldn't drink that much if you paid me but I am drinking as much as I can.I put on 2 pounds so I think all is well. I finally got exempt from going to re-employment meetings at the county office. The doctors notes finally got the attention they desrved,all of a sudden they care about me again, quite strange. Still haven't gotten a dime of finantial help but SS is in action and the county is almost ready to give me welfare. Also I spent $1200.00 on prescriptions since Jan and I am going to get the medicade rate refunded to me. You really go through your savings quickly when you go through the cancer experience. Every one I know could be wiped out if they have one major illness. We really must do something, I don't know what but that's why there are elections. I am lucky that I have no wife or kids. As far the Chemo and Radiation, the blood work is good and the Rad is daily and not too painful, just some swallowing trouble, but I am eating solid food anyway. Damn the feeding tube! I won't use it untill all is lost.