Would like to get some opinions on IV fluids during treatment. My wife has completed 24 of 33 radiation and 5 of 7 chemo treatments. The past week has been getting pretty rough. She has been able to pretty much maintain her weight but has had issues with throwing up. She has been taking anti-nausea drugs (Ativan, Compazine and Zofran) but they think her issue may be more of the thick saliva causing a gag reflex(also taking Pilocarpine, Guaifinisen for saliva help and Nystatin for thrush). This past Monday they gave her a liter of fluid during chemo and the doctor prescribed additional liter four times a week. They left the power port access in and had a nurse come out to show me how to attach an IV. The doctor and nurses at the clinic stated that the port access needed to be removed or changed at 7 days. The nurse that came out to the house said it wasn't necessary for them to come out to remove on Sunday(which would be day 7) that it was ok to go longer. Longer story short, the nurse set up to come out to remove on Friday which will leave us without port access over the weekend. I have given her an additional liter each night this week, so including the liter at chemo last Monday she has recieved the additional 4 liters. Should I insist that the nurse put a new port access in when the old one is removed and/or is it ok to leave the port access lines longer than 7 days? Is getting a liter a day for 4 straight days as good as getting a liter every other day for staying hydrated? Thanks for any insights.

I had constant problems with nausea caused by, well everything including pain pills, dehydration, constipation, etc, etc. Everytime I got in trouble so to speak (3 times)it was on a weekend and I ended up in a ER that had ZERO idea of what I was going thru. I also did not receive regular IV's and because of that and listening to others over the last 2 years I am a firm believer that all of us should get daily hydration during Tx and post Tx for a good 2 to 3 weeks. At the very minimum this could do no harm and I'm convinced that it would do a world of good.