What to drink after chemo? Ugh...

[Chelee]

I was curious as to what most of you drink after chemo? Long before my nightmare of bc...I was a BIG water drinker. You couldn't catch me any where without a bottle of water. I don't like soda's to speak of...and other then that tea is the only other thing I can drink.

But since chemo...I was told to drink LOTS or water as I am sure you all were. I thought to myself "No problem...I love water.". Well...that changed quickly enough after almost my first chemo. Water tasted TERRIBLE! I mean BAD.
It takes EVERYTHING I have and then some to FORCE myself to drink water after a full cycle of chemo. (Usually by the second week when I am only doing the herceptin...the water is fine.) But that first week after the taxotere, carb & herceptin...my mouth and taste is so messed up.

I KNOW I HAVE to drink something and I have become so concerned that I finally broke down and got some Power Aid. The red and orange flavored. Now strange as that is for me...it tastes GOOD. But what I don't like is the fact its full of suger pretty much.

But my thinking is...any fluid in the body is better then NO fluid. (Right?) I do manage to get SOME water down..but just a few sips. Its just gross.

I never asked my doctor what she would think of this? But don't you think drinking at least one bottle of the power Aid has to be better then nothing?

I didn't want to become totally dyhdrated. I am just NOT use to drinking anything sweet...let alone power aid. It does have potassium and stuff in it though..so maybe its not all bad. I find after I get a bottle of it down...I get a better appetite back. Not sure why? I have lost 33 pounds since I was DX...I hear people gain weight...I have LOST...I can't eat or drink much to speak of.

Do ANY of you have problems with the NORMAL things you USE to drink before you started chemo? Do you think the power aid would be better then nothing? Or should I FORCE myself to get more water down rather I like it or not? What do you guys all drink? Am I the only one with this problem?

Thanks...

chelee

[madubois63]

Yes, after chemo water tastes terrible. I do drink it with TONS of ice and that seems to help me. My girlfriend uses good old kool aid - you can control your sugar with that. I make my own green tea iced tea adding fresh spearmint. Be creative. Better to drink a power drink than nothing at all. Keep trying things until you find the one that works best for you. I find that as I get further from the day of chemo, water gets easier to keep down. Good luck....

[Mgarr]

Chelee,
I couldn't drink water for about 3 days after treatment so I had lots of popsicles and/or milkshakes.

[bobbiw]

I too am a huge water drinker and have a bottle with me at all times. It tasted aweful after chemo as well. There are Crystal Light To Go packets that are sugar free that you just put in your bottel of water and they are very good. Tons of flavors. Try them maybe? They also have the to go packets in various tea flavors. Good luck.
Bobbi

[tousled1]

While I was going through chemo I had a terrible craving to drink soda - Sprite in particular - and I was never a soda drinker. Now that I am finished (as of 5/17/06) I no longer drink the sprite. Go figure.

[Barbara H.]

Different kinds of tea work for me. I have always wondered about the the theory of drinking so much water after chemo. Should it really be washed out so quickly, or should it be allowed to stay in the blood to do its job? I only drink at meals or when I'm thirsty. I don't force myself to drink.
Best regards,
Barbara H.

[rinaina]

try half crystal light any flavor you chose and water with lots of ice, worked for me

[dogladybarks]

with sugar. Stay away from any sodas, Kool Aid, etc.

I am posting a link for you to the Vitamin Shoppe, so you can see what it is and what is in it. Emer'Gen=C" can be purchased at health food stores (is in individual packets) and comes in various flavors, plus it's good for you. I use this a lot, particularly when I am spending a lot of time outside so I don't dehydrate, and also drink green ice tea, (or hot green tea when cooler.)

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=AL-1147

Hope this helps!

Sue

[Sandy H]

I am with Maryann and drinks lots of water with ice. The nurse told me the reason to drink lots of water is to move these drugs out of the liver and kidneys because you do not want them to set there and damage these organs. Now, as for them being moved out of the body and not do their job I don't know the answer to that. I feel so much better drinking the water otherwise I get that awful sick feeling, with weakness. hugs, Sandy

[Barbara H.]

Sandy,
That makes sense about the liver and kidneys. I always wondered if there was a problem washing the chemo out.
Thanks for enlightening me.
Barbara H.

[anne]

Hi,

Try some fresh ginger and mint with ICE. That should disguise the taste. Also try Perrier or sparkiling flavored water that doesn't have any sugar.
Anne

[Liz J.]

Hi all,

I know its not a beverage, but might as well be. I had an enormous craving for Watermelon. You will stay hydrated and still get vitamins and minerals. Eat tons of it if you can. It really does help.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[sadie]

I never was a BIG water drinker, but like alot of you, water tasted terrible to me.
I always thought that we HAD to drink WATER. I tried one of my favorite flavored waters (Fruit2 0). That tasted funny to me too.
What I ended up doing (and I still do): I bought different flavors of drinks (grape juice, cranberry juice, all the diet "Splash" drinks). I would fill a glass with water (about 8-10 oz), then I added about 2 oz of the juice drink. It was great! It had a mild flavor and did not have all the sugar from the actual juice! I still drink my water like that today.
Hope this helps!

[Lauriemn]

I would also eat alot of watermelon and other fruits tht have a high water content, when I felt I just couldn't drink anything.


Laurie

[kimber]

Cut up lemon slices, lime slices, mash up berries. That is what I did to get water to taste better. It worked wonders!

One cycle was lemons in my water, next was rasberries, you get the picture. Good luck!

[Chelee]

At least I see its not just me having a problem drinking water. That alone is a relief. All of you have given me some great ideas as what to drink. I have found MaryAnn is right when it comes to adding ice to your water...I can get some down that way. I am just use to drinking water at room temp...but not anymore...ICE for me from now on.

Bobbi, the Crystal light to go sounds REALLY good. I forgot about Crystal light. I USE to LOVE that...drank it all the time years ago. That stuff tastes good. I haven't heard of the Crystal light packets to go that you mix with your water bottle...that sounds pretty neat. (Now we are talking.) Plus you said they have tea flavors....that would WORK for me.

All of your suggestions are good ones. I can't thank you all enough. I have been so concerned about getting enough fluids down...but found it almost impossible to drink after chemo. Its not to bad about the 7th day after chemo...but until then...YUCK. I like to keep my major organs working...thats why I felt it was important to drink something...anything at this point.

I also like the idea of watermelon to hydrate with. :) Very good idea. I have had some popsicles...but I didn't feel like that was enough to keep the kidneys going if you know what I mean. I was told to drink at LEAST 2 liters per day...but it got near impossible.

Now I a loaded with great ideas...THANKS to ALL of you. :)

Chelee

[cathy34]

you can find them by the juice boxes in the supermarket. They're new. I bought them for my kids instead of regular Capri Sun drinks - too much sugar and calories for the kids - but they really like these new waters. So, I tried one...they are REALLY good. It would be change from Chrystal Light to go (which is great by the way - I like the pink lemonade flavor).
Good luck
Only postitive thoughts
Cathy34

[Patty H]

I found that lemon in about anything seemed to help. I couldn't stand water then either. But lemon seemed to cut that awful taste and like some of the others ice seemed to make things taste better. I was always a tea drinker but even tea tasted bad to me. Patty H

[Helen]

I also had the same problem of difficulty drinking water for about a week after chemo. Lemon slices in my iced cold water helped.

Helen

[Berta]

I would suggest you try diffent things and things your really didn't like before, it might surprise you. I never liked root beer but the only thing I really enjoyed drinking during chemo was diet root beer. I finished chemo a year ago but I still love the root beer. I think its ok to drink the power aid. anything to keep from being dehydrated. Any weight you gain, you can deal with later, at least thats what they keep telling me. I've gained a lot of weight while on herceptin. Don't know if its the herceptin or just that I'm a stress eater but either way, I think the power aid is good if its the only thing you can get down. BERTA

[callen03]

The only drink I can stand after chemo is iced tea. I make it with Splenda and add lost of lemon. Everything else tastes awful. I drink this in place of water.