How many onces of fluid per hour for immediate post-ops, plus fave sugar-free liquids

Imissthe80s
on 7/14/11 3:55 am - Louisville, KY
DS on 02/27/12
How many ounces of fluids can an immediate post-oper get in per hour? I love drinking water and I drink a ton of it (at least 9-10 glasses a day) but I am wondering how delicate a process this will be for the first few weeks post-op until it normailzes? Also, if I am not able to drink regular water, what are some of the sugar free options you enjoy? I'm not a fan of Splenda and I hear some folks can't tolerate it after surgery.


sdld2001
on 7/14/11 4:04 am - Summerville, SC
My program had us drinking 1 oz every 15 minutes. And that's SIPPING the oz and not just turning it up like I was doing. It huuuurt like a mother to try to take that whole oz in at once. It will take 3-4 sips to get that 1 oz down. Getting fluids is a full-time job after surgery. The only 2 things I drink are water and caffeine free tea. I don't really like fruity flavored drinks. Every now and again I'll drink some SF lemonade but that's about it.
Mindee

HW - 274 / SW - 265 / CW - 178 / GW 140          High BMI 53.5 / Current BMI 34.8  
Elizabeth N.
on 7/14/11 4:56 am - Burlington County, NJ
64 oz. per day minimum as soon as possible. It is easy to get this in for most people if they actually SIP and time themselves. A sip is something like a teaspoon. Practice this by getting a measuring teaspoon and a timer. Take one measuring teaspoon of fluid of choice. Wait one minute, timed. Repeat. Do this six times and you will have consumed one ounce. Takes about 6-1/2 hours out of 24 to get in 64 oz. this way.

I got down a fair amount of ginger tea early postop, until Mr. EN very lovingly brewed me a super strong cup, two bags in a regular coffee cup and it about killed me. He was used to putting two black tea bags in a 16-oz. mug LOL. Peppermint and chamomile did okay too. I knew those as medicinal herbs for the belly from my years of living in Germany, so I had the mindset plus tastebuds for them. That's not everyone's idea of wonderful though.  Black tea was WAY too acidic for me.

I did better with a little bit of lemon juice squeezed into my water and nothing additional. Room temp to slightly warmer was better for me than cold.

Imissthe80s
on 7/14/11 5:51 am - Louisville, KY
DS on 02/27/12
Elizabeth-

Oooooo, yes, tea! Why didn't I think of herbal teas, which I drink quite a bit now? *forehead smack*  Thanks for reminding me and yes ginger tea is good for the gut.  Mr. EN...I love it! His name not the fact that you nearly went over to the great blue yonder with the double dose of tea! Thanks for the measuring spoon tip as well.


beemerbeeper
on 7/14/11 6:02 am - AL
No matter how many times I read about sipping after surgery I was completely unprepared for how difficult it was to drink/sip and how much of a full time job it was.  I tried to sip every five or ten minutes.  I tried setting a timer.  I tried cold, warm, sweet, broth.  And it was still impossible to stay hydrated.

During my 3rd week I got a bag of fluids at the ER and after that I was able to keep up.

It was months and months before I was able to guzzle water.

And now, at nearly 2 years post-op fluids are still an issue.  I have to be very prepared whenever I leave the house to have my fluids with me at all times.  I drink constantly and am always thirsty.  I know I get a gallon a day in regularly and that does not happen without some planning.

~Becky


Imissthe80s
on 7/14/11 6:39 am - Louisville, KY
DS on 02/27/12
Becky-
Yeah I think this is one of those things that unless you are switched, you do not have any concept of the restriction.  I can only try and prepare but the full magnitude of it won't hit until after the showdown (aka DS).  Why are fluids an issue for you now? I mean what's the reason for always being thirsty?


teachmid
on 7/14/11 9:44 am - OKC, OK
In the hospital I realized I didn't know how to sip. On another patient's advice, DH went out and got me a toddler's sippy cup. It worked great.

I drank lots of water, chicken broth, diluted juice (for the first week only), and decaf hot tea. It was tough though.
     -Gail-
SW  257    CW  169  GW  165
  
Imissthe80s
on 7/14/11 11:58 am - Louisville, KY
DS on 02/27/12
I will definitely need to learn how to sip, I gulp and guzzle.


AllieInOntario
on 7/14/11 11:44 am
I started using a travel coffee cup... easier to sip.  Still wasn't prepared for the intake of liquids ... just now getting it under full control. 
Pick your surgery first, then your surgeon. Not the other way around.  
PS:... Potato chips should be a food group.

I'm tired of screwing with that damn health widget.
 I've lost 125 pounds to date!!!!
   And I'm UNDER 190 now!!! 
 
             
KellyJTn
on 7/14/11 11:10 pm - Oak Ridge, TN
Like Mindee, I was on the same "1 ozs every 15 minutes" deal.  I used a small medicine cup that the hospital provided me with. One ounce in a cup definitely doesn't seem like very much. The tiny medicine cup atleast gave me the illusion I was drinking more, lol.   I drank water, crystal light, decaf tea, and warm chicken broth in the very beginning.

 ~Kelly ~   
SW 364/CW 164/GW 150             
 

         

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