Hi All-

I was sleeved on February 15, and I am STRUGGLING getting liquids down. I am curious, did anyone else have issues with this? How much were you getting down 3-4 days after surgery? I am afraid I am starting to get dehydrated (just from the color of my urine (TMI, I know). I am allergic to the pain medicine so I can't take any of that, and the antibiotics gave me thrush. So the horrible taste in my mouth is just too much...I don't want to put anything in my mouth.

Any advise would be appreciated. Thank-you.

Liquids are your medicine now. You have to have them. Have you tried different temperatures? Warm camomile or mint tea were easier for me, and not sweet. Warm broth? If you can't get in enough liquids, please go and get an IV. You do not want to get dehydrated.

Try mixing water with gatorade or low calorie gatorade. It helped me alot right after surgery.

Biotene Moisturizing Mouth Spray!!! Walmart carries it and other pharmacies carry similar things. It's simulated spit. Two sprays will not even go down, but it will coat your mouth.

It isn't the solution but it will provide relief.

You have to find something that will work. This is the most important thing. I couldn't handle water but I could handle water will MiO in it. So I bought a ton of the stuff. Also, I couldn't handle cold fluids so I went with room tempurature fluids and that seems to work. Whatever it is, you have to find it and make it yours.

Yes, I had this problem also. The first 3 days I was at home I barely drank anything, and because of this I was scared of becoming dehydrated so on day 4 I forced myself to start drinking nothing but water. I did not want to end up back in the hospital it was hard but I did it.

I was just sleeved on 2/14 as well. I am using measuring cups to keep up with how many ounces I take in. I will have a cup of room temperature Smart Water(has electrolytes which is a major plus) and another cup filled with Powerade Zero which also has electrolytes. I couldn't take in cold Water the first few days so the room temp water really has helped. Just take small sips of whatever you can tolerate. I take turns drinking between the 2 and that helps also.

I have struggled with fluids since my surgery 12/5/11. I've tried EVERYTHING to get in more fluids. Low calorie gateraid helped, but once I discovered Propel it's been a cake walk! I don't know what it is about Propel but I find it so easy to drink! I like the flavors and can drink it ice cold or room temperature.

Have you tried crystal Light?? I used the rasberry ice once I got home. While in the hospital and at the motel in Mexico, my Dr. sent me back to the hotel with a bag of drinks. Most were organic fruit juices. Just remember to take little sips all the time. DON'T DRINK ANY CARBONATED

DRINKS. I made that mistake last week and thought I'd die with the pain .

When I was told to start drinking water I couldn't, I would take a few tiny sips and then it would come back up; my doctor put a patch behind my ear to help with that and it did. Even though I wasn't nauseated or vomiting anymore the first week was hard because I felt so full with just a few sips. The good news was that that only happened the first week, on the 8th day I could drink and drink (don't gulp it hurts) and I wouldn't be full.

Powerade Zero and Propel are my top 2 favorites. I didn't have trouble getting fluid down at all, but I had to drink so slow that it was frustrating and seemed like lots of work. It is so important though... force yourself. It will be easier to take bigger sips as you move along your journey.

Try sitting up very straight when you drink....this helps pull any bends or kinks out of my tummy, and makes it easier for the liquid (or food for that matter) to go down and empty out. Works for me.

Try warm broth. At first I bought grocery store broth but after about a week of the high sodium, I bought a whole chicken and boiled it and made my own broth. I even froze some for later. It was soothing and I was able to get it down. Now, after 4 going on 5 weeks, I can drink well and also take my meds whole without crushing them.

Good luck. It will get better.

Everyone's suggestions are great. You just have to find something you can tolerate at this point. Keep trying til you find something that goes down easily, which may change from day-to-day. Right now your job is to recover. Don't worry about getting in ALL your fluids, just be sure you're always trying. It gets better.