My surgery was June 26,2022. Less than a week out and my mom is arguing with me consistently about not drinking enough water. Were you all able to drink a whole bottle water within the first few days? She’s afraid I’m going to be hospitalized for dehydration.

I was able to drink enough within 2-3 days, but that's not true for everyone. I had to drink flavored drinks (things like Crystal Light) because plain water didn't taste good to me after surgery. The only way I could drink enough after surgery was to have a bottle with fluid in my hand or right next to me on the couch ALL THE TIME. I just took small sips every few minutes. You won't be able to guzzle or gulp water, so you have to sip every few minutes if you want to really make any progress.

Also, try different temps of water - for me it had to be ice cold so I rotated bottled in and out of the fridge. Other people like warmer liquids or room temp.

It's very important to drink or you will likely be more nauseous, more constipated, and could end up back in the hospital.

Took me a week or two to be able to get the 64oz in and it was very hard. i am over 2 months post op and i struggle mainly with remembering to drink water. I get reminded when i go pee and its very yellow. When i see that i am like SHITTTT i need to drink some water lol

Lizonaplane covered all the suggestions of ways to get more down. If you can’t and you do start to see signs of dehydration your doctor should be able to arrange for you to get fluids as an out patient. Still Not ideal but at least it’s better than another hospital bill.

33 minutes ago, lizonaplane said:

I was able to drink enough within 2-3 days, but that's not true for everyone. I had to drink flavored drinks (things like Crystal Light) because plain Water didn't taste good to me after surgery. The only way I could drink enough after surgery was to have a bottle with Fluid in my hand or right next to me on the couch ALL THE TIME. I just took small sips every few minutes. You won't be able to guzzle or gulp water, so you have to sip every few minutes if you want to really make any progress.

Also, try different temps of water - for me it had to be ice cold so I rotated bottled in and out of the fridge. Other people like warmer liquids or room temp.

It's very important to drink or you will likely be more nauseous, more constipated, and could end up back in the hospital.

Thank you for sharing! I’ll try to do better tomorrow.

20 minutes ago, liveaboard15 said:

Took me a week or two to be able to get the 64oz in and it was very hard. i am over 2 months post op and i struggle mainly with remembering to drink Water. I get reminded when i go pee and its very yellow. When i see that i am like SHITTTT i need to drink some water lol

Thank you for sharing!

What helped me in the beginning was using the small 1 ounce cups. I would pour the water from my bottle into that little cup every 15 minutes and I was able to get in around 40 oz in the beginning. I then ended up being able to drink 1 oz in ten minutes and so on. If you don't have or can't find the 1 oz cups try those little medicine cups. Maybe this will help you get in your fluid.

2 minutes ago, Candigrl1 said:

What helped me in the beginning was using the small 1 ounce cups. I would pour the Water from my bottle into that little cup every 15 minutes and I was able to get in around 40 oz in the beginning. I then ended up being able to drink 1 oz in ten minutes and so on. If you don't have or can't find the 1 oz cups try those little medicine cups. Maybe this will help you get in your Fluid.

They have those one ounce cups on Amazon. But the hospital actually gave me medicine cups to use. The one ounce is good to use later to measure sauces too though and to take dressing with you. One ounce is the same as two tablespoons. So when you want to count calories for salad dressings and stuff they come In handy as well as when you want to take your own lower calorie dressing with you.

Just do your best. That's all anyone can do.

I didn't get near my fluid goals for three weeks. My doc told me what I told you... do your best.

What I did or didn't do, what other over or under achievers did or didn't do, is about as important as your pet's view on the subject.

I may sound testy on this, but when I have just had surgery and am in reasonable pain, I'm less inclined to put up with this sort of support.

Good luck,

Tek

Took me about 5 days after to finally be able to get at least 30oz on. I'm a week out today and feeling a lot better

No I wasn’t able to. Took me a few weeks to get to or about goal. But my surgeon was okay because I was making an effort. Plus I had a lot of swelling for the first few days so swallowing was very painful. Once that improved, I did things like diluted my shakes, soups & yoghurt smoothie, made my rolled oats extra milky & my scrambled eggs extra sloppy. I also sipped during the night (& still do.) I found drinking from a glass or mug easier than a bottle & I kept one beside me at all times. I also got into routines while doing chores. Like get in the car, drink. Park the car, drink. Red light, drink. Sipped every two pages when reading. Try warm or room temperature drinks as they are often more soothing & easier to swallow. Some people find setting an alarm on their phone helpful.

As with all things, it gets easier.

I’m on week 11 and average about 32 ounces daily (counting ALL fluids). I can only drink about 8 ounces at a time and then I feel full for an hour. I hardly drank water before surgery (about 24 ounces daily) so I think my body is just used to consuming less water. I have never been dehydrated or felt weird. If I try to drink too much, my throat starts to burn and it feels like the water is coming back up, so I stop drinking and walk around. Every day I try to increase my intake. The most I have ever drank was 40 ounces total.

The first 2 weeks I hit my protein goals because I bought the protein shakes and flavored protein water. But I could only get about 48oz of fluids. And it took all day and into the evening before I could even do that. Around week 3 I was able to hit the right amount of fluids, and now, and almost 9 weeks out, I drink way over the required amount. Your stomach is still healing, so if you can't hit the goal within the first couple of weeks, don't be hard on yourself. Just do your best. You'll get there.

I had this same issue... I would drink my drinks to where the label started and I couldn't have more. I never went to hospital for IV but I did almost pass out at doctors office... I found it easier for me to have a fountain drink from WAWA with ice cold Powerade ZERO.... I can drink a 32 oz cup from there before the ice melts.

icepoles might help. x