Parched

meaganb
meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I'm so thirsty! Just want to down a gallon of ice cold water! But everything hurts and water burns. How do I get past this? Ideas?

Comments

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #2
    Time
    Hi Meagan

    These things just take time. Some folks here found tepid water less painful than iced water. We've all noted that, for a few weeks or months after treatment, water tastes like sweat. Most of us have claimed that water leaves our mouths feeling more dry, rather than less dry, after drinking. Some of us (the lactose-tolerant ones) have found that milk works better at coating the mouth and washing down solid food. Milk doesn't burn quite so much.

    Your tongue and throat need time to heal, and your taste buds need time to recover.

    Deb
  • DaveACC911
    DaveACC911 Member Posts: 8
    #3
    Parched
    There are two scenes towards the end of the movie "Castaway." One is Tom Hanks with two cups of ice and a Dr. Pepper. The other is Tom driving his Jeep down the road and taking a long swig of bottled water. I watched those scenes several times, wishing I could guzzle down some ice cold water. I drank a lot of chocolate milk, then Starbucks Frappuccinos. They both coated my mouth and were soothing. I couldn't tolerate cool or cold, tepid was much better for me. I still can't tolerate cold. Ice cream hurts, and water dries my mouth. Once I had to start using the BMX in order to swallow, nothing helped. Hang in there.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #4
    This, Too, Shall Pass
    Thank goodness.

    I'm one of the many who gave up cold drinks during treatment.

    I tried sucking on a hard candy at one point - disappointment. I was bummed that it seemed like the candy would take DAYS to disintegrate in my mouth - so I'd pop it in for a few minutes, then spit it out in disgust. Gum, too - it burned too much. Some time after treatment ended, I was able to chew gum again. It REALLY helped me.

    Lots of folks had success with mouth sprays and/or gels.
  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #5
    That was the week
    a recipe was sent to me. Magic Mineral Broth. Water hurt, the broth went down like silk, also stimulated the appetite while it is brewing. Check Superthread or google Rebecca Katz for the recipe.
  • meaganb
    meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
    #6
    DaveACC911 said:

    Parched
    There are two scenes towards the end of the movie "Castaway." One is Tom Hanks with two cups of ice and a Dr. Pepper. The other is Tom driving his Jeep down the road and taking a long swig of bottled water. I watched those scenes several times, wishing I could guzzle down some ice cold water. I drank a lot of chocolate milk, then Starbucks Frappuccinos. They both coated my mouth and were soothing. I couldn't tolerate cool or cold, tepid was much better for me. I still can't tolerate cold. Ice cream hurts, and water dries my mouth. Once I had to start using the BMX in order to swallow, nothing helped. Hang in there.

    Dave...you have no idea...well I guess you do :(
    I told my husband this morning I felt like I was in hell. This morning I drank as much room temp water as I could after my Boost. That did help some, but it's going to be glorious when I can drink something without pain. Sorry for being so negative guys, it's really the little things that are bumming me out right now...
  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    #7
    know the feeling
    Meagan, I can relate to the thirst issue. I "ate" a lot of crushed ice...not ice chips, crushed ice, like for a sno-cone. I would take a teaspoonful at a time and let it sort of melt. For me the colder the better worked. hope you can find something you can do that won't hurt. This does pass--took me a few weeks, but it does get better.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #8
    How do I get past this?
    Hey girl..., unfortuantely you just do......

    Stay hydrated, and stay positive, you'll get through, we all have... Time to lace up those combat boots a little tighter and trek on...

    Best,
    John
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #9
    Skiffin16 said:

    How do I get past this?
    Hey girl..., unfortuantely you just do......

    Stay hydrated, and stay positive, you'll get through, we all have... Time to lace up those combat boots a little tighter and trek on...

    Best,
    John

    Room temp skim milk?
    Skim milk is full of water and room temp worked good for me (just slightly cool) ...maybe that will help (I used to add a dab of Nestle Quick chocolate and stir .....

    Thinking of you ....

    It will pass.

    Tim
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #10
    Skiffin16 said:

    How do I get past this?
    Hey girl..., unfortuantely you just do......

    Stay hydrated, and stay positive, you'll get through, we all have... Time to lace up those combat boots a little tighter and trek on...

    Best,
    John

    Room temp skim milk?
    Skim milk is full of water and room temp worked good for me (just slightly cool) ...maybe that will help (I used to add a dab of Nestle Quick chocolate and stir .....

    Thinking of you ....

    It will pass.

    Tim
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #11
    Skiffin16 said:

    How do I get past this?
    Hey girl..., unfortuantely you just do......

    Stay hydrated, and stay positive, you'll get through, we all have... Time to lace up those combat boots a little tighter and trek on...

    Best,
    John

    Room temp skim milk?
    Skim milk is full of water and room temp worked good for me (just slightly cool) ...maybe that will help (I used to add a dab of Nestle Quick chocolate and stir .....

    Thinking of you ....

    It will pass.

    Tim
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #12
    Meagan
    Like Ingrid, I was one who lived off ice and sipping water for the last 7 weeks of tx- for me it was letting the ice chips melt in my mouth, and gradually swallowing little by little. And some days was almost constant, it seemed. I must qualify this, though, as I was exclusive with the PEG for Nourishment from week #2-8, so I wasn't depending much on intake via the mouth. Thing is- condition of the mouth is what got me put on Morphine at the start of week #2, so I do know about the bad mouth times.

    My best advice it to see your Dr. Anytime any of us has trouble dealing with the physical reality created by the C and, typical, the rads, we need to let the Drs know of it so they realize additional help is needed. Pain and discomfort is typical, and expected (this is C we are dealing with), but it is very much the Drs job to see to it we get thru it with as little pain and discomfort as possible- what is acceptable to the Patient.

    Hope things turn around for you ASAP.

    kcass

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