Something to drink besides water!

pk
pk Member Posts: 192
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband is 6 weeks out of treatment and drinks water. Has is just dying for something to drink that just might taste like something. Any ideas???
PK

Comments

  • Landranger25
    Landranger25 Member Posts: 210 Member
    #2
    Flat Vernors
    Hi PK, even during my treatment I could drink flat ginger ale. (I'm 4 weeks out now)I would leave it out on the counter overnight and in the morning, flat and room temperature. Maybe goes back to when I was kid, I don't know, whenever we had the flu my Mom would give us ginger ale and warm Jello. Couldn't do the Jello because the tartness of all the fruit flavors would burn my mouth but I sure emjoyed the Vernors. I also managed lots of Vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast. I was able to drink and swallow, albeit difficult and painful, through my whole treatment. My Oncologist said,"Stick with the things you like, no hot, no cold and if something that you thought sounded good doesn't work out, try something else". Good luck with your husband and hang in there!

    Mike
  • SIRENAF42
    SIRENAF42 Member Posts: 202
    #3
    Drink
    room temp tea, warm coffee, smoothies, koolaid, gatorade. I was able to drink these things. Difficult sometimes, but if I took my time,I could do it. Good luck
  • pattyanny
    pattyanny Member Posts: 544
    #4
    Hi pk - I know how he feels!
    Hi pk - I know how he feels! I am 4 wks post treatment and beginning to eat solid foods, if you want to call cheerios and soup solid! Hee hee! Anyway, gatorade, ensure, flat ginger ale
    and instant breakfast as already suggested. My radiologist gave me pain medication which just a teaspoon would numb my throat so I could get something down. It was Hydrocodone Syrup. I still have 1/2 a bottle left, so I did not use it for long. I just want to emphasize how important pain management is, and that's what your doctors are there for. I learned to be my own advocate and ask questions. I hope this helps! God bless you both! He is a lucky man to have you by his side. Patty
  • SmithMama2
    SmithMama2 Member Posts: 48
    #5
    cool tea
    My husband is 5 weeks post treatment, and he has enjoyed slightly cool Arizona herbal tea with honey. Other teas don't taste good, but for him, he is starting to taste a little bit of sweet if it is in the form of honey. Sugar still is yucky (and that can't be a bad thing, right?!?) He still isn't eating very much, so for him this is a real treat. (He says has missed having treats to enjoy...)
  • pk
    pk Member Posts: 192
    #6
    SmithMama2 said:

    cool tea
    My husband is 5 weeks post treatment, and he has enjoyed slightly cool Arizona herbal tea with honey. Other teas don't taste good, but for him, he is starting to taste a little bit of sweet if it is in the form of honey. Sugar still is yucky (and that can't be a bad thing, right?!?) He still isn't eating very much, so for him this is a real treat. (He says has missed having treats to enjoy...)

    cool tea
    We'll try some tea and ginger ale. Bob is 5 weeks out and gets his tube pulled today. He isn't really enjoying food yet, but he is eating and trying different things. So far: cheese omlet,poached and scrampled eggs, meatloat, roast chicken, spaghetti, beef stew, soups, noodle dishes, McDonalds burgers,egg foo yung, a little toast, peanut butter, egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches. So I think that is a significant accomplishment. Of course he drinks about 4 Boosts each day too as his meals are smaller than normally they would be. He loves food so misses the taste. PK
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #7
    Tried apple juice?
    Apple juice worked for me. It wasn't astringent, like orange juice, and didn't burn.
    Milk went down fine, too, but I don't think of milk as a thirst quencher.
    And after a while I found I even was able to sip a beer, so long as it wasn't one that was overly carbonated. German weiss (wheat) beer tasted good to me.
    Things will gradually get better for him. He'll just have to experiment.
    Heck, I remember when ketchup was way too spicy for me. Now I'm back to eating nuclear-strength habanero peppers, just like before.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #8
    delnative said:

    Tried apple juice?
    Apple juice worked for me. It wasn't astringent, like orange juice, and didn't burn.
    Milk went down fine, too, but I don't think of milk as a thirst quencher.
    And after a while I found I even was able to sip a beer, so long as it wasn't one that was overly carbonated. German weiss (wheat) beer tasted good to me.
    Things will gradually get better for him. He'll just have to experiment.
    Heck, I remember when ketchup was way too spicy for me. Now I'm back to eating nuclear-strength habanero peppers, just like before.

    --Jim in Delaware

    Non alcoholic beer
    well, lets just say I drank quite a bit of beer before diagnosis. I like the taste of it though, but don't want the risks of alcohol irritating the lining in my mouth. The non-alcohols taste better than the real ones to me now. I especially thought Miller 'Sharps " tasted really good and it has almost zero alcohol.

    Jim if I ate an habanero you would have to take me to the ER and my mouth would be full of blisters.
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #9
    delnative said:

    Tried apple juice?
    Apple juice worked for me. It wasn't astringent, like orange juice, and didn't burn.
    Milk went down fine, too, but I don't think of milk as a thirst quencher.
    And after a while I found I even was able to sip a beer, so long as it wasn't one that was overly carbonated. German weiss (wheat) beer tasted good to me.
    Things will gradually get better for him. He'll just have to experiment.
    Heck, I remember when ketchup was way too spicy for me. Now I'm back to eating nuclear-strength habanero peppers, just like before.

    --Jim in Delaware

    OMG!!! Habanaro peppers!!!
    OMG!!! Habanaro peppers!!! That would kill me, at the best of times!!! And I thought jalepino peppers were hot!!! lol!!
    cindy
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #10
    What not to drink
    Anything with caffeine will make the dry mouth worse because it is a natural dehydrator. I on occasion enjoy a root beer, but normally it is water.
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #11
    I have to agree with room
    I have to agree with room temp. tea. Any water downed juice,,he could try.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #12
    Honey Vinegar and salt Brew
    A Mate of mine went through mouth cancer RT/Chemo etc and he was advised by a Chinese doctor to make the following:

    Mix 1 tablespoon of Honey, 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and a pinch of salt into a large glass of water.

    I mix mine in warm water and put it into a 600ml bottle and carry it around and sip on it. It is good for dry mouth and pleasant and also stimulates digestion. I use 'Manuka' Honey which is very expensive but has healing powers so maybe that has also helped but regular pure honey is fine. Hope this is of use.

    Craig - Scambuster

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