I need lots of help any suggestions would be great

I'm 3 weeks post-op and I know I am not getting enough fluids in me. Everytime I get a drink I get bored with sipping so I just don't drink.  How do I get past it?  Programing myself is hard.  I have definitely tried to sip before surgery but it is harder now that I really have to.  I'm finally wanting to excercise and move around but I get so light headed.  I'm sure it is my fluids and I haven't been eating much either.  It is hard to force the food.  I'd rather not eat.  The one time I feel this way and it is the most crucial time that I need to eat.  Please help!!!

Stacy

Drinking and eating 3 weeks after surgery is very difficult.  We have all been there.  You really need to concentrate on getting in your liquids more than the food, with some of those liquids being protein shakes.  The one thing that worked for me was putting my liquid into a little shot glass.  I would try to down a shot glass every 5 minutes or so.  You'd be surprised how much more liquid you can get in by doing a little at a time.  I hope this suggestions helps.  Good luck!

Thanks Eileen.  That is a good idea.  They did that in the hospital and come to think about it it was much easier to drink that way. 

Stacy

Stacy,

I was gonna suggest the same basic thing as Eileen.  If you take a medicine cup with a "30 ml" marker on it (normally the ones that come with robitussin or a cold med or I think even pepto bismol) if you drink one of those to the 30 ml line every 15 minutes (or 4 an hour) you will get in your 64 ounces of fluids within 16 hours (assuming you sleep for 8 during the night!)

I also found I had to keep my bottle IN MY HAND.  Keeping it on the table or in front of me was not good enough.  However, if it was in my hand, I began to almost subconsciously take sips from it.

Fluids are more important than protein right now - but you must work on the protein thing, too.  Make sure some of those fluids are protein shakes!  Also, you can look into New Whey and Profect.  They are Protein Bullets which have 25 or 42gm of protein (25 for profect, 42 for New Whey) in 3 ounces  I find the taste to be awful - but used them early out and treated them like medicine.

Pam

Great responses to your post so far but I will add what works for me.  I measure out two bottles with 24 ounces each.  One for the AM and one for the PM.  I keep the bottle in my vision at all times or carry it with me wherever I go.  It took some work but it's becoming easier.  I start with a 6 ounce cup of tea as soon as I get out of bed and sip it while making lunch, getting ready, etc.  ANd then a 6 ounce cup of tea at night.  I have to stay VERY structured about doing this or I find that I don't get it all in.  I know it's hard but you can do it!  As Pam mentioned the Profect bullets are great (not taste-wise) because I treat them like Nyquil.  I just take sips and hold my nose but it gets a big chunk of protein in faster.  I don't know if you have tried Chike but I love those.  I save those for days that I am having trouble getting protein (or anything else in).  Good luck!

Keri

The one thing I could not handle after surgery for about the first year was trying to get my liquids via bottled water, even with flavors added to it.  At frst I could not drink cold liquids either.  I found by experimenting with different shaped bottles, the snapple bottle worked well for me.  I still use my snapple bottle over and over again, its the most comfortable.  I also found that my tastes changed and now I enjoy semi frozen water.  Also I found the best way get it all in was to have a bottle first thing in the morning before showering.  I would manage to get in 16-20 oz. before getting in the shower.  Then a half hour later I would make myself something to eat.  I would take frozen bottles with me to work in an isulated carry bag and continually drink throughout the day.  Now I have no problem getting in 100 oz. or more a day.  You need to find the right temperature liquids and a comfortable container.

I did get the bullet type of protein.  I don't like them so I haven't drank anymore.  I guess I should look at it as medicine and just suck it up and drink it.  That is a good way to think of it.  Lately I just feel that my taste buds have totally changed becasue no matter what I try I don't like the taste of anything.  I hope this changes.  Thank you all for the help it is great knowing that I can come on here with questions and  you guys can help me out.

Stacy

Your tastes do change - and will change and change again. Keep up the good fight - it will become easier.  And that's why I viewed the protein bullets as medicine - it was NECESSARY for my body to heal and I wanted the best possible chance of success.  Some have been successfully able to add the profect to similar flavored crystal lite and do well with it.  I did not - but keep experimenting.

Pam