FLuid management in early stages

[Jude]

Hi. I am still in the early stages of this. Does anyone have any advice on fluid intake? It seems a vicious circle. The more I drink the more I explode. I also find water tastes disgusting. Any ideas would be gratefully received. Evenings are the worst point....when I am aware of need to keep rehydrated. All a bit horrid to be honest. With thanks in anticipation. :6

[DJ]

Hi Jude,
Drinking is important. Can you drink a big, mild cup of tea with a little sugar? How do you feel about gingerale? Sometimes I add a little water to gingerale to increase the volume and reduce the sugar. I no longer use artificial sweeteners. I would stay away from juice for now. Are you eating plenty of meat? Do you like bacon? It has plenty of calories and that's a good thing in the early stages. Can you tolerate sweet potaotoes? Ham tastes good with sweet potatoes. Some of us eat LOTS of turkey. We make very nice fish in the microwave at my house.

Read ALL labels! You will be surprised where gluten shows up! I bought a can of black pepper. The front of the can said Pure Black Pepper. The side of the can warned that it was manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat! If something contains trace gluten, don't eat it.

Don't worry about offending people. Don't eat the wrong thing to be polite!

I hope you get your test results soon. Good luck!

[Erica P-G]

Hi Jude,
Where I work they make Aqua Fresca (sliced fruit or vege in water no added sugar). Depending on how your system will tolerate it you can make different versions of good tasting waters using cut pieces of cantelope and honeydew, or cucumbers and mint leaves, or watermelon and oranges, or just use one type of fruit in the water and let it sit there, you aren't squeezing any food, the water is just drawing out a tiny bit of flavor from the fruit or vege or herb.

We need water whether it be this way, lightly flavored by a tea, or plain in small doses.
Good luck, I understand where you are coming from, it seems like when my MC was full blown active water seemed to make it worse, but I think it was the act of putting something in my stomach and activating my digestion in the gut. As soon as you are able to get your offending foods away from your gut for a while (a week or two) you will notice the water wont seem like such a nuisance any longer.
Cheers
Erica

[Erica P-G]

Also it doesn't matter how you get your fluid even if you need to drink coconut, rice or almond milk, (that is if you don't react to nut milks). They are made with water as a base so anything that is fluid counts.

Erica

[Lilja]

I also find water tastes disgusting. Any ideas would be gratefully received. Evenings are the worst point....when I am aware of need to keep rehydrated. All a bit horrid to be honest. With thanks in anticipation. :6

Hi Jude,

I also find that water tastes disgusting. My solution has been to mix my own "electrolyte*) drink", since water will take with it important minerals and salts, on the way out.

Electrolyte drink with lemon:
Approx 1 liter of clean water (the main ingredient and carrier of electrolytes)
1/2 to 1 tsp unrefined sea salt (i.e. not bleached and not anti lump treated)
The juice from 1,5 organic lemon
The juice from 1 organic orange

Mix all this until the salt is dissolved. Drink it during the day or while working out.


Electrolyte drink with coconut water:
1 liter of clean water and natural coconut water 50/50, or the ratio you prefer
1/2 to 1 tsp unrefined sea salt
Add some lemon juice if you prefer the citrus taste.

*)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolyte

PS: People with D need salt. We have a constant of 140 mmol of salt in the body at all times, and it is important that this level is not disrupted.

Lilia

[TXBrenda]

I also make my own electrolyte drink.

32 oz water
1/2 tsp salt (I use either sea salt or salt substiture)
1/2 tsp baking soda

I don't add sugar to help the taste because I'm diabetic.

I need to warn you the mixture above reminds some of the colonoscopy prep solution. It may not be for you.

I hope you get some relief soon. (((((hugs)))))

[Lilja]

I also make my own electrolyte drink.

32 oz water
1/2 tsp salt (I use either sea salt or salt substiture)
1/2 tsp baking powder

I don't add sugar to help the taste because I'm diabetic.

I need to warn you the mixture above reminds some of the colonoscopy prep solution. It may not be for you.

I hope you get some relief soon. (((((hugs)))))

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean that your recipe reminds of the colonoscopy prep solution, or mine?

Lilia

[TXBrenda]

Some people think my recipe reminds them of the colonoscopy prep drink. Sorry for the confusion.

I edited my post so it is correct. The last ingredient should be baking soda.

[Chemgirl]

There was a time when I couldn't drink anything. My mom smashed up ice cubes into a slush and I chewed on the little pieces, like maybe a quarter of an ice-cube worth at a time. I would let it melt while I chewed it so the liquid wasn't too cold when I swallowed.

Gross I know, but a way to keep liquids down!

[TXBrenda]

Chemgirl, nothing is too gross for this group.

[brandy]

Chemgirl, nothing is too gross for this group.

ROTFLOL

[chellebelle]

I found that sipping was better than drinking large amounts of water at once, and I could drink a lot of liquid while exercising (weird, I know).

Hot tea (even w/a little heavy cream) was better than water. Seltzer also better than water. For me, the main thing to avoid during a flare is liquid at mealtimes/watery food. I have to avoid any foods with high water content. If I want to have veggies, I eat with them very dry, starchy homemade plantain crackers (about 400 grams of green plantain blended with 2 tbs butter - any oil can be used, or no oil, just water - with salt to taste, spread out on a parchment paper and baked at 300F until dry and crispy... usually an hour in the oven), which seems to be just the thing.

My homemade electrolyte drink is super simple: 1 liter of water + 1/4 tsp sea salt + 1/4 tsp potassium gluconate. I would go up to a tsp of sea salt and potassium gluconate if I was having muscle cramping and/or doing a strenuous workout and/or sweating a lot, but the 1/4 tsp amounts are perfect to sip on throughout the day and the potassium gluconate and salt flavors balance each other out IF I make this in a glass bottle. For some weird reason in plastic it is disgusting. I used to do these electrolytes in a base of mint tea instead of plain water - you could do it in whatever you like that is tolerable - but it became easier like this.

The potassium gluconate bottle says no more than 4 x 1/2 tsp servings per day. I have found drinking plain water/liquid sans electrolytes during a flare leads to bad electrolyte deficiency symptoms.

I am by no means an expert on all this, but this is what worked for me!

Best wishes to feel better!