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Alternatives to Water?
I will be starting Chemo on 4/9/26. I am terrible at drinking enough water. I know that I need to stay hydrated but will things like Chocolate milk, Sunn D and tea count as my water intake? Which juice might be best? I was drinking orange juice after my mastectomy which I don't drink a lot of because of heartburn. It gave me a mouth ulcer I guess because of the acid. I might have 1 or 2 water flavors that I like well enough to at least drink some water. I struggled in basic training because we had to drink 2 glasses of water for each meal with the first meal at around 6:00 am.
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Does the medical center where you are receiving treatment offer dietitian services? A lot of them do and the dietitian is a great resource for ideas/options to get in the best kinds of fluids and foods to feel the best you can during your treatment.
Best of luck on your journey...
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2 ReactionsI like coconut water. I would drink it more if it were not for the sugar. I am prediebetic. If you have no issues with sugar, I recommend coconut water.
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1 Reactionjuice diluted with water, juicy fruits, like grapes, oranges instead of o.j., jello, popsicles, broth, decaffeinated tea and coffee.
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1 ReactionLike others mentioned, different juices, sipping broths etc. I tried coconut water t one point (colonoscopy prep) but it was a no go for me. Some herbal teas are good cold as well as hot. Iced tea is ok but you don’t want old of caffeine. Look into flavored water drops - works well for me because I don’t get the acid/sugr from pure fruit juice or the caffeine from too much iced tea. I’ve been using Stur and got a multi flavor pack. They also have some with electrolytes if you feel the need. I always kept the no sugar added popsicles in the freezer.
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1 ReactionBasically all liquids, including water, count towards your daily intake. We do get some from food, too. I'm not a fan of plain water myself, so I have looked for alternatives.
As to what to drink, basically I avoid sugar as I'm diabetic (and do not need empty calories!). Mostly I flavor my water with lemon or a dash of some juice. I really like herbal tea, hot or cold. In the winter I will drink broth in a cup. Also, I've found a pitcher style water purifier can improve the taste--at least according to my taste buds. As in all habits, I need to be mostly enjoying myself or I won't do it. Wishing you the best in figuring out what to hydrate with. As someone else noted, a nutritionist can answer this question with professional understanding.
Maybe you can try with some electrolytes… it gives a different taste to the water and are more effective to keep you hydrated.
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Try low sugar gator aid or biosteel is very good.
Everything liquid, including frozens that melt into it will count. I actually used to drink water all the time before my diagnoses and for whatever reason, that all changed after. It went from my preferred drink to one that I can't stand but I try and spice it up with different flavored additives that come in little squeeze bottles. They have all different types, brands and flavors of them. I like the tea flavors and fruity ones like watermelon, orange, strawberry. I also drink a lot of teas, including, herbal teas. Yoohoo, apple juice, whatever I can get myself to drink is better than being dehydrated.