CT Scan and drinking

[FiveFoxes]

But of a weird question. My elderly Mum is having a CT scan. She has been told to drink a litre of water gradually (1 glass every 10 minutes) before her arrival time.

However, the hospital is 25 minutes away and she can't drink whilst being driven (because she's old!)

How is the hospital expecting us to achieve this? Are the expecting her to arrive an hour early, just to drink? Or to stop every 10 minutes on the journey? Or is drinking before she leaves and when she arrives ok?

Anyone ever had this or know the answer?

It might be because they get s better picture if she had a full bladder, she can drink when she gets there, the staff are used to this and if she needs the toilet just tell the staff.,the 10 min isn't that important, it might be so she drinks more slowly, is she having it with a constant dye, they often like patients to be hydrated for that.

Water bottle with straw?

You are only going to be in the car for half an hour so she just needs to have some before and then some when you) get there. They want her to have the water but not all at once because it's not sage to have it all at once.

Thank you for your replies! Yes, it is the CT with contrast. I was worried about following the instructions to the letter! I'll make sure she drinks before we leave and when we arrive - I aim to be there in good time anyway, so that should go fine.

The letter also says the contrast might give you the feeling you've wet yourself and I was glad it wasn't me being scanned as I'd be worried I actually had when I was lying there with a full bladder!

She is highly unlikely to need a full bladder for a CT scan.

Nevertheless she was definitely instructed to drink a litre of water in the hour before the CT appointment. It wouldn't be unknown for the hospital to make a mistake, but we'd better follow instructions!

Was she asked to retain that litre or just drink it?

They said she can empty her bladder as required

It's probably because she needs to be properly hydrated for the injection/dye. I have baby veins and have to be very hydrated before blood tests/draw etc. I was told as we get older our veins aren't so plump. This may be why. Although small veins run in my family.

It’s so she is hydrated OP.
she should drink plenty afterwards as well.

Agree with the hydration, you need a large cannula for the dye - pink ones here and they are tricky to put in if you're not hydrated or have tiny veins.

Thanks for all your help. She successfully had the CT scan yesterday and the drinking was fine. And as you suggested, she was advised to drink afterwards too!