Please tell me that you CAN'T rehydrate a human via having a nice shower

[malhurst]

You really can't can you? Unless you are in the shower with your mouth open drinking it?

My father is quite pooly atm with a vomiting bug. He is severely disabled (MS) and has a catheter and a stoma. He has been vomiting for 48 hours now, urine output is virtually zilch and TWICE now the dr who has been to see him/spoken to my mum on the phone has suggested she give him a shower.

Now I know a shower is nice in a freshening up kind of way (dr seems to not realise it's a 3 person job at the best of times) but a shower to increase his fluids????

again

Is there some new skin absorption science I have not heard about or do I need to hava a word with this dr if he suggests the same thing again?

Maybe it will not rehydrate him as such but just prevent more dehydration through skin pores (sweat...)? I must say I have never heard that either but am not a doctor.

I hope your dad will be much better soon!

Oh dear.

The doc is talking out his backside.

Shower will not rehydrate him, no.

If he is dehydrated and cannot keep any fluids down, he needs canulated in hospital.

Well, I think you can. If I wake up feeling very dry, even headachey with dehydration, and get in the shower, I often feel rehydrated by the end of it. I assumed it was because I was breathing in the damp air and some of that moisture was getting swallowed or absorbed somehow.

But I am probably talking a load of rubbish. Hope your dad is better soon.

yes, that's what I thought nicky, although I do kind of get what you are both saying gorionine and Wardrobe.

When my mum questioned it (after he advised it a second time) there was some vague 'every little helps'/random swirling hand movements response.

Same dr coming back today so fingers crossed ....

thanks for the replies ladies

I don't know about profound rehydration, but the hot steam of a shower certainly gets in your nasal cavity/sinuses/throat etc which can get very dry and uncomfortable, and hence makes you feel better.

I understand your point about the shower being a three person job, but I am sure your father would be more comfortable after a lovely shower.

Are you sure the doctor was putting it forward as a way of hydrating him? My mother is a doctor and when I was a child and ill, she was very big on making me have a bath (no shower in those days), washing face, brushing teeth and hair and putting clean sheets on the bed while I was doing this, even though I used to groan and complain and just wanted to lie in the bed as it was. She always said "it will make you feel better/fresher" and she was right, it always did. I think it is a little psychological therapy to help the patient feel more their normal selves.

I find myself doing it for my children now.

I also send good wishes to your poor dad. He sounds like he is really going through it right now.

if your father is dehydrated he needs to have IV fluids, was this doctor a witch doctor or something? Every little helps???

I mean, maybe i am wrong as we can absorb moisture through the skin and what we absorb can get into the bloodstream - but it simply wouldn't be enough.

This reminds me of my interfering old bag aunt, my mum was hospitalised with a medical condition that she gets dehydrated, she was nil by mouth and on a drip - my aunt just would not shut up because she wasn't allowed a drink at that particular time because she was waiting to be assessed. She shouted at the nurse that she had to havea drink because if she didnt she would be dehydrated and as a nurse she should know this is very dangerous i just walked off muttering to myself and shrugged my shoulders at the nurse

FGS - load of tosh! If his urine output is poor and he isn't keeping fluids down he will be dehydrated. Is his stoma working? Is he having diarrhoea also or 'just' being sick?
If he's not weeing and is unable to take in a couple of litres to drink over a day, he needs seeing in hospital, or at the very lest the GP needs to check his bloods. That will show how dehydrated he is.
Am a nurse by the way!

madamy - yes stoma is working, he has diarrohea+ and is also bypassing - I don't understand how that can physically happen, I thought once the stoma is it is was a one way passage? How low is low (re urine output) to warrant an admission? My dad seems OK in himself atm.

I do get what you are saying Bonsoir and DG. My mother is starting to get into a complete flap so if I can calm her down with 'I think this is what the dr was getting at' it might help - a bit.

Not sure about also having pr diarrhoea, but his urine output shouldn't be below about 30mls per hour if he is roughly of an average size etc. If he's got a catheter bag you can work this out by emptying it every 4-6 hous or so and measuring it if you're not too squeamish lol!
The GP should be asking how much he's managing to drink and keep down. If the GP is reluctant to get him assessed, he could check his bloods to see if his kidneys are ok. If he was previously healthy (MS aside) then he may have pretty good reserves and may be able to fight the bug at home. It may be helpful ask if the GP wants a stool sample, as there are some pretty nasty bugs around at the moment.

I met someone recently who was told to have showers when she had hyperemesis. It may have helped a tiny bit but nothing like enough.

thanks madamy. I've just spoken to my mum and she has the overnight bag with measurements on plus the current bag to show the GP.

the bag has the measurements on, not my mother is wearing my father's overnight bag

How has he been today?