fluid intake

[ethandron]

how long does it take for death to occur after a person with a terminal illness and therefore only having paliative care, becomes unconscious and unable to drink?

[zzxxee]

can be days can be months sometimes depends on illness

[ethandron]

i don't think a person can last for months without any fluid. there isn't going to be a fluid drip administered. i thought it was a few days, maybe a week?

[sqad617]

How long is a peice of string? From your description it would seem that the patient still CAN drink and of that is the case, then we may be looking at months. BUT if we start from the time that she/he is unable to drink, then we are looking at days rather than weeks.

[ethandron]

no, sorry, i've not explained myself very well. the person is virtually unconscious and almost unresponsive, and hasn't had more than a sip or two since saturday morning. they have two syringe drivers in, administering various medications, so there's a small amount of fluid going in that way.

[sqad617]

Thanks...well without IV therapy ( intravenous hydaration) I would have thought no longer than a week, but if she is being hydrated and depending upon the cause and extent of her disease then it could be prolonged for perhaps a month.

[ethandron]

thank you for your response, i know it's a very difficult question to answer. IV fluids will not be administered as it's not appropriate under the circumstances, and there's morphine, steroids and anti seizure drugs in the syringe drivers. i guess we're looking at sometime within the next 7 days.

[tigwig]

I think you are right in saying less than 7 days. A year ago yesterday my mum in law died of cancer and she was in this 'vegetable' state for around for 2 weeks where for the first few days she woke up and spoke occasionally then went downhill to nothing at all. Once she got like this she died a few days later. It was the worst time of my life and is utterly horrible to watch someone you love die in this state. If you are going through this I truly feel for you. Take carexxx

[Golf38]

A doctor friend advises me that you'd be lucky to last three days

[elaine33]

I have just come accross this and I am guessing by now the person concerned had died.
I just wanted to say how sorry I am and my sympathies are with you. My daddy died on 1st April this year. He was on a drip of fluid but we watched him deteriorate and become delerious, the man in the bed was no longer my daddy. We had the drip taken out and he just had morphine to relieve the pain. He lasted three more days but we did not want him to suffer any more and although I still cry for him every day I would not have had him live months in that awful state. I hope you are able to come to terms with your loss and my thoughts are with you.