Hydrogels containing substances

A method for making a dehydrated hydrogel comprising the steps of:

• I) blending a hydrogel composition comprising:
• A) at least one crosslinked polymer and B) at least one high molecular weight substantially linear carboxylic acid polymer, said crosslinked polymer being crosslinked by a crosslinking agent and derived from
• (a) a polymer made from at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic or anhydride monomer, or
• (b) a copolymer of said at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride monomer and a comonomer, or
• (c) an interpolymer of said (a) or said (b), or
• combinations thereof,
• with the proviso that when said crosslinked polymer is said (b) copolymer or said (c) interpolymer of said (b), the amount of comonomer forming said copolymer is from about 0.001 to about 30 percent by weight of said copolymer;
• said B) at least one high molecular weight substantially linear carboxylic acid polymer derived from at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and said high molecular weight substantially linear carboxylic acid polymer having a weight average molecular weight from about 200,000 to about 2,000,000;
• wherein before dehydration the amount of said crosslinked polymer is from about 2.5 to about 15 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of water, wherein before dehydration the amount of said high molecular weight substantially linear polymer is from about 2.5 to about 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of water;
• C) water;
• and
• D) at least one non-covalent crosslinking agent;
• and
• II) dehydrating said blend to form said dehydrated hydrogel composition so that the water content of said dehydrated hydrogel is less than or equal to about 50 percent based on the amount of water initially present in said blend.