dehydration really sucks

[wagoneer]

all of us that stray into low humidity regions like Arizona should take heed, Went to bed woke up 12 hours later wow never sleep over 8 felt kinda woozy, shook it off perhaps I was tired of being re-tired. Next night went to sleep woke up 12 hours later and could barely get out of bed stumbled around the van and dropped out of the side doors sat in my folding chair and proceeded to vomit like I had never before. It was 72 degrees in the daytime no sweat no over exurtion Hey I'm not working hiking or digging ditches. A friend called a neighbor "Sarge" (with KirK TIKI BAR FAME) SHE DIAGNOSED I WAS DEHYDRATED. How could that be??? Just be careful the dry air will suck the life out of you. Lesson learned thank you SARGE Oakley Denise and Dale.

 

[Iggy]

I can relate. I came down with a cold a couple days ago and haven't really drank enough water. Blowing my nose constantly. I slept for 12 hours too. The Yuma water tastes terrible so I need to stock up on more bottled water tomorrow.
Hope you feel better and have learned your lesson.

 

[Gary68]

as a sweater i'm prone to this but my calves cramp up before it really gets me,a shake or two of salt in your water/mouth and a multivitamin with trace minerals and lots of water should be drinking at least a half gallon a day

 

[sassypickins]

Thanks for the warning - sorry you had to go through that Adrian. PM me where you are will you? I drove around AGM this afternoon but didn't see you guys...

Sassy

 

[highdesertranger]

glad to hear you are ok. everybody remember "hydrate or die." that little saying came from my Camel Back hydration pack. highdesertranger

 

[wagoneer]

Got lucky this time if alone it might have been really bad.

 

[SoulRaven]

We learned this quickly when we relocated to the desert and lived there 6 years. Because you don't notice that you are perspiring because it dries so quickly, you don't think about, at least those of us that grew up and/or lived in humid climates. Our brain is programmed "Sweating? Drink water."
Now that I have gotten older, 61, I drink about 1 gallon of water a day as it is very dry in KS where we live. Keeps my eyes, etc. from drying out. I do get very tired of drinking it. When it is hotter outside, I even leave marks on my calendar for the day on how many glasses I drink or set up a time by which each glass much be gone: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00 etc.

 

[MrNoodly]

Interesting. I came from the very humid Southeast to the arid West and haven't had the same problem, even though I drink caffeinated beverages almost exclusively. Individual differences, I guess.

 

[BigT]

Be sure not to overcompensate and drink too much water. You think dehydration is bad, try Hyponatremia. That's where you drink too much water and flush all the salt out of your system. The symptoms are almost exactly the same as dehydration, and it too can kill you. And yes, this can happen in dry climates, in fact it's very common. People know the air is dry and dehydration is a risk, so they start guzzling water "like it's going out of style."
They see that they're peeing regularly and the pee is clear, and they think everything is great..... Nope.
I was riding my motorcycle the first time it happened and had to ride 70 miles through the middle of nowhere with a heart rate of 200 bpm to get to help.

Many years ago, at the recommendation of my Dr. I started adding Gatorade 50/50 to my water when in areas where I knew dehydration was an issue.
The easiest way to do this without taking up valuable real estate in the van and adding weight, is to pack powdered Gatorade, which takes up very little space and can be added to your drinking water, or any fluid, in any amount you choose.

I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding sports drinks, but the fact is that it's cheap and it works, so unless you're diabetic, it's a very useful option.
(do they make sugar-free Gatorade?)

 

[29chico]

Be sure not to overcompensate and drink too much water.  You think dehydration is bad, try Hyponatremia.  That's where you drink too much water and flush all the salt out of your system.  The symptoms are almost exactly the same as dehydration, and it too can kill you.  And yes, this can happen in dry climates, in fact it's very common.  People know the air is dry and dehydration is a risk, so they start guzzling water "like it's going out of style."  
They see that they're peeing regularly and the pee is clear, and they think everything is great..... Nope.  
I was riding my motorcycle the first time it happened and had to ride 70 miles through the middle of nowhere with a heart rate of 200 bpm to get to help.  

Many years ago, at the recommendation of my Dr. I started adding Gatorade 50/50 to my water when in areas where I knew dehydration was an issue.  
The easiest way to do this without taking up valuable real estate in the van and adding weight, is to pack powdered Gatorade, which takes up very little space and can be added to your drinking water, or any fluid, in any amount you choose.  

I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding sports drinks, but the fact is that it's cheap and it works, so unless you're diabetic, it's a very useful option.  
(do they make sugar-free Gatorade?)

Powdered Gatorade is sweetened with sugar.  The premixed stuff is sweetened with high fructose corm syrup.
So the powdered version tastes a bit better and is probably better for you.  Mixing it at half strength is key as stated above.

I also like the below linked product, it is carb free and simple to consume as no mixing required:

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes-reg-.elt.html

 

[SoulRaven]

Right after we had moved to AZ, the dentist told us about a guy that was in the hospital having drank too much water. I get so sick of drinking it, I can't imagine I'll drink too much. We eat a healthy diet and at 61, it has all been working so far.

 

[gojo]

Water isn't just for preventing dehydration. It's also flushes toxins out of your body. I could tell you a long story how water saved my mother's life back in 2004. Doctors said one of he kidney's was chronic (dead) and the other one was acute ( 10% alive), she needed dialysis just to buy a little time.
I didn't believe the doctors because my mother never hardly got sick, till she started going to the doctors. I told her to drink 8 glasses of 12ozs. of water if she can.
Six days later her chronic and acute kidney woke up. A month later they were working 100%. She died 2014 with heart failure at 88.

 

[Theadyn]

People usually would laugh when they used to go to my home... water bottles everywhere: by the bed, the couch, by computer, couldn't leave the house unless there were a few bottles in the car, always refilling them. I've worried before if I've drank too much. Just love water.

What I can't get, I have an older sister that swears she can't remember the last time she's had even a sip of water. *falls over* I get on to her all the time, does no good.

 

[buckwilk]

Must be an individual thing, I and folks I know drink water. A gallon a day not likely, not even a half gallon. A gallon is 128 ounces. I hike 4 to 5 miles a day, every day, in Arizona. I don't drink 24 oz. a day, water or other liquid. I think things like alcohol probably dehydrate the carcass and may cause symptoms not unlike dehydration.

 

[gojo]

I'm adding this to my last post. I don't take any credit for saving my mother's life in 2004. I read this book, "Your Body's Many Cries For Water". That's where the credit should go. The book has been out well over 20 years.
You can get it used at Amazon at a very low price.

Please, don't ruin a good thing by drinking more than your body can take. Some thinks the more you drink, the faster it will work. THAT'S WRONG.