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How long can a person survive without eating?
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I also wanted to add, if a person has extremely low or no caloric intake for a prolonged period of time they are at extreme risk of refeeding syndrome.
They generally manage that with close in hospital supervision, naso gastric feeding on strict caloric levels increasing as per strict protocol, gradual oral intake so as not to kill a person.5 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.5 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.
True. People with ketosis from starvation, however, aren't being infused with sodium alone, which would greatly accelerate the electrolyte imbalance. The sorts of medical professionals who would subject a patient to such a treatment are straight out of the Nurses Who Kill tv show.8 -
What were the reasons your doctor gave you for why you weren’t given IV glucose?7
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
Maybe it was Dr House.10 -
Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.
True. People with ketosis from starvation, however, aren't being infused with sodium alone, which would greatly accelerate the electrolyte imbalance. The sorts of medical professionals who would subject a patient to such a treatment are straight out of the Nurses Who Kill tv show.
I AGREE and those people should lose their license to practice medicine. I know anytime I ended up in the hospital due to dehydration(from flu or pneumonia) they always gave me glucose as well as saline.I wasnt pregnant either.7 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.
True. People with ketosis from starvation, however, aren't being infused with sodium alone, which would greatly accelerate the electrolyte imbalance. The sorts of medical professionals who would subject a patient to such a treatment are straight out of the Nurses Who Kill tv show.
I AGREE and those people should lose their license to practice medicine. I know anytime I ended up in the hospital due to dehydration(from flu or pneumonia) they always gave me glucose as well as saline.I wasnt pregnant either.
For me in the er they run saline or ringer right away and after blood work add whatever they need to fix deficiencies (ie electrolytes)3 -
CoachJen71 wrote: »I heard it as the rule of 3s: 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter (when out in the elements,) 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food.
Most humans cannot survive without food for 50 days. The longest hunger strike recorded is 74 days.4 -
singingflutelady wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.
True. People with ketosis from starvation, however, aren't being infused with sodium alone, which would greatly accelerate the electrolyte imbalance. The sorts of medical professionals who would subject a patient to such a treatment are straight out of the Nurses Who Kill tv show.
I AGREE and those people should lose their license to practice medicine. I know anytime I ended up in the hospital due to dehydration(from flu or pneumonia) they always gave me glucose as well as saline.I wasnt pregnant either.
For me in the er they run saline or ringer right away and after blood work add whatever they need to fix deficiencies (ie electrolytes)
yeah but for me usually when I get dehydrated I end up needing glucose even though I dont have insulin issues(could be due to the dehydration) but I am not in the ER when this is done. Im usually admitted because my flu or pneumonia is so bad. but havent had either one since 2003/2004 thankfully1 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Being in ketosis is not harmful, and I doubt they'd even monitor it for that specifically.
Not having nutrition for that long while pregnant is, and I don't think any hospital would do that -- they have too many concerns about liability, as well as it just making no sense at all.
I mean, after four months, wouldn't she have died from some sort of nutritional deficiency if nothing else?Athena98501 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »and if in ketosis for that long couldnt a person end up with ketoacidosis even without having diabetes?
If she had an elevated cortisol level, probably. Not before she died from the electrolyte imbalance, though.
For the record (other posters), I wasn't implying that ketosis is harmful, merely that it would is have been an effect of the treatment she described, and she'd failed to mention it.
ketosis isnt harmful for the most part no but from what ive read when in ketosis from starvation it can lead to ketoacidososis which is NOT a good thing even if you arent diabetic.
True. People with ketosis from starvation, however, aren't being infused with sodium alone, which would greatly accelerate the electrolyte imbalance. The sorts of medical professionals who would subject a patient to such a treatment are straight out of the Nurses Who Kill tv show.
I AGREE and those people should lose their license to practice medicine. I know anytime I ended up in the hospital due to dehydration(from flu or pneumonia) they always gave me glucose as well as saline.I wasnt pregnant either.
For me in the er they run saline or ringer right away and after blood work add whatever they need to fix deficiencies (ie electrolytes)
yeah but for me usually when I get dehydrated I end up needing glucose even though I dont have insulin issues(could be due to the dehydration) but I am not in the ER when this is done. Im usually admitted because my flu or pneumonia is so bad. but havent had either one since 2003/2004 thankfully
I go to the er just for dehydration because I have an ileostomy (fluid is absorbed in the colon which I don't have so fluid balance is difficult. Have to drink more as I lose more. High output days I can lose 2+ liters from my stoma) and haven't been admitted yet for it thankfully. Just pump me up with fluids and go home.3 -
In case no one has posted this yet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
TL;DR: 382 days with no food for morbidly obese man under medical supervision. As long as you get electrolytes, you can survive without food until you reach essential levels of body fat (2-4% for men, 10-12% for women).3 -
wackyfunster wrote: »In case no one has posted this yet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
TL;DR: 382 days with no food for morbidly obese man under medical supervision. As long as you get electrolytes, you can survive without food until you reach essential levels of body fat (2-4% for men, 10-12% for women).
so OP was getting electrolytes in her saline only drip. good to know!4 -
Sorry but this is BS
No-one in their right mind is just going to lie there for 4 months letting a hospital risk their unborn childs life. You would have to be extremely sick in the head to allow that to happen.
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »Sorry but this is BS
No-one in their right mind is just going to lie there for 4 months letting a hospital risk their unborn childs life. You would have to be extremely sick in the head to allow that to happen.
there was a second poster who refused to take the anti nausea medication they were given when pregnant and lost an unhealthy amount of weight....
there's nowt as queer as folk.15 -
MinuitMinuet wrote: »Had the same issue with my first pregnancy but wasn't hospitalized. I went from a 160 to 128 in a couple of months. Couldn't keep anything down. The doctor told me I was going to kill my baby if I didn't eat and gave me nausea medication (which I never took.) I forced my self to nibble food and fight the urge to run to the bathroom. It didn't end till second semester. I was so thin by then that strangers on the street thought I was homeless and would offer me food...which only made me gag and run to a trash can at just the suggestion. Sucked. An ultra sound at a specialist revealed my son would be born only 4 pounds. He was 8.6 pounds.
As for how long you can go without food? I think it would depend on your body size. Jesus went 40 days. I went nearly 2 months while pregnant. I starved myself to lose weight after my second baby was born. That was about 2 months also but I was over 200pounds then. But 3 weeks I think would be average.
Why on earth would you do that?
Seriously, they told you you could KILL your unborn child yet you didn't take the medication. I can't wrap my head around a parent doing that.14 -
OP if you really need to know ask the doctors where you work.
Btw why do you want to know4 -
wackyfunster wrote: »In case no one has posted this yet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
TL;DR: 382 days with no food for morbidly obese man under medical supervision. As long as you get electrolytes, you can survive without food until you reach essential levels of body fat (2-4% for men, 10-12% for women).
Thanks for posting that - pretty interesting.
I note that, far from receiving no nutrition the patient in that case received a fair bit, far more in line with what people have said in response to the OP in this thread:-
"During the 382 days of his fast,
vitamin supplements were given daily as 'Multivite'
(BDH), vitamin C and yeast for the first 10 months
and as 'Paladac' (Parke Davis), for the last 3 months.
Non-caloric fluids were allowed ad libitum. From
Day 93 to Day 162 only, he was given potassium
supplements (two effervescent potassium tablets
BPC supplying 13 mEq daily) and from Day 345 to
Day 355 only he was given sodium supplements (2 5 g
sodium chloride daily). No other drug treatment was
given."
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@TavistockToad
So you focused on where I refused to take anti nausea medication but not the part where I forced myself to eat. GJ.@RuNaRoUnDaFiEld 40678514 wrote:MinuitMinuet wrote: »Had the same issue with my first pregnancy but wasn't hospitalized. I went from a 160 to 128 in a couple of months. Couldn't keep anything down. The doctor told me I was going to kill my baby if I didn't eat and gave me nausea medication (which I never took.) I forced my self to nibble food and fight the urge to run to the bathroom. It didn't end till second semester. I was so thin by then that strangers on the street thought I was homeless and would offer me food...which only made me gag and run to a trash can at just the suggestion. Sucked. An ultra sound at a specialist revealed my son would be born only 4 pounds. He was 8.6 pounds.
As for how long you can go without food? I think it would depend on your body size. Jesus went 40 days. I went nearly 2 months while pregnant. I starved myself to lose weight after my second baby was born. That was about 2 months also but I was over 200pounds then. But 3 weeks I think would be average.
Why on earth would you do that?
Seriously, they told you you could KILL your unborn child yet you didn't take the medication. I can't wrap my head around a parent doing that.
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