Dehydration - my (not very nice) experience!

blobby10

As a fit and healthy 50 year old, I'm very aware of what I eat and drink and how it affects my physical and mental health - OK, I could eat less sugar and fat and more protein and veggies but hey, the fact that I'm aware that I'm not eating enough sort of counts doesn't it?!!!

Anyway last Saturday, I did a 100km cycle sportive. The weather was damp and temperature around 12 degrees. Not an issue. I drank my normal amounts of water plus breakfast of Greek Yoghurt, fruit and a croissant before the start of the ride but didn't join the (massive) queue for the loos to empty my old lady bladder so within 5 miles, needed to wee. But I didn't do the sensible thing ie stop and pee behind a hedge, I carried on to the first feed stop at 28 miles, only taking on board less than half a bottle of fluid. (Normally I would drink two full bottles in this distance). For the remainder of the ride, I drank 3-4 bottles of fluid, as I did post ride (1.5 litres of water on the way home)

Didn't think anything of it until Monday evening I started to feel really yuck - went to bed at 8.30pm, woke at 2am with shooting pains in arms and legs and stomach - felt really lousy til about 4pm on Tuesday. Chatted with a gym friend and realised that those were all symptoms of dehydration. I had not hydrated well on Friday night, had a goats cheese and nut roast for dinner (possibly high levels of salt?), post cycle we had a Chinese takeaway, Sunday I had been drinking more alcohol than normal - it was my birthday, so by Monday, despite drinking my normal levels of fluid (4-5 litres a day) the damage had been done.

I've never experienced this before and wanted to share in the hopes it will prevent anyone else experiencing something similar. Its not just the fluids and food you take on board during the ride but before and after that count as well! Prep for tomorrows 100km ride is already underway- hydrating properly, porridge for breakfast tomorrow plus prepared to pee behind a hedge if necessary as well as stopping in village shops for water top ups if needed as it's going to be warm!

NorthCascades

Sounds like dehydration and electrolyte deficiency. I'm probably lucky in that I just get endlessly thirsty, but a lot of people get muscle craps when they get too low.

youngmomtaz

I thought I was in preterm labour with my third boy at 6 months along. Dehydration following a migraine. Yuck! And one back packing trip I did. 2 nights drank at least 4 litres of water each day but it was hot and sweaty and I am now thinking there was some electrolyte deficiency as well. I got home after the last 20mile day, ate supper, went to bed and basically slept/drank/and had the chills on and off for the next 2 days. Never felt that way after a long hike before but when I looked at my packed food low sodium was probably the culprit. Lessons learned and just glad I was home so I didn’t think I was dying in the bush somewhere.

Good lessons for all!

MikePfirrman

NorthCascades wrote: »

Sounds like dehydration and electrolyte deficiency. I'm probably lucky in that I just get endlessly thirsty, but a lot of people get muscle craps when they get too low.

I drink a TON of water. Last year, I was sitting at my desk and couldn't see the computer. Started in my peripheral vision and then moved in to my straight ahead vision. Freaked me out because I was told I'm high risk for Glaucoma (they monitor it yearly) and I make a living on the computer.

Went to my eye doc that monitors the Glaucoma and they all were like, "oh, it's the first case this year...". Turns out that I was dehydrated. Though I literally drink around a gallon of water a day or more, I hadn't been adding in electrolytes. I was completely confused on how I could drink that much fluids and still be dehydrated. The Electrolyte part can't be emphasized enough. My eye doc said he gets around a dozen or more every Summer like me that are blinded by a migraine from being dehydrated.

I take an electrolyte capsule now after every workout along with drinking fluids.

NorthCascades

Electrolytes are what let your body send electric signals through your muscles and some other tissue. That's why not having enough of them can lead to muscles cramps, they just fire wrong.

I don't know the connection to migraines but I know it's true.

If you're already very low on electrolytes, drinking plain water dilutes what you have. I forget the medical name for the condition, but it's dangerous.

It's my understanding (but I'm a little out of my league here) that the body stores magnesium and potassium, but not sodium. So if you have a well rounded diet, you need to be taking in salt when it's very hot and you're sweating for long periods, but you don't need to be taking the others in in real time. A lot of people put a touch of salt in their water, plus honey and lemon. I just buy Nuun personally.

lporter229

MikePfirrman wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

Sounds like dehydration and electrolyte deficiency. I'm probably lucky in that I just get endlessly thirsty, but a lot of people get muscle craps when they get too low.

I drink a TON of water. Last year, I was sitting at my desk and couldn't see the computer. Started in my peripheral vision and then moved in to my straight ahead vision. Freaked me out because I was told I'm high risk for Glaucoma (they monitor it yearly) and I make a living on the computer.

Went to my eye doc that monitors the Glaucoma and they all were like, "oh, it's the first case this year...". Turns out that I was dehydrated. Though I literally drink around a gallon of water a day or more, I hadn't been adding in electrolytes. I was completely confused on how I could drink that much fluids and still be dehydrated. The Electrolyte part can't be emphasized enough. My eye doc said he gets around a dozen or more every Summer like me that are blinded by a migraine from being dehydrated.

I take an electrolyte capsule now after every workout along with drinking fluids.

Those that drink that much water need to pay EXTRA attention to their electrolytes because the all that water can flush them from your system. Sometimes I think the general weight loss message of "avoid sodium and drink as much water as you can" can be very dangerous without presenting the big picture. Severely low electrolyte levels can actually be life threatening.

I have also experienced extreme symptoms of dehydration twice. The first time I had severe pain in my hands and arms to the point that I was unable to pick things up. It took close to a week to get back to normal. At the time, I was unaware of the cause. I only figured it out later. Both occurrences involved long runs of 20+ miles, consumption of alcohol (moderate, not excessive) and (maybe coincidentally and maybe not) also air travel. It is definitely not something I want to experience again. I now drink lots of Nuun after long runs as well as when I travel.

Machka9

NorthCascades wrote: »

If you're already very low on electrolytes, drinking plain water dilutes what you have. I forget the medical name for the condition, but it's dangerous.

It's my understanding (but I'm a little out of my league here) that the body stores magnesium and potassium, but not sodium. So if you have a well rounded diet, you need to be taking in salt when it's very hot and you're sweating for long periods, but you don't need to be taking the others in in real time. A lot of people put a touch of salt in their water, plus honey and lemon. I just buy Nuun personally.

Hyponatremia.

That's more scary than being a little bit dehydrated.

aokoye

Machka9 wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

If you're already very low on electrolytes, drinking plain water dilutes what you have. I forget the medical name for the condition, but it's dangerous.

It's my understanding (but I'm a little out of my league here) that the body stores magnesium and potassium, but not sodium. So if you have a well rounded diet, you need to be taking in salt when it's very hot and you're sweating for long periods, but you don't need to be taking the others in in real time. A lot of people put a touch of salt in their water, plus honey and lemon. I just buy Nuun personally.

Hyponatremia.

That's more scary than being a little bit dehydrated.

Agreed, way more scary. Like at worst potential death scary.

sarabushby

Strange that you would be dehydrated when drinking so much. Are you sure it wasn’t hyponatreima or electrolyte imbalance? 3-4 bottles is a lot to drink in 32miles!
I did 46M today on 1 x 750ml bottle, then a 45min brick run after with about 200ml water. It was quite a warm day. Yes I felt thirsty by the end and this is certainly not ideal fluid consumption especially for a heavy sweater like myself, but it certainly wouldn’t induce the symptoms you describe. I can’t begin to imagine drinking 3-4bottles in 32miles!

blobby10

Might have been electrolyte imbalance - we did another 100km ride on Saturday and it was very warm. I got through 6 bottles of water with a Hi 5 electrolyte tab in each of them. Plus pure water and diet coke afterwards. no aches and pains this week.

Thanks for all the input regarding electrolytes - I've never paid much attention to those but if 100km is going to be our go to ride in the future, I guess I'd better start!!

sijomial

blobby10 wrote: »

Might have been electrolyte imbalance - we did another 100km ride on Saturday and it was very warm. I got through 6 bottles of water with a Hi 5 electrolyte tab in each of them. Plus pure water and diet coke afterwards. no aches and pains this week.

Thanks for all the input regarding electrolytes - I've never paid much attention to those but if 100km is going to be our go to ride in the future, I guess I'd better start!!

You might help get an insight on your personal and situational fluid intake needs if you copy a trick done by high level athletes exercising in hot/humid conditions....
Weigh yourself before and after your ride - gives you an indication of how much fluid may be required to make up any difference in weight.


PS - I agree with @sarabushby that dehydration with the amount you actually drank wouldn't appear to be the #1 suspect of your symptoms.

PPS - 6 bottles from your Saturday ride seems a lot to me, I sweat heavily in warm weather but 100km ride would be less than 4 bottles.

PPPS - I struggle to drink enough when the water/fluid in my bottles gets too warm (it's just not appealing to drink). Buying insulated bottles has made a big difference.