Water Retention/Heat Exhaustion

NCchar130
NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The last two weekends, I've spent about 2-3 hours outdoors doing fairly strenuous yardwork. It's been about 80 degrees (F) both times, low humidity (for North Carolina) and very sunny. The first weekend, I got severe muscle cramps in my legs as I was finishing. Went indoors and after cooling off nearly passed out every time I stood up from sitting. I got a terrible headache that lasted 4 days and was retaining at least 6 pounds of water weight, per the scale. Eventually I concluded I must have gotten heat exhaustion, drank extra water for a couple days, got rid of the water weight. Magnesium alleviated the leg cramps finally (which were keeping me awake).

So this past weekend, I thought I was well-prepared. I drank plenty of water before, wore a hat, took more frequent breaks, drank more water during, and made a point of eating something salty immediately after (after reading about low sodium from a lot of sweating and outdoor activities). But in spite of it, the headache and muscle cramps are back, and the headache. None are as severe as before and I'm retaining about 4 lbs of water weight (2 days later) instead of 6.

Has anyone had similar things happen? Does it sound like simple heat exhaustion or something I should go to the doctor for? Should I try something different to prepare before doing strenuous outdoor activities? I never used to have such low tolerance for heat and 80 degrees with low humidity doesn't seem warm enough to cause all this nonsense.

Replies

  • rsoice
    rsoice Posts: 212 Member
    If you don't maintain your water intake throughout the week, you aren't going to get in "enough" water to not get dehydrated. Once you've experienced a heat injury, you're more susceptible to it again (same thing with cold) or so I was taught in the Army.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I often flirt with dehydration in the summer, especially on the weekends when I'm well...playing outside. Not sure I'd trust your scale to tell you how hydrated you are. Rather, how often are you going to the bathroom? And what color is your pee when you go? If it's clear...you're more than hydrated. If it's yellow, you are indeed dehydrated.

    Also, one thing I've noticed. Hydration is only part of it; but what are you using to keep your electrolytes up. I often get a "dehydration headache". After 8 oz of Gatorade or something similar. I'm good to go. Maybe you just have an electrolyte deficiency

    Beyond that. I would go see a Doctor. 80* isn't all that hot. But you could certainly get some sort of heat sickness if you went long enough and hard enough.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    If you don't maintain your water intake throughout the week, you aren't going to get in "enough" water to not get dehydrated. Once you've experienced a heat injury, you're more susceptible to it again (same thing with cold) or so I was taught in the Army.

    Good point, I will try drinking extra during the week (by extra, I mean 'more than I think I need') if I know I'll be working or playing outside that weekend.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    I often flirt with dehydration in the summer, especially on the weekends when I'm well...playing outside. Not sure I'd trust your scale to tell you how hydrated you are. Rather, how often are you going to the bathroom? And what color is your pee when you go? If it's clear...you're more than hydrated. If it's yellow, you are indeed dehydrated.

    Also, one thing I've noticed. Hydration is only part of it; but what are you using to keep your electrolytes up. I often get a "dehydration headache". After 8 oz of Gatorade or something similar. I'm good to go. Maybe you just have an electrolyte deficiency

    Beyond that. I would go see a Doctor. 80* isn't all that hot. But you could certainly get some sort of heat sickness if you went long enough and hard enough.

    I assumed water weight since the scale was way up and I definitely could not have gained 6 lbs of anything else.

    As for the bathroom - this past weekend, I drank 20 ounces before I started, 60 ounces of water during the 2 hours or so I was out there, took breaks every 20-30 minutes. I didn't go once during that time and it was about 2 hours after I was done (and another 20 ounces of water) that I started needing to go. This seems 'off' to me. (It was pale yellow, for the record).
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    Maybe I should start drinking Gatorade.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Maybe I should start drinking Gatorade.

    coconut water is an excellent alternative...

    You want to make sure you're hydrated throughout the week...you can't just hydrate a few hours before the activity and be properly hydrated...you have to maintain that throughout the week. When I'm outside and really sweating or putting in a vigorous workout or doing heavy yard work, I drink coconut water during and some after.

    Also make sure you eating enough to sustain your activity level. If you're eating like a sedentary person but doing a lot of additional activity, there are going to be issues.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
    Maybe I should start drinking Gatorade.

    coconut water is an excellent alternative...

    You want to make sure you're hydrated throughout the week...you can't just hydrate a few hours before the activity and be properly hydrated...you have to maintain that throughout the week. When I'm outside and really sweating or putting in a vigorous workout or doing heavy yard work, I drink coconut water during and some after.

    Also make sure you eating enough to sustain your activity level. If you're eating like a sedentary person but doing a lot of additional activity, there are going to be issues.


    Thank you, I will look for coconut water!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I often flirt with dehydration in the summer, especially on the weekends when I'm well...playing outside. Not sure I'd trust your scale to tell you how hydrated you are. Rather, how often are you going to the bathroom? And what color is your pee when you go? If it's clear...you're more than hydrated. If it's yellow, you are indeed dehydrated.

    Also, one thing I've noticed. Hydration is only part of it; but what are you using to keep your electrolytes up. I often get a "dehydration headache". After 8 oz of Gatorade or something similar. I'm good to go. Maybe you just have an electrolyte deficiency

    Beyond that. I would go see a Doctor. 80* isn't all that hot. But you could certainly get some sort of heat sickness if you went long enough and hard enough.

    I assumed water weight since the scale was way up and I definitely could not have gained 6 lbs of anything else.

    As for the bathroom - this past weekend, I drank 20 ounces before I started, 60 ounces of water during the 2 hours or so I was out there, took breaks every 20-30 minutes. I didn't go once during that time and it was about 2 hours after I was done (and another 20 ounces of water) that I started needing to go. This seems 'off' to me. (It was pale yellow, for the record).

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056

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