Too much water - it's true.

Colorscheme
Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
edited November 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I want to share a story about what happens when you drink too much water.

In October, I was in the hospital for cellulitis and a neck abscess. I was hooked up to multiple IV antibiotics for a week. One day when I was sleeping, I had an episode of ventricular tachycardia. This is a dangerous rhythm that can lead to ventricular fibrillation, which leads to cardiac arrest.

Apparently I was woken up to make sure I was ok but I don't remember that at all. After that, blood tests were ordered and I had low potassium [1.7 mmoL/L]. Now, I do have pre existing heart stuff so no one knows for sure if it was my pre-existing condition or the low potassium. I had to drink a nasty orange drink because IV postassium burns and you do not want that through an IV.

Thinking about it, I'm wondering if my 4-5 liter water habit is what caused the low potassium in the first place, because I eat plenty of potassium laden fruits and veggies on a regular basis, as well as take a multivitamin.

I figured since that I was thirsty and I sweat a lot as a result of my health issues, I could get away with 4-5 liters of water a day. Guess I was wrong. I've cut back to 2-3 liters of water a day instead and at my next checkup I am going to ask for a re-test and see if my potassium level has improved.

So if you're thinking about drinking more water, please talk to a dr about it first to make sure you're not upsetting your electrolyte balance.

I came out of the hospital with a loop recorder implanted in my chest so if it does happen again, it'll be caught.

Also, I know sweating can cause an upset with potassium so I'll never really know for sure exactly what the cause was, but do be careful about your water intake.

Replies

  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Did you ask the doctor if your water consumption was an issue? Seems like something that would be useful to know.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited January 2016
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    Did you ask the doctor if your water consumption was an issue? Seems like something that would be useful to know.

    No I didn't, because I was so out of it the whole week and I was missing my son terribly. I wanted to go home and only cared about when I was getting out. But I can ask my cardiologist at my next appointment what he thinks. In retrospect, I should have.

    Since my loop recorder implant I did have to have an ablation for AVNRT, but that has nothing to do with potassium, the dr said I was born with it.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    Sounds like a scary episode! Glad you are okay. Yes, I'd definitely do a bit more research with your doctors and see if you can pinpoint the low potassium to drinking too much water. Overall, drinking water is a healthy thing, but as with everything else, it too requires moderation.

    I'm thinking there is a very small population of people that this applies to, so while it's a good thing to post as a reminder I also see a lot of posts about not liking water, not wanting to drink water, or whatever and wouldn't want people to mistake this as an excuse for themselves.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    Sounds like a scary episode! Glad you are okay. Yes, I'd definitely do a bit more research with your doctors and see if you can pinpoint the low potassium to drinking too much water. Overall, drinking water is a healthy thing, but as with everything else, it too requires moderation.

    I'm thinking there is a very small population of people that this applies to, so while it's a good thing to post as a reminder I also see a lot of posts about not liking water, not wanting to drink water, or whatever and wouldn't want people to mistake this as an excuse for themselves.

    Yes, I wonder if it's for a special group of people as well. Most people are healthy and don't have issues with too much sweating and such, so they'd most likely be fine.

  • TaraTall
    TaraTall Posts: 339 Member
    Definitely. I used to work on a Cardiovascular Surgery ward and the number of people who had uber low potassium was so strange to me. They were all put on a water restriction.
    Glad you're feeling better though, thats a scary situation.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    It was strange to me too because it never happened before. always had great numbers with sodium, potassium, etc. but I guess the 4-5 liters a day, plus the sweating and possibly IV antibiotics and fluids may have been too much.

  • Wendy77685
    Wendy77685 Posts: 27 Member
    That is so scary, glad you are ok! I have never heard of drinking too much water. I have always gone by the 8oz/8 times per day, or half your weight in oz per day.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    It is possible to drink too much water. A girl in the UK died of water overload after drinking litres and litres at a party where she took ecstasy. (Is was the water that killed her). Also I have heard of long distance runners becoming ill from drinking too much water during marathons. 2 litres a day is ok for most people. If you are exercising a lot maybe try an electrolyte drink like Gatorade to replace some of the sodium.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    As someone who has two medications that cause dry mouth, and on Ketogenic eating style, being aware of electrolyte replacement is important to me. I take magnesium tablets and use Lite salt, which is 50/50 salt/potassium.
  • Odilerubia
    Odilerubia Posts: 80 Member
    Scary story, good to know people took care of you.
    I agree about the too much water story.
    Some types of drugs dehydrate so badly that you drown yourself by overdrinking.
    It is as scary as it sounds and was told to me by a friend who works in the ER.
    In Amsterdam, I am Dutch, they are traffic signs, not kidding, at certain spots in town that warn teenagers.
    In the end I think you are the unlucky girl with a rare condition that doesnt have to do with this I guess
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    _runnerbean_ wrote: »
    It is possible to drink too much water. A girl in the UK died of water overload after drinking litres and litres at a party where she took ecstasy. (Is was the water that killed her). Also I have heard of long distance runners becoming ill from drinking too much water during marathons. 2 litres a day is ok for most people. If you are exercising a lot maybe try an electrolyte drink like Gatorade to replace some of the sodium.

    Yeah, I am going to talk to my dr. I'm going to have him re-test and if it's low again, maybe ask if I could start replacing eletrcolytes through vitamin water, gatorade or electrolyte tablets.
    Odilerubia wrote: »
    Scary story, good to know people took care of you.
    I agree about the too much water story.
    Some types of drugs dehydrate so badly that you drown yourself by overdrinking.
    It is as scary as it sounds and was told to me by a friend who works in the ER.
    In Amsterdam, I am Dutch, they are traffic signs, not kidding, at certain spots in town that warn teenagers.
    In the end I think you are the unlucky girl with a rare condition that doesnt have to do with this I guess

    I didn't even know my potassium was low until it was tested. It's been tested before and was never low until recently. That said, I agree that I was just plain unlucky.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    Your potassium level can be affected by loads of things. Mine is affected by my kidney disease and I am told to drink loads of water. Every person is different.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,342 Member
    I drink upwards of 6 litres a day and my potassium is all good. I think it will have a lot to do with conditions or additional issues which may affect those levels.
  • motterotter
    motterotter Posts: 701 Member
    _runnerbean_ wrote: »
    It is possible to drink too much water. A girl in the UK died of water overload after drinking litres and litres at a party where she took ecstasy. (Is was the water that killed her). Also I have heard of long distance runners becoming ill from drinking too much water during marathons. 2 litres a day is ok for most people. If you are exercising a lot maybe try an electrolyte drink like Gatorade to replace some of the sodium.

    Agreed sodium being low is what would have caused the death in the case of rapid water consumption and ecstasy or after sweating
    Most of the potassium loss is thru gastrointestinal or kidney loss most commonly diarrhea vomiting (or people on laxatives )
    You may want to have your doctor take a closer look at your electrolyte levels and dont just dismiss it as a fluke finding
    Wish you all the best and speedy recovery

  • christierenea
    christierenea Posts: 18 Member
    I used to drink about 8+ cups of water daily, but when I ended up in the hospital a few months ago and they did a blood panel, my sodium was low, that's what was causing most of my problems amongst other nutrients being low. I had to see a nutritionist before I was discharged, she said I was drinking too much water and not eating enough. I was told to drink 6 cups, no more, no less but everyone's different. Too much water is a bad thing.
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