Healthy Water Consumption

[Spikedriver]

I know a guy that used to drink too much water . It is me, put me in the ICU and hospital for 5 days in 2020, serum sodium level was 106.

I am limited to 2 liters a day, to keep my sodium levels near normal. I have learned the symptoms, and have salt tablets on hand for difficult times.

Of course, you all knew I was "special"

What are the symptoms?

 

[dademoss]

What are the symptoms?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711

Mine were mostly:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Loss of energy, drowsiness and fatigue
• Restlessness and irritability
• Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps

I couldn't track well mentally, type for , or stay awake.

 

[Pearl]

I'll be back shortly, for some reason I have to pee!!

 

[Spikedriver]

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711

Mine were mostly:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Loss of energy, drowsiness and fatigue
• Restlessness and irritability
• Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps

That perfectly describes dehydration too.

 

[Neb]

Lol I'm quite familiar with Air Force culture. My pops was a radar operator. He washed out of flight training after suffering a collapsed lung at high altitude. His cousin was an instructor at the AF academy and retired as a Lt. General from the reserves. My niece is currently a Captain at Wright-Patterson in Ohio. I've heard every Air Force joke in existence. Pops says all the other branches can say whatever they want. He slept in a warm bed every night, never had to eat mud, and the heaviest bag he ever had to carry was the sack lunch the chow hall made for him to take to the radar trailer.

My father started as a machine gunner for the Korean war in the marines. Switched to air force and retired after 23 years.

My brother did 20 and retired after teaching electronic counter- measures.

The air force was a family freindly branch.

Ben

 

[Pearl]

Easy for either to be mistaken for something else! That's why I posted about inactive elderly people. They may not be hydrated, causing these symptoms and possibly UTIs!

 

[dademoss]

That perfectly describes dehydration too.

yep, except for the low serum sodium level. That was my issue, I thought I was dehydrated. I was waterlogged

It did get me my first ambulance ride

 

[Spikedriver]

Easy for either to be mistaken for something else! That's why I posted about inactive elderly people. They may not be hydrated, causing these symptoms and possibly UTIs!

As my mom's mobility got worse, she stopped drinking fluids so she wouldn't have to go to the bathroom. Then the UTIs started and every time she got one it would put her down for a few days. Then she'd never quite recover the mobility she had before the UTI. It became a downward spiral and now she's in a wheelchair in the nursing home...

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Just curious, but do any of your doctors prescribe or recommend a Potassium supplement? Many years ago my FIL nearly died from a Potassum deficiency. He had been prescribed a diuretic and literally pissed the Potassium out of his body. I know I don't hydrate enough, but I was always aware of this.

I absolutely know about the importance of potassium.
In December 2020 strange things were happening to me. I was too weak to get out of bed one morning, I suffered chills - couldn't get enough blankets. I was confused and my head didn't feel right at all.
I got up to go take a pee, fell down, couldn't get up, was delirious. Incoherent.
Wife, all 120 pounds of her couldn't pick me up so she dialed 911.

Long story short - I almost died from hypokalemia, which is severe deficiency of potassium.
Three days in the hospital, IV bags in both arms, lots of tests, doses of potassium large enough that they had to draw blood hourly to make sure they didn't give me too much.

I do not take prescription potassium, but an OTC supplement, PLUS eat foods rich in the mineral. Bananas, potatoes, tomatoes. Bananas and cherry tomatoes each and every day.

It's nothing to fool with.

 

[Morgan101]

I absolutely know about the importance of potassium.
In December 2020 strange things were happening to me. I was too weak to get out of bed one morning, I suffered chills - couldn't get enough blankets. I was confused and my head didn't feel right at all.
I got up to go take a pee, fell down, couldn't get up, was delirious. Incoherent.
Wife, all 120 pounds of her couldn't pick me up so she dialed 911.

Long story short - I almost died from hypokalemia, which is severe deficiency of potassium.
Three days in the hospital, IV bags in both arms, lots of tests, doses of potassium large enough that they had to draw blood hourly to make sure they didn't give me too much.

I do not take prescription potassium, but an OTC supplement, PLUS eat foods rich in the mineral. Bananas, potatoes, tomatoes. Bananas and cherry tomatoes each and every day.

It's nothing to fool with.

To borrow from another thread, but that is the reason I eat a lot of raisins. They are an excellent source of Potassium.

 

[dademoss]

To borrow from another thread, but that is the reason I eat a lot of raisins. They are an excellent source of Potassium.

Only kinda related, but it you take Lisinopril for BP:

Lisinopril may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• high blood potassium - nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement;
  

Yeah, guess what I take for HBP

 

[Mountain trapper]

I drink plenty of water. I don't need to be reminded either, I like water, especially our well water. My dad died at 93, mom at 94 and I never saw either one of them ever drink water. For dad it was only beer and coffee. Mom only drank coffee, gin, vodka or Pepsi.

 

[Amish Heart]

Just curious, but do any of your doctors prescribe or recommend a Potassium supplement? Many years ago my FIL nearly died from a Potassum deficiency. He had been prescribed a diuretic and literally pissed the Potassium out of his body. I know I don't hydrate enough, but I was always aware of this.

Husband has to take potassium. And he sometimes drinks way too much water, and that's a problem for potassium and sodium. They check his blood every month, except when we're doing IV antibiotics, then they check every week.

 

[Amish Heart]

Easy for either to be mistaken for something else! That's why I posted about inactive elderly people. They may not be hydrated, causing these symptoms and possibly UTIs!

And they could be on rigastigmine for dementia which causes UTI's and does nothing for dementia.

 

[d_marsh]

I'm betting army and marines grunts are glad when the A10s show up to pound the enemy when needed. As much as they batch about them

I preferred it when these guys showed up. They hit what they were aiming at and weren't ordered to leave because it got dangerous.

 

[joel]

at

We used to drink pickle juice instead of electrolyte drinks in the suck (middle east) because it was high in magnesium, potassium and sodium. They also gave us salt substitute which was 1/2 salt and 1/2 potassium.

I drink pickle Juice at least once a week & eat pickle often, it stopped cramps for me.
Nothing the doctor or herbalist gave me stopped the cramps completely, but pickle juice did.
So now I just drink it & eat a lot of pickles weekly, thank God I like the taste of pickles.

 

[Peanut]

I have a few slices of hamburger dills almost everyday. They don't go with fish or breakfast very well but are tasty with just about everything else.
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Like some I prefer plain water. I normally don't add mixes etc.. I have RecoverOrs packets and some Liquid IV packets in my day pack just in case. They are electrolyte powder mixes to add to water. I've used Recover Ors in the past, taste fine. I haven't tried the Liquid IV powders yet.

I bought a 32oz thermos bottle this summer that I really like. Keeps water ice cold for hours. It's not like an old fashioned thermos bottle. Its a modern stainless steel bottle with different caps to choose from. Comes in a insulated sleeve with a 3-way strap so it's easy to carry... or hang on the roll bar on the tractor.

 

[Bacpacker]

I have a few slices of hamburger dills almost everyday. They don't go with fish or breakfast very well but are tasty with just about everything else.
-------------------

Like some I prefer plain water. I normally don't add mixes etc.. I have RecoverOrs packets and some Liquid IV packets in my day pack just in case. They are electrolyte powder mixes to add to water. I've used Recover Ors in the past, taste fine. I haven't tried the Liquid IV powders yet.

I bought a 32oz thermos bottle this summer that I really like. Keeps water ice cold for hours. It's not like an old fashioned thermos bottle. Its a modern stainless steel bottle with different caps to choose from. Comes in a insulated sleeve with a 3-way strap so it's easy to carry... or hang on the roll bar on the tractor.

Buddy I work with told me about Liquid IV. I bought a couple boxes and have spread them around various bags for us. Haven't tried it yet

 

[Pearl]

Buddy I work with told me about Liquid IV. I bought a couple boxes and have spread them around various bags for us. Haven't tried it yet

That and many other brands have too much sugar! Believe it or not the Walmart Great Value brand electrolyte packets have no sugar, very low sodium, but great electrolytes and price!

 

[Haertig]

By the charts, I probably under drink. But by the signs of dehydration, I am perfectly fine.

Each day:
At least two, if not three 12oz cups of caffeinated coffee per day. Which doesn't count, because it's caffeinated.
12oz of skim milk daily, but that can be variable down to maybe only 6oz on occasion.
Probably about four 12oz glasses of water, in smaller portions throughout the day.
Once or twice a week - when I BBQ outside - a 12oz beer. Doesn't count towards hydration any more than coffee does.

My climate is very well controlled. My life is spent doing low physical activity in temps between 65 and 72 in low humidity. Sweating is not a part of my life on a normal day. If I drink it, it stays in me until I pee or breathe it out (and I'm a nose breather, so less fluid outgoing). If I do go out shooting or for something strenuous and start sweating, I'll easily add an extra quart or two - or more - of water to my day.