I've posted about dehydration here before, but I think I might go in to more detail after being asked a few times via email....thank you for all the questions!
Let's start by saying, I have been to hospital a few times for dehydration and have been admitted for days at a time. It's not like I stopped drinking, just not enough. Turns out, I had moderate to severe dehydration. I my case, I was very tired, exhausted, thirsty, very dry mouth, low blood pressure, rapid pulse and zero energy. Now, having Crohn's, I thought it was my Crohn's.......yeah, no.
I was in hospital the last time for dehydration for a week getting IV fluids. An easy sign to see if you are getting enough water is your urine. The more yellow it is, the more water you need. If it's running clear, you doing good! Oh yeah....if you're NOT peeing at all, NOT a good sign.
I've also learned that drinking 8 glasses of water a day, isn't necessarily true. It's when you drink.
Think of your body as an engine. When you get up in the morning, drink a glass of water, NOT coffee, etc. You have to get your body 'started' for the day and a glass of water is the best thing to do, as well as the last thing before you go to bed.
I myself try and drink at minimum 80 oz every day and more after a workout, any physical activity or when it's hotter outside.
So, here is a list of symptoms...thanks to the Mayo Clinic
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:
So, here is a list of symptoms...thanks to the Mayo Clinic
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
- Thirst
- Decreased urine output — no wet diapers for three hours for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
- Few or no tears when crying
- Dry skin
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Extreme thirst
- Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
- Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
- Lack of sweating
- Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
- Sunken eyes
- Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
- In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby's head
- Low blood pressure
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- No tears when crying
- Fever
- In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
