Dehydration

[undergroundpanther]

I just read It's 117 degrees in Iraq and there is no water..


Today I can really empathize with the Iraqi's because of yesterday.

Yesterday I dehydrated myself. I was not aware I was dehydrated until it was too late.I thought I was fine because I had a small thermos of water with me as I waited for hours in the sun for the bus in the humid sweat bath that is a Maryland summer.As I walked from place to place running errands.. The water was drank up. I had cotton mouth but I ignored it. I walked quite a bit in the baking steamy heat.Sweating a river. My shirt was soaked like I was caught in rain, but It didn't dawn on me I was dehydrating.I had to do all this baking and sweating because if you live in sprawl everything is too far from everything else BY DESIGN because where I live everything is designed for CARS, not people.And I hate it.

When I got home,and I was ready to drop.I just thought I was tired.I was really hungry too. But I took a shower first to cool off,as I felt like I was boiling inside , than I realized I was so THIRSTY. I went and got a huge glass of water and chugged it.And I ate some food. I was feeling totally exhausted so I went to bed.Even after a cold shower I felt hot,dry, miserable,I was getting a headache too.I was too tired to get upand go looking for tylenol.

So I lay there and I am cranky and irritated startling, barking at my cats,who were trying to comfort me,thrashing around,my dreams were strange,I never really slept, my head pounding,I felt hot and cold at the same time,I put on my blankets(This was because my core temperature was going up ,heat exhaustion)I didn't recognize the symptoms until after the fact..I thought maybe I was getting sick.


I got up after awhile and I felt like I was drugged, dizzy and punchy in the head. My headache was pounding away and I was not thinking coherent at all at this point. I was stumbling around because I was weak and so very dizzy. So I drank more water.I lay back down and then came the the CRAMPS.
My arms and legs became charly horse happy.I was in some serious pain.I tried to counter pull the muscles at first and that helped but the cramps started to come so fast and hard all I could do was lay there and whimper and writhe, and my thinking was like mud.(this happened because the electrolytes were out of whack and my cells were being swollen with water too fast.)

I was alone in the house here.The cats were all on the floor looking at me all scared,but not wanting to leave the room,and I couldn't comfort them at all. I wasn't exactly with it enough for awhile there to call 911 either.

My roommate came home later and he noticed what my issue was, I guess he heard my whimpering, he saw I was dehydrated,So he mixed me up some water with sugar and salt in it.I drank that and it eased the pain and my mind began to clear bit by bit. It took me around 6 hours to get over this whole process until I felt normal again. It was awful.Heat can kill you especially if you don't have enough water and you cannot maintain your electrolyte balance.Today I am okay but my arms and legs are pretty sore after all those cramps.

And compared to what the Iraqis must be going through, my touch of dehydration is nothing.And it was pretty bad-to me.

I wish I could help them get water.
I wish bush would be impeached NOW.
I wish every neocon thug and corporate republican pig would become stranded alone in death valley with no water until they felt what the Iraq people must be feeling..
I am ashamed of this"government" and I hate the republicans.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Excellent post.

We need more empathy like yours. Thanks for sharing your insights. :)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. undergroundpanther is famous for astonishly empathic insights

imho.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. I feel ya...

I had a much milder case than you did, I was wiped out for days. :hug: I can't imagine what the people of Iraq are going through. :(

[undergroundpanther]

6. Yeah I'm still wiped a bit

My calves fucking ache.my biceps too. I'm sitting here and they just ache. I hope it stops It hurts to walk it hurts to sit it hurts to lay down. So I'm typing. A friend came over today and I was glad she did.We had a good time and it helped me ignore my muscles awhile too.I wrapped my calves in ace bandages a while ago this helps them some.I wonder if the cramps ripped some of the fascia? It feels like it did.If it did I'll be sore for a week or more.Damn.

[Breeze54]

9. Treatment for Dehydration

Treatment for Dehydration

http://firstaid.about.com/od/heatcoldexposur1/qt/06_dehydration.htm

Dehydration occurs when the body has lost too much fluid and electrolytes (the salts potassium and sodium).
Dehydration is particularly dangerous for children, who can die from it within a matter of days.

Although water is extremely important in preventing dehydration, it does not contain electrolytes.

To maintain electrolyte levels, you could have broth or soups, which contain sodium,

and fruit juices, soft fruits, or vegetables, which contain potassium.

Sports drinks, like Gatorade, can help restore electrolytes.

For children, doctors often recommend a special rehydration solution that contains the nutrients they need.
You can buy this solution in the grocery store without a prescription. Examples include Pedialyte, Ceralyte, and Infalyte.

Untreated, dehydration may lead to shock.

If a victim of dehydration has a low blood pressure or very rapid pulse, the victim may need to get intravenous fluids.

Call 911 for a dehydrated victim suffering from confusion, dizziness, or weakness.

Dehydration Symptoms

It's important to recognize dehydration symptoms early.

Untreated, dehydration can develop into shock.

The signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

* dizziness
* headache
* dark urine (may have a strong odor)
* inability to urinate
* dry mouth and nose
* weakness
* nausea and vomiting

[Breeze54]

4. Empathy!

You have it! :D

Well said!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I hope you're feeling better! Drink more water and often!

:kick: & Recommended

[Raine]

5. It happened to me

a some years back. I had fever and chills and was delussional, it was really scary. To this day I'm really careful cause I get dehydrated much easier and faster than I did before that happened. I don't think my health has ever been as good.

[undergroundpanther]

7. Delusional

Yeah I had some really weird shit rolling around in my head .I had no control over it. Because I have a visual way of thinking the images rushing by were really disconcerting too. Last time I had that kind of mental torment was a migraine headache and thankfully I have only had three of those in my life.The other time I get stuck in similar mental states is when my trauma causes abreactions. All of it sucks the same suck ass way though doesen't it?.

[ninkasi]

8. Thank you, undergroundpanther, for your empathy

I live in Texas, and know something about summer heat. Even so, my husband and I were talking about the heat in Iraq and Afghanistan now, and were wondering how our troops could survive with all of their gear. Combine IEDs, heat related illnesses, and other factors, they are going through hell right now.

I'm with you, in wishing to get our troops water, in getting the chimp impeached, and in our neocon criminals to suffer what they are inflicting on others. At my age, 64, I still get blindsided by the atrocious lack of compassion and decency of the Republic party. I know, I know, I should be used to it by now, but it still offends, and upsets me.

My wish is for us to leave Iraq, and send financial aid to restore the country to some sort of stability. I know it will be extremely difficult, but we broke it, and common decency requires that we fix it.

[FloridaJudy]

10. Good grief, you're describing heat exhaustion!

You're lucky you have a roomie! That could have been a life-threatening situation: http://www.medicinenet.com/heat_exhaustion/article.htm#recognize

As to the poor Iraqis, my heart weeps. It's bad enough coping with the crippling heat here in Florida, but I have AC and all the water I need. Those folks don't even have the refuge of hiding out in the Public Library, which is what I used to do in the days before I had AC. And with a water shortage, people are going to die horribly. The young and the old will be hardest hit - lots of families will lose grannies and babies on top of their already grim losses.

This is a humanitarian crisis, and as far as I can see our government is doing squat to help out. When I look at those plans for a bloated American embassy compound with its humongous swimming pools, the only word I can come up with is "obscene"!

[screembloodymurder]

11. Bush/Cheney 04 shame

And what rough beast, it's hour come round at last, slouches toward Bethlehem to be born.

[JNelson6563]

12. I really enjoy your posts.

And isn't is scary how dehydration can sneak up on you? Before you know what's happening you can slip into delirium.

Glad you made it. I hope the Iraqis do to but I fear for them.

Julie

[Karenina]

13. Dehydration, malnutrition

depleted uranium, polluted air, destroyed infrastructure...

IS IT GENOCIDE YET???

[knitter4democracy]

14. I've had a couple of mild cases. Yours was serious.

If you keep having problems, or if anything comes back, you should get checked out at the ER where they can stabilize you faster with IVs.

Be gentle with yourself. :hug:

I'm horrified that they don't have water. We can't even get them water and electricity?! Wtf! That's a sure way to win hearts and minds. :eyes: