How much water do you drink ?
 

I know a lot of people that only drink 3 or 4 cups of coffee or tea and don't drink anything else for the day, i often wonder how many people out there are in a dehydrated state and what this does to our nerves over long periods.
Water is so necessary for survival, an average adult is made up of 60 -70% water, we can go without food for almost two months, but without water only a few days, every cell and every system in our bodies depends on water.

I have read that without water we'd be poisoned to death by our own waste products when your kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water. if there isn't enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones, water also is vital for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood and helps to cool the body through perspiration., also without enough water you could end up with excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive complications, muscle soreness, fatigue and headaches, water regulates our body temperature, flushes toxins out of your body and is essential for healthy skin, provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

You can easily get sick of plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor, water filters aren’t very expensive but do a pretty good job,, or by simply boiling the water first can change the taste of it.

The water needs are not the same for everyone, depends on the individual, where they live, exercise etc, the link below has a good explanation.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

A lot
 

About 4 cups of coffee, two or three cups of tea, about a liter of water, about 12 - 16 oz. of fresh juiced veggies and fruit a day, lots and lots of fruit and veggies (they're loaded with water), about 1 - 2 cups of soymilk on my morning cereal, one beer or one shooter of Scotch (neat) most evenings before cooking dinner, and soup at least twice a week.

I urinate a lot and often, especially with my benign enlarged prostate. As a runner I established a habit of drinking a lot (more than the above), and have a real craving for and enjoyment of liquid. I am not diabetic or prediabetic, so it isn't really thirst, its more just habit and a simple pleasure.

Being well hydrated promotes health, but I still have PN, and had life threatening pneumonia last year, so its not a cure-all.

David, my post wasn't meant to give anyone the impression that water is a " cure all " tonic, i wish it was, its a topic that is not talked about much but i think worthy of bringing up, as you said yourself, it promotes good health, which is the reason i posted it in the first place.

Brian--:p I am guilty of not drinking enough water. I do drink at least 4 cups of coffee daily, if not more, and I do try to drink 2 bottles of water, yet I know it's not enough. Believe it or not, I have never muched care for water and contrary to most people, I prefer it is not cold from the fridge.

I am trying to teach myself to increase my water intake.:wink:

Nothing wrong with your 4 coffee's and 2 bottles of water Deb, as we get water from foods as well, eg- many fruits and vegetables - such as watermelon and cucumbers are nearly 100 percent water by weight. Beverages such as milk and juice are also comprised mostly of water
Water is one of your best bets because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available

Water is very important...
 

I keep a bottle with me at all times at work now. I use more there (environmental stress) than at home.

I drink on average 2 large water bottles, and one diet soda (usually Vernors or
Lipton's Green tea) at work.

I don't use coffee anymore, so my caffeine is way down now.

While it is important to drink, those using certain drugs need to watch out for hyponatremia. Many drugs can cause this and I found a list of them at
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic275.htm

I have bolded the ones most commonly used by PN patients. I think this list was made before Lyrica came out, so I'd add that one in just for precautions' sake.
Read the article and familiarize yourself with the symptoms. It may come in handy one day...esp those in the hot zones this week in US.

Hi Mrs. D. When I read your post, I said to myself: "Wht is hypoatremia??

So I found this site.

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz...ponatremia.jsp

Very important to know because many heart patients are on low-sodium diets and if they work out, they sweat, lose sodium, their blood pressure, drops, they get a little whoozy, (this happened to Alan just once). Took him a few moments but he was fine. I tell him to rehydrate in the summer.

I myself am on zestoretic (which is blood pressure and water pill).

My pressure is always fine. And while I am NOT the low-sodium person Alan is, I don't cook with it, buy foods with it, BUT, I can't have my salad without any salt. Tastes terrible. So I use Light Salt.

Boy, if we go for Japanese food, or just buy soup, I have to read the labels, because after you don't use regular salt for over a year, brother, when you put that soup in your mouth, it's like tasting a mouthful of salt.

Amazing what the palate gets used to!! Now I have a brother in law who is 70, weighs 122, (never gained a pound), never eats any fat, any salt, any sugar. When he dines out, he orders plain pasta with nothing on it, and tells them not to put oil in the pot. He drinks boiled water with absolutely everything. His diet is nothing but white stuff. Pasta, rice, potatoes, and yes, he eats boiled chicken and veggies but mostly carbs because he has this stomach thing going on.

I said "how on earth can you subsist on just white stuff and no salt? He is always at the doctor for Gerd!!! He takes Gaviscon before each meal.

No soda either. Only boiled water. He will probably live to be 100 hundred years old.

lol
Melody

Melody

Thanks Mrs D for that information, i use Tramadol every day an opiate which is on that list, i normally have 2-3 glasses of water when i get out of bed in the morning, [seems to help me wake up] normally 4 coffee's through out the day and 3 - 4 glasses of diet coke, 8 - 10 glasses of tap water spread out pretty evenly during the day & eat lots of vegetables & some fruit.

People who drink ALOT
 

of water AND use diuretics and the drugs are more at risk.

When sodium is restricted, then, the hyponatriemia may occur. I had a patient a couple of years ago who was on high dose morphine sustained release form, and
had this happen. But he had poor habits, as well, and that may have contributed.

Tramadol is not an opiate exactly...but there is information about it and hyponatremia:

http://www.australianprescriber.com/...7/4/artid/495/

I think those using the drugs I listed above should learn the signs, just for safety's sake. You may never have it happen, but who knows?

Thanks again Mrs D, i don't know what we would do without you.:)

I need that to be a goal more water less soda/coffee/juice stuff. I hate water and even with lemon yuck. I used to be on water where they made me drink a certain amount. I drink though an insane amount of fluids and have told all docs but they don't seem concerned. Always thirsty and I'm not diabetitic. I thought though coffee dehydrates?

Have we done this before?
 

Daniella,
Has anyone ever evaluated you for Sjogren's Syndrome? I may have asked this before, but I wasn't sure. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/s...s/sjogrens.htm

It also in some cases causes neuropathy. That thirst you have bothers me, but I guess it could be medication.

Billye

Mrs D – I take beta blockers, omeprazole and gabapentin. Are you saying I should not drink too much water?

Tony

Well, with gabapentin--
 

--one absolutely needs water, as that drug is not metabolized by the liver, but excreted (almost) whole by the kidneys, and one need the water to properly eliminate it.

I think the danger is from flushing out too much sodium and other minerals from drinking large amounts of fluids if one is also on diuretic meds. This, again, would be more likely to happen with those on restricted sodium diets (since the standard American/Western diet has more than enough sodium in it to counteract all but the most extreme diuretic regimen).

I would imagine anyone on such meds who was also on a low-sodium diet might want to mention this to his/her doctor, so either sodium intake or the meds themselves could be tweaked.

Tony...
 

Thanks BTW for the fun 4th of July card... you should know I used to play the flute and piccolo and did that song in concerts...a very hard piccolo part it was!

Hyponatremia is more common in the elderly...there is no tactful way to express that, and some here fit that category.

If you OVER drink water, you can dilute out the sodium in your body, and get a spell. You also use Oxycodone, and it would add to the gabapentin.
In the elderly this has to due with kidney functions too. For example in the nursing home area, where I work now, many people get hyponatremia...it is more common as you age, and use more drugs.

It does not mean however it is a GIVEN...just a risk. That is why I put the eMedicine link up, with the symptoms. Any confusion or other warning sign means you should seek medical attention.

Polydypsia...over drinking water, is a risk. Added to diuretics which deplete sodium, or faulty kidney functions, or drugs that contribute, well, then IT happens.

Some people read these boards and "overreact" -- I just wanted to put this thought out there, so nothing serious happens. As it gets hotter out, we sweat more, and loose sodium that way. Extreme low sodium diets are no longer advocated for this reason. Moderate sodium consumption is safer.

Thank you Glenn and Mrs D very much for your advice. I am very bad at drinking fluids, especially water. I find water chilled or at room temperature very difficult to take in anything other than small sips from time to time. Because of a tendency to prostatitis I drink cranberry juice which was recommended by my doctor years ago and certainly does help. What I will do from now on is dilute the cranberry juice and consume an increased amount that way. I never realised that my drugs contributed to this problem and also believe I am correct in saying that my bad cramps could be worsened by a poor fluid intake.

Thank you again :)


Tony

More than 2 cups of coffee will make you pee. And D i've been thinking
the same as Billye about you and Sj Sy. it wouldn't hurt to write that
down and ask at C.C. try and get as much there as you can. Since i drink
only water and 1 cup of Tea a day i don't miss coffee or soda. If your
sure your not Diabectic make sure you drink water and if your thirsty keep
suger free gum or hard candy to help keep mouth mosit,meds. and dry mouth
will make tooth decay. Ohhh i got to deal with that,but after that Lymphoma
scare i have told myself no more panic attacks. So i have found a dentist
that works with fears,SS,and M Valve disorders. We just have to do the
best we can and sometimes a little better. So write down drink water and
we will help with list. I've got to get my glasses and new outfit for date.

Brian i just think with the meds and now hot weather we must drink it.
Being a diabectic and SS i have to be carefull not to over drink. Sue
ps the lasix issue.

There has to be a happy medium for the amount of water consumed for each of us, thankfully Mrs D give us the facts on LARGE amounts of water to those at risk of complications with their med's and age group and it would be playing safe to ask their general practitioner what is an appropriate amount for them, but i think we have a pretty smart bunch of people here and i doubt very much that anyone here would go silly and start drinking like 20 glasses of water a day, its just common sense like anything else, like taking drugs, i take one tablet with one full glass of water, if i have to take another i wait a while and do the same with the other, no doc has ever told me to do this but to me its just common sense to me, i don't like the idea of throwing down a cocktail of different drugs/supplements all at the same time, i might be wrong but that how i like to take tablets with the extra benefit of getting another glass of water down.
The one and only time i took oxycontin for my PN, i took it in the night time and when i woke up i felt like a Mac truck had ran over me, the only thing that cleared it out of my system was water, it took about 3 hours before i felt right again, that's one drug that doesn't agree with my system.
Were i live now, the water actually tastes good, but when i lived in the big smoke it was awfull, i couldn't drink that crap unless i boiled it first or if i drank it through a filter, it does makes a big differance.
jeez, i have been raving on to long, sorry guys.
wishing you all painless time ahead.
Brian :)

Thanks the thirst bothers me too. I have had multiple blood work testing for everything possible and explained to every doc. They just say nothing but at CC I will retell them. Thank you.
Mrs D as for overeacting I have been doing this not on water but other issues. I worry about overtaking or taking the wrong things and like I feel the side effects sometime are mental but not sure. Don't you think since many of us our fears come true sometimes we tend to obsess? How does one not do that? I guess trying to be rational and take 1 day at a time.

education...
 

Daniella... I have found over the years that educating yourself about
medical and drug matters helps alot to neutralize anxiety and reduce obsessing about. That is one thing that is wonderful about this board/forum.

However, with our culture today, some obsessive traits are beneficial in doing many jobs, since technology requires that trait. So it is always a balance of sorts.

Thanks and you for sure have done your research. Mrs D and Rose should write a book together.I before this was a worrier and obsesser so this issue has made it worse. My psych used to discourage me from reading about the meds so on cause of that. I think it had mixed results but I do feel being more informed does help. Also your right this board does make one feel less alone. I'm so happy I found it.

MrsD could certainly write a book! I, however, would just contribute to the B12 chapter. :wink:

rose

Maybe I could write a chapter on muffins, rolled up prociutto chicken and patatas???

lol

Honestly, we could worry ourselves to death on the subject of what we put in our bodies....

However, to put it mildly...."Houston, we have a problem."

What is healthy anymore? Oh sure we can go organic...for more info on that I will cite the website below.

http://cornucopia.org/pasture/index.php

It isn't THAT easy to eat healthy. Yes, we can drink more water....I live in one of the most pristine areas of the country, and guess what. I need a reverse osmosis system.....too much cow and chicken poop in the aquifer. I have a nitrate level 3 times the state limit.

I don't happen to live in the states affected by the following problem, but the Ogalalla Aquifer is almost dry. That land was meant to be grazed...not stripped, planted and irrigated. Unfortunately all the water (the deluge) that fell in the southern part of that aquifer will flow downstream and be gone shortly.

I try to eat organic food...well, that isn't easy either....reference the above website. I will admit there is likely some bias, but could some one please tell me why we are IMPORTING grain that is likely laced with countertop material?

With global warming, you can grow grapes in the midwest quite easily these days....but no, ours have to come from half way around the world.

Fortunately, my milk is local, really organic, and yes, it does turn into yogurt...unlike the Chinese milk that has too many antibiotics in it for lactobacillus to survive. Hopefully the grass our cows are grazing on isn't too messed up with Chronic Wasting Disease Prions....(deer version of mad cow) When you shoot a deer in our state, you have its brain examined before you eat it....or heck, you can donate to poor people, and just have the thrill of the hunt! I will not touch venison anymore.

One of my daughters is a water resource specialist...you don't want to hear what she tells me. The other one is an energy analyst...you don't want to hear what you are breathing either.

Oh, don't use your non-stick cookware....The product will be pulled from the market in 2012, voluntarily, by the only company that still makes it, and also still markets it, heavily. Apparently it is good for constipation...eat enough and you are nonstick forever...even the polar bears are full of it. 'PFOA'

I have a poison pen today, so my best therapy is gonna be to go dig in my semi-organic dirt....(It can't really be organic if my water is dirty now can it??) This is what I get for watching the news! I lost my appetite completely. So much for a Friday Night Fish Fry....

Hi cyclelops, if the worry doesn't kill us all the chemicals in food will.
Any fruit or vegetables we buy from the supermarket, gets a good wash under the tap before we eat it, i hope it helps as most of the stuff in our supermarkets are imported crap and the chemicals that are banned here for use for our farmers are on the imported muck, it was on tv a while back were
a scientist tested the imported fruits and they had that banned substance on them.
Even the butchers put some chemical on the meat to make it appear to be fresh for longer, it is a worry really.