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Recognized Social Butterfly

THE DEHYRATION BLUES

The Dehydration Blues

My wife’s recent debilitating bout of dehydration reminds me of a harrowing experience I once had at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. During one very humid scorching summer afternoon, I spent nearly six hours chopping down dead limbs in my steep overgrown front yard, hoisting the remains into trash bins, and then lugging the detritus to a dumping spot far down the street. I took a few breaks in which I drank what I considered to be a sufficient amount of flavored water.

Pruning the foliage by itself was plenty of exercise for the day; but when I was done with my handiwork, I decided to work out at the deserted gym as twilight approached. Big mistake! Within a couple of minutes, I felt excruciating pain in my chest. Immediately, I stopped the treadmill and waited for the severe tightness in my chest to subside.  Even though the pain persisted and I was scared that I was going to die, instead of calling 911, I ever-so-slowly trekked back to my house. As I did so, my discomfit eased a bit. When I got home, I gingerly sat on the couch, hoping that I could get some help from my wife, who would soon return from running errands. Eventually, the chest pain relented and then stopped altogether before my wife arrived.

At first, I figured that my chronic acid reflux was the culprit. Or perhaps my distress was a prelude to an imminent heart attack. Only after I searched reliable websites did I learn that dehydration too can cause chest pains that mimic not just acid reflux but a heart attack as well. While clearing out the yard, I should have taken more time-outs and guzzled more liquids. Those precautions would have protected me from getting traumatized at the fitness center. Duh! After drinking a gallon of water, I completely recovered.

Ten years later, similar chest pains led to arterial blockage that required three stents. Although poor hydration wasn’t a factor then, getting an appropriate amount of liquids is nonetheless essential to enhance the quality of our daily lives.

 

schlomo
Esteemed Social Butterfly

How much is too much or too little..I find that the color of ones urine output has a story to tell..Also some meds cause a dry mouth and drinking enough water to combat this occurence ..I use Biotene mouth wash and toothpaste as a dry mouth can lead to other issues with the teeth and throat..I'm glad that you brought this water issue to light as we all need to be aware of these happenings before we suffer a similar fate..

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