Hyponatremia - a cautionary tale (warning: long) (Read 1288 times)

Had my first run in with hyponatremia today, and wanted to tell my cautionary tale. Background: this has been my first summer running since I've lived in Fresno, CA, where we have two seasons, Fog and Hot. I've learned a lot about how to run with temps in the high 90Fs, and while it's mostly been ok, I've had a few struggles with hydration here and there. Occasionally I've felt mildly woozy, and a friend wisely suggested that I take in electrolytes. I picked up some gatorade endurance, but didn't like how it made my mouth feel nor how it made me extra-thirsty. So I switched back to plain water. As I said, normally I don't have any problems, and on top of that, in cooler temps, I need little to no water for runs up to 12 mi. So I didn't worry about it. My lack of experience and lackadaisical attitude was bound to get me eventually. For some mysterious reason, yesterday I thought, "I'm gonna do this hydration thing RIGHT". Ha! OK, so I had minimal caffeine, sipped water all day, ate only healthy foods, didn't even have a Saturday night beer. Had a big glass of water before turning in early. Got up at 3 am to pee (hmmm...), had a few more oz of water, back to bed. Slept well. Got up (more peeing), and in the 2 hrs before running had a light breakfast and "pre-hydrated" with about 32 oz of water. Good to go, right?? So my 10 mi route has water at 1.5, 3, 4.7, 5.3, 7, and 8.5 mi. I take on about 4 oz at the first 5 of these (along with a pee stop...). At almost 8.5m, suddenly I was woozy...then nauseated...then seeing blackness...then down! My friend tried to grab me, so at least I went down gently! A wave of nausea revived me enough so that the gathering crowd could enjoy my finest dry-heaving performance. Many were kind enough to offer water, fortunately by then I'd figured out exactly what flavor of numbskull I'd been, so I declined, at least as politely as a mud-covered, dry-heaving woman wearing filthy pink running clothes can decline something. I recovered well enough to walk home (carefully - still feeling a little off-balance), and was amazed at how quickly a handful of sportbeans and some gatorade endurance returned me to my normal, somewhat less dopey, self. So, what's the take-home message? It seems that sipping water all the time is not only unnecessary, it's also potentially dangerous. I always thought the people who became hyponatremic were crazy water chuggers - WRONG! I'll be more careful about that, of course...and also start learning how to take in electrolytes. I was foolish to blow that off just because I'm fine on the majority of my runs. And I'll have that beer tonight, thank you very much! Arla

Wow..I wouldn't have thought only that much water could have caused that! Scares me because this summer when I was at Ft. Knox for army stuff they would make us chug an entire qt of water, to empty one canteen, after doing some physcial stuff. I was SO sick, I had to restrain myself from vomiting up all the water, and felt like crap the rest of the afternoon. I doubt I was overhydrated, but still, drinking too much can definitely be a bad thing!

Skeeter, I had hoped that the Army had cut that stuff out. A few basic trainees have died from hyponatremia. When I got to Kuwait way back in the first Gulf War, we were told to drink 2 x 2 liter bottles of water each day. Not too bright.

For some people that would be the right amount of water, for some not enough, and for others too much. It would be better if they encouraged soldiers to drink to thirst and pay attention to their urine color and output.

I always thought as someone else said, that it would be much more water than that. Your intake sounds like an average day for me. I drink a ton of water, no soda or juice. I probably drink at least 64oz or more daily. I have one of those water and ice things on my fridge and cannot walk by it withou filling my glass. No I am not diabetic. DH made me get tested repeatedly. When I was pregnant with both my children it was more. I craved ice water, drank pitchers. I carry a fuel belt on my long runs and drink about 16 oz at least. Glad your okay. How scary.

ANY fluid? What about beer? I might've been better off... Arla

Hmm, I should probably cool it on my water consumption as well. I usually ALWAYS have 1 to 1.5 32oz bottles of water, 2 cups of coffee and occasionally a cup or two of tea mostly every day. but ive never had the sickness like the poster described. My pee is almost always clear though.....

For at least the past decade, I have consumed anywhere from 4 to 8 pints of water every single day. On hot days, as many as ten. Never had a single problem. I drink water throughout the day, not just when I am thirsty. Never feel bloated, pee once after lunch. And then I can go run 90 minutes in 90 degrees without a drop of water and feel fine. I will chug a pint or two in the hour after. I think this condition, and our susceptibility to it, varies from person to person. Forcing water down in large quantities in a short time just goes against common sense.

Beer is for AFTER the run. Rehydration. And this: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1518246

Can't believe you dug that one up. Either it's a classic, or you're an old fart. That's a really strange study on so many levels. Interesting that they guy refused 100 proof EtOH. "Gimme my beer!". Not to mention that I can't imagine getting that project past the human subjects police. Arla