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I drink 200oz of Gatorade per day, help me

Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
Does this ever get any better? I get up 2-4 times per night to urinate. Being 'dehydrated' can actually cause me insomnia. My life is dominated by Gatorade, and it is an emergency if I run out. Without Gatorade I get headaches, blurred vision, and 'drift off into another world'.
 

Murph

:)
Messages
1,799
200oz = 5.9L for those of us playing along in the free world. ;)

That doesn't seem like an absurd volume to me. I drink a huge amount too, but mostly water and probably only 10% gatorade. Without constant fluids I fall apart.

Do you take the sugar version? While hydration is really important that much sugar intake could potentially be unhelpful given what we know now about energy pathways. Or it could be creating a sugar crash cycle that perpetuates things. Have you experimented with the sugar-free version?

There are also medications you can take to help with these things. I've recently been prescribed florinef to control fluid retention. Seems a little bit helpful and I'm experimenting with higher doses.
 

mrquasar

Senior Member
Messages
358
Location
Houston, TX USA
Have you checked your blood sugar levels? You should try to check them throughout the day and see if there is any correlation with the times you feel dehydrated and that you need the Gatorade. And you probably should stick to water to keep yourself hydrated. Sugary drinks like Gatorade will dehydrate you because your blood sugar will rise and your body will week to re-balance it by eliminating the excess sugar through urination.
 

mrquasar

Senior Member
Messages
358
Location
Houston, TX USA
If you drink only water, you should get a sense of how much is appropriate based on how frequently you need to urinate. If you're still needing to urinate 2-4 times during the night, you're drinking too much. I have a feeling what you describe as dehydration is actually another issue entirely. Just my 2 cents.
 

Cheesus

Senior Member
Messages
1,292
Location
UK
So, you need 6 liters of fluid per day to remain hydrated?

I think you need to speak to a urologist.
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
They gave me florinef, it helped a lot. You might want to see an OI expert (an electrophysiologyst).
 

Dechi

Senior Member
Messages
1,454
6L per day is like 3 times the normal amount of fluid intake. It is a lot ! You need to see a specialist about that. I used to drink 3L per day but I had to decrease because I was going to the bathroom 3-4 times per night, and not sleeping much, obviously.

Now I drink about 2L per day and try to stop drinking around 7pm so I don't have to wake up during the night. I often still go once, and drink 1 sip,of water then because my mouth is dry (and so are my eyes, but that's another story).
 

Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
I've already had an ACTH test, diabetes insipidus, A1C, and the other usual suspects. All tests are normal. These symptoms started around 20 years ago. It has had ups and downs. When I finally did manage to make it to the cardiologist (for POTS) they told me to 'push myself' and 'exercise'. Can't drink plain water because it makes me nauseous. If I substitute gatorade for another sports drink, with a lot of potassium, I become extremely nauseous.

While walking (from the parking garage) to the University of Maryland Medical I got lost, because I'm 'out of it'. But if you let me lie down I will 'come back', also brain comes back online and thirst signals are more prominent. If I could lie down all day, I would be normal. This is how I got through high school btw....

Only use the powder gatorade, and only use 60% of the recommended amount (I drink out of a 64oz gatorade container, more convenient). When I was at the holistic DR in 2013 they also mentioned some of the things other posters have mentioned, like drinking for blood sugar reasons, etc. Was on flourinef 20 years ago, don't remember the result. Ritalin does briefly help symptoms, but can crash afterwards because it retards thirst.
 
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Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
Have you checked your blood sugar levels? You should try to check them throughout the day and see if there is any correlation with the times you feel dehydrated and that you need the Gatorade. And you probably should stick to water to keep yourself hydrated. Sugary drinks like Gatorade will dehydrate you because your blood sugar will rise and your body will week to re-balance it by eliminating the excess sugar through urination.

I have purchased a BG monitor in the past, all normal. If you look up the symptoms of dehydration, this is what I get. One 'tell' I have is when my lips start to become pitted and chapped, like I've been chewing on them. As I've also been to either the ER or urgent care 4 times in the last 5 years, the ER dr mentioned this as well. Let me walk you through one visit:

They take my blood and urine. Dr notes that my lips and chapped and I must be 'dehydrated' 'it can catch up with you and you may not notice'. Nurse comes back in 'electrolytes checked out fine, you aren't dehydrated', while lieing flat and hooked up to IV fluids. Dr comes back in I remark that 'I feel much better lieing flat and with IV fluids', Dr says 'you must have been dehydrated'. So... how is dehydration determined again???
 

Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
6L per day is like 3 times the normal amount of fluid intake. It is a lot ! You need to see a specialist about that. I used to drink 3L per day but I had to decrease because I was going to the bathroom 3-4 times per night, and not sleeping much, obviously.

Now I drink about 2L per day and try to stop drinking around 7pm so I don't have to wake up during the night. I often still go once, and drink 1 sip,of water then because my mouth is dry (and so are my eyes, but that's another story).

One thing that 12 months of herbs, accupuncture, and vitamins from a holisitc DR did do was almost eliminate my nighttime urination entirely. On the whole it improved symptoms a 2 out of 10, and that is why I stopped, it wasn't worth the expense.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
Vanderbilt would be a great place to try. Perhaps desmopressin could be an option. I know a few on the forums have tried it, but this is not a drug you try on your own. You need tight supervision by a physician for that.
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
The closest autonomic clinic is in at Vanderbilt in Tennessee, unless I've missed something. I live in Maryland. Just FINDING a cardiologist who knows what POTS is, is hard enough.
I had to go to a specialty clinic too, Long way 9h out!!!! Yes you can find locally people that handle POTs, OI is common on old people so you can find local cardiologist (with the specialty of electrophysiology) that will take care of your POTs, Mine didn't have me controlled why I went to the specialty clinic, but Maryland is perfect for finding OI doctors. Go to dinet.org and doctor list.
 

mrquasar

Senior Member
Messages
358
Location
Houston, TX USA
Have you been to an endocrinologist and urologist before? It could also be a problem with your kidneys or hormone glands that's throwing your hydration balance out of whack. Have you googled your cluster of symptoms and found any conditions that match? You may just have to make a list of most likely conditions and rule them out one by one. It can get tedious and costly, but I'm not sure what the other option would be if you really want to get to the root of your symptoms.

Or have you already been diagnosed with condition(s) that explain all of your symptoms?
 

Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
but Maryland is perfect for finding OI doctors. Go to dinet.org and doctor list.

There is one guy in maryland and he books 6-8 months out. I had compression stockings, flourinef, the whole nine yard ... 20 years ago. I don't think any POTS dr can tell me anything I don't already know. POTS is largely treated with lifestyle anyway.

It can get tedious and costly, but I'm not sure what the other option would be if you really want to get to the root of your symptoms.

Or have you already been diagnosed with condition(s) that explain all of your symptoms?

My dx is POTS, and its basically a 'wastebasket' DX, just like CFS is. Yet my heartrate does not increase upon standing... but it did 20 years ago with fainting etc. As far as tedious and costly is concerned, my plan is to live in a van. That way, I can travel to wherever in the USA I need to, to get the care I need.
 
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CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Dr. Cheney recommended Vitalyte for electrolyte replacement:
http://www.klemmerhead.com/vitalyte...-article-fibormyalgia-lyme-disease-arthritis/

A study by Bell and Streeten established that the average CFS patient has only 70% of the normal blood volume. To address this, Dr. Cheney recommends drinking one quart of an electrolyte solution daily on an empty stomach. The best one he has found is Gookinaid’s VITLALYTE™*. VITALYTE is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream through the stomach lining because it is isotonic – it matches the chemical concentration of the body’s fluids. When one of our local members asked Dr. Cheney about vitamin IV’s, Gookinaid’s VITLALYTE came up again. While Dr. Cheney thinks that the IV’s can be very helpful, he told her that if they are inconvenient or expensive, she could get virtually the same benefit from her regular supplements and drinking VITALYTE (this assumes that there is no problem assimilating the supplements). Because VITALYTE is absorbed so rapidly, it acts like an IV.

The glucose (in VITLALYTE) concerned some since it’s a sugar, and sugars feed yeasts. Dr. Cheney said that it’s not a concern with this product. Gookinaid’s VITLALYTE passes directly from the stomach in to the blood and never enters the intestinal tract where the yeast flourishes. Only fluids similar in concentration to the body’s fluids are so easily absorbed. Water can cause the cells’ lining in the stomach to swell and slow absorption. Also, when the pressure of the water in the stomach forces water into the blood, it dilutes the blood and, when the diluted blood passes through the kidneys, they get rid of the excess water leaving a person almost as dehydrated as before drinking the water. On the other hand, solutions that are too concentrated can pull water from the body into the digestive tract making you even more dehydrated.”

From the March 2001 issue of the Cheney Clinic Online Newsletter

*As Dr. Cheney says, Gookinaid increases blood volume without diluting your blood because it has the same concentration of glucose and critical electrolytes (especially potassium, and sodium) as blood. This means that the water, glucose and electrolytes tend to stay in your circulation, instead of being absorbed into the tissues which would cause edema or being excreted by the kidneys, which would cause frequent urination and loss of the electrolytes and water.

You might want to compare the sodium, potassium and carb concentrations of Gatorade vs. Vitalyte. Gatorade is usually too high in sodium and it could be making you worse.
Gatorade: 160mg Sodium / 45mg Potassium / 21g carbs
There are a few varieties of Gatorade so you may want to check your own bottle.
Vitalyte: 68mg Sodium / 92mg Potassium / 10g carbs
http://www.vitalyte.com/products/electrolyte-replacement/zesty-orange-kilo-jar.html

I've been drinking Vitalyte for over 20 years. It used to be called Gookinaid, named for the developer Bill Gookin. I prefer this to plain water also, although I'd say only about half my fluid intake comes from Vitalyte.

There's also a thread here about making your own electrolyte replacement drink:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/electrolyte-rehydration-recipes-ingredients.3900/
 

Vincent

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
Baltimore, Maryland USA
You have more options this days: vasoconstriction, vassodilators, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, motions sickness drug...

Sorry I'm just jaded. I can't risk going to a dr and having them NOT help me. If a dr tells me to 'exercise' they can fuck off. Another example. I go to a holisitic dr in NOVA, 3.5hr drive. The next day, I can't get out of bed. My arms and legs feel like concrete. I lie on the floor under a glass desk (where my monitor faces down) with my legs up on a chair. This puts me in the ER where I must be topped off with IV fluids, as I can't even bed over to get my socks out of the dryer. Half measure just wont work, and neither will waiting 6 months. I'll live in a van and drive to Stanford myself.



I'll try the Vitalyte but it costs over double of Gatorade.
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
I'll try the Vitalyte but it costs over double of Gatorade

The Vitalyte store runs promotions that feature 20% off the regular price every couple of months. You can receive notifications of these promotions by subscribing to their newsletter here:
http://www.vitalyte.com/news/

Right now it looks like Amazon has the best price: $15.29 for both the orange flavor and citrus flavor (not sure why the other flavors are $17.99):
https://www.amazon.com/Vitalyte-Electrolyte-Sports-Servings-Container/dp/B01KY0EJ20?th=1

When I'm running out and Vitalyte isn't running a promotion, I buy from Lucky Vitamin:
https://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-3020...ement-drink-mix-fruit-punch-80-servings-35-oz
It's back-ordered at the moment. If you're a first-time customer at Lucky Vitamin you can get $5 off orders that are $49. See https://www.retailmenot.com/view/luckyvitamin.com
 
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