Has anyone had a similar problem with dehydration or am I wrong in my self diagnosis?

[Tomekeuro85]

I have had intermittent serious back pain/cramps for a while and I had no idea why. It would come and go without explanation... I've never hurt my back in any way and I had no idea what could cause it. I'm 28, not overweight, and I don't strain my back during my work day.


The pain would persist to such an extent that it would take me a few minutes to get out of bed in the morning because my muscles would cramp so bad it was too painful to take a breath. Same if I wanted to get off the couch after sitting for longer than a few mins.


I eventually started wondering why this was happening for only a few days at a time, and the conclusion I came up with was that it may have been due to dehydration.

At my worst, I would drink 2 lo-carb monster energy drink cans a day for 4-5 days at a time, without drinking any water. As we all know, caffeine dehydrates you. After a few days, the back pain would start and it would be pretty bad, as described. Unfortunately I didn't connect the dots because I never felt thirsty.


I noticed that when I made sure to drink a lot of water, the back pain went away. Prior to my "discovery", I almost never drank water, except during summer when it was excruciatingly hot in our shop.


Ever since I figured out (in my case) water = no back pain, I have been drinking nearly a gallon a day. No back pain ever since.


I've also found that I now become quite thirsty if I don't keep up my pace of water intake, which had never happened before. I used to go several days without drinking cups of actual water because I wasn't thirsty. I would drink almost exclusively the lo-carb monster and diet coke (yes, very healthy), with the occasional juice of some sort or gatorade. I am surprised that I now get as thirsty as I do if I don't drink water for even an hour.


Does this happen to anyone else? Can anyone with medical experience verify this?

 

[BoilerUP]

Few people get as much water as they should. Chalk it up to soda, energy drinks, coffee, etc.

First sign I am getting a little dehydrated (typically after 4+ cups of coffee) is leg cramps for no good reason. 32oz+ water and an hour later and they are pretty much gone.

 

[truth]

Could have been kidney pain. Might want to get some blood work done.

 

[ORD]

Dehydration is a @#$%*...no doubt about that. I have been in similar circumstances in the past, albeit not quite to the level of severity that you seem to have experienced.

That said...if you haven't gotten a full check-up/annual physical with blood work/labs lately...might be a good idea to do so as your symptoms, even though seemingly relieved by your increased water consumption, could be a sign of "other" problems that you'll want to get addressed.

 

[2guard]

could be the energy drinks causing kidney pain. My boss's daughter, a long time ago when I was in college, was having back pains in the kidney area and went to the doctor to have it checked out. She was drinking 4-6 gatorades (16-20oz variety) a day and nothing else. He told her it was hard on the kidneys and might eventually cause kidney stones. She stopped drinking them and the pain went away.

Try cutting them out for at least 2 weeks and drink plenty of water, and pray you don't have kidney stones because they are super painful. Got a kidney stone when I was playing basketball about 6 hours a day and living on a high protein diet. Very, very painful.

I will ask my girlfriend about this, she's in pre-med (not quite a doctor yet), but she may have come across something like it.

 

[19Scout77]

During the period when you believe you were dehydrated, what did your piss look like?

 

[Timberbeast7]

Does it happen at night most of the time? I had similar back pain off and on for a couple years before I had my first full fledged gall bladder attack due to a gall stone.

 

[Wintermute]

Let me tell you a brief story about drinking what you are during the day and not drinking enough water:

I pretty much did the same thing as you on a regular basis until around last April. The day after my wife was admitted to the hospital for a pregnancy related issue, I spiked a 105 fever and spent the entire night delirious. Next morning, fever dropped to around 102.5 and I was mostly lucid and able to let my wife know I couldn't come visit her in the hospital. That night I developed new symptoms which prompted me to call the nurse hotline and I was advised to head into the urgent care the next morning at 9am. I couldn't take it and went to the ER at 3am. At around 3:45 I was diagnosed with bilateral pyelonephritis (that's a sever infection in both kidneys btw). I was told by the doc that I was about 2 hours from full renal failure and if I had waited to head into the urgent care I probably would have been dead or well on my way there by the time I arrived.

After a feed of IV antibiotics, I was released just in time to go hang out in the OR with my wife while she had a C-section.

I had lower back pain for a week or so prior to all of this and didn't think anything about it...I should have seen a doctor about it. After all of this, I've had to undergo continued tests for prostate cancer, etc... and that's still an option, however, the urologist made it pretty clear I wasn't drinking enough water during the day in any case and I was drinking way too many energy drinks...those things aren't good for your kidneys in large amounts. Since then I've made sure I have at least 1.5 liters of water a day and man I feel better overall.

So...the moral of this story: Possible kidney pain isn't something to fuck around with (unless you feel like dying while hooked up to a machine that's cleaning your blood for you after your kidneys fail). Hydrate...the alternatives are bad. By all means drink coffee...but cut the energy drinks back to maybe one a day at the most.

--Wintermute

 

[Trapshooter12]

I worked construction and I would experience back pain in my kidney areas and it would happen in the winter time. The reason being was I cut back on the water intake because it was cool or cold outside. I came to the conclusion that I wasn't drinking enough water also.

I work in a weld shop now and I have a 24oz coffee cup I fill with ice and water and I will do 2 or 3 of them a day. I can really tell when I am not getting enough water my thighs start cramping up.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

Thanks for all the replies so far. One thing I definitely started doing is really limiting my energy drink intake... 1. Because its probably incredibly bad for your kidneys to filter out their "proprietary energy blend" and 2. Because its ridiculous to spend $5 a day for energy drinks.

I wondered about kidney stones, but the pain/cramping seems to be more focused around my shoulder blades. The pain would happen any time really. Usually during times of inactivity. If I was up and walking around I would hardly notice.

I agree it would be wise to have a physical since my last one was about a year ago but without any blood work. I am much more conscious about my water intake now, especially that my body is so quick to remind me when I'm thirsty.

 

[KHOOKS]

I to have done this but when I go without water I get kidney stones moving about. Happened just this week. Monday I didn't intake but about 20oz of soft drink and kool-aid all day long the next morning I was hurting and had to pass a stone. I'm trying to change my ways but habits are hard to break.

 

[George63]

could be kidneys, but your disks shrink when dehydrated putting pressure on nerves - also, if you get intermittent unexplained headaches, over hydrating can often reduce/ eliminate them - peeing 10 times a day may be inconvenient but is more pleasant than the headaches

on the energy drinks - google caffeine and taurine
went to see a young guy that I worked with in the hospital, he had a stroke in his 30's that they blamed on energy drinks, ended up with permanent partial paralysis that ended his career in construction - of course he also drank, smoked, dipped and seldom ate real food

 

[gimpy]

he also drank, smoked, dipped and seldom ate real food

You mean I shouldn't do all these things?

 

[George63]

You mean I shouldn't do all these things?

no, it's fine for you - your wife can buy some more purses with the extra life ins $$$ - she ordered up a few cases of monster for you

 

[gimpy]

She says she didn't order them.... Yet.

 

[Maggot]

I think you answered your own question. If it walks like a duck...etc.

 

[High Binder]

I'm 28

monster energy drink

Aren't Monster/RedBull drinks for middle/high school kids? I think you need to realize that you're too old for that shit and your body won't recover from abuse like it used to ... and it only gets worse. I'm a fair amount older than you and my body doesn't recover from anything like it used to when I was your age, much less ~18.

I hate water with a passion but I get wicked headaches (worst pain I've ever felt) if I don't pound it all day. I buy those little Mio flavorings and keep a handful on the desk to encourage drinking water I also installed a reverse osmosis system (only $200) on my house's kitchen sink to make the water more smooth and taste better.

 

[Maggot]

Aren't Monster/RedBull drinks for middle/high school kids? I think you need to realize that you're too old for that shit and your body won't recover from abuse like it used to ... and it only gets worse. I'm a fair amount older than you and my body doesn't recover from anything like it used to when I was your age, much less ~18.
QUOTE]

No shit, HB. up until I was 38 or so I could party for a week, then get one good nights sleep and a square meal and be ready to do it again. Now at 64 I can party for one night and it takes a week to recover. This getting old is not for sissies.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

Aren't Monster/RedBull drinks for middle/high school kids? I think you need to realize that you're too old for that shit and your body won't recover from abuse like it used to ... and it only gets worse. I'm a fair amount older than you and my body doesn't recover from anything like it used to when I was your age, much less ~18.

I hate water with a passion but I get wicked headaches (worst pain I've ever felt) if I don't pound it all day. I buy those little Mio flavorings and keep a handful on the desk to encourage drinking water I also installed a reverse osmosis system (only $200) on my house's kitchen sink to make the water more smooth and taste better.

To those of your who Pound Water---- you can actually dehydrate yourself with too much water! Yes, it sounds strange, but you need to be careful if you sweat profusely like I do. I used to drink gallons---yes, you read that right, 2.5-3 gallons of water a day in the summer, and still be thirsty. I got wicked head-aches too. I found out that I was actually leaching the electrolytes from my system, and dehydrating by drinking water. Water is good, don't get me wrong, but I have to balance my intake with gatorade or powerade, and water, and I drink unsweet Iced Tea a lot too. My head-aches only return if I don't have enough electrolytes, and a gatorade later, they are gone. I also keep a box of Emergen-C packets handy, so I can mix one up if I start to feel dehydrated or sun/heat stroke.

Everything in balance. And, you are all correct that most of us don't drink enough water in a day.

 

[Hueyguy]

Great thread here- we all need reminded of things like this once in a while. I drink too much Red Bull, too. Guilty as charged. But I know when I have something coming up I need to get straight before-hand, so I'll go with a bottle of Pedialyte the night before, and water/Gatorade just before, and more Pedialyte and water afterwards, as much water as I can during.
I remember CAX's, MAGTAF's, etc, MedEvac'ing a lot of guys that went down from heat exhaustion, heat stroke. It was a real eye-opener seeing a heat stroke victim and hearing the prognosis from a Corpsman; I made sure I got enough, even when the ship turned the water off for rationing hours. Gotta be careful!!

 

[Tact999]

To those of your who Pound Water---- you can actually dehydrate yourself with too much water! Yes, it sounds strange, but you need to be careful if you sweat profusely like I do. I used to drink gallons---yes, you read that right, 2.5-3 gallons of water a day in the summer, and still be thirsty. I got wicked head-aches too. I found out that I was actually leaching the electrolytes from my system, and dehydrating by drinking water. Water is good, don't get me wrong, but I have to balance my intake with gatorade or powerade, and water, and I drink unsweet Iced Tea a lot too. My head-aches only return if I don't have enough electrolytes, and a gatorade later, they are gone. I also keep a box of Emergen-C packets handy, so I can mix one up if I start to feel dehydrated or sun/heat stroke.

Everything in balance. And, you are all correct that most of us don't drink enough water in a day.

I had similar problems. I've always been active and in great shape, but over the last two months I went primal/ Paleo. Gatorade and such are frowned upon and I used to drink one or two daily. For work a lot of times I'm climbing rough terrain. Well I've cramped up in my legs a few times and figured it was the electrolytes. Ive never cramped up in. 40+ years. So I was able to find a replacement that didn't have all that extra crap and things are good now.

 

[onechance]

I drink tons of water. If I'm out west hunting I'll take a gallon of 50/50 water and Pedialyte. Pedialyte is better for you than Gatorade.

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

getting enough potassium can help reduce the cramping as well - part of the minerals and salts that pure water doesn't have but which are in rehydration formulas

 

[George63]

less sugar/ wild colors than gatorade :

gookinaid at REI - FREE SHIPPING With $50 minimum purchase

 

[Tact999]

I have been using Intensity Nutrition Hydrate and TEN Institute Hydrocell Enhancer with great success.

 

[rjacobs]

half your body weight in oz i.e. 200lbs should drink 100oz a day minimum. Thats a good base line. Obviously certain situations could result in the need to intake more water, but at a minimum half your body weight in oz.

 

[Sniper Uncle]

half your body weight in oz i.e. 200lbs should drink 100oz a day minimum. Thats a good base line. Obviously certain situations could result in the need to intake more water, but at a minimum half your body weight in oz.

Thanks for putting a number on it. Always good to have a guideline to shoot for.


Cheers,
Tim
The Right to Keep and Bear Arms Shall NOT be Infringed

 

[rjacobs]

When I do long distance cycling and running the numbers i have heard are 24oz an hour, again minimum. Thats for endurance athletic events. It seems like a decent number and pretty easy to accomplish. I can some times, if its hot, drink 2x that and every other bottle has electrolytes in it of some kind usually hammer nutrition endurolytes, but regular old gatorade powder, not pre made liquid some times.

For anybody that gets cramps doing endurance type athletics and you are already doing the water and electrolyte mix, carry some Tums with you. The ingredients will help neutralize the acids in your muscles and relieve cramping. On some 100 mile rides I do, no matter what I do, I get leg cramps but pop a couple Tums and within 10 minutes I am generally good to go. I end up carrying a big bottle of them and a bottle of Hammer Endurolyte pills and end up giving them out to people who are un-prepaired for cramping. They say "well ive been drinking Gatorade all day, but im still cramping". Gatorade is good, but not nearly good enough and the "electrolytes" in Gatorade arent that high of quality. Doing long distance athletics its not a matter of if you will cramp, but when.

 

[meathunter1]

Pedialyte is good shit. People used to laugh when i drank it the before /during games. But hey I never cramped up pr felt bloated by drinking to much water or hateraid

 

[Veer_G]

Once again, the obvious answer eludes us.