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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Water Treatment. How much is too much?
        
(Message started by: CraigA27 on Nov 29^th, 2006, 1:52pm)

Title: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by CraigA27 on Nov 29^th, 2006, 1:52pm

I apologise if this has already been asked but i was unable to find it using the search facility.

I was reading the water x3 article on the left and thought its got to be worth ago since its free.

After reading it i went googleing water treatment for CH and came up with lots of sites refering to "hyponatremia" or "Water intoxication".

So my question is basically how much water can i drink without actually ending up in a coma or dead?

I know its probably a really excessive amount that i wont be able to drink but id rather be safe than sorry.

From reading around it seems the kidneys can get rid of roughly a litre per hour. As long as im not drinking more than that am i ok?

In the last 4 hours i have probably drank just under 2 litres

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by Margi on Nov 29^th, 2006, 2:22pm

hi Craig - you're exactly right to be cautious when trying the water treatment. I think it really does depend on your body weight, I doubt there is a universal answer to this question.

If you do the 'drink an 8 oz glass every hour' regime and, assuming you're awake for, what...16 hours a day then, that's 128 ounces in a day, that's 4 gallons a day, or roughly 8 litres. I'd say you're right on target if you're only a quarter of the way through your day.

However, everyone is different. Please do tell your doc that you are doing this, especially if you have any underlying kidney or liver conditions. Are you on any other meds? It's a good idea to supplement with a multivitamin while doing this so you don't wash out all the good stuff.

Here's what about.com says about water intoxication:

"It's Not How Much You Drink, It's How Fast You Drink It!

The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day! You are unlikely to suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to intaking an enormous volume at one time. As a general guideline, most adults need about three quarts of fluid each day. Much of that water comes from food, so 8-12 eight ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake. You may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, if you are exercising, or if you are taking certain medications. The bottom line is this: it's possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition. "

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by CynthiaB on Nov 30^th, 2006, 1:45pm

Margi is right to consider the medications you are on.

I noticed after I started taking Topamax that I could not stay out of the bathroom. (How long did it take them to connect the Topamax with the kidney stones, I wonder?)

I am drinking considerably more water than I would drink were I not on this medication, and sometimes I still feel that aching in my lower back that says I need to drink a little bit more.

Keep coming back, someone will post the magic number. (That's a trick to keep you around ;;D).

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by CraigA27 on Nov 30^th, 2006, 9:29pm

Thanks for the responses.

Pardon my french but S**T drinking this much water is hard work ;;D

Anyway hit due soon i can feel him shaking his cage gonna drink a glass of water down a red bull then stick my head in the sink of nice icy cold water. Does life get any better than this.... sheer bliss :D :D

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by CynthiaB on Nov 30^th, 2006, 9:59pm

Clear p*ss? Mine too. Oh ...you said sheer bliss!!!n Yes, of course. I agree.

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 1^st, 2006, 4:37am

My own experience is that very few people actually drink the so called "recommended 8 glasses of water per day" - and that's already lots of water!

If you drink down an 8oz glass of water as soon as you get out of bed and then follow up with another glass before breakfast, then the chances are you will start the peeing cycle. Then drink a glass every time you pee. This will probably be every 30 mins for the first few days until your body adjusts to the extra water. You will then be drinking about 20 or so glasses per day at 1 per half hour or so. I have done this many times for weeks on end and never got "water intoxicated". It does lessen the pain a bit and I doubt this amount will harm you in any way. After about a week or so you will find that your need to pee will be much less often. 8)

Another up side for some is that you will feel less hungry, and many people lose weight on this regime.

I hope this helps you.

John

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by sandie99 on Dec 1^st, 2006, 5:59am

I drink about 2 litres a day. It doesn't seem much because I have a glass near me when I'm at home and sip it during the day.

But I do recall how hard it was when I first begun to add more water into my diet. ;;D

I hope it helps you guys!

Sanna

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by floridian on Dec 1^st, 2006, 12:53pm

on 11/29/06 at 14:22:51, Margi wrote:

If you do the 'drink an 8 oz glass every hour' regime and, assuming you're awake for, what...16 hours a day then, that's 128 ounces in a day, that's 4 gallons a day, or roughly 8 litres. I'd say you're right on target if you're only a quarter of the way through your day.

??!!

~~128 ounces = 4 gallons~~
128 ounces = 4 quarts
128 ounces = 1 gallon

~~4 gallons = 8 liters~~;
4 gallons = 15.1 liters (US gallons)
1 gallon = 3.8 liters

Short term (day or two), most people can double or triple their normal water consumption with no problems.

In the long term, the amount of water that it is safe to drink depends on how much sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium is in the food you eat, and the health of your kidneys.

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by floridian on Dec 1^st, 2006, 12:55pm

on 12/01/06 at 04:37:23, jmorgan52 wrote:

If you drink down an 8oz glass of water as soon as you get out of bed and then follow up with another glass before breakfast, then the chances are you will start the peeing cycle. Then drink a glass every time you pee. This will probably be every 30 mins for the first few days until your body adjusts to the extra water. You will then be drinking about 20 or so glasses per day at 1 per half hour or so.
...

After about a week or so you will find that your need to pee will be much less often. 8)

John

Where does the extra water go? 8)

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 1^st, 2006, 1:07pm

on 12/01/06 at 12:55:02, floridian wrote:

Where does the extra water go? 8)

Simple - after a week or so of drinking lots of extra water, your body adjusts somehat, And your need to pee so urgently every half hour dies down to the more "normal" 5 or 6 times a day. But... they are REALLY BIG PEES ;;D

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by Margi on Dec 1^st, 2006, 1:53pm

on 12/01/06 at 12:53:01, floridian wrote:

??!!

er...um.....yeah - you're right, Flo - my bad. Thanks for catching that. Sheesh! ::) I was confusing quarts with gallons - duh....and then getting the math totally wrong on top of that!

I have a hard time with the old fashioned measuring system at the best of times, metric makes so much more sense. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :P

Title: Re: Water Treatment. How much is too much?
Post by floridian on Dec 1^st, 2006, 7:26pm

My vote is for the metric system, too. Except Celcius should be only for chemistry. Room temperature, body temperature, a cool day - those are all better in Farenheit.