Dehydration and electrolytes: My 27 year old... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,155 members160,837 posts

Dehydration and electrolytes

24 Replies

My 27 year old daughter suffers from severe dehydration that results in her muscles becoming painful. She has plenty of mineral water to drink during the day, uses salt in cooking and urine is pale in colour.

She is mainly both gluten-free and dairy-free and cooks pretty much everything from scratch. For years she's suffered from an IBS type complaint which the NHS Consultant diagnosed as depression, I kid you not.

I'm wondering whether there is something else going on such as lacking in certain nutrients etc., GPs have been useless. Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

24 Replies
crimple profile image
crimple

can you afford to get some private blood tests done through Blue Horizon?

That would be left to me to pay for crimple! She already thinks I've lost the plot, spend too much time on health forums and argue with the NHS - so why would she trust me??? Lol

sezzy profile image
sezzy

Is she hypothyroid? What do you mean by severe dehydration? if her urine runs clear doesnt that mean shes hydrated?

in reply to sezzy

No, not hypo but gets incredibly thirsty. She says her urine is clear.

helen0701 profile image
helen0701

Unless she is not drinking or is losing fluid through very severe vomiting or diahorrea it is not dehydration. How did she get this diagnosis I would get a second opinion and report the gp who told her this, it is more likely the pains are are related to something else my daughter had severe muscle pains and it seems to have been a side effect of her anti depressant, she is taking a lower dose now and the pains have gone

in reply to helen0701

She feels constantly thirsty and she's assuming it's to do with electrolytes. Not been to a GP and won't having been let down in the past.

nowiggo profile image
nowiggo

She is not dehydrated. She may be drinking too much water. We have been sold the myth by the bottled water industry that we need to drink something like 2 litres of water per day; this is entirely made up and no evidence exists for this. She may in fact be drinking too much water and causing her electrolyte levels to deplete A fairly large amount of the fluid we ingest each day comes from incidentals like fruit and vegetables.

She should monitor urine colour : darker in the morning, becoming lighter during the day as she re-hydrates

in reply to nowiggo

I do agree with you about drinking too much, I have personal experience of this. It makes the kidneys work harder. Urine always pale apparently.

mumcat2 profile image
mumcat2 in reply to nowiggo

Not disagreeing with you in any way about ovrr-hydrating, but I was very interested to be told that I personally require 3 litres a day! This was a surprise result which came out when I had a haemorrhagic stroke last year. I've always been a thirsty/run-to-the-loo sort, and was diagnosed as borderline diabetes insipidus when I had a water a deprivation test a few years ago now, but 50% more input than most does make me a drinkoholic...

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Does she use unrefined sea salt? This is a link - not to buy the book but for info:-

goodreads.com/book/show/705...

in reply to shaws

Ah, that's a very good point. Will tell her about this.

Busdy123 profile image
Busdy123

Yeah I would suggest getting bloods done if possible including vitamin d. I had severe muscle pains and it was due to low vitamin d. Feeling much better after a loading dose and maintaining that. May not be that for her though.

r0dg3r profile image
r0dg3r

cut the mineral water and go for plain old tap water I read somewhere that the minerals in bottled water can leave one thirsty

in reply to r0dg3r

Her nutritionist reckoned that mineral water was better than tap. Who knows!

Adrenal problems can cause this, it upsets the electrolyte balance. I have low cortisol, I drink 2 to 3 litres of mineral water a day, my skin, and scalp is very dry and scaly. My arms and face feel like sandpaper, and the skin sloughs off easily. I wash in doublebase prescribed, but still really dry. I constantly feel thirsty. I have PA and dry skin follows that too, but for me it's definitely adrenals.

in reply to

That's interesting. Poor you suffering with dry skin, not nice.

in reply to

It's worth reading up on, but don't expect anything from the NHS ;-)

Constantly thirsty - sounds like diabetes?

Yana profile image
Yana

My muscle pain has improved by taking a magnesium supplement. I've also read that a magnesium deficiency can cause cravings for salt. It's quite common for people to be deficient in this mineral.

freefrompaintoday.com/magne...

Coastwalker profile image
Coastwalker in reply to Yana

Interesting Yana, we are looking into Magnesium for muscle pain, I had salt cravings, now not so bad since Levo got upped, but interesting that it may also connect as I have read that salt craving were also connected with very low adrenal levels.

Yana profile image
Yana in reply to Coastwalker

It's possible. Bear in mind Magnesium is good for adrenal fatigue because it calms the body down. It's one of natures tranquilizers.

Coastwalker profile image
Coastwalker in reply to Yana

Even more interesting :) Thank Q Yana, I will try to remember that one. Off to buy some mega magnesium on line, though bit of a minefield out there as to which type, amount and dosage to buy. :)

T0ps1E profile image
T0ps1E

Topsie

These symptoms are familiar to me. My experience suggests parasites could be a cause, or contibuter, as could yeast infection - not necessarily candida - a good herbalist is probably the best root to uncovering these problems and erradicating them. The possibility of metal toxicity or allergic reaction also comes to mind and especially if there are amalgam fillings - but beware it is absolutely essential to see a dentist who uses the right protocol for removing amalgam and replacing fillings with a composite so read all you can first. Other possible sources of metal toxicity can be found via Google.

Symptoms referred to as IBS, yeast overgrowth, parasitic infections and under functioning thyroid galnd and /or adrenal glands go hand-in-hand with systemic metal toxicity - it really is worth checking this out. A homeopath or a therapist using some form of electrical resistance testing such as Vega, could test for metal toxicity but so could a knowledgeable dentist.

Muppet profile image
Muppet

I also suffer with dehydration and restless legs at night. I even have night sweats that don't help. I am thirsty all the time and need to drink over 2 litres a day or have headache and feel really tired. I have been tested for diabetes but it comes back as normal so i would be interested to know if you find anymore information out.

You may also like...

Dehydration Issue?

talk about. I had my thyroid removed a couple of years ago and have a serious problem with t4...

Hot weather and adrenals/hypothyroid - dehydration?

my urine was clear I lost a LOT of liquid. Could I potentially be having dehydration issues from...

Dehydration causes - is this a very long list?

mouth was even more dry last night. I couldn’t sleep from 2-4 am, because I was so thirsty no...

Chronic Dehydration and hypo? Link to cortisol? Pituitary function tests listed - any ideas? Please jump in and comment!

I suffer chronic dehydration. My pH is always acidic. My specific gravity is always high and reads...

Help with my mum's results!

all? She's been suffering from severe thyroid eye disease and has had radiotherapy, etc, and she's...