At Least it Ain't Cold............

[bicmudpuppy]

My son looks at me like he would like to throttle me every time I say that. As we see our first really hot week, I'm reminded again about how difficult it can be to remain hydrated and how hard it is to get acclimated to the coming "dog days".

Is dehydration and all the complications of it an occupational hazard? Or is it just a few of us who don't stay in good enough shape, etc.? I can go through 5-7 gallons of water a day when it gets really hot and still come home heat sick, dehydrated, etc.

Not counting water from the customers hydrant, I went through about 2.5 gallons today and the temp just missed 95. I felt like I survived better than usual, but still spent this PM trying to get back to par on fluids. What do the rest of you do to combat the heat and it's consequences?

[Dirty Water]

And this is why Jim Lewis and I live in the land of one continual seasion, seperated only by rainstorms :)

Seriously though, the average temperature here in the winter is about 45 and the average temperature in the summer is about 65...So its nice :)

[DanaMac]

What do the rest of you do to combat the heat and it's consequences?

Stay in the office and send out my guys!! :p Kind of true for me this time of year. Since I put in 10-14 hours a day in April and May, I try to keep myself doing very little in the field now that it has slowed down.

But seriously... like you said, lots of water, or Gatorade. I buy the powered mix. Take more breaks thru the day. Even 5-10 minutes in the shade and use the hose to cool down. Or turn on the sprinklers and run thru and have fun, or act like your adjusting them. If I get too hot, I'll find an extra shirt in the truck, wet it down and wrap in over my head and the back of my neck.

[SprinklerGuy]

My favorite way to stay cool: ( I just did this yesterday )

Leave the testcocks on the Wilkins 720 wide open.....when done soldering the downstream copper, turn on the lower ball valve without turning OFF the testcocks....make sure you turn the ball valve on full blast right away, do NOT turn it on slow....I promise you will be cooled off outside, but heated up inside...if you know what I mean!?# $ &*

Seriously though....in Arizona my guys deal with this 9-10 months of the year...they drink a lot of water, take a lot of breaks and start really early. I think it affects all people a bit differently...good luck to ya. It was very hot here yesterday until the rain came...boy did that feel good!

[Leo's]

your definetely not dehydrated if your drinking 2.5 gallons of water a day. Try to make sure if your sweating a ton to refuel your electrolytes. those will help you feel less sun drained.

[bicmudpuppy]

your definetely not dehydrated if your drinking 2.5 gallons of water a day. Try to make sure if your sweating a ton to refuel your electrolytes. those will help you feel less sun drained.
LOL, one would think that, but I passed my first Kidney stone in '96 while working in the DFW area. I was regularly going through 6-7 gallons a day and had been through at least 6 that day. I got an IV for dehydration and a pain killer while they did all the kidney x-rays, etc. First thing the doc said was I needed to make sure I got those 8 glasses of water a day. Can you believe I looked at him like he was nuts? And as far as electrolytes go, gatorade/powerade/sport drinks are great, but (even though I hate them) a banana at lunch and either tomato juice or V8 will kick you back into style much faster. I just wish I knew where to get salt tabs like we used to use back in the 70's and 80's. 2-4 salt tabs would pull you back out of near heat stroke about as fast as anything. Golf course I worked at had a dispenser mounted on the door casing to the bathroom, right next to the water fountain.

[Rustic Goat]

You can find salt tabs at medical supply stores, construction safety supply outlets, pharmacy counters in drug stores, etc.
It's really way to easy to overdo it with salt tabs though.

Electrolytes are the key.
About your stone, was it calcium based or uric acid base?
Important to know for prevention of future episodes.

Believe it or don't, Too much plain water is not a good thing.

[DanaMac]

Believe it or don't, Too much plain water is not a good thing.

Completely agree. I don't know how you can drink 6-7 gallons a day bicpuppy. You wouldn't have time to work with all the time you'd spend getting rid of it. 6-7 gallons a day - you might as well have an IV hooked into you all day and a catheter to capture it as you work!! With that much water, you're probably washing out all the minerals and vitamins that help you, which may have aided in the kidney stone episode. I'm no doctor, just making a guess.

[Wet_Boots]

Ice water is what sustains me in the hottest days. The deposit-bottle ponies of Rolling Rock in the water cooler can come in handy, too. :p

[AceSprinkleRx]

Ice water is what sustains me in the hottest days. The deposit-bottle ponies of Rolling Rock in the water cooler can come in handy, too. :p

Now we're talking! Back when I ran reclamation dozers, we would dig the mud out of the tracks at night to prevent the tracks from freezing up before the morning shifts. We started carrying a couple of those 8-pack beers in our water jugs. Yes they do come in handy.

[bicmudpuppy]

Completely agree. I don't know how you can drink 6-7 gallons a day bicpuppy. You wouldn't have time to work with all the time you'd spend getting rid of it. 6-7 gallons a day - you might as well have an IV hooked into you all day and a catheter to capture it as you work!! With that much water, you're probably washing out all the minerals and vitamins that help you, which may have aided in the kidney stone episode. I'm no doctor, just making a guess.
Suprisingly, I haven't ever had a problem consuming that much water, and in a 12-14 hour day, in 100+ heat I usually only stop 2 or 3 times max to loose any of it. BUT, as usuall, you guys are a wealth of info. Interestingly enough, right after I posted this, the local paper ran an article about something with a very long name that means you are over hydrated, but lacking in those essential nutrients. Article said it's actually deadly. For the last ten years, I get the 5 gallon cooler out and fill it with ice and top it off with water. By lunch, I borrow the customers hydrant to fill the "empty" jug back up with water. It usually is just under half full of ice. By the end of the day, that cooler is almost bone dry.
I posted this because a recent trip to the doc showed my K levels to be bottomed out. This seems to be a trait of the condition mentioned by the local paper. I'm going to give cutting back on the fluids a try. Using moderation of course and pushing the potasium and salt.

Thanks again for the responses. And, maybe my answer is to join you in that perfect climate Jon? LOL :)

[AceSprinkleRx]

Banana with lunch or for a mid-morning snack would be a good thing too.

[Wet_Boots]

Consider just consuming less water. Electrolyte imbalance is something you want to steer clear of. Pay some attention to blood sugar, too.

[justgeorge]

Interestingly enough, right after I posted this, the local paper ran an article about something with a very long name that means you are over hydrated, but lacking in those essential nutrients. Article said it's actually deadly.

I think it's hyponatremia or something like that. I've done Ironman distance races before and you have to replace the electrolytes along with the liquid - too much plain water can spell trouble. There have been big name triathletes who suffered bad from it.

I've been having stomach problems lately and reading this thread has reminded me of those issues. I've been drinking water and pop during the day and I bet my sodium and pottasium levels are way down.