A (long) Dehydration Story

I am just about two and a half years out.  It took me a long, long time to get to my pre-surgery level of activity and I wasn't quite at that point last year.  This summer, here in North Florida, we have had many days where the temperature is close to 100, with the Heat Index up to around 110.

I always knew that those with the sleeve surgery could get dehydrated but never paid much attention to that fact.  I hate drinking water.  I really don't even like drinking flavored waters, Gatorade, etc.   I had been made aware by my doctor that my pulse rate was kind of high, around 110-120.  It's always been kind of high, around 100.  I was advised that I was probably dehydrated and to drink more water.  So I did....a little bit.  A few weeks ago, I had felt really dehydrated, had had even less fluid than normal, was feeling a little dizzy and spaced out.  I decided to check my pulse as I had been told.  It was 135!!!!  My physician didn't answer the phone as it was during lunch.  My sister, a nurse, advised me to get someone to take me to the ER.

I had thought to drive myself but when I told my supervisor that I needed to leave and go to the ER because of my rapid pulse rate, she about flipped out!  She wanted me to lie back if I could, she sat next to me holding my hand, HR showed up with the AED (Automated External Defibrillator).  The Bureau Chief called the ambulance.  This excitement actually caused my pulse rate to go up to nearly 150 bpm.  

The firefighters and paramedics showed up and loaded me onto a stretcher.  Then I got wheeled out in front of everyone in the building (because we are all nosy when an ambulance shows up).  One of the firefighters suggested that maybe I was enjoying having  all these buff men taking care of me.  I did!!  I jokingly asked him if they had done a calendar yet!  Then they loaded me into the ambulance and off we went to the ER.

The concern here, obviously, was that I was at risk for a heart attack.  My bosses and co-workers were doubly concerned because we had someone actually die in the office of a heart attack, right at her desk in front of someone.  I arrived at the ER and they hooked me up to a lot of machines and an IV.  I got TWO liters of fluid in the ER and after all that fluid I still didn't have to pee (sorry).  My heart rate went down to 100 after all that fluid.

My sister, the nurse, always nags me about getting enough fluids.  My daughter nags me about the same thing.  Now I had the ER doctor, the Physicians Assistant at the ER, my Primary Care doctor, my Pain Management doctor and his PA are now pointing out how bad off I am when I am dehydrated.  Not only am I prone to dehydration because of my bad drinking habits and Gastric Sleeve, but also it seems that with the Gastric Sleeve (according to them) sometimes you may not get enough electrolytes which can be really critical.  My doctor's PA told me that, with the back issues I have, that when I get dehydrated it also affects the disks in my back as well as the affected muscles in that area.  It's really been awful to realize just how much dehydration has contributed to my chronic pain.

My sister, who was at the ER when they brought me in, told me later that when she saw me she was frightened.  She said I was grey, my features seemed to be sunken in and that I was horribly wrinkled looking!  OK, now THAT hurt!    She said that after the two liters of fluid they pumped in me, that my face and skin looked pink and plumped up.

Since then, I have become excruciatingly aware of how easily I can get dehydrated.  It doesn't take long if I neglect my fluid intake for even a day or too.  I keep a couple of those little squirt bottles with water enhancer so I can overcome my distaste of plain water.  I don't mind water so much, it's just the quantity that I need to consume.  If I have to force myself to drink it, then I put it off and put it off.  I find that if I have something like G2 (gatorade without the sugar as I am diabetic) and cut it with half water, then I can drink with no problem.  

Living with the VSG can change your life way beyond the obvious weight loss.  My bad drinking habits are magnified because of my small stomach.  I went though a lot because of my decision to change my body and make it better and healthier by having the VSG.  This episode of severe dehydration has shown me that  all that work and everything I went through to get this new body could be in vain if I neglected my health and drop dead of a heart attack simply because of not drinking enough.

I hope this can help someone who might be at risk for the same thing.

glad you are ok. Scary to forget you can still dehydrate after all that time. 

Thank you Stacy!  It is so true!

I'm so glad you are ok you might try some diffrent vitamin water or Kellogg make protine water not sure if the protine water is sugar free but that would be a bonus!  Take care

Elia, that is a great idea!  I still don't eat enough protein.  That way I could kill two birds with one stone!

Not sure if this is something you might like too I take an isptonix vitamin called daily essentials they are available on amazon or market America 3 mo supply of four vitamins 1 multi vitamin. 2 opc 3 great for inflammation and stabilizing blood sugars and colesterol 3 activated B for energy and calcium it is aprox 140.00 I'm getting more before my surgery i was able to take them on an empty stomach and they are a powder you mix with 2oz of water and absorb fast and your tummy will thank you regular vitamins make me sick without vgs.

It's Isotonix daily essentials 

I am just about two and a half years out.  It took me a long, long time to get to my pre-surgery level of activity and I wasn't quite at that point last year.  This summer, here in North Florida, we have had many days where the temperature is close to 100, with the Heat Index up to around 110.

I always knew that those with the sleeve surgery could get dehydrated but never paid much attention to that fact.  I hate drinking water.  I really don't even like drinking flavored waters, Gatorade, etc.   I had been made aware by my doctor that my pulse rate was kind of high, around 110-120.  It's always been kind of high, around 100.  I was advised that I was probably dehydrated and to drink more water.  So I did....a little bit.  A few weeks ago, I had felt really dehydrated, had had even less fluid than normal, was feeling a little dizzy and spaced out.  I decided to check my pulse as I had been told.  It was 135!!!!  My physician didn't answer the phone as it was during lunch.  My sister, a nurse, advised me to get someone to take me to the ER.

I had thought to drive myself but when I told my supervisor that I needed to leave and go to the ER because of my rapid pulse rate, she about flipped out!  She wanted me to lie back if I could, she sat next to me holding my hand, HR showed up with the AED (Automated External Defibrillator).  The Bureau Chief called the ambulance.  This excitement actually caused my pulse rate to go up to nearly 150 bpm.  

The firefighters and paramedics showed up and loaded me onto a stretcher.  Then I got wheeled out in front of everyone in the building (because we are all nosy when an ambulance shows up).  One of the firefighters suggested that maybe I was enjoying having  all these buff men taking care of me.  I did!!  I jokingly asked him if they had done a calendar yet!  Then they loaded me into the ambulance and off we went to the ER.

The concern here, obviously, was that I was at risk for a heart attack.  My bosses and co-workers were doubly concerned because we had someone actually die in the office of a heart attack, right at her desk in front of someone.  I arrived at the ER and they hooked me up to a lot of machines and an IV.  I got TWO liters of fluid in the ER and after all that fluid I still didn't have to pee (sorry).  My heart rate went down to 100 after all that fluid.

My sister, the nurse, always nags me about getting enough fluids.  My daughter nags me about the same thing.  Now I had the ER doctor, the Physicians Assistant at the ER, my Primary Care doctor, my Pain Management doctor and his PA are now pointing out how bad off I am when I am dehydrated.  Not only am I prone to dehydration because of my bad drinking habits and Gastric Sleeve, but also it seems that with the Gastric Sleeve (according to them) sometimes you may not get enough electrolytes which can be really critical.  My doctor's PA told me that, with the back issues I have, that when I get dehydrated it also affects the disks in my back as well as the affected muscles in that area.  It's really been awful to realize just how much dehydration has contributed to my chronic pain.

My sister, who was at the ER when they brought me in, told me later that when she saw me she was frightened.  She said I was grey, my features seemed to be sunken in and that I was horribly wrinkled looking!  OK, now THAT hurt!    She said that after the two liters of fluid they pumped in me, that my face and skin looked pink and plumped up.

Since then, I have become excruciatingly aware of how easily I can get dehydrated.  It doesn't take long if I neglect my fluid intake for even a day or too.  I keep a couple of those little squirt bottles with water enhancer so I can overcome my distaste of plain water.  I don't mind water so much, it's just the quantity that I need to consume.  If I have to force myself to drink it, then I put it off and put it off.  I find that if I have something like G2 (gatorade without the sugar as I am diabetic) and cut it with half water, then I can drink with no problem.  

Living with the VSG can change your life way beyond the obvious weight loss.  My bad drinking habits are magnified because of my small stomach.  I went though a lot because of my decision to change my body and make it better and healthier by having the VSG.  This episode of severe dehydration has shown me that  all that work and everything I went through to get this new body could be in vain if I neglected my health and drop dead of a heart attack simply because of not drinking enough.

I hope this can help someone who might be at risk for the same thing.

thanks for the warning,very important for everyone,esp newbies. 

I will say,though,that the small size of our stomachs really has nothing to do with how much liquids we can get in. 

The pyloric valve opens wide when liquid**** our sleeves and flow straight through. Large amounts of liquid can be drunk with a sleeve. Personally,I  get in 100+ ounces a day and have for years. 

The key is,one has to WANT to get in the appropriate amount of liquids. Then it is possible.☕️

Yes, Hollykim!  That was my biggest problem, was that I did NOT want to drink any liquids.  Unless it was 2% milk.  As far as quantity goes, I can only get about 4 gulps of water down at a time.  Then I have to wait a little bit before I could drink some more.  I used to be able to guzzle large quantities of liquid, but not now.  And if I have eaten recently, then forget it!  But, yes, I certainly should have no problem drinking at least 64 ounces during the course of a day, bit by bit!

FYI, anyone, I took my ticker off.  I haven't changed it in a long, long time.   I'm about twenty pounds away from my low, low goal.  I'm at the point where the surgery has done all the work, and the mental part comes in to play.  If I lose another 10 pounds, it would be nice.  But I'm pretty happy where I am.  I lost close to 30 lbs before surgery, and about 50 lbs after surgery.