older women dehydration issues?

[OakLeaf]

I know, that's why it worked without anyone being the wiser.

[roadie gal]

I'm a big drinker. If I do an hour bike ride I'll go through most of a 2 liter Camelbak. On any run over 30 minutes, I'll carry water. You may not be getting as much as it seems if you just have one water bottle.

Along with some of you, I lose a lot of salt in my sweat. I now order a custom blend from Infinit Nutrition to get the extra salt I need in my drinks without the calories. I discovered them after suffering through major leg cramps when I was training for my tris.

[Biciclista]

Murienn, i always drink a little if i wake up at night; but not too much, I am also suffering from sleep issues so I was advised by my Dr to drink less at night. so i can't see doing that BEFORE a ride, but after, it makes sense.

[nuliajuk]

I find that I absorb water better if I sip it slowly over a period of time, rather than drink a whole glass all at once. If I drink a cupful in one sitting, it just seems to go straight through me.

[malkin]

Dehydration is always an issue for me too.
Of course summer is worse here because it is so dry. In the last days of our old kitty we were giving him subcutaneous saline, and we joked that I might steal some of it for an IV of my own.

[goldfinch]

Are you sure you are dehydrated? It seems you are peeing out excess water. Could it be the headache is from something else, like an electrolyte imbalance. Sometimes people hydrate too much and their electrolytes go out of whack.

[Skippyak]

I think drinking too much is a habit too. I would think you should look at other causes of repeated headaches and a 10 mile ride would not be a cause to need 32 ounces of water and salty food. I ride in Ut and it is hot in summer but I know I drink too much when I need to pee too much (like on a 2 hour ride). Dehydration is a term bandied around very loosely. I do tweak my own electrolytes depending on conditions and ride times, but for a nice rec ride of low mileage, it should not be an issue. I don't race or anything but bigger climbs and really hot days will need different approaches. I would not listen to a doc who tells me not to drink at night either, I can get up and pee and go to sleep. When I am out on my bike with no loo in sight, I am not so keen on peeing.

[tulip]

Since you live in Seattle....coffee is a diuretic, so if you drink alot of coffee, you could be doing your hydration a disservice. Do you drink alot of coffee? If you have a headache in the morning, it could be because you are experiencing caffeine withdrawal after a night without coffee. Also, if you are having trouble sleeping, coffee could be contributing to that, too.

[Biciclista]

hahahaha I do not drink coffee Tulip. Everyone in Seattle isn't mainlining coffee. LOL

when I wake up in the morning from a headache, it's one of three things: 1, I slept wrong, 2, allergies, 3, dehydration. When it follows a bike ride, it's usually dehydration. Since I was working out fairly strenuously for 1 hour followed by 3 hours in full sun, i suspected that was what it was.

[goldfinch]

Turned out for me that morning headaches were because I quit breathing at night. I hope that isn't your sleep issue!

[Biciclista]

i don't have those kinds of sleep issues. My sleep issue is failing to sleep. I Know i have sinus stuff going on...probably from allergies.

[Wasp]

it seems that i just cannot drink enough during and after a bike ride to keep from being dehydrated the next day.
it often takes me 2-3 days before i really catch up.

My doctor told me the issue is that my body does not absorb the water fast enough (I am peeing it out ) anyone else have this issue? It's getting annoying.
At least this morning when i woke up with a headache i was tuned in enough to just get up and start drinking...

Are you diabetic? Or have you had your blood sugar levels checked recently? Just wondering since you mentioned you can't seem to drink enough combined that with headaches and excessive urination.......just a thought.

[Biciclista]

I have been to the doctor recently and had complete bloodwork done. In fact, a couple years ago, I went to the doctor the day after a ride (tour de blast) and she had a fit because my BP was so low, I was dehydrated, etc. THat's why I know the symptoms and the basic problem.

[OakLeaf]

What was your serum sodium that day?

[Biciclista]

seriously? I have no idea! and that doctor has since retired. Her diagnosis seemed like a good one, as I felt better after drinking some sports drink..