What happens when you don't drink enough fluids!

Why you should ideally make sure you are drinking enough water or fluids!

I used to drink just tea or Pepsi Max, but recently I started drinking 2-3l of water a day and found that it started benefitting my weightloss, as I lost 3.5lbs the week that I upped my water intake!  I stopped drinking Pepsi Max as much and reduced the amount of tea I was drinking to only a couple of cups a day of 'normal' tea and drinking peppermint, chamomile or lemon green tea for a change on an afternoon.

On Wednesday 3rd April, I drank 1 cup of tea with my breakfast as normal, 1 cup of tea at lunchtime and 1 cup of tea at 4pm.  I had no other drinks, although I did pick up a water bottle to fill up with water but was distracted by my 3 year old son, therefore didn't actually fill it up.  I then 'forgot' to drink any more fluids after that as I was quite busy.

I attended my Slimming World class, got weighed and went to get a drink of my water, to which then I had realised that I had left it on the bottom of my son's buggy at my parents house when I dropped him off.  Grrrrrr.  So I went without a drink whilst at my class, baring in mind I hadn't drank anything since 4pm and this was now 8pm.

Hubby and I arrived at my parents house to collect our son after I'd been to class, and after sitting for 30 minutes, asked my husband to get me my bottle of water off the buggy whilst I nipped to the loo.  I got up and felt dizzy and slightly sickly.  I kept losing my balance and thought I'd be ok once I reached the loo, except I never got there.  I remember switching the toilet light on before collapsing in the doorway, banging my head, face, neck and shoulder on the way down.  Blood sugars were ok (hubby is type 1 diabetic and has a meter), and the only thing I can think of is that I hadn't had much to drink.  I normally drink 10+ teas and water on top of that, but hadn't had anything near that amount! I had been eating throughout the day and I wasn't hungry, so knew it wasn't due to my food intake.

I remember everything that happened, I remember switching the light on and my whole body just giving way until I hit the deck with a thud, even sitting myself up on the toilet floor and asking my husband for a drink of water.  I recovered soon after having a drink (and then recovered more after scoffing down 2 freddos for some sugar to make me feel a wee bit better) - when my hubby has a 'hypo' he doesn't remember anything, so definately not my sugars and I've had bloods etc done before.  Oh and before the question is posed, I am definately NOT pregnant lol.

I started googling once I got home, looking for causes of collapsing, with no other apparent reason.  Apparently dehydration can make you dizzy and sickly, and can make you pass out.  I've never ever had this happen to me before, and I certainly can't remember collapsing at any point in my life, other than the time I sliced my hand open when a glass shattered in my hand at work.  I've eliminated most other causes - bug/not eating enough/blood sugars.  I did have a migraine the day before which saw me take to my bed when I got home from work, but I had recovered from that by the time this had happened.  I also realised that even though I was headed for the toilet before I collapsed, I didn't actually need the toilet and had been twice since waking at 9am that morning.  I went at 9am when I got up and then 7pm before my class.  I hadn't had a wee at any point in between, which is mega unusual for me.

I still believe it has something to do with not drinking anything from 4pm - 10pm, and only drinking 3 cups of tea all day.  Moral of this story is to always keep fluids topped up and not to ignore your thirst.  I learned the hard way and it wasn't a nice lesson to learn!

*Disclaimer*  I am NOT a medical professional, and this is based on my own experience and internet research of my own symptoms and what I had to eat/drink that day.  I also researched sources like NHS and have asked nurses if dehydration causes collapse, to which they have advised me that if a patient has low blood pressure they give them fluids to drink or via an IV to get their blood pressure raised, and as rapid drop in blood pressure can cause collapse, they said it could be a major factor in my collapse at home.  I am 100% fit and healthy - healthwise - on a normal day and I do not have any underlying medical conditions or problems.  I am currently waiting an appointment to be checked out by my GP to make sure that this was nothing sinister, but in the meantime, please keep up your fluid intake, I know I am!!