I just wanted to warn those of you who exercise outside (walking, jogging, etc.) to watch out for the heat. I know it is common sense, but I had a SCARY experience today. I went walking at a local park, and I got heat exhaustion...it may have even been a heat stroke since I was hallucinating. SCARY stuff! lol
I live in Houston, so it's really hot and humid, but I thought I was doing everything right. I took a big thermos of ice cold water with me, and I went at around 10 a.m. when I thought it would be kind of cool. I had the water in the car and took a break every 10 minutes or so to drink some water. Suddenly, I started feeling nauseous, so I sat down. I was feeling kind of dizzy, but I was thinking I was just hungry, so I wanted to finish my walking. So I walked about 20 more minutes, but more slowly, because I wasn't feeling well.
When I finished, I had to get in my car, which has a broken a/c...lol. My husband was driving, and I thought that I was fine if I just relaxed, rolled the windows down and kept drinking my ice water. Well, I started hallucinating! lol I was screaming for my husband not to hit a lady that I saw in the road. I thought there was a lady that he was about to run over!!! But there was no one. Then I started getting really dizzy and confused, and my husband started dumping water on my head. He decided to pull over at a grocery store and helped me walk inside to cool off. That's when I started vomiting everywhere...lol. I went inside and cooled off a little and got some more water, and then we went home, and I slept all day, with a box fan blowing on me! lol
It's kind of funny now, but that was VERY scary. I was about to pass out, and from what I read, that can cause brain damage and death. So I just wanted to warn all of you guys to be CAREFUL! The minute you feel dizzy, sick, thirsty...STOP working out! I always hear warnings on the news about the heat and how people die, and I always think, "How can people be so dumb? Just go into the a/c and drink some water!" lol Well, it's not that easy, because once your body is already hot, you start vomiting the water, because your body doesn't want to do the job of warming it up. Just don't let it get to that point!
Anyways, I just hope everyone is careful. I'm sure everyone here has common sense, like I thought I did, but I just wanted to give you something to think about next time you workout in the heat. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, and if one little thing doesn't feel right, STOP!!!
Thanks Vicki! I'm great, and it's all kind of funny now, because I always laugh and think "duh" when I hear heat warnings, but it was scary at the time. Just wanted everyone to think about it next time they exercise in the heat.
Scary story but excellent post, Tatiana. I'm so glad you are okay. I was walking Friday afternoon in very hot weather, at least 100 degrees and humid. I walked 3 miles and during the last 3/4 mile I realized how hot I was and how easy it would be to overheat and get ill. Thank you for the very descriptive warning...you may have saved a life!
Thanks for the kind words everyone! I feel totally better...I worked out again today...INSIDE this time...lol.
Oh my goodness, Marti, that is SCARY!!! I didn't even think about what would happen to someone riding a bike. OUCH! I bet that incident FREAKED you out!!! I'm glad you're ok now, and I think we both learned our lesson. I know I sure did!
I worked as an EMT for nearly 20 years, and even though we live where temps seldom get above 80, I saw several instances of heat related illnesses. Plus, of course, I had to learn about them, and their treatment, to keep certified. Anyway, here's good explanation of what happens. http://www.drreddy.com/heat.html You should realize that this really is an emergency and should be treated immediately. It's nothing to shrug off!
Quote:
Heat Cramps
Heat cramps are muscle contractions, usually in the gastrocnemius or hamstring muscles (the muscles at the back of the calves). These contractions are forceful and painful.
These cramps seem to be connected to heat, dehydration, and poor conditioning, rather than to lack of salt or other mineral imbalances. They usually improve with rest, drinking water, and a cool environment.
Heat Exhaustion
Although partly due to exhaustion -- and feeling like exhaustion, as the name implies -- heat exhaustion is also a result of excessive heat and dehydration. The signs of heat exhaustion include paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, and a moderately increased temperature (101-102 degrees F) which, in this case, is not truly a fever, but caused by the heat. Rest and water may help in mild heat exhaustion, and ice packs and a cool environment (with a fan blowing at the child) may also help. More severely exhausted patients may need IV fluids, especially if vomiting keeps them from drinking enough.
Heat Stroke
If your child has these symptoms, stop right here and call your doctor or EMS. Heat stroke is a medical emergency!
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness. It can occur even in people who are not exercising, if the weather is hot enough. These people have warm, flushed skin, and do not sweat. Athletes who have heat stroke after vigorous exercise in hot weather, though, may still be sweating considerably. Whether exercise-related or not, though, a person with heat stroke usually has a very high temeperature (106 degrees F or higher), and may be delirious, unconscious, or having seizures. These patients need to have their temperature reduced quickly, often with ice packs, and must also be given IV fluids for rehydration; they must be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible (EMS is appropriate here), and may have to stay in the hospital for observation since many different body organs can fail in heat stroke.
Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses
You can prevent heat-related illnesses. The important thing is to stay well-hydrated, to make sure that your body can get rid of extra heat, and to be sensible about exertion in hot, humid weather.
Your sweat is your body's main system for getting rid of extra heat. When you sweat, and the water evaporates from your skin, the heat that evaporates the sweat comes mainly from your skin. As long as blood is flowing properly to your skin, extra heat from the core of your body is "pumped" to the skin and removed by sweat evaporation. If you do not sweat enough, you cannot get rid of extra heat well, and you also can't get rid of heat as well if blood is not flowing to the skin. Dehydration will make it harder for you to cool of in two ways: if you are dehydrated you won't sweat as much, and your body will try to keep blood away from the skin to keep your blood pressure at the right level in the core of your body. But, since you lose water when you sweat, you must make up that water to keep from becoming dehydrated. If the air is humid, it's harder for your sweat to evaporate -- this means that your body cannot get rid of extra heat as well when it's muggy as it can when it's relatively dry.
The best fluid to drink when you are sweating is water. Although there is a little salt in your sweat, you don't really lose that much salt with your sweat, except in special circumstances; taking salt tablets may raise your body's sodium level to hazardous levels. (Your doctor can tell you whether or not you need extra salt.) "Sport drinks" such as Gatorade® will also work, but water is usually easier to obtain.
It's also important to be sensible about how much you exert yourself in hot weather. The hotter and more humid it is, the harder it will be for you to get rid of excess heat. The clothing you wear makes a difference, too: the less clothing you have on, and the lighter that clothing is, the easier you can cool off. Football players are notoriously prone to heat illness, since football uniforms cover nearly the whole body, and since football practice usually begins in late summer when the temperature outside is highest. Therefore, football players should pay extra attention to the fluids they drink and lose: teams should consider limiting practice and wearing light clothing for practice on very hot days, and athletes should be able to drink all the water they want during practice.
Be careful with the heat!
