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08/08/11, 03:22 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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Electrolyte imbalance
Had an interesting weekend. This was new to me...I worked outside on my fence line for a couple hours, stopped and had a rest then rode my horse for a couple hours (easy ride) and trimmed her feet and gave her a bath. Walked into my house and noticed my hands were trembling. That's new. So had a little sweet tea and made a phone call. Five minutes into the call my hand started spasming, cramping and turning into a claw (had no control over it at all.) And it was painful! Ouch! 
I was talking to my mother, who has problems with low sodium, and she says "you need salt, get off the phone now." So I took a half a teaspoon of table salt and very soon the cramping stopped.
She says I need to bring some gatorade/powerade stuff with me when I ride and work outside.
My mom said that it can get serious fast, and be careful. So lesson learned. be careful everyone while out working in the hot weather.
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08/08/11, 04:31 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,522
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Yep, it's a good idea, because you don't know you're low on electrolytes until things start happening. I've had my hands do funny things--not cramp into a claw but my fingers go stiff and straight and sort of bend upward, and I can't stop it. Also my heart will flutter and I'll get a far-away feeling. DH and I take a potassium supplement in addition to a regular vitamin with a good magnesium/calcium dose in it. With us, it seems to be mostly a potassium problem. DH won't drink Gatorade or other sports drinks because he says they taste so salty it makes him even more thirsty.
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08/08/11, 04:40 PM
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bajiay
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: montana
Posts: 2,197
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Emergen-C is an electrolyte stabilizer. You can get it from Walmart or just about anywhere. Little packets of stuff that you pour into water and shake it up. Not alot of sugar and junk you don't need. I keep some in the car. Sent it with my daughter to camp. Husband uses it all summer as he is a rancher. Great stuff!
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08/08/11, 05:38 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 467
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Salt tablets (available in most drug stores) are much better for you, and more effective than table salt. They should be considered by anybody doing labor during the hot months of summer.
As good as an ice cold beer may sound, the alcohol will actually dehydrate you. Save your brews for after the workday and sunset. Moderation is the big key...too many tonight will have you dehydrated tomorrow.
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08/08/11, 05:50 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: East Tenn.
Posts: 10,131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bajiay
Emergen-C is an electrolyte stabilizer. You can get it from Walmart or just about anywhere. Little packets of stuff that you pour into water and shake it up. Not alot of sugar and junk you don't need. I keep some in the car. Sent it with my daughter to camp. Husband uses it all summer as he is a rancher. Great stuff!
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I'll second that!
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08/08/11, 06:13 PM
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In Remembrance
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 6,844
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Tell me about it. Passed out at X-ray lab at regional hospital. Kidneys shut down due to dehydration. Spent three days with IV going in me. Told I needed to drink more fluids, so my goal was at least a gallon of day as cold water or Kool Ade. Ended back in hospital again for four more days. What they didn't tell me is I wasn't getting the electrolytes I needed. Since I've started to drink sports drinks I feel much getter and don't get the shakes. I also don't work as continually when sweaty. Work maybe an hour and take a break.
Local Wal-Mart carries the brand zipfizz. Powder you add to 16-20 ounces of water. Tastes a bit flat. Contains 3% salt, which your body likely needs when sweating heavily.
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08/08/11, 06:22 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 34,239
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It's not hard to mix up a quick batch:
Electrolyte Solution
1 Qt Water
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Karo Syrup or molasses
½ tsp salt
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08/08/11, 06:37 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 17,225
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I don't like Gatorade but after a tough day I sometimes crave it. When that happens I know it's time to get myself balanced.
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Libertarindependent
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08/08/11, 08:04 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: north Alabama
Posts: 10,815
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Emergen-C is nifty. Back years ago when I worked in a health food store it was one of the things I actually found decent and useful. That said... salt is cheap and fast for an immediate problem.
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08/08/11, 08:45 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: WV
Posts: 1,624
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty'sDog
As good as an ice cold beer may sound, the alcohol will actually dehydrate you. Save your brews for after the workday and sunset. Moderation is the big key...too many tonight will have you dehydrated tomorrow.
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Been there done that. Ice cold brew sure does taste good after a hard days work, but like you say, to many and you pay the next day. Some serious cotton mouth 
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08/08/11, 09:06 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: michigan
Posts: 22,572
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Poweraid is a gatoraide type drink-it is very tasty.
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08/08/11, 09:45 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fl Zones 11
Posts: 8,123
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It's quick and cheap to stir a box of jello in a quart of water. Tastes better than salt water.
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08/08/11, 10:10 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Northeastern KY
Posts: 1,038
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Electrolyte imbalances can cause some nasty heart rhythms--stay tanked up! When your body needs salt it probably needs potassium too. It takes potassium for a muscle to contract-- and the heart is just an involuntary muscle.
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08/08/11, 10:22 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Central Illinois
Posts: 173
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I work doing custom haying and drink Powerade, bit cheaper than Gatorade-3-5 qts a day. I'm a believer in it that it gets me thru the hot days.
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08/08/11, 10:26 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm
It's not hard to mix up a quick batch:
Electrolyte Solution
1 Qt Water
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Karo Syrup or molasses
½ tsp salt
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Use the molasses or maple syrup. They both have a lot more nutrients than Karo Syrup. In some third world countries they make this stuff up by the bucket for the kids who are starving. They also add a half tsp of Epsom Salt for the Mg. Diarrhea and malnutrition are such an issue in some places that the kids need some electrolyte solution often just to stay alive.
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08/08/11, 10:33 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: SW PA
Posts: 1,400
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Google says the autopsy results were inconclusive, but I recall hearing at the time that Terry Schaivo was likely a victim of electrolyte imbalance. Scary.
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08/08/11, 10:44 PM
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Melody
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 885
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I have the same types of trouble with my legs and feet clenching up. I've been chugging powerade by the half gallons a day. It seems to work though when I keep up on it.
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08/08/11, 11:49 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 6
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All good advice. Don't try to push yourself thru it when you start feeling any symptoms (muscle cramps, light-headed, etc) it'll only get worse and you'll pay a price, I have many times with trips to the ER to get hooked up to an IV. So bad a few times I couldn't even yawn without jaw muscles locking up. I've learned to not be so stubborn or stupid and just take a few breaks. Like others said, loading up on vitamins/minerals the night before and drinking gatoraid type drinks along with plenty of water does help alot.
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08/09/11, 09:08 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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I will try all of this advice, thanks. I had no idea, for nearly 50 yrs I've been able to go and go and go. Didn't matter the heat or humidity. Guess I'm getting old : )
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08/09/11, 09:10 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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Thanks Bearfoot farm, I wonder how it tastes? Guess I'll find out, it would be alot cheaper, maybe I can rotate between sports drinks and this electolyte solution?
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