Excessive Thirst - How To Keep Fluids In?

[TypewriterGirl]

I'm taking Florinef and still drinking well over a gallon of fluid a day. Nothing is sticking. I live my life in the bathroom and feel horrible. I take 6-8 ThermoTab salt tablets per day and salt all of my food. I can't imagine living like this forever - I've barely moved from my couch in 2 weeks. Has anyone been in this position? Does it ever get better? I can't help but wonder if there's something else wrong with me, but all of my labs have come back fine except a slightly elevated Cortisol test.

Help??

[prettyinpink]

I realized I don't have any idea what your medical history is but I just wanted to make sure you'd been tested for diabetes. Im sure there are lots of reasons for being thirsty but drinking and peeing lots while still being thirsty always makes me want to rule out diabetes. All the salt can actually make you thirsty. Is your urine clear, dark yellow??

[lauralulu]

I'm like this way myself and have been tested for diabetes over and over again, it's like every time I say I'm thirsty all the time, they test me again. It never feels as if I can drink enough, and I also have an over-active bladder so I can't even retain much fluid in there so I'm forever going to the toilet, even with meds to help it hold more.

So I can't answer your question! Just wanted to speak up and say, you're not the only one! xx

[JanetM]

Spent last weekend in A&E with exactly the same thing plus this horrible tingling burning sensation running through my body. Had some bolod work done and all they found was high Cortisol levels!!! Has to be a connection to POTS somewhere there?

I have been referred to a Endocrinologist to have cortisol levels looked at.

My urine when I feel like this looks like it came straight from a tap it is so clear. Yet when I did a 24 hout collection last wk for doc it was "very concentrated" according to him. Only produced 800ml.

Frustrating and confusing.

Sorry your feeling like this. Hope it improves soon x

[Angelika_23]

I remember seeing a post similar to this in the past. Someone complaining of the same symptoms found some relief with DDAVP.

Here is the thread: http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtop...77&hl=ddavp

Angela

[TypewriterGirl]

Diabetes and hyper-thyroid were some of the first tests I've had - My glucose levels are always in the 80's. My urine is completely clear, it's like I'm one of those baby dolls that you give them a bottle and it comes right back out.

LauraLulu - I'm glad someone gets it (even though I'm sorry someone has to go through it with me!).

[lauralulu]

Mine is very very pale/almost totally clear too.

Weirrrrd.

I did ask my uro if I could get tested for DI and his reply was "It's very rare so there's no point."

:/

Not liking that attitude...

[jump]

Excessive thirst (and excessive urination) were/are my biggest complaints - the thirst is so extreme as to be painful, and having to pee all the time really interferes with my life. I've found a few things that have helped, although admittedly I still don't have "normal" thirst levels - but much closer to normal:

* Florinef, which you said you were already on - if you haven't noticed a difference, perhaps you should try an increased dose? When I started taking Florinef I noticed an immediate change in my thirst levels - within 24 hours. If you're not already on a high dose, consider upping yours.

* Sipping warm water slowly throughout the day. By warm I mean about 80 - 90 degrees. This is a lot easier for the body to absorb; when we drink tons of cold water, especially if we have a whole glass all at once, our bodies are more likely to "dump" it than absorb it.

* Drinking coconut juice and/or gatorade. The coconut juice works best for me.

* Don't get up too early in the morning if you can help it. Waking up - and getting out of bed - early triggers all my POTS symptoms, and seems to make the polydipsia and polyuria the worst.

* I try to limit my water intake to 3-4 liters a day, no matter how thirsty I am. The problem is that my body doesn't seem to absorb water well, so drinking more doesn't really solve the problem, it just makes me have to pee constantly. By limiting my water somewhat, I find I am able to keep from feeling too sick (if I limit myself to just 2 liters, for example, I get too POTSy to really function) but also train myself to ignore the thirst a little. I've found that although it hasn't gone away, I've been able to get used to it more and it no longer bothers me as much as it did.

* Eating salted foods and high-sodium foods help me much more than taking salt tablets; I suspect my body doesn't absorb the salt tablets as well as it absorbs salt in food.

Good luck! I hope you find something that helps....

[MomtoGiuliana]

Hopefully it will resolve soon. This is a symptom I have had in the past and I know it is uncomfortable to say the least. For me, it resolved.

[lauralulu]

Those are good tips jump, thanks. I hope I will get my diagnosis of POTS soon and be able to try florinef! I am sooo fed up of the constant thirst (I know exactly what you mean about it being so bad it's practically painful!) and it is not a fun symptom to have with an overactive bladder!!!

[anjuu]

I tried the Thermotabs for a week, and had adverse reactions to them. I had even worse reactions to salt tablets.

Maybe you are peeing a lot because you have too much sodium/junk in your system? You thirst so your kidneys can do their jobs, but maybe you void too much salt and fluid in the process? Then the cycle repeats itself?

[handmadebyemy]

I drink electrolyte drinks - my doctor recommended Gatorade but I don't like it because of all the sugar. So I get an alternative at the health food store - you can get it at vitaminshoppe.com, its a powdered packet that you mix with water & its sweetened with sugar. I like the orange: http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/brow....jsp?id=TM-1075