I Was Drinking Too Much Water
#90139 - 07/14/04 06:43 PM
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For years I was drinking 8 to 10 big glasses of water a day. Couldn't find out what was causing my symptoms. Finally I cut down to drinking only when I'm thirsty. For about 2 months now I've only been drinking maybe a pint and a half of water daily. I eat everything and my symptoms are 80percent better. Some systems just can't process all that water.
Seems to me that IBS has hit epidemic proportions over the last ten years, which just happens to be about the time that they got us believing that everyone needs to drink 2-3 quarts of water daily. With all the crap they add to drinking water, it's a wonder I hadn't thought of this earlier. WATER was causing all my symptoms, that's what I've come to believe. I hope this helps someone else, worth a try anyway.
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WOW! That's quite the statement! Every where you hear drink, drink, drink! Especially if you're on a SFS. I try to drink about 64oz/day and I can't seem to stablize with the ibs. Plus, I have scoliosis really bad and my chiropractor says water is so greatly needed for my bones and all. Yet, it does make me wonder as my ibs has flared up greatly in the last couple of years since I've tried to drink more water. I used to hardly drink any water--just was never thirsty.. and didn't have any problems with ibs either...definitely something to think about....thanx for the info
Janene 
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I've had problems in the past when I drank too much water, but the problem wasn't with the amount of water in the end. I have low blood pressure, and when I drank too much water without getting some compensatory salt and other minerals, I would bloat up like you wouldn't believe and get very fatigued.
Once I stumbled across a doc who explained this to me, I started drinking more Gatorade and indulging in pickles and pretzels. Voila - less bloating, less fatigue.
Of course, everyone is different and people probably all have different water requirements. Speaking as someone with IBS-C, though, I'm happier the more (warm) liquids I drink!
--AC
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I have heard excess water can cause MORE C for some physical reason and Heather's advice about ice cold water really has helped me. I personally feel that the recommended amount of water is optimum. I also really notice my tummy ache if I drink ice cold water. I drink it but hold it in my mouth to warm up since I hate lukewarm water.
But again the problems come about in my opinion when some people drink so little water (well most people) so we are told to drink a lot of water as in way more than you might be used to. But I have never heard anyone trustworthy and qualified claim a person should drink huge quantities. Like everything else it must be done in moderation. I weight 125 so I drink 60-70 ounces of water-less if I don't exercise. Someone 200 lbs should drink 100 oz but no more I should think. Hope this helps! 
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Joesorce, welcome to the board. Sorry to hear that too much water seemed to be a problem for you. You didn't say whether you are C or D. It's important to keep in mind that people with C definitely need to drink a fair amount of water, more so than D'ers. But it's true that we have to pay attention to our bodies and what they're telling us. I'm glad you listened to yours.
Everybody, just FYI, not many people realize that the suggestion on average to consume 8 glasses of liquid a day relates to all liquids not just water. Juice counts, soy milk counts, soups count, herbal tea counts, the water you mix your SFS in counts. If you don't believe me, look it up on the web.
Remember everybody, "moderation in all things." If you take ANYTHING to an extreme, it'll kill ya! Use your heads, have some common sense, and you'll be fine!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Are pickles safe to eat??? I am a C too. I have had this love for pickles all of my life (to the point that I received a gallon from Santa Claus one year  ). Oh how I would love to be able to eat them again!
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~ Rachel (IBS-C)
If life hands you lemons, make lemonade!!
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Pickles are good. At least I haven't had any trouble with them. Pickled plums are popular in Japan. They are called "Umeboshi". Not sure if you can get them in Asian markets abroad. My doctor even recommended that I eat them!
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I've never had trouble with pickles, but then I'm C...and I don't have any during my D episodes. Maybe you could try a couple of slices on a turkey sandwich and see how you fare? If your belly doesn't object to that, then perhaps a spear after you've had some soluble fiber might also be ok.
We get yummy garlic dills from a vendor at our local farmer's market, so I know that they're fresh and that there's no preservatives. Since IBS'ers are extra sensitive to additives and the like, you might want to go with something like that. Do you have any neighbors with cucumber plants who like to pickle? 
--AC (who lived in Minnesota for 5 years!)
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You can get umeboshi in some Asian supermarkets in the Houston area. I would venture to say that in California and Washington state they're available all over the place
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drinking too much caused "D" a 5 pound water weight gain and horrible bloating. I have since found a better balance and tend to be regular thank the Lord!
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Isn't Umeboshi what the girls on America's Next Top Model had to eat, and they all thought it was gross? People can be such babies about trying new things! I had been wondering exactly what they were eating ever since I saw that episode. I bet pickled plums are yummy! I'm Lebanese and we eat pickled beets, and they are so yummy.
As far as regular pickles go (pickled cucumbers), I'd say treat them like any other IF veggie. I personally went to the ER after deciding that I could eat an entire cucumber. But, I keep a jar of sliced kosher dills in the fridge, and I eat a couple after a good SF base whenever I want.
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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lol--yes, i remember that "top model" episode The resaon is that umeboshi are very sour! Tasty with rice though. I have seen them in Maryland, DC, NY, and Boston, so they are on this coast too!
Isn't the vinegar properties of a pickle supposed to be very good for you anyhow? I wonder...
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--maikko
IBS-A, mostly C-- many foods intolerant
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I agree. Too much water can "wash you out." It can screw up your gastric juices/dilute you too much (sodium/chloride levels and electrolytes get unbalanced which is dangerous!).
I drink unreconstituted organic veg. broth and use tons of sea salt. The veg. broth has at least 4 times more sodium than the Gatorade. I literally eat salt and feel a lot better now.
So, I take all with more than a tsp. of salt. I love pickling my own fruit, too.
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Heather - could you please comment on this topic - I am finding it difficult to equate what I have been told by many people about drinking water (and yourself).
I feel that this is a very important topic and would hate newbies to be put off.
Hoping you have time to comment.
Thanks. Judith
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Dear Hearts;
I have chronic sinitus-with the meds I'm on,if I DON'T drink 1-2 gallons of water a day,I get heart palpatations.But that post made me think:I still find it VERY difficult to believe that too much water is the cause of IBS symptoms in anyone.Drinking too much water,to my knowledge as a biochemistry major,is only a problem when consumed faster then the kidneys can process it.Data to the contrary has not been consistently produced in the lab to date to my knowledge.Anyone want to add anything to this?
Sincerely,
Andrew L.
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Tap water
#199329 - 07/26/05 12:14 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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I know some people with IBS are really sensitive to different tap waters (which presumably is what the guy who started this thread was talking about). And that's reasonable as they do differ and do have "stuff" in there. I'd say that if he'd switched to mineral water, he'd have been fine.
Not enough water will make C worse and can cause D. Don't go there. It is very important for some people (like me) to keep their electrolyte intake up as well tho. But that's just drinking water PLUS not less water.
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I eat everything "salt free", like canned veggies, pretzels...and never add salt to any recipe or eat salty foods like pretzels. I thought the salt would increase my already intense bloat problem.
AC, are you saying that salt would actually help the bloat if I have low blood pressure? I would love to get my salty foods back!
How low was your BP? How much water do you dink? This is fascinating!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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We don't have a water dispenser at work (cheap place)  so I drink tap water all day. Can't really afford the bottled water all day.
Do most of you drink bottled water or have a water filtration system in your homes? Do you think it makes a difference in IBS symptoms?
Thanks
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Have a blessed day!...Rachel
stable and sooooooo thankful!
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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...and I think most people who are that sensitive (ie. VERY sensitive) only really have trouble when they drink strange tap water.
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I exclusively drink bottled water. YES, it makes a huge difference, not only in IBS symptoms but HEALTH IN GENERAL!!!
Kate, IBS-D.
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My new GI wants me to eat 6 small meals a day and drink 8 glasses of water a day since I'm prone to "C". I can drink tap water or bottled water and never notice any difference in how I feel. Heidi
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So what's the relationship between salt/minerals and water and low blood pressure? I've also got low blood pressure - 90 over 60 - how does that relate to the digestive system?
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Tap water doesn't bother me, either.
I do have a filter on the tap at home, but only because Rockford water tastes gritty to me.
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drinking too much water doesn't actually cause water weight, it's actually quite the opposite. you retain water when your body either isn't getting enough water (it thinks it needs to conserve) or if you're taking in a lot of salt (the water's retained to balance out the sodium).
drinking a lot of water actually keeps water moving through (and out of) your body - if you're a sparse drinker, and take a few days drinking a *lot* you'll actually lose a few pounds of water weight.
i drink liters and liters a day - a bottle is always on my desk - and i've found no connection to D. if i drink *way* too much at once it can make my stomach feel off like eating too much - full is full. but now that i'm used to so much water, i get headaches if i don't drink enough. (with donnatol i need even more.) and what they say about hydration and your skin is definitely true.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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One of my docs back in my grad school days told me that some people with low blood pressure also have weakness/wooziness/faintness issues. I was having spells where I couldn't get out of bed for days when I went to him.
His suggestion was to make sure I was getting enough salt, particularly when the weather was warm or when drinking more water just made me feel more bloated and lethargic. I got some BBQ potato chips on the way home from that appointment, and I immediately felt better! 
So if you have those symptoms, try eating something both safe and salty and see if you feel better. Gatorade (perhaps diluted 50/50 with water or seltzer), pickles, and baked potato chips are my favorite.
--AC
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I've got the same problem re: low blood pressure and dangerously low sodium/chloride levels. I have a standing order to go weekly for bloodwork to monitor these levels. (It is medication related) I think I'm going to hit the seltzer!!! I don't eat processed food and that's probably more than half the problem. Pickles make me sick and I just find Gatorade too sweet. There are a few new sports drinks, though that appear to have the same formulation as Pedialyte. I downed 1200 ml of one, last night and feel so much better. I've been using purchased veg. stock/no chicken stock and "blessing" (figuratively speaking) everything I consume with iodized sea salt.
I am so craving carrot juice--and now I know why--it's high sodium. Also, I've been using Kraft Ultra Lowfat Italian dressing on my foods and just eating dijon mustard like crazy. (You know you're salt is low when you start craving mustard or ketchup for lunch, vs. food. Or when you get thirsty for pickle jar water and drink it. I'm also using more canned veggies and NOT RINSING THEM in order to ABSORB THE SODIUM--for most this isn't a good idea, I know, but for someone like me, it's probably a good idea.)
I think that when you don't get enough sodium, your "GASTRIC
JUICES" get diluted. I digest better when there's sodium.
I just can't believe how much better I feel with that Pedialyte-like sports drink, a few condiments, a sea salt shaker beside my bed (no joke), and veg. stock.
AND YES, TO ALL WHO WANT TO KNOW--IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONSUME TO MUCH FLUID AND DANGEROUS AND YOU END UP IN THE HOSPITAL HOOKED UP TO AN I.V. AND VERY SICK. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME!!!
Kate, IBS-D.
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Quote:
AND YES, TO ALL WHO WANT TO KNOW--IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONSUME TO MUCH FLUID AND DANGEROUS AND YOU END UP IN THE HOSPITAL HOOKED UP TO AN I.V. AND VERY SICK. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME!!!
Kate, IBS-D.
well, yes, but only in really rare cases - like yours, with already dangerously low blood pressure, or in the case of marathon runners and whatnot, who are sweating like crazy and drinking tons of water.
when your electrolytes get too diluted (in these extreme cases), your nerves can't fucntion properly, which leads to muscle and brain problems. in extreme cases it causes seizures.
however, these are only in really rare cases. i have low blood pressure (110/60ish), which tends to crop up in girls in their late teens - i get dizzy if i stand up too quickly, headaches, things like that. drinking water actually helps, because all the fluid you take in goes into your bloodstream before it leaves your body. while drinking the water, though, if you have low blood pressure, you should make sure to get plenty of electrolytes - i love salty food, and indulge, plenty.
(ibs bonus: salt is a big part of why we like butter, so on pasta and things like that, it's a great replacement.)
i know everyone's body is different. i happen to feel best with a *lot* of hydration. and even though i don't like their water, i love those aquafina commercials with the pub people singing and swinging their water bottles around.
--------------------
jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Too Much Water During Exercise Can Kill
26/07/2005 8:45:00 PM
(HealthDayNews) - Sports medicine experts have issued a report aimed at increasing awareness of exercise-associated hyponatremia - a condition in which athletes develop dangerously low sodium levels by drinking excessive amounts of fluids during prolonged exercise.
The report - which provides information on the causes, recognition, prevention and treatment of the potentially fatal condition - is a position statement issued by experts who attended the First International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa, in March.
According to the experts, women, novice athletes, slow-paced runners and athletes with relatively low body weights are at especially high risk for hyponatremia.
In 2002, a 28-year-old female competitor in the Boston Marathon collapsed and died from hyponatremia after finishing the race.
The key to preventing the condition is to avoid drinking a larger volume of fluid than the body loses in sweat and urine, according to the report. Sports drinks or salt tablets do not appear to reduce the risk in people who over-drink during exercise.
Planners of marathons and other endurance events are also recommended to discourage over-consumption of fluid by placing water stations a good distance apart.
The report is published in the July/August issue of the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
More information
The Wilderness Medical Society has more
http://wms.org/pubs/fluid.html
SOURCES: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, news release, July 22, 2005
Copyright 2005 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
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--------------------
jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Much appreciated.
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