Has anyone ever been severely dehydrated?

[midnight armadillo]

If so, how did you feel after getting IV fluids (see, I mean REALLY dehydrated) and how long did it take you to recover?

My 17 month old son was in the hospital for 3 days this week with severe dehydration (to the point of us noticing a bit of dark brown urine) from a bout of rotavirus, which he still has. I'm hoping to get a clue as to how he's feeling, which is clearly not so great!

[MissB]

1. I was deyhdrated enough to require IV fluids

but apparently not enough to notice that I was dehydrated. So I'm not really sure that qualifies as severly dehydrated.

[CanuckAmok]

2. Oh, I was, way back in the first Batman move (Adam West/Burt Ward)

dehydrated and vaccumed up by the Riddler.

It sucked.

[SmokingJacket]

3. Several times as a kid.

Within a few hours of the IV, you get to feeling a lot better. Like, back from the dead is what I remember. Generalized weakness persists a while, (a week?) though.

Poor little guy! I hope he's on the mend! Seventeen months is so young...

[Left Is Write]

4. Yes. When I had an advanced kidney infection, I was severely

dehydrated. I'm not sure how to answer when you ask how long it took to recover. I was nearly hospitalized for the infection itself; I was in the ER twice for medication and IV fluids. In all, it took me about three weeks to completely recover from the kidney infection, and once I was well I was able to keep myself hydrated as I normally do.

[Ilsa]

5. Horrible headache would probably be first.

If i have a headache, the first thing I do is drink a large class (like 12-16 oz) of water to see if that fixes it without acetominophen or ibuprofen. Headache, after thirst is the first sign of dehydration.

Thirst all by itself, is an amazing driving force. I was on fluid restriction when I had my first son because my body was fluid overloaded from Pitocin, etc. I was at a point where i could ignore my baby in his bassenet and would have tackled someone for a gallon of water. But my body certainly wouldn't feel the same as your son's.

I wonder if his muscles ached after being dehydrated. I hope he is doing much better now. Poor baby; rotovirus is awful.

[khashka]

6. It feels pretty damn awful

The IV fluids help. Enormously. But even so you feel weak and dizzy and not very good.

Your son probably is feeling pretty bad, but he'll feel better soon.
He needs lots of fluids and he also needs to EAT.

Khash.

[CornField]

7. Man, poor guy!

Mr. CornField had a bout of severe dehydration. He says that the IV fluids helped him to feel much better (not worse). He did develop swelling in his lower body after getting so much fluid, but we don't know if that's common or happened because he is a diabetic.

Hope your little guy feels better soon. Also -- always trust your Mommy Radar. If it just doesn't seem right to you, it probably isn't.

[hippiechick]

8. yes when i was preggers with HippieKid

... twice.

the first time, after getting the IV and bringing my body temp back up with warm blankets for a couple hours, I just wanted to sleep, my body was really tired.

the second time, they had the IV drip too fast and it literally sent my body into a panic attack, it felt like flaming ants were crawling through my veins and i had the 'flee' urge until the nurse noticed and slowed the drip. a couple hours later my adrenaline and heart rates slowed down enough so i could get some rest.

i am guessing your son mostly needs light fluids and rest.


good luck !!

[blondeatlast]

9. Several times, thanks to insulin-dependent diabetes.

Within an hour or two of the IV you ffel much, much better.

Hope the little guy's doing better!

[flamingyouth]

10. Oh, your poor baby

You must be worried sick.

I've had some kidney problems, including stones and a couple of nasty infections. I recall it taking me at least a week before I had much energy again.

I hope he's better very soon. :hug:

[LeftyMom]

11. I have

I had pneumonia. I felt like s*** because of the pneumonia but the dehydration wasn't uncomfortable. I only knew it was a problem when the nurse I was on the phone with asked me when I'd last used the restroom and nobody in the house could remember helping me down the hall for at least two days.

I don't like needles and my father kept making jokes about getting my oil changed to distract himself because he's uncomfortable with hospitals and a bit afraid of needles.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that your son probably feels awful because of the rotavirus but I doubt the dehydration is making him feel any worse. Hope he's better soon.

[kiraboo]

12. I get a headache from being mildly dehydrated. But once when I

got food poisoning I became dehydrated enough to just fall down and not be able to move. It was actually a very peaceful feeling and all I wanted to do was sleep. At the hospital they gave me an IV and I slowly began to feel more awake and very cold.

[MadHound]

13. I had a couple of severe kidney infections when I was a child

One was bad that I couldn't keep anything down, thus became severely dehydrated, to the point of IV fluids. Initially, the IV fluids did feel good, but more in that they stopped that torturous thirst feeling, and I was able to relax, sleep and recover. It took me another week until I was feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed again, and another couple of weeks before I was fully recovered.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Once as a child of about 4

after a severe case of stomach flu. The doctors made house calls in those days, and our doctor came over and said that I was deydrated and needed to go to the hospital.

I was put to bed with needles in my arm, and I don't remember how I felt. I do remember that I woke up in the middle of the night and felt scared and lonely, so I started yelling that I wanted breakfast. A nurse came in, told me that breakfast wouldn't be for a couple of hours, that she'd make sure I got it, and that I should go back to sleep.