Cramps and pain at day 4

(Andrea) #1

I’ve been doing 3.5 or 4.5 day fasts a couple of times a month recently. No problems at all with it. But this time at 4 days I had horrendously sore bowel (I think) cramps. Pain left, right and below my belly button which radiated over ribs/back. It was like a much more intense version of the sort of spasm pain you get with constipation but instead of easing after a minute or two it stayed at extreme pain for about an hour. In the end I glugged down to large glasses of very salty water. It didn’t “flush” anything out but it did stop the pain.

Anyone has anything similar? Only 2 hrs now till I eat…! Weekend feast incoming! :slight_smile:

#2

Sounds like you have a hydration problem.

(Andrea) #3

Yeah you’re probably right, though I don’t think I’d had any less than normal. I was starting to worry that a visit to the emergency room was in my future! Just surprised by how painful it was.

#4

Most people don’t even REMOTELY drink enough. Let alone when fasting. Even scarier I see people getting the advise “only drink when you’re thirsty” WHAT? As somebody who always gets a least a gallon a day I’ve only recently figured out I need more like 1.5-2 to be optimal. Even for me that’s a slight chore to get it all in without question. Even got an app on my phone that bitches at me every 40 mins to keep drinking. Since doing that I’ve noticed better digestion (I’ve got some issue when it comes to that), I’m way less stiff in the morning, energy is improved and I’m sleeping better. All from adding to what was already what I’d say is a good amount of water daily. It’s pretty crazy. I see people trying to make people affraid of flushing their electrolytes and what not, good luck pulling that off! You’ll get sick as hell before you make it to that point. I was even starting to feel a little gross when I starting pushing mine up around the 1.5g/day mark. That’s gone and it was well worth it. Only downside was until my body got used to the increased intake I may have had like 72 pee breaks a day. Worth it.

(Andrea) #5

Interesting. Thanks for the reply. I usually only have about 2-3litres a day of water/tea/coffee. I’ll try upping it for a while. It’s a standing joke with my brother that we should both just go and get our gallbladder taken out. Everyone in my mum’s side of the family had gallbladder problems. But I think the reason is how little they all drank! Must drink more.

(Polly) #6

By my calculation @lfod14 is consuming 5.5 litres per day [assuming US gallons rather than imperial gallons are in play] which is an enormous amount. I cannot imagine drinking that much even when it has been hot as recently in the UK.

I am definitely a member of the drink when thirsty school of thought and it works for me. I suspect the amount of water needed varies with the other constituents of our diet.

#7

I wouldn’t give this advice since I learned thirst is messed up in many people but I actually follow this and I think it works well. I am a thirsty type, it seems.

So I guess people who have a well working thirst give this advice thinking everyone is like that. Or maybe the ones who aren’t hydrated enough themselves but think it’s the normal. I had no idea on high-carb that it’s not my optimal health…

Some people actually drink way too much water. Some of them dies. So it’s not impossible. I don’t know how hard is to flush out electrolytes so I don’t talk about that. Water has a fatal amount and I don’t know how but people is able to consume that by their own will sometimes. My body screams “it’s too much” so I am super thirsty, my throat is dry and still can’t drink (very rarely but happens when I do some cycling) but some people don’t work that way.
I am sure some people are super sensitive about electrolytes too. I don’t know how serious is this, I never gave these advice or warnings but I consider them valid in some cases. But it makes things so complicated, I am so glad I don’t need to worry about my water and salt… Or peeing in every 2 hours, well that would be awful (hydration is more important but still horribly unpleasant, I imagine).

#8

Hotness makes me more thirsty (or rather more frequently) but as I sweat very little on a normal day, I probably drink a similar amount as in cold weather as my body gets enough water and it makes me stop.
I often hear people saying we must drink over 5 liters of water (at least when we are heavy enough) - and me, a thirsty type, couldn’t do it if I wanted. It’s like saying I must eat 5000 kcal (and I can eat). It just can’t happen as my body says NO at some point and I can’t do anything about it. I had enough. One can be full with water too, not only with food.
So fixed numbers don’t work on everything. I don’t control my water intake, I can’t, I drink when I am thirsty, sometimes earlier but I have my limits. I can control my food intake through my food choices and timing though. But many people seemingly can.