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Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 23 Dec 2024

Drinking Too Much Water Almost Killed a Hyderabad Woman; Here's How

Drinking too much water dilutes your blood and decreases the electrolytes in your body, especially sodium

A 40-year-old woman from Hyderabad almost lost her life, developing a threatening condition after she drank almost 4 liters of water right after waking up. According to Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist with Apollo Hospitals, the woman developed severe headache, nausea, and vomiting.
“It is claimed that drinking excess water in the morning right after waking up can clear all waste from her body,” Dr. Kumar wrote on the social media site X.
Dr. Kumar said a few minutes after drinking water, she began to feel disoriented and confused, followed by a seizure and loss of consciousness. “The diagnosis was obvious, it was most likely hyponatraemia, or low sodium levels in the blood, caused by water intoxication. The blood test also confirmed our suspicion. The serum sodium levels were 110 mmol/L,” he tweeted.

What is water intoxication?

According to experts, water intoxication happens when you have more water in your body whi is needed. Doctors say the condition leads to severe chemical imbalances that your body cannot clear out naturally by sweating or urinating.
Drinking too much water dilutes your blood and decreases the electrolytes in your body, especially sodium. And as a result, water moves into your body’s cells and causes them to swell. So, when you get too much water in your brain cells, it increases pressure on the brain and affects how it works. This leads to changes in your awareness, movement, and behaviour.
Doctors say Water intoxication can be fatal.

Signs and symptoms of water intoxication

A few signs and symptoms of water intoxication include:
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Bloating in your tummy
  • Headache
  • Drowsiness
  • Muscle weakness, pain and cramps
  • Changes to your mental status, including confusion, irritability, and dizziness
  • Severe swelling in your hands, feet, and belly
While it is not easy to know if you drank too much water, however, the colour of your pee does tell a lot about your health. If you are not hydrated, your pee will be light yellow, like the colour of light straw or lemonade. You may be drinking too much water if your pee is colourless or clear. Doctors advise stopping drinking water if your pee is colourless and you have water intoxication symptoms.

How much water can lead to overhydration?

It depends on the amount of water that may lead to overhydration. According to doctors, it is important to understand how your body uses water to know how much too much for you is. Excess water can be removed from your body through pee. In a day, this equals to around 1-2 litres.
In a few people, water intoxication symptoms begin to develop after drinking about 3-4 litres over an hour or two. You can help prevent overhydration by:
  • Drinking when you are thirsty
  • Listening to your body
  • Stopping after you’ve quenched your thirst; don’t force yourself to drink
  • Stop drinking if you feel nauseous, bloated, or have a headache

How can you treat water intoxication?

A few ways you can reduce water intoxication include:
  • Stopping or restricting your water consumption
  • Treating the cause of water intoxication, which may include stopping certain medications
  • Depending on the cause of water intoxication, doctors may also put you on diuretics or IV fluids.
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