Drank water from a waterfall - guess who’s now sick

[Mynewparasitefriend]

Me. It’s me obviously

Was hiking with enough water - got around half way through and realised my backpack was dripping.

Stopped and opened it and most of my water had leaked out. I was miles from anywhere and in stupid heat. Decided to finish my hike and then take a detour on the way back to a village. By the time I got 3/4 of the way round I was so thirsty and hot and still miles out from the village.

Came across the waterfall and I know (I know) not to drink from outside water but in my defence it was really fast flowing and completely clear.

Probably drank 400-500 mls

5 hrs later and my stomach is like a washing machine. Exactly how sick am I going to be?

I would think the hydrochloric acid in your gut is feistier.

Thank you for the earworm.

You can usually go 3 days without water & at least 24 with heavy walking so if you were so thirsty after a few hours I'd say you were already in the process of getting sick & just sped the process of clearly out your stomach/intestines by drinking dodgy water

See a doctor if it lasts more then 24 hours or you feel like it's unmanageable by sitting on the toilet with a bucket or having. A bath

I know someone - well an Elvis impersonator who had to postpone his shows - who nearly died from eating a garage sandwich. But millions still eat pre+prepped Sandwiches and salads without getting the lectures OP is getting here.

I'm incredulous that you would think because it's clear, it's clean. Do you also think because you can't see the flu virus, you can't get the flu?

You had next to no chance of getting dehydration so badly it could affect you to your permanent detriment in those circumstances but drinking water that is full of bacteria, viruses, fungal spores and fertiliser, def possible.

Just because water is clear, that doesn't mean it's not polluted.

Same thing happened to my dad with an M&S sandwich. But the presumption is that food that is prepared for sale in a shop is safe.

Aren't most bodies of water in the UK heavily polluted?

I’m glad you are feeling better this morning and are taking the sensible approach and having a rest day.

to all those making snide comments about not drinking front the waterfall, if the op had not done so she might have been a Michael Mosley, dehydrated and unable to carry on. It was the most sensible choice in the situation.

aquatabs for future might be worth carrying with you just in case but it was a chance event! You’ll now probably carry them for years and never need them!

🙂a nice cup of tea cures all ills. No stove required with a kelly kettle.

😝 love it @jen337

On a munro the water has come from much higher up though. It's likely to be just rainwater. By the time it's low level, it's riddled with parasites and their eggs, shit, bugs and fertiliser. A totally different thing.

Glad you’re feeling better OP, it sounds like you didn’t have much choice, I think you made the right decision to drink the water knowing the potential risks versus potentially collapsing and dying from dehydration on a hot day. Bring your life straw next time! Apparently it doesn’t filter viruses but will get bacteria and parasites ok.

Your first mistake was choosing a day with high temps to go hiking

I really don't understand why people do strenuous activity like hiking or uphill cycling when it gets above 30 odd degrees.... Asking for trouble.

For future reference, you can get water purification tablets, which would treat the water in an emergency situation. (No recommended to be relied upon properly!) I’d keep some of those in your bags if hot weather climbing.

Hard to say whether it was the heat or the water, but we learn by experience and I'm sure you wont go hiking without your life straw or a leaky bottle again. Glad you're feeling better.

This. We’ve a box full in the garage in case of issues with the water system. Very cheap and effective.

Get some activated charcoal capsules and if there is a health food shop near by get some oregano oil to take

Ok - I didn’t “think it was clean” because it was clear

I figured clear was better than murky with sediment

not that clear meant pure glacial cleanliness

I need to change my username 🤣

Because they've booked the time off? Because they were prepared (and stuff like leaky bottles, while unexpected, does happen). All sorts of unexpected things happen in life. You can trip and fall off a pavement on a shopping trip.

I had a walking holiday planned during the last heatwave. Shropshire Hills. Lovely. I packed more water every day and slightly reduced my daily mileages. Had a full battery on my phone, sunhat and screen, and had a lovely time. Life is about calculated risks and I'm not going to lose my mind about over-30 degree temps.

I'm also pretty fit. It's doing stuff like that that helps keep me fit and healthy.

Life is about weighing risk and sometimes you get it wrong.

I'd argue you're at more risk on a big night out for example with alcohol and other people drinking and all the randomness that goes with that.

Glad you're feeling better OP.

This is absolutely true, I'm usually constipated, go once every four days generally and it feels like I'm giving birth when I do go. I read your post and literally ran to the toilet and let's just say it was like it was me that had drank the dirty water lol that never happens to me. Mind over matter eh?

It's really not difficult with even a small amount of experience.