To be concerned about the amount I drink?

[puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE]

The doctor asked me to keep a fluid intake diary as I thought I was probably drinking too much fluid in the day.

Turns out I am drinking 7-9 LITRES of fluid a day!

Does anyone else drink this much? Am I damaging myself???

Thank you Imperial, I shall go and get checked.

Could it be psychological at this stage? It's possible you could be unconsciously bringing the headache on with panic about not having something to drink, and depending on having one with you at all times.

To give you a comparison I drink about 1-3 litres a day depending on what I'm doing and the weather, I drink a lot with my dinner, either water or milk. I go to the bathroom about every 2.5-4 hours (when not pregnant with a human sitting on my bladder like I currently have). Even now I'm only going about once every 2 hours and I'm drinking loads.

That is far above the recommended amount. If you are constantly thirsty have a test for diabetes.

I have had a diabetes test today, its not that

I think it might be psychological, puds. I don't often consider Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as an option, but if excessive drinking is your only concern from an otherwise stable childhood, then I'd investigate that.

Look, it has to be psychological. There is no way you are actually thirsty 30 seconds after drinking a pint of water, which was presumably on top of another pint of water a few minutes before (barring diabetes, which you have just ruled out, or any other significant illness.)

Anything which makes you anxious is by default 'bad for you' in my book at least.

I also think you should try CBT, as a first off, as well as other therapies for compulsion. Hope you find a solution OP, it's not pleasant to be anxious and I'm sure this amount of fluid isn't good for you.

I was like this- it was a bad habit. I drank water and various hot drinks allllll day. Used to get headaches so drank more as I heard this helped!! I broke the habit, headaches stopped. I don't go out with a drink now- if I get thirsty I can buy one or ask for Tap water. I no longer have a lite of water constantly on the go

Just to say- if your squash has sugar/flavourings/additives and you're used to drinking a lot of it, you might get a withdrawal headache. Same with tea/coffee, depending on the amount you're used to having. If a headache comes on, do you normally go for squash/tea/coffee to relieve it? I'd maybe try reducing the squash etc, but having water instead. Then maybe reduce the volume of water- instead of a pint, why not a smaller glass, and so on.

CBT is also a good idea.

Does sound like a lot. I get headaches if I don't drink 4 litres of water a day and everyone I know thinks that's a lot! I've been like this throughout adulthood and have had negative tests for diabetes. I've stopped worrying about it as I'm otherwise healthy. The only time it's a nuisance is on holiday or if I'm at a friend's house for the day.

a few years back I noticed my water consumption shot up. I was thirsty all the time and took to leaving litre bottles of water around the house so it was always there when i wanted it. I had started buzzing around a lot more, always felt restless and needing to burn off energy. It wasn't until I had a cholesterol blood test accompanied by a thyroid function blood test that I found out I was suffering from hyperthyroidism. It may not be whats going on in your case but it's just a thought.

You're definitely not confusing pints with litres?

Have you been checked for diabetes insipidus (its not the same as "sugar" diabetes)

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes-insipidus/Pages/introduction.aspx

OP - why did your parents restrict your drinking to one drink with a meal? That's terrible? You must have been permanently thirsty? Were you only allowed one drink a day?

nott, definitely not confusing the two.

Thanks for the replies, a lot to consider!

I don't know why they did that Chavaloy No I wasn't restricted to one a day, but my mother restricted everything we could have such as drinks, food, fruit etc. I don't know why, I think she was a bit mad. I don't know why we were only allowed one drink with dinner, being young, I never questioned it.

As far as I know, the test I had today tested both types of diabetes, as the doctor explained the differences to me before the test. My result was 5.5, he said he would only be concerned if it was above 6.

He did suggest it may be a hormonal imbalance, but I have to wait until february for my blood tests.

If you drink far too much water, you can get hyponatremia, where the brain tissues swell due to osmosis. It is very serious.
You're quite right to be seeing the doctor about this. It's an enormous amount of fluid to be drinking.

I drink a reasonable amount too, though not nearly as much as you. I also tend to glug it down. It is better to sip though - perhaps try having little sips every now and again throughout the day.

I will always remember the story of Leah Betts (spelling). She'd taken Ecstasy and she thought she'd feel better if she drank loads of water. She did and she basically drowned her body and died. She did drink an awful lot very quickly though (not trying to scare you).

I know about all the issues with people having flooded their bodies, but I am thinking that since I have been doing this since I was about 12, maybe my body is used to it?

Drinking 7+ litres since you were 12? It could be psychological? Rule out all the physical possibilities first though.

I suspect you haven't been tested for diabetes insipidus as it is a different set of tests than those used for diabetes metillitus (type 1 and type 2 diabetes). It can occur when there is a problem with a hormone that regulates the fluid balance in the body. You produce large amounts of dilute urine consequently you get very thirsty.

I didn't drink this much then Alors, but it has always been a lot more than other people.