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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

need urgent advice re heat

56 replies

hatetheheat2 · 12/08/2022 13:19

Ok I know I'm a wimp to be moaning but..

I don't handle heat very well at all. Mix that with the fact that it's currently the time of the month so I'm feeling generally hotter than normal anyway. I had to nip out with the kids about an hour ago as I needed to pick up my daughters medicine. We have a car that has no air con so I made sure the kids had water, ice lolly and window open for the journey. It was only a 30 min round trip including being in the shop.

As soon as we got out of the shop and back in the car I started to feel a bit unwell. I felt dizzy and a bit spaced out so I swung by the local drive through to grab a bottle of water and drank most of it in one go. Since then I've got a pounding headache, feel dizzy if I move and feel quite nauseous. Like I said I know I'm just being a wimp but I really don't feel great. Anyone have any suggestions of the best thing to do to help myself feel better quickly? I've got a 3 and 4 year old to look after so really can't be lying down for the afternoon!

OP posts:
lovemelongtime · 12/08/2022 13:20

hydrate, hydrate and hydrate more - you will be fine.

Icanstillrecallourlastsummer · 12/08/2022 13:21

stay in the shade and drink lots of water. Stay still if you can.

However I think it sounds more like anxiety than anything serious heat related.

girlmom21 · 12/08/2022 13:22

It definitely sounds like you need to hydrate if you downed the water that quickly!

Whataretheodds · 12/08/2022 13:22

Don't just drink water - rehydration salts if you have, squash with some salt in if not. Can you run a cool/lukewarm bath and get in it with the kids?

helpfulperson · 12/08/2022 13:22

Eat something with salt like crisps or nuts.

SalviaOfficinalis · 12/08/2022 13:23

Run your hands and wrists under the cold tap to cool down.
Drink some water.
Tell a friend/relative so they can check on you later

Saucery · 12/08/2022 13:23

As well as drinking lots of water put a wet flannel on your forehead and / or a wet hand towel round your neck to cool you down.

Kitavon · 12/08/2022 13:25

Keep hydrated and put your feet in a bowl of cold water.

BlueKaftan · 12/08/2022 13:25

Definitely rehydration salts or a banana and a sugary drink like squash. Cold water on your wrists.

Original poster
hatetheheat2 · 12/08/2022 13:26

Thank you for all the advice! Definitely don't think it's anxiety related as it came on very suddenly when we were stood in a very hot shop. I've got another bottle of water with me now and I'm going to take the suggestion of taking a cool bath with the kids as they will love that in this weather.
Re the rehydration sachet, would diaoralyte work?

OP posts:
SummerNightsDriftingAway · 12/08/2022 13:26

Missing the point - but if you drove feeling dizzy and spaced out you were being highly irresponsible

LairyMcClairy · 12/08/2022 13:28

You’ll be fine. Sit down for 10 mins with something decent to eat and drink and then get up slowly when you need to. Stick telly on for the kids.

SalviaOfficinalis · 12/08/2022 13:29

Yes to diaoralyte

MintJulia · 12/08/2022 13:29

Drink plenty of water, slow down, stay in the shade.

Wear loose fitting clothes made of natural fibres - cotton, linen, viscose etc - so well ventilated.

The temp outside today is about 32. Your normal body temperature is about 38.4, so as long as you stay in the shade and have sufficient water in your body to sweat, then you'll be fine.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 12/08/2022 13:29

Check out symptoms and remedies of heat exhaustion. It affects some people more than others and the effect of heat can be cumulative especially if you've not been able to cool down overnight.

Hope you feel better soon.

need urgent advice re heat
need urgent advice re heat
MintJulia · 12/08/2022 13:30

Sorry, normal body temperature is 37 degrees

endofthelinefinally · 12/08/2022 13:31

this happened to my elderly neighbour recently. She had been drinking lots of iced water all day then felt dizzy and faint . If you sweat a lot and only drink plain water your electrolyte balance gets really out of control. I gave her a cup of tea, a banana and a bag of crisps and she felt a lot better very quickly.
You can achieve the same thing with some orange squash with a spoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt, if you haven't got any rehydration salts.

isthismylifenow · 12/08/2022 13:31

Had you eaten as normal, or not eaten properly due to the heat?

Have one of the ice lollies that your dc had, and stay indoors.

It sounds like you are a bit dehydrated.

LairyMcClairy · 12/08/2022 13:32

Normal body temp is 36.5 -ish. 38.4 is a fever and could signal heat stress (or infection).

Leafy3 · 12/08/2022 13:32

Yes diarolyte is a brand of rehydration salts.

It sounds like heat exhaustion to me but check your symptoms to make sure it's not heat stroke.

Stay in the shade, put a damp sheet or pillowcase over your skin and let the breeze from a nearby fan cool you down.

Keep your fluids up and take it slowly

Original poster
hatetheheat2 · 12/08/2022 13:33

Thanks everyone, just mixed up some diaoralyte for myself. Feeling a bit better now we are inside and I've had a sit down. Definitely doesn't help that we live in a small new build that keeps the heat so our thermostat is currently showing 30 degrees inside Confused
My mom is actually going to come and pick us up and we're going over to hers for the rest of the day which is much cooler and also means she can help me with the kids.
Regarding the driving comment, I felt well enough to drive, i think it probably would have been more dangerous to stop in the middle of nowhere with the kids in a sweltering hot car with no air con

OP posts:
Mammma91 · 12/08/2022 13:35

Lots of water, avoid caffeine, fan on, curtains closed and if you can get away slap the tv on with some activities to try get a lie down on the sofa for 10 mins. Make sure your eating too because if your blood sugar drops it will contribute to the nausea. I hate the heat too OP - it makes me very cranky!

Original poster
hatetheheat2 · 12/08/2022 13:35

isthismylifenow · 12/08/2022 13:31

Had you eaten as normal, or not eaten properly due to the heat?

Have one of the ice lollies that your dc had, and stay indoors.

It sounds like you are a bit dehydrated.

I think this is probably one of the causes! I haven't eaten much at all over the past couple of days as I just don't feel hungry in the heat.
I also have a bad habit of making sure the kids are constantly eating,drinking, having sun cream on etc and don't tend to do any of that for myself so it's my own silly fault really.

OP posts:
Sunnyqueen · 12/08/2022 13:36

You sound dehydrated. You need salty crisps and/or peanuts and lots of water. Cups of tea are also good, a tepid shower, get your hair wet and make sure you wear a hat outside.

Leafy3 · 12/08/2022 13:38

hatetheheat2 · 12/08/2022 13:35

I think this is probably one of the causes! I haven't eaten much at all over the past couple of days as I just don't feel hungry in the heat.
I also have a bad habit of making sure the kids are constantly eating,drinking, having sun cream on etc and don't tend to do any of that for myself so it's my own silly fault really.

Show quote history

That won't help, op.

I'm like you - sensitive to the heat and don't want to eat in these temps, but I make sure I at least keep my blood sugars level to avoid the same situation as you've had.

I'm probably drinking at least one large drink an hour and I graze through the day on salad, fruit, cold meats and maybe some crisps.

Something sweet helps when you've not eaten to bring your blood sugar back up - an ice lolly in a pinch or fruit juice and can of coke.