heat exhaustion/stroke

[TheOrchardKeeper]

Are there any warning signs?

I'm pale as anything and rubbish with heat but I've never felt so sick with it before. I know it's just the heat as it goes if I sit in a cool bath.

I'm asking as I'm a bit concerned that I might pass out without much warning and then DS will be alone (sorry to sound melodramatic but it's happened in the past from pure exhaustion alone). House is toddler proof but I'd feel much better knowing it was a tiny risk.

Can't find much info on it online besides keeping cool etc. I can only spray myself with water 7 drink (water) like a fish as I'm an LP and DS keeps me on my toes til 7pm.

• & not 7 sweaty fingers

Got to pick DS up from nursery in a bit and feel sick at the thought. Get so dizzy once I'm walking in the sun!

I'm not sure what advice to give, just didn't want your post to go unanswered!

Maybe you could ring NHS Direct? I'm indoors with the curtains shut and my feet in a bowl of iced water

Thanks. Might do. I don't want to waste anyones time being a drama queen but I've not felt this ill from heat before, despite being bad with hot weather since i was little.

Was sick when i got back from picking DS up which was glamorous

You cool faster if your clothes are wet, try dampening down your clothes. Also put your hands up to your wrists in a bowl of cool water. I read on the BBC website that a lukewarm shower/bath is better for cooling down than cold, as if the water is very cold, all your blood rushes away from your skin to your core and doesn't cool down at all. As tempting as it is to get in to a cold bath, try a lukewarm or tepid one instead.

Do you have any friends/family locally you can call to help?

Try and drink but not gluping and not ice cold, if you can lie down, do. Maybe with your feet raised?

advice on keeping cool

A wet cloth on the back of your neck will cool you down too.

Thanks. It's hard to use the bath before DS is in bed so keep running my wrists under cool water, spongeing and am trying to do as little as possible.

My partner doesn't live with us but will be coming over this eve. No one else besides that really.

Drinking as much as i can stomach too!

Definitely try to lie down if you are feeling dizzy.

Heat exhaustion: Headachy, dizzy, confused; off your food/nausea; sweaty; pale and clammy; may get cramps; may get fast pulse and breathing. Gentle sensible cool down, drink water/rehydration fluids, lie down with feet up if possible.

Heat stroke: much more serious. temperature 40 or over; headachy dizzy; confused and agitated; dry skin/stop sweating; thumping pulse; becoming drowsy/less responsive. Definitely a 999 job. FAST cool down.

No need to go nuts with the water - if you are peeing pale pee that's fine (it is technically possible to get ill if you drink much too much water but vanishingly rare).

Also something salty, like a cup soup or miso soup is good.

Drinking too much water is no good.

Remember to eat as well, to keep your blood sugar stable

Drinking too much not good by the way! You flush out ll the essential minerals.

I think you can actually die from forcing yourself to drink pints nd pints of water.

Yes, keep hydrated but sensibly please

Try not to drink too much plain water if you're sweating a lot, try drinking watered down orange juice or ribena with a teeny pinch of salt, or an isotonic drink if you've got one.

oops, x post :)

I've not been going crazy! Just trying to drink a glass an hour of watered down lemonade (although I don't feel like it). Don't feel like eating due to being sick bu will try eat something before bed as some sites seem to say you should even if you feel sick?

I know heat stroke is far more dangerous! Just meant heat-issues in general.

I'm mostly concerned about the dizziness really. Lying down helps but DS isn't making it easy

Thanks for the replies.

^ did have a diarolyte after I was sick as I'm already a sweaty mess so thought it was probably best in case

It's not looking like it'll cool down anytime soon so I should've been more careful really!

Accidentally lost track of time yesterday and spent the whole 'midday' section outside. Have felt considerably worse since. Will only be going out quite early/late now if I can help it!

I find fizzy drinks give me painful wind and make me feel ill and woozy.
If you sweat loads then you need more salt intake, as sweating rids the body of lots of salt.
I would say eat salty crisps so long as they don't make you even more thirsty so you drink even more. It's a bit of a double edged sword.

I'm off my food and cooking too, so just having a spicy tomato soup with rice and white bread for tea now, but tummy full of noisy wind from the fizzy drinks and not enough exercise as too hot.

How are you feeling today?