[pct-l] bathroom stops

[Melanie Clarke]

Dear Sherry,

Maybe you acquired a bladder infection?

Walking with your hands pumping at your sides along an arc will force water
to the ends, a minor centripetal force.  Hike with hiking poles.

Also, I drink water only.  You do need to replace electrolytes but putting
flavor in my drink makes me drink too much.  I hate that because I hate to
wake up in the middle of the night, where I struggle to put on my shoes, to
HAVE to pee.  I prefer to ingest electrolytes in my food, something salty,
foods with Potassium etc.  Your body will adapt to exercise and eventually
secrete fewer electrolytes in your sweat.  Heredity also governs how
diluted your sweat is.  I seem to have watery sweat so I don't seem to need
drastic electrolyte replacement, even exercising in heat.  I have never had
a muscle cramp due to exercise (only pregnancy).  Your body may be
different.

Altitude (along with a headache) makes your body retain some water, I
usually get a little swelling hiking Whitney and Forester's Pass within 2-3
days but it goes away soon.

So Brick and I are giving you opposite advice but see what works for
you.  Hypotremia
is a very real issue as we all tend to suffer from time to time from
the "*athletic
mentality"* of *"If some is good, more must be better".*  Athletes (me
included sometimes) tend to take this to absurd levels.  Some exercise is
good... then you get people who still run with hip/knee replacements,
"some" protein is good... and people forget that Carbs are more efficient
for the body and you get all protein diets for weight reduction and body
building.  (Fat is also less efficient but the calories weigh less so it is
easier to carry for a hiker.) "Some" water is good... and you get some
athletes actually poisoning themselves with too much water...  "Some" salt
in the diet is good..., I had a cycling friend, crash because he ingested
too many salt tablets during a long distance cycling event.

You get the idea...  Moderation people!

Toga

On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:58 AM, Sherry Smith <sherry_s1954 at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Hi.  I am wondering if other people have the same problem as I have.  I
> can't seem to make it very far before I have to stop to, well, 'pee'.  I am
> sick of it.  Is the hiking beating up my bladder or something?
>
> Also, my hands swell when I hike in the heat.  I sip water as I hike (and,
> no, I am not drinking that much to account for stopping to go to the
> bathroom every flippin' half hour!!) and I know I am not dehydrated.
> Thanks for any help.
> Chemo Savvy
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