Published on 12, July, 2020
Seriously, how?
Dehydration is something I've struggled with my entire life. As a child I was always dehydrated, I never remembered to drink, I didn't feel thirsty. I'm pretty sure when I die one day the cause of death will be dehydration, or kidney failure from too much dehydration. I was in hospital 2 weeks ago with dehydration and the nurses and doctors told me then that each time it will be damaging my kidneys. For me I'm thinking it's like my switch that tells me I'm thirsty and when I need to drink isn't switched on - because I never feel thirsty. Even when I'm in the deep end of dehydration I still don't think of having a drink. I've used app reminders but I don't feel thirsty so don't drink, I literally gag and nearly choke if I try to force myself to drink something.
At my last hospital visit a doctor, think it was a psych doctor was quizzing me on why this happens so frequently to me. I think what she was getting at was am I a psychotic trying to dehydrate myself repeatedly. I was asked if voices were telling me not to drink? I said no, it's just autism. They seriously try and drag mental health in to everything now. It's frustrating! A lot less mental health and more autism support would go a long way.
You are very welcome! Here is another article about interocepton in autistic/ADHDer's:
https://www.authenticallyemily.uk/blog/interoceptive-awareness-in-autism-and-adhd
Thank you AA, I've just read the NAS page on interoception differences.
I'm still learning.
Ben
Print off a weekly chart with a line for each day and aim to drink at least, say five, cups of tea, coffee or water per day. Put the chart on the wall in a prominent place and put a tick with the time every time you have a drink.
That should remind you to drink and you can keep track of how much you drank.
It's working well for me, but I've been doing it for years at this point. I started when I first went on SSRIs because you can get a dry mouth with them and they can mess with your temperature regulation- it was something I did for that before I even realised that not feeling thirsty was an autistic thing. It's also not too strenuous a routine- one mug in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening.
I don't always feel thirsty but I also find it daunting drinking from a great big cup, instead I drink from a Frozen Elsa bottle. It has a fold in straw and holds a good amount of fluid, just enough for me, not too much or too little.
I expect a few people laugh at me for drinking from it as I'm an adult now, 21, but it works for me. I have a sensitive gag reflex and that's why I like drinking from this bottle, it's gentle and rarely upsets me and makes drinking much easier.
Ben said:I've never thought about it being an autistic thing,
Yes it definitely is a common autistic experience because of our interoception differences.
I fill a water bottle up and keep it in my line of sight throughout the day so I remember to drink it, but it's only plain water I have this issue with, I'm in the habit of drinking decaff pretty regularly through the day anyway so it's not like I'm not taking on any fluids because my trigger for a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade is pretty much the second my mouth feels even remotely dry. It's my stomach that I can't detect until it's literally making noises so I have to set alarms to go make meals.
Also: Each morning I make peppermint tea, and each evening I make camomile tea, both of which I enjoy, but often I find them cold and forgotten.
Nerdlinger,
Like you, I have to remember to drink, as I very rarely feel thirsty.
I make hot drinks and then just leave them on the table, forgotten.
I usually put a bottle of mineral water into my bag or backpack before I leave the house...... but more often than not it's still there, unopened, when I arrive home again.
I've never thought about it being an autistic thing, I just think of it as a personel 'quirk', but reading this thread it seems I'm not the only one.
I struggle to stay hydrated. I find a sensory pleasing receptacle helps me to drink. A child's reusable bottle with lovely pictures and a nice straw, it's small enough to carry around and I enjoy it more than a normal glass. It also has a nobbly bit I like to fiddle with.
Would sucking ice cubes or ice lollies help with the gag reflex? They could be made at home from any liquid you can tolerate - to avoid excessive sugar intake and cost. The ice would release water slowly so it would not be like having to swallow a mouthful at one instant.
Hi, I spent a few years almost addicted to caffeine - mainly Coca Cola but stopped drinking in the end as it was giving me a lot of digestive grief and awful acid reflux, so now I'm mainly drinking tea, water and squash, though not too much juice as it also contributed to acid reflux.
How's your tea routine working for you? I've tried making a drinking routine but can never stick to it, it's a head scratcher for me, one I'm still trying to figure out.
I had to incorporate making and drinking cups of tea into my routine. I do drink other things, but only when I'm thirsty or my mouth is dry, so I don't drink them very quickly as I don't feel thirsty very often. With a cup of tea, I have to drink it all before it goes cold and horrible, otherwise it's a waste. That keeps me drinking and therefore hydrated. If caffeine's a problem or you don't like tea I think any hot drink would work in a similar way- I know you can still drink fruit teas etc cold but a hot one that's then gone cold is nowhere near as good as one that was meant to be cold!
Yes unfortunately the gagging choking is a common occurrence for me. I think it's where I have an over sensitive gag reflex, so just anything triggers it, quite unpleasant. A straw is a good idea - it could help, I will certainly give it a try.
Something you might like is a water bottle with times on the side of it, showing how much you should have drank by certain times. I have one and so did my little sister, she originally suggested I get one too.
I'm sorry about your low blood pressure mate.
My health has been a bit up and down since I started struggling with eating.
Interesting, thanks. I don't really like the taste of fruit, apples are no good for me but I like bananas. That's a good start for me, and maybe a good way of having breakfast as well which is something else I struggle with - malnutrition. I used to eat oranges quite a lot but I lost the taste for them in the end.
Dehydration is more than just not drinking enough water. In fact, intaking too much water is how we can drown, so It's complex. I used to have to get an IV in summers when I lived in a more dry climate, because it's an issue of hydration in your blood.
The body needs an assortment of minerals and sugars to stay properly hydrated. A banana a day is a good start. Orange juice an pineapple. I found that a shot glass of raw cranberry added to a cup of 100% grape juice can do the trick. Because there are other mechanisms in the body that can allow or disallow proper hydration. Years ago I had several conversations about the fluoride and chlorine put in tap water which can actually create dehydration if not kept in check. Minerals can be stripped out, so that the water isn't actually hydrating the blood. In a pinch, sport drinks with electrolytes can help. But I started supplementing my routine with bottled pH 7+ water. That was a complete game-changer. But I also have low blood pressure, so I need to really mind a good intake of sodium and salt.
I fill a bottle up at the same times of day every day so I know I'm drinking enough. If my bottle's not close to empty, I make an effort to drink more the next few times.
Do you have the same gagging/choking issue even if you're just taking a small sip? How about if you're drinking from a different kind of opening (like a straw or the kind you bite)?
by drinking fluids
I was at work once and we were outside. The others were like "you look dehydrated" and I didn't even pick up on it. They had to tell me to drink water.
I know when I feel thirsty but I don't have the instinct to drink water unless I'm super desperate.