Dehydration

Justin M

Justin M

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JM
When I fly, I don't drink a lot of water until I land, but if I'm flying for a few hours, that can lead to becoming dehydrated.

I always tell passengers to drink a lot of water after they go flying.

But I've discovered that if I drink only water, I still can end up with a dehydration headache.

However, lately, I've been eating cashews while I'm hydrating and found that 100 percent of the time, I do not have dehydration headaches afterwards.

I suppose the salt in the cashews help the body absorb water.
 
I don't drink anything until an hour left in the flight. Haven't ever had a dehydration issue.
 
We have to constantly remind the guys on our crew to watch their hydration levels between May and November. I get a few cross eyed looks when I ask a guy what color was his last urine sample was....I then remind them that if there is enough color to tell, they need to grab a drink.... There are nights that it's not unusual for me to down 8 liters of water...especially when the hangar is still 102F at 3 am.
 
I always remember to drink a little water and have something in my stomach before I go flying. It is draining to fly for a few hours.
 
Something is wrong with you @Justin M. I drink nothing before a flight, and I've flown 5 hour legs with no physiological dehydration issues at all. And I'ma pathetic fat bald little old man.
 
I don't drink beer before a flight. It makes me pee too much.
 
I am blessed with an XL size bladder - in 3000 hours of GA flying, I have never particularly badly needed to go while airborne and I drink plenty of water in flight.

My wife, on the other hand, made us stop for an unplanned restroom break in Grand Junction yesterday on the way from California to Kansas City... We had the nanny with us and she didn’t want to use the onboard potty which doesn’t have a lot of privacy.

Not a cheap bathroom break with their fuel prices…
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RudyP said:
My wife, on the other hand, made us stop for an unplanned restroom break in Grand Junction yesterday on the way from California to Kansas City... We had the nanny with us and she didn’t want to use the onboard potty which doesn’t have a lot of privacy.

Not a cheap bathroom break with their fuel prices…
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‘Honey, this bathroom break is going to cost me $1,650. Make them turn their heads, because you’re using the onboard potty.’
 
RudyP said:
My wife, on the other hand, made us stop for an unplanned restroom break in Grand Junction yesterday on the way from California to Kansas City... We had the nanny with us and she didn’t want to use the onboard potty which doesn’t have a lot of privacy.

Not a cheap bathroom break with their fuel prices…
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You obviously just need a bigger, faster airplane. Right?
 
RyanB said:
‘Honey, this bathroom break is going to cost me $1,650. Make them turn their heads, because you’re using the onboard potty.’
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Only about half that- I would have had to buy fuel anyway later on but my planned stop was half the price with CAA.

DaleB said:
You obviously just need a bigger, faster airplane. Right?
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I wish I could afford more - especially more range!
 
steingar said:
Something is wrong with you @Justin M. I drink nothing before a flight, and I've flown 5 hour legs with no physiological dehydration issues at all. And I'ma pathetic fat bald little old man.
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Yes, because anyone that has a body that doesn’t act like yours obviously has something wrong with them. :rolleyes:
 
Salty said:
Yes, because anyone that has a body that doesn’t act like yours obviously has something wrong with them. :rolleyes:
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But to be fair... anyone who DOES have a body that acts like his obviously has something wrong with them, too.
 
Justin M said:
When I fly, I don't drink a lot of water until I land, but if I'm flying for a few hours, that can lead to becoming dehydrated.

I always tell passengers to drink a lot of water after they go flying.

But I've discovered that if I drink only water, I still can end up with a dehydration headache.

However, lately, I've been eating cashews while I'm hydrating and found that 100 percent of the time, I do not have dehydration headaches afterwards.

I suppose the salt in the cashews help the body absorb water.
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How well hydrated are you normally? If your pee is clear, I'd expect it to take more than a few hours of sitting to make you dehydrated. Are you deliberately not drinking before your flights?
 
There’s also the high altitude and stress factors which contribute to the headaches. I have to drink more when I fly than normal.
 
Lindberg said:
How well hydrated are you normally? If your pee is clear, I'd expect it to take more than a few hours of sitting to make you dehydrated. Are you deliberately not drinking before your flights?
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If you fly much in Florida, you will find that it is very easy to become dehydrated very quickly. Unless perhaps, you have air conditioning.
 
Lindberg said:
How well hydrated are you normally? If your pee is clear, I'd expect it to take more than a few hours of sitting to make you dehydrated. Are you deliberately not drinking before your flights?
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Something I should have considered before I opened my outsized gob. I drink a LOT. I drink a lot of booze of course, but I was really referring to ordinary liquids. I routinely drink a quart and a half or more every day without fail, for medical reasons. If the OP doesn't drink as much as yours truly, I can see how he could get dehydrated after a flight.

That said, if the OP doesn't drink that much liquid he should.
 
JOhnH said:
If you fly much xxxxxxxxx, you will find that it is very easy to become dehydrated very quickly. Unless perhaps, you have air conditioning.
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Flying dries me out quickly, of course staying hydrated makes me have to pee.
 
I don't like to drink while flying. I usually end up wearing whatever is in the bottle.

On my epic flight across the desert Southwest, however, I made sure to take a long pull on my (free) water bottles every time I switched tanks.

Yeah, it was 110F at 1500AGL, so I needed it. No rush to the boys' room after landing, either.
 
steingar said:
I routinely drink a quart and a half or more every day without fail, for medical reasons.
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Dang bro, I wish I could get away with that. Routinely drinking less than two and I get stones. More than three seems to be holding them at bay...
 
Lindberg said:
How well hydrated are you normally? If your pee is clear, I'd expect it to take more than a few hours of sitting to make you dehydrated. Are you deliberately not drinking before your flights?
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I'm pretty good on hydration. My pee is clear most of the time. I drink 44 oz on normal days. I don't limit my water intake before flights and drink 20 ounces before I leave the house every day.

My post really was about the advantage of adding a salty snack to my hydration which helps my body absorb the water I'm drinking.
 
Justin M said:
I'm pretty good on hydration. My pee is clear most of the time. I drink 44 oz on normal days. I don't limit my water intake before flights and drink 20 ounces before I leave the house every day.

My post really was about the advantage of adding a salty snack to my hydration which helps my body absorb the water I'm drinking.
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You're making Gatorade in your mouth.
 
172andyou said:
Dang bro, I wish I could get away with that. Routinely drinking less than two and I get stones. More than three seems to be holding them at bay...
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Eat a vegetarian diet and keep the weight off and you probably can.
 
Lindberg said:
You're making Gatorade in your mouth.
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Gatorade contains many ingredients not included in water and healthy snack. Cashews have 4 grams of sugar in 2 servings. Plus I get some protein.
 
As a Nephrologist (retired) I can assure you you’re not becoming “dehydrated” after a few hours of no fluid intake unless you’re sweating profusely. Insensible fluid losses have been rigorously studied at altitude and really don’t increase either, https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiologyonline.2001.16.3.134.
Suspect your headaches may be altitude related. I found a dose of a nonsteroidal anti inflammatory agent before flights above 6000ft pretty much prevents the headaches I typically experienced. YMMV. Do not take this as professional medical advice.
 
wrbix said:
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Suspect your headaches may be altitude related. I found a dose of a nonsteroidal anti inflammatory agent before flights above 6000ft pretty much prevents the headaches I typically experienced. YMMV. Do not take this as professional medical advice.
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AKA aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen.
 
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