quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
That does not seem to be substantially different than G-2 Steve.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Or a travel agent..

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
Larry

Those of us that are not acclimetized loose excessive salt with our sweat when exposed to very hot weather. Low NaCl levels makes it difficult to concentrate urin and worsens any dehydration. The air in a plane is very dry and fluid loss is above normal. On your way home your NaCL levels are low. Ypu are probably lightly dehydrated and the dry air does the rest.
Next time take salt tablets

Regards Carl Frederik (MD)

quote:

Originally posted by ggruber:

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
Larry

Those of us that are not acclimetized loose excessive salt with our sweat when exposed to very hot weather. Low NaCl levels makes it
difficult to concentrate urin and worsens any dehydration. The air in a plane is very dry and fluid loss is above normal. On your way home your NaCL levels are low. Ypu are probably lightly dehydrated and the dry air does the rest.
Next time take salt tablets

Regards Carl Frederik (MD)

About the worst medical advice I have seen. Taking salt drives your potassium level down, upsetting your electrolyte balance. Fluids with electrolytes (which contain Potassium) are the only legitimate way to prevent an imbalance due to dehydration.

Your advice is straight out of the 50's.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
Larry: I'm normally the same way, always "sort-of-sick" for a few days upon my return. Not this trip, though. I, like Saeed and Lake Kariba, drank a bottle of delicious Turgwe River water (didn't know it until after the fact, though) and two days later fell to some sort of intestinal parasite. Had Cipro and started immediately and it helped some and thank goodness for a 20 hour layover in Dubai on the way home. Got home 12 days ago and got two more types of meds and almost over it, I hope. Still pretty weak but would be happy to swap with you. Pretty good diet plan, too. This morning I weighed 14 lbs less than when we left for Zim.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
While I in general feel more out of it coming back than going, for me it's just the usual jet lag thing.

If you are having serious dehydration on the way back, you may be one of those folks who have more significant cortisol diurnal swings and the adrenal glands being off are causing some change in kidney function for your electrolyte changes. From what you say, I don't think the increased intake of any electrolyte drink will really change how you feel that much. One thing that might help you with this is do a peak and trough cortisol level and find if you do a prolonged period of sunlight deprivation your cortisol levels are really low.

I am just guessing here, but have had a few patients who get wonky if they spend a prolonged time without sunlight, and this is what it ended up being. A little Florinef about half way through might make a difference. Purely a guess, though. You would need some detailed endocrine testing to see if this is the case.

As to the other guy on salt tabs...

NaCl is table salt, sodium chloride. Not commonly supplemented anymore, and anyone with decent renal function in the absence of meds conserves it fine.

KCl is potassium chloride, and is the one that folks tend to have issues with. That is commonly used as salt substitute...but if you take too much it will cause heart arrhythmias, so don't take supplements without someone competent checking in to your kidney function... Most have no issues getting rid of excess, but if you don't have good renal function or are on meds that block it's excretion, it can be very dangerous to take lots of it.