First Legit Heat Exhaustion experience

[BeerThirty]

Yesterday I was on an 8-mile hike on Pine Mountain and had my first legit run-in with heat exhaustion. Boy it sure humbled me.

Early symptoms started to set in around the last 2 miles of the hike just after high noon where the heat index was between 106-108. Muscle weakness and fatigue, tunnel vision and just generally feeling like a sloth. Made it back to camp, had ice cold gatorade and tried to sit and rest. I was soaked in sweat and I just couldn't cool down, even sitting there doing nothing. It was work just to walk 20 feet. My head was feeling heavy and I legit was struggling to hold it up. Confusion started to set in so I jumped in the truck and blasted the AC. Took me about an hour with MAX AC to finally feel better.

Never had this happen to me before. This experience has totally given me a new perspective on being more cautious for outdoor activities in the extreme heat, and I certainly have gained a very large appreciate for the folks who have to work every day in the fire.

 

[Buck70]

We call that "bear caught".

 

[Nicodemus]

We call that "bear caught".

Yep, and the bear has caught me once, and came very close two more times. The last time was one week ago today.

 

[JustUs4All]

Heat exhaustion happened to me once when I was a kid riding my bike home from the pond after a day of swimming with little internal hydration. Wound up in the ditch after almost being hit by a car.

The real danger begins when you stop sweating and go from heat exhaustion into heat stroke.

 

[fatback]

The “bear” has been prowling a bunch lately. Try to stay hydrated and if possible limit your outdoor activities to real early or late before or after the sun gets too high in the sky.

 

[Nicodemus]

The “bear” has been prowling a bunch lately. Try to stay hydrated and if possible limit your outdoor activities to real early or late before or after the sun gets too high in the sky.

Around here you best do whatever needs doing early in the morning. Even in the late afternoon and as the sun goes down it`s still hotter`n fire.

 

[fatback]

Around here you best do whatever needs doing early in the morning. Even in the late afternoon and as the sun goes down it`s still hotter`n fire.

Agreed. I’m south east of y’all so I know what you mean. Daylight till about 9:00-9:30 is your best best. Even then it is miserable. Come on November.

 

[Railroader]

I work outside in the heat of the day switching boxcars. Staying hydrated can not be emphasized enough.

The railroad provides 10 oz bottles of drinking water. I easily drink 15-20 per shift.

If you ain't peeing clear and often, you ain't hydrated enough.

As someone else mentioned, the real danger zone is when you stop sweating. It comes on quickly, without much warning.

I got "caught out" one time several years back, and I ended up gettin' an IV in the back of an ambulance with the air on full blast. Then I went back to work...lol

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

 

[Jeepnfish]

Happened to me this past Wednesday. Out in the Gulf fishing. I usually don't sweat much but I was soaking wet and lightheaded.

 

[ryanh487]

I've always been extremely susceptible to it for some reason. Went blind for about 10 minutes one time just fishing on a farm pond in south GA. Me and heat are not friends and if I spend the day in 90+ Temps and I'm not on or in the water no matter how much I hydrate I will have a migraine the next morning that lasts all day. The best way to cool down fast is ice or really cold water at the base of your skull, on the inside of your wrists, and on your inner thighs.

 

[trad bow]

Hydrate means water. Much as it pains me to say leave the alcohol in the fridge or cooler. Drink water.

 

[madsam]

Heat exhaustion is no joke..Bad thing about it is once it starts it
takes awhile for your body to reverse . Even when u enter a cold enviroment
to reverse it.

 

[notnksnemor]

After the first time, you will have less tolerance for heat. The best way to cool down is run water over your wrists.
Blood vessels are closest to the skin surface and cooling the blood will start cooling the body faster.

 

[Gbr5pb]

Yep need to go to Taylor and work at new lease! Ain’t going until someone able to go with me! Don’t need to be 150 miles from home by myself working in this heat!

 

[Nicodemus]

Yep need to go to Taylor and work at new lease! Ain’t going until someone able to go with me! Don’t need to be 150 miles from home by myself working in this heat!

That`s for sure, especially if you`re older. Not saying you are, but I am and it whips me like a puppy now. I used to work all day long in the sun with fire retardant clothes on. Yea it was rough but I could stand it then. If I tried to do that now it would kill me. Seriously.

 

[fireman32]

Definitely be more careful now that you’ve experienced this, like mentioned you will be more prone to exhaustion now. I work in the heat 2 days out of 3, at 165 pounds I still drink over a gallon of water a day. I’ll cramp on occasion, particularly my hands. The high humidity here makes it near impossible for sweat to cool you off, you have to keep your core cool.
My closest encounter was 3 years ago, spent about 6 hours in the direct July sun putting a picker back together. Got short of breath and a bit of tunnel vision. Finally got into some a/c and felt better after a few hours.
I make dang sure ems stays on scene for any structure fire we may have, even our dedicated young punks need IV’s sometimes.

 

[sinclair1]

Hydration starts the day before. I am loading up for tomorrows heat right now. I watch urine color Railroad mentioned like a hawk.

 

[fireman32]

Hydration starts the day before. I am loading up for tomorrows heat right now. I watch urine color Railroad mentioned like a hawk.

That’s right, during training at Gptstc, the instructors told us if we weren’t waking up at least twice during the night to urinate, we weren’t drinking enough.

 

[Gbr5pb]

That`s for sure, especially if you`re older. Not saying you are, but I am and it whips me like a puppy now. I used to work all day long in the sun with fire retardant clothes on. Yea it was rough but I could stand it then. If I tried to do that now it would kill me. Seriously.

65 and recovery takes a lot longer now than it did building houses at 18 years old

 

[TJay]

Yep it comes on quick. I've experienced it real good one time and a couple of times less severe on different occasions, all of them at deer camp in the summer messing around with deer stands. Once it gets you drinking more water won't do much you need to find some way to cool your body temperature. The worst time for me I was fortunate to be with some friends. The other two times I was by myself back in the woods and that's kind of scary.