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Avoiding heat Stroke at Faire

Started by DonaCatalina, April 24, 2009, 08:29:39 AM

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Badra

Quote from: Warrior Monk on March 25, 2010, 02:44:54 PM

What NOT to drink:

_ Commercially available Oral Rehydration Solutions (unpalatable, designed to replace fluid lost in diarrhoea, but not suitable for use during activities in heat)


If you're talking about Pedialyte & Gatoraide, this is what the doc who helped catch me when I passed out at Scarby, the paramedics that took care of me after I passed out at Scarby, and the first responders that monitor firefighters during calls who provided security & medical care at Tablerock directed me to drink in conjunction with water.  The first responders who took care of me after I spewed water all over a tree at Tablerock and kept me from passing out are the ones who informed me you can flush your electrolytes by drinking too much water.  I work in health care with a bunch of nurses who confirmed this information and told me I'm lucky I didn't fry my little brain & end up in the hospital as heat related injuries are VERY dangerous.  All of the aforementioned trained medical people are the ones who asked why in the blue heck I was drinking lemonade at Scarby, quizzed me about eating real food, quizzed me about any alcohol consumption, and scolded me for not realizing I wasn't peeing enough while sweating like crazy in the heat.  In both cases, I wasn't allowed to leave until I had consumed Gatoraide at Scarby/Pedialyte at Tablerock and was able to pee.
Cyn
Badra the Belly Dancer
Duchess of Parties
Gnicety Gnomie

BLAKDUKE

I have found that after every turn around the faire, a long stay at the ale house works best.  If is hotter then a shorter turn and a longer stay works very well.
Ancient swordsman/royalty
Have Crown/Sword Will Travel

Badra

FYI, you're more susceptible from going down from the heat after the 1st time it happens.
Cyn
Badra the Belly Dancer
Duchess of Parties
Gnicety Gnomie

Lady Renee Buchanan

Having just passed out from the heat this past weekend at RenDezvous, landing on the ground in the dirt in a total faint, something that became extremely apparent to me was that there wasn't one vendor that SOLD gatorade.  When I was in the First Aid Tent (where I spent the afternoon), the EMTs had a big cooler of it, of which I consumed quite a lot.

On Sunday, around 4 p.m., the heat started getting to me again (and I didn't wear garb for the first time in 11 years), and we looked all over for somewhere to buy gatorade.  Couldn't find one place.  So I went back to First Aid again, and they filled my water bottle with it.

My point is that if you are starting to feel ill from the heat, you may not be able to buy gatorade anywhere, but you can get it free at the First Aid tent, as they are always sure to have it.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

LadyStitch

Also if you are friends with some one who is friends of faire they have some in their area as well.  Grantd their areas are at each end of the faire but it is an option.
I also found that bodice chillers using cigar tubes help greatly.  The Pink Pirate got too hot on Saturday.  We are working out a way to put a cigar tube in a cotton bag so it is suspended over his chest.  That way he can just lift his cravat and put ice in it.
It is kind of strange watching your personal history become costume.

Badra

Quote from: Lady Renee Buchanan on April 27, 2010, 08:39:52 PM
Having just passed out from the heat this past weekend at RenDezvous...
On Sunday, around 4 p.m., the heat started getting to me again

No way?!  You went down from the heat & went back out the next day :o  You've got bigger...well...you know...than me!  I felt like hammered doggie doo after I went down that Easter at Scarby.  Cooking your brain will do that to you.
Cyn
Badra the Belly Dancer
Duchess of Parties
Gnicety Gnomie

Lady Renee Buchanan

Quote from: Badra on April 28, 2010, 06:25:51 PM
Quote from: Lady Renee Buchanan on April 27, 2010, 08:39:52 PM
Having just passed out from the heat this past weekend at RenDezvous...
On Sunday, around 4 p.m., the heat started getting to me again

No way?!  You went down from the heat & went back out the next day :o  You've got bigger...well...you know...than me!  I felt like hammered doggie doo after I went down that Easter at Scarby.  Cooking your brain will do that to you.

Well, it was our first time to Scarby, and I really wanted to see it, after being out of commission half the previous afternoon.  So I wore street clothes, and every hour I made sure I drank enough (no alcohol at all), and every 2 hours, I ate something.  Not huge meals, but fruit, nuts, even a couple of cookies.  Just something so I didn't get weak.  And drinking the Gatorade alternating with water helped.

And I forgot to mention until I saw Lady Stitch's post.  Dona Catalina was kind enough to bring Steve and I a glass of Gatorade from the FoF.  However, unless you are at a faire that is large enough to have a FoF, then probably the only place it will be available will be the first aid tent.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Ryk Rakham

Simple - the hotter it gets, the less alcohol you should consume.

Drink lots of water, no matter what the commercials say, water is the best hydrator.

Queen B set me on a great way to help alleviate the heat and I mentioned it to a doctor friend and he said "absolutely". Aspirin, plain aspirin. As long as you can tolerate it well, 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon will help your body fight the "pain" of heat, help you feel cooler and help with tired feet pain.

Oh, and for those who might have trouble with "chafing" of your thighs...Preparation H rubbed on before you put on your clothes helps both lubricate and prevent pain and chafing. So does baking soda, but it sweats off faster.
Ryk Rakham, scourge of the Red River
Rhyk Dragonfang

Jezz the Belle, scourge of the scourge
Lady Sherry

Badra

#68
Quote from: Ryk Rakham on April 29, 2010, 07:08:55 AM
Drink lots of water, no matter what the commercials say, water is the best hydrator.

Go back up & read the parts of the posts about drinking too much water and flusing your electrolytes & the parts about what professional medical & first responders have recommended.  Water is great, but it isn't always enough & it isn't always the best.  Conversely, too much water is a REALLY bad thing.
Cyn
Badra the Belly Dancer
Duchess of Parties
Gnicety Gnomie

Merlin the Elder

It takes a LOT of water to become a bad thing...  If you're dehydrating, alcohol is VERY BAD. It possibly has been mentioned earlier in this thread, but one way of determining if your are dehydrating is by pinching the skin in the web of your hand between the thumb and fore-finger. If it restores back right away, you're probably ok, but if it is slow to stop moving, you are very likely dehydrated.

Other bad things to drink if you're prone to dehydration, or are trying to rehydrate: anything with caffeine or alcohol. Yeah, it sucks...I live on coffee and Jack Daniels (or beer at faire), but it really can kill you.
Living life in the slow lane
ROoL #116; the Jack of Daniels; AARP #7; SS# 000-00-0013
I've upped my standards. Now, up yours.
...and may all your babies be born naked...

Bonny Pearl

#70
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on May 18, 2010, 04:22:27 PM
It possibly has been mentioned earlier in this thread, but one way of determining if your are dehydrating is by pinching the skin in the web of your hand between the thumb and fore-finger. If it restores back right away, you're probably ok, but if it is slow to stop moving, you are very likely dehydrated.

I will have to remember that!  Thanks for that pointer.  I recall Scarby a few years back on Memorial and how unbearably hot it was.  I am already thinking about what I will wear this Memorial to help stay cool.  Bodices may just have to go to the wayside or be very loose so air will circulate, etc.  Comfort and keeping cool will win over looking the part if it's a scorcher.
Gypsy Wanderer
Kingdom of Onondaga
Order of the Hatchet
Landshark No.88

DT_Masters

Quote from: Lady Renee Buchanan on April 27, 2010, 08:39:52 PM
Having just passed out from the heat this past weekend at RenDezvous, landing on the ground in the dirt in a total faint, something that became extremely apparent to me was that there wasn't one vendor that SOLD gatorade.  When I was in the First Aid Tent (where I spent the afternoon), the EMTs had a big cooler of it, of which I consumed quite a lot.

On Sunday, around 4 p.m., the heat started getting to me again (and I didn't wear garb for the first time in 11 years), and we looked all over for somewhere to buy gatorade.  Couldn't find one place.  So I went back to First Aid again, and they filled my water bottle with it.

My point is that if you are starting to feel ill from the heat, you may not be able to buy gatorade anywhere, but you can get it free at the First Aid tent, as they are always sure to have it.

I buy it from the stores in the powder form.......and carry it as standard load out in the bike frame bags so I'm always sure to have it when I'm biking. It won't be cold.....but it will be there.

Tim T

I grabbed some small packets of Propel powdered mix at Target that should do the trick as well.  It's a single serving, sized for a standard water bottle, just tear off the top and pour in.  I'm sure Gatorade and others probably have the same type of product.  BTW, I got the strawberry kiwi, which is really tasty, and only has 10 calories if that matters to ya.

Cheers!
Tim
aka Dark'n M'Crack of Clan M'Crack/Clan White

Don Quixote

I know it won't help with heat stroke, but having some experience working faires in layers of fabric and armor, that copious amounts of talcum powder applied when dressing help a great deal with the comfort level. Sorry if this suggestion has been posted before.

Delireus

Even though this isn't ren-related, I feel I need to say thank you to everyone who posted on this thread, it saved my life today.

I live in Texas, were the only thing higher than the temp is the humidity percentage. I'm from around Houston so it gets pretty bad here during the summer. A friend of mine and I went to the beach today. We, stupidly, only brought diet coke, though we drank a bit of water before the hour drive there. We had been on the beach laying in the sun for about an hour when we decided to go, as my friend had stepped on a dead bee and it stung her foot. We stood up and I felt dizzy and I knew I was in trouble. We walked up the stairs from the sea wall and just those 10 steps or so in that heat did me in and I started to go blind, I saw all these colors like if you close your eyes tight and rub them, I was also dizzy and talking weird, like my words didn't make sense.  All I could think of was everything everyone had said on this thread. I just randomly read everything on here one night, knowing it might come in handy one day.

The car was about 3 blocks away and I knew I'd probably pass out by then. All I was thinking is I had to cool myself off asap. The only thing I could think of was to ask this man packing his truck to help me, and thankfully he did. I told him I couldn't see and needed water. He was wonderful, he gave me a bottle of water and poured another over me while holding ice in a towel on my neck and flagged an emergency vehicle over while my friend got the car. I felt terrible that my friend had to go all that way with her bee sting in her foot without me, as I was the one helping her till I felt sick. But like I said, that man was great, he helped carry our cooler over to our car and we drove to a restaurant for water and soup. I felt 100% better. I know it could have easily gotten a lot worse, I was actually very scared for a while there. But I just wanted to say thank you so much, to everyone who replied to this thread. Thanks to all of you I was able to recognize the early stages of heat exhaustion and get help fast and I'm doing great now :)
- Shanon (with just 1 N)

Home is where
the faire is