Safe - Sunstroke

[Rafiki]

Hi. I'm not good in hot weather - I hate it so much, but today I went out in it for just under an HOUR to walk the dog with my family. I put on high SPF lotion & I thought that would protect me. I wore a hat too...

Anyway about 2 hours after I got back I started feeling sick & light-headed & just managed to make it to the bathroom & then threw up... then fainted & woke up an hour later. That's an incredibly long time to pass out, right? But maybe I just needed sleep or something...

The SPF lotion that was supposed to protect my skin from burning didn't, so I'm burnt all over & it's really hurting. I don't want it to peel because I'm scared of that, it's just going to make it hurt more. I've put some Savlon on the burnt places I can reach & that helped for a while. I've got a massive headache that I can't shift even though I've taken paracetamol!

I'm still really light-headed hours afterwards & I feel like I'm going to pass out again. I've got a drink of water next to my bed & I'm lying down but is there anything else I can do to stop this? I don't want to pass out again because it scares me & I'm worried about how many times I'll faint... it can't be good...

I really feel ill & I wish I'd never gone out in this weather. I know what it does to me, but I still did, just to be sociable... I'm such an idiot. =[

[Buttercup.]

Can you take your temperature?

Keep up with the fluids and maybe try some gatorade or coconut water? You need to replenish your electrolytes, as an imbalance can be very dangerous causing heart arrhythmias and can contribute to the dizzy feelings and fainting you are experiencing.

Being passed out for an hour is very concerning and is a medical emergency. You really should've been taken to the hospital. Do you know if you hit your head when you fell?

I'd really suggest that you have somebody bring you to the hospital to get checked out and some labs done, they'll probably give you some IV fluids to help with the dehydration and an EKG to check for any cardiac abnormalties.

If you aren't going to go to the ER, you really need to call your PCP or a nurse's hotline to discuss your symptoms and come up with a plan of action.

And darling, you are not an idiot. Hang in there, sweets.

Jess xo

[Rafiki]

Thanks for replying!

I didn't hit my head when I fell, I think I just needed to catch up on some sleep.. haven't been sleeping well with this weather! I didn't pass out again, & I got some ice cube wrapped in a flannel for the sunburnt patches of skin, which helped a lot! Drank some Lucozade as well which made me feel better & not as light-headed.

I did ring NHS Direct though who advised me to go to hospital if I fainted again, & go to hospital if these symptoms kept on persisting.

I still don't feel well right now, but a lot better than I did! I'll stay out of the sun for now =]

[Animad]

Yeah, just keep on drinking the lucozade (presuming it's lucozade sport, other versions aren't good for heatstroke), sipping it rather than drinking large quantities at once. Try and stay in the shade in a cooler area and if you do go out make sure you take plenty of fluids with you. To be honest an hour is quite a long time to be walking in this heat when we're not used to it at the moment and it can cause a lot of problems (and not just for you, also for your dog; it's better to walk earlier in the morning/ in the evening).

By the sounds of it you probably fainted and then just slept for a bit. If you'd been out of it for that long you'd be really unwell now. Also, try not to put ice on the burns, it will feel soothing but could lead to making them worse. If you've got some after-sun lotion then use that. Also sun screen doesn't prevent heatstroke (it read as if you thought it did at the start of the post) and apart from that it does only last a couple of hours which is one of the reasons why you burnt as it would've just come away and this is increased if you're sweating if it's not a waterproof one.

[Buttercup.]

I'm glad you are feeling a bit better. I'm also glad that you called the NHS.

Take it easy today, stay hydrated, and avoid caffienated drinks likes sodas and coffee, as they will dehydrate you and right now you really need to keep up with water and gatorade type drinks (I'm not sure what lucozade is, but I'm assuming it's some type of UK gatorade :p). You could also try some aloe on the burns, that can be cooling and soothing.

Take care!

[Animad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buttercup.

I'm not sure what lucozade is, but I'm assuming it's some type of UK gatorade

Lucozade is a brand name that first started doing energy type drinks, not the ones with loads of caffiene in but they do have some in and some sugar and things. Really it was something that gave you quick-release energy. However, that's not the best for people playing sports as they're not rehydrating themselves and by drinking it they're actually potentially aiding dehydration due to the caffiene (even though it's a small amount) and the
sugar etc. So, to combat this they've now got Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Sport Lite which are isotonic drinks so pretty much the same as gatorade but it's why when I say lucozade I always emphasise the sport bit after!

Sorry for going off on a tangent; just thought it may help people!

[Rafiki]

It was Lucozade Sport I was drinking!

I feel better now - back to normal. The sunburn is still there but luckily it isn't severe so it hasn't peeled, yay!

& yes, I did think that sunscreen protected you entirely from sunburn. I'm dumb! :P

Thanks for the help! You can close this now as it's not relevant anymore! xx