Midol Meets Bikram--An Unfortunate Tale

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It was 5:15 in the morning and I was getting ready for the 6 am class when I finally admitted to myself that I was having some pretty severe menstrual cramps.   I didn't want to be distracted from class by them so I did what I sometimes do during a particularly bad bout of cramps: reach for the bottle of generic Midol.   I shook two out in my hand, swallowed them with some water, and went to class.

Class went well.   Like always, there were a few things that were just a tiny bit better than last time (too small for anyone to notice but myself,  but hey!  I'll take it), a whole pile of postures that have a LONG way to go, and best of all, one teeny tiny compliment on my Camel Posture.   I'm under no illusions that it looked awesome or anything, but I did feel like it was a little better than last time.   I appreciated the praise regardless and it kept me smiling all day long...even during what happened next.

I finished class and drove across town to get home quickly and shower before work.   Lucky for me, I was a passenger on the way to the office and not the driver because three minutes into the ride I started feeling off.   And then really off.   It felt like my brain was in a fog and I started to have difficulty speaking.  I tried to send a text and instead of typing to my friend 'I don't feel well' it came out something like 'I dog upstairs.'

My fingers and lips began to tingle and my head was slowly beginning to pound.   I felt unbalanced and dizzy as I teetered into work.   It occurred to me that it was quite possible I was right on the edge of being dehydrated.   I filled up my water bottle and drank it straight down and refilled it.   This bottle I sipped more slowly interspersed with some coconut water.   I got a little food in me since I hadn't eaten anything that day (not out of the ordinary--I usually don't eat before the 6 am class) and kept drinking.   Within a half hour I began to feel a little bit better and within another hour I felt normal except for a lingering dull headache.

Once my thinking had cleared I thought more about my hydration levels before class.  I had drank plenty of fluids the day before and the small amount I do before a six am class.  I had done everything as I normally do....except, I took two generic Midol.  Suddenly, I remembered that the pills contained diuretics!   Midol plus a 105 degree hot room for Bikram Yoga??  Not only was I sweating the large quantities one does during class but my body was working overtime with the aid of the medicine to further flush out fluids.  No wonder why I had felt so awful!

I felt a little foolish then but it's a lesson well learned.   Hydration (and not taking a menstrual pain relieving pill containing a diuretic!) is always important and even more so when participating in an activity that causes such a loss of fluids.   I'm being extra careful to pay attention to how much I drink more than ever now.  It's so important!