Dehydration - DCS - Peeing in WS?

[Stijn]

How do you not pee in your wetsuit?

Sometimes you hear of divers who claim they have never peed in their wetsuit. Allthough it is disgusting sometimes you just won't let it spoil a good dive.

Some divers I know will not drink before a dive to make the chances of them peeing smaller. How healthy is this? Everyone knows dehydration is a trigger to DCS. What's the minimum of water you need to drink? I would think a lot since the air in our tank is very dry.

On the other hand, how healthy is it to hold your pee (?) till you surface?

 

[Thalassamania]

How do you not pee in your wetsuit?

Sometimes you hear of divers who claim they have never peed in their wetsuit. Allthough it is disgusting sometimes you just won't let it spoil a good dive.

Some divers I know will not drink before a dive to make the chances of them peeing smaller. How healthy is this? Everyone knows dehydration is a trigger to DCS. What's the minimum of water you need to drink? I would think a lot since the air in our tank is very dry.

On the other hand, how healthy is it to hold your pee (?) till you surface?

Some things to remember:

1. Unless you're sick, urine is sterile.
2. Dehydration is a contributing factor to DCS, always dive well hydrated (I try to drink a liter of OJ before every dive).
3. Holding your urine or voiding is your choice, once the liquid is in your bladder it is "out" of your body, holding it or letting it go only affects your comfort level.

 

[MookieMoose]

How do you not pee in your wetsuit?

Sometimes you hear of divers who claim they have never peed in their wetsuit. Allthough it is disgusting sometimes you just won't let it spoil a good dive.

Some divers I know will not drink before a dive to make the chances of them peeing smaller. How healthy is this? Everyone knows dehydration is a trigger to DCS. What's the minimum of water you need to drink? I would think a lot since the air in our tank is very dry.

On the other hand, how healthy is it to hold your pee (?) till you surface?

I read a lot on this board about dehydrationa and DCS. Most people overstate the relationship. Yes, dehydration can contribute to DCS, but all the reseaerch studying the impact of dehydration on DCS used fairly extreme models of dehydration - things like no water for 48 hours prior to the dive combined with the administration of high doses of aldosterone (a hormone which promoted the formation of large amounts of urine by the kidney, and whose production is increased by consumption of alcohol - one more reason why drinking and diving don't mix). In normal, healthy people your kidneys are very good at regulating your level of hydration over a very wide range of fluid intake. The take-home message is this: severe dehydration can increase your risk of DCS, but you really dont need to do anything different whith regards to your fluid intake on diving days, or days leading up to a dive, just drink enough of your prefered non-alcoholic beverage to aviod feeling thirsty.

Don't make too big a deal over either dehydration or peeing in your wetsuit...

Cam

 

[The Kraken]

I think one of the big misconceptions comes from the fact that DEHYDRATION can be a contributing fator to the onset of DCS.

If one is PROPERLY HYDRATED, then one is not dehydrated, therefore there is effectively no increase in the risk of incurring DCS.

So, it begs the question, if one is properly hydrated does OVER HYDRATION do anything to reduce the possibility of incurring DCS?

As of this date, I've never urinated in a wet suit. Does the possibility that I will exist? Yes!

But, I keep my body properly hydrated. I don't consume any liquids a period before the dive that will lead to dehydration. I do consume additional fluids before a dive, but long enough for them to enter into my system and have any subsequent effect upon my urinary system.

I don't refrain from "hydrating" before a dive . . . I just like to take a more scientific approach to it.

the K

 

[Thalassamania]

Voiding is not all there is to dehydration, consider that you’re not only breathing very dry gas by when you breath by mouth the loss of expired water was is increased by over 40% when compared to breathing through your nose. There is also an increase loss of body heat.

 

[MookieMoose]

Voiding is not all there is to dehydration, consider that you’re not only breathing very dry gas by when you breath by mouth the loss of expired water was is increased by over 40% when compared to breathing through your nose. There is also an increase loss of body heat.

I don't mean to sound argumentative, but I'm not sure what your point is. Of course more water is lost when breathing dry gas - all gas, whether breathed through the nose or mouth, is fully saturated with water vapour on its way into your lungs (note that this means that water loss, assuming the same breathing gas, is the same whether you breathe through your nose or mouth, your nasal passages hydrate inhaled gas, and don't reabsorb water from exhaled gas, so I'm not sure where you get the idea that water loss is 40% higher when mouth-breathing). There are many ways in which you body looses water - perspiration, the consumption of water in cellular biochemical preocesses, etc.

None of this changes the fact that your body is pretty good at regulating its water level. All you need to do is drink enough, and often enough that you don't feel thirsty. My point was simply that you don't need to do anything extra or special when diving in terms of hydration in order to stave off DCS, just drink enough you don't feel thirsty.

Cam

 

[Thalassamania]

I don't mean to sound argumentative, but I'm not sure what your point is.

Simple, yes … your body is good at maintaining homeostasis, but an ample supply of fresh water is part of that equation.

Of course more water is lost when breathing dry gas - all gas, whether breathed through the nose or mouth, is fully saturated with water vapour on its way into your lungs (note that this means that water loss, assuming the same breathing gas, is the same whether you breathe through your nose or mouth, your nasal passages hydrate inhaled gas, and don't reabsorb water from exhaled gas, so I'm not sure where you get the idea that water loss is 40% higher when mouth-breathing).

Without being argumentative, “Increased net water loss by oral compared to nasal expiration in healthy subjects” by VENSSON Sophie; OLIN Anna Carin; and HELLGREN Johan; in Rhinology 2006, vol. 44, no1, pp. 74-77 says that you’re wrong. In actuality it’s 42%.

There are many ways in which you body looses water - perspiration, the consumption of water in cellular biochemical preocesses, etc.

None of this changes the fact that your body is pretty good at regulating its water level. All you need to do is drink enough, and often enough that you don't feel thirsty. My point was simply that you don't need to do anything extra or special when diving in terms of hydration in order to stave off DCS, just drink enough you don't feel thirsty.

Do whatever you like. I drink liquid before I dive. If you don't do it my way ... YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

 

[The Kraken]

Ohhhh dear Gawwwwdddd !!!!

I'ze a dead man !!!! :11:

the K

 

[MookieMoose]

Simple, yes … your body is good at maintaining homeostasis, but an ample supply of fresh water is part of that equation.

Without being argumentative, “Increased net water loss by oral compared to nasal expiration in healthy subjects” by VENSSON Sophie; OLIN Anna Carin; and HELLGREN Johan; in Rhinology 2006, vol. 44, no1, pp. 74-77 says that you’re wrong. In actuality it’s 42%.

Do whatever you like. I drink liquid before I dive. If you don't do it my way ... YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

An interesting abstract. I stand corrected.

I didn't say you don't need a supply of water to maintain homeostasis, just that you don't need to dramatically increase your water intake simply because you are diving.

I'll make sure that my death from dehydration is well publicised so all can mock me for my foolishness.:eyemouth:

 

[Thalassamania]

My worry (and this is just me) is that I will ignore a little “cotton mouth” feeling when I’m salty anyway and thus dive poorly hydrated. I always been an advocate of the idea that the best place to store your water is in your body, not in your canteen.