When you have sickle cell disease, one of the best things you can do for yourself is drink water to stay hydrated. It’s important to carry a water bottle with you and keep drinking water throughout the day.
- Dehydration (not having enough water in the body) can be caused by:
- Sweating in hot weather or during exercise
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Frequent urination (sickle cell disease damages the kidneys, causing them to produce more urine than usual)
Remember, skip the caffeine and alcohol. Drinks with caffeine (soda, coffee) or alcohol are not a good idea. These drinks make the kidneys excrete more water into the urine and can cause dehydration.
Help Prevent Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms
- Staying hydrated can prevent you from having vaso-occlusive crises, pain crises, strokes and infections associated with sickle cell disease.
- Drinking eight to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day can help with controlling some of your pain.
Tired of Water? Try These. If you get tired of water, try including some of these in your water routine.
- Fruit
- Soup
- Milk
- Juice
- Popsicles
- Sports drinks
- Crystal Lite drink mixes
Hydration Chart
To stay hydrated, use this chart to guide you on the amount of water you should drink everyday:
| Body Weight | Number of 8oz. Glasses of water you need to drink |
|---|---|
| 100 pounds | 9-13 |
| 130 pounds | 10-15 |
| 150 pounds | 11-17 |
| 175 pounds | 12-18 |
