A warning

Well I hope you are feeling much better now, BTW we are on a level 3 NHS Heat warning, you might want to read their practical advice so it doesnt happen again.

Oldie, this is NOT good. When we first took on our lottie one of the old-boys 'entertained' us with tales of who in the past had died on which plot - a fairly common occurrence by the sound of things, though fortunately it hasn't happened on our site for a few years now. Usually heart attacks and strokes, but it would be really silly of you to kick the bucket of something preventable, especially before you'd even had a chance to eat all the second earlies. Do not do this again!!!

Oh gosh! Hope your okay now.

I think its so easy to forget how long you've been out in the sun when at the allotment (I couldn't believe I'd done 4 hours on Sunday morning). We don't have any shade, or shed, at our allotment, and as there are only 9 plots, you often don't see a soul. Thank goodness your neighbour noticed there was a problem.

Glad your neighbour found you and that you've recovered. I usually bring at least a liter of water in the Spring. Now maybe more.

Oldie; we are going to have to ration you to early mornings and late evenings at this rate.

What were you doing digging spuds in yesterday's heat?

I could only just go onto the courtyard and eat my dinner yesterday - and just tying up tomatoes late evening took it out of me.

Now, do we have to keep an eye on you now or have you learnt your lesson?

Gardening's bad for your health.

I dug the turf off my entire back garden (If you've ever done any turfing you'll know how hard this is) without realising I was suffering from Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Failure. It was only when I couldn't work out why I was getting tired after every strip that I went to my Doctor's for a blood test.

Could easily have had the paramedics out too!

Glad you're feeling better, sounds like having allotment neighbours has just notched up yet another use!

The golden rule is drink before you are thirsty, by the time you feel thirst you (supposedly) have lost 2% of your body's liquid. But don't forget your salt levels - too much or too little salt is equally bad for you ! Orange juice is almost perfect for electrolytes, so just needs a little watering down. If you doget your electrolytes balance wrong, you will be very tired the following day; it's a dead giveaway.
Another not so rapid side-effect of dehydration can be kidney trouble - specifically, kidney stones. If you have kidney problems already - and many people do without realising it - then you may suddenly find that you have severe pain in your lower back at one side, particularly when going to urinate. It feels just like you have been knifed, but you also feel a very deep ache afterwards and feel sick.
Should you be unfortunate enough to actually pass a kidney stone...well, take my word for it, you will never forget the experience ! The only time in my life that I have ever broken sweat instantaneously from head to toe, even my fingertips - even being doublecharged doesn't usually do that to an Aberdonian ! A pain comparable to childbirth, apparently...
Drinking lots of tea can cause this (no, not childirth !) - it is full of oxalates that turn into grit if you don't hydrate enough - as can taking certain medications and calcium supplements, or megadoses of vitamin C.
Me, I allow half a litre of water per forty minutes of digging, and judge by the amount and colour of my urine how much moisture I need. Windy days you will need more liquid.
Isotonic urine, where you are removing equal amounts of salts and liquid as should be, is copious and the colour of pale straw. Small amounts of deeper yellow urine are a bad sign. Fluorescent yellow urine is usually a sign of high Vitamin B.

Hope you are feeling better. Having had sun stroke and burnt my skin to a frazzle (thankfully not at the same time) make sure I have my hat, sunscreen on, lots of cold water and don't go to the lottie until at least 5pm (even though its still warm then). Then I do maximum 15 minutes, sit down for 5 and have a drink. Snohare is right - by the time you're thirsty, you've already started to rehydrate. If you travel home in a car, make sure its cooled down before you get in to drive - even if you have air conditioning (if its effective in these high temperatures). Take care.

Thanks for the replies. Feeling fine now and I shan't do it again. Looking through Marigolds list of symptoms I did have a few, although OH says I have some all the time - strange behavior, hallucinations, confusion even delusions. I refute this accusation.

Blimey that's what I do. Never mean to but it's easy to forget your hat and stay for 4 hrs without realising! Thanks for the warning. My daughter got a touch heatstroke at Wimbledon the other day - and she was wearing a hat!

OMG Marigold - seems my midwife was right - it is heat exhastion - I thought she was over reacting this morning. Please try and take care Oldie - I have been feeling really rough today

Now there's a challenge for the marketing men at lucozade!

Glad you're feeling better, I feel bad enough sitting in an overcrowded office all day, heaven knows what it as like digging in this heat.

Isn't that the actual Trade Description of Lucozade ?

I always feel sorry for allotment holders who don't have any shade in this weather. For some reason (probably sun direction meaning they don't shade anywhere but my plot) there are three trees, a rowan and two sumachs. I've surrounded them with a long flower bed so a bit of a waste of space although great for insects and bees. But how grateful I am when we get this very hot weather. Lovely deep shade right underneath to cool down in. Have hardly done any work over the last week except getting up the strength to fetch more water and see to the hens then creeping back in the shade.

Interesting about the orange juice, even with the shade I felt very very hot and shakey when I got the bus back into town. Instead of going home I went into a cafe and instinctively went for a (very expensive) smoothie of orange, raspberry and pineapple juice. It certainly made me feel a whole lot better.
Sue