A 33-year-old woman, BT, attempted to eat a gallon of pickles in a mukbang video. Unaware of the dangers of excessive sodium consumption, she ingested around 30 grams of sodium, equivalent to 78 grams of table salt. This led to acute hypernatremia, a condition where the body has high sodium levels in the blood. As a result, her body drew water into her gut, causing bloating, and then forced her to expel the water, leading to severe dehydration.
BT's brain shrunk due to the high sodium levels, causing a seizure, and she became unresponsive. At the hospital, the medical team treated her by rehydrating her with fluids, but they had to be cautious not to correct the hypernatremia too quickly, as the brain adapts to the condition by becoming saltier.
BT's condition worsened, with her kidneys shutting down and her blood pressure dropping. However, she eventually regained consciousness and made a full recovery after being transferred to a step-down unit and then sent home. The video serves as a warning about the dangers of excessive sodium consumption and the importance of prioritizing health and well-being.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. A 33-year-old woman, referred to as BT, ate a gallon of pickles for lunch.
2. BT had been feeling unfulfilled in her sales job, which had become largely virtual due to the pandemic.
3. She had discovered mukbangs, where people eat food on camera, and found them therapeutic.
4. BT decided to start making her own mukbangs and gained a following.
5. She noticed that eating unusual or excessive foods attracted more viewers.
6. BT found a gallon jar of pickles in a grocery store and decided to eat it for a video.
7. She thought pickles were healthy and low in calories, so she wouldn't have any problems eating the gallon.
8. BT felt bloated after finishing the jar, but didn't think it was a big deal.
9. About 20 minutes after finishing the pickles, BT started to feel severe stomach cramps.
10. She experienced intense pain and eventually called 911.
11. BT was taken to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with acute hypernatremia, a condition caused by high sodium levels in the blood.
12. The medical team found that BT's sodium levels were extremely high, likely due to the large amount of sodium in the pickles.
13. BT's body had lost a significant amount of water, which concentrated the sodium in her blood.
14. The medical team treated BT with fluids to rehydrate her and dilute the sodium in her blood.
15. BT's brain had shrunk due to the high sodium levels, but the medical team was able to treat her before any permanent damage occurred.
16. BT made a full recovery and was sent home from the hospital.