Why is my urine brownish after a rough travel?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have recently come back from work, and I had a very rough trip. I did not eat much. I got stuck waiting for a bus without a bathroom and held my urine for a long time, almost twelve hours, and it was extremely painful. I could not sleep for almost three days in transit.

I am also separated from my son for the first time since his birth; he is a year and a half old and was nursing. So I am lactating, and trying to manually extract enough milk just to avoid sickness.

I came here to work and immediately started with heavy physical labor in the sun. I drank water mostly, but not like normal, probably a liter. I also have had probably one or two beers throughout all of this and a few cigarettes. Also, two or three energy drinks in the past three days. I feel a little sad, but overall, I am doing well. A little tired, some muscle pain, but not much. A little fatigue, but barely noticeable after a good night's sleep.

The only notable change is that now, I have peed only twice today, once in the morning at 9 am and once at 9 pm. It was also brownish in color. I usually have very pale urine. This is not normal for me. I do not feel off, bad or thirsty, or even hungry. I have probably had two high-protein snacks throughout the day. No meals, because I have not felt the urge to. I have drunk a liter of water today and a cup of coffee, one beer, and one can of Monster. I do not know if I should be concerned about something or if I am just a little dehydrated. I do not really have any insurance, so I do not want to see anyone unless it is an emergency of some kind.

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com

Thank you for that query and for being detailed on it. Your concern about dark urine and very low output is not something to ignore. These suggest moderate dehydration due to long travel, limited fluid intake, caffeine, alcohol, and physical labor. Which is more likely in your case, however, other serious causes need to be considered, like muscle breakdown due to prolonged physical stress, labor, and dehydration, which can damage muscle cells, turning your urine brown. If left untreated, it can lead to kidney injury.

Another cause may be kidney injury from holding urine for 12 hours, combined with dehydration and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). What you should do now:

Hydrate, drink at least two to three litres over the next 24 hours, and add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte packet if available.
Try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and NSAIDs.
Rest your body, sleep, eat, and avoid physical exertion for one to two days if possible.

Most likely, your symptoms are from significant dehydration, exertion, and sleep disturbance, but you are at a tipping point. If symptoms do not improve within 24 hours or get worse, it could be a muscle breakdown or kidney injury that needs to be addressed immediately.

I hope this answers your query. Thank you.