Ever taken MDMA or an ecstasy tablet and not been able to pee? If you can’t pee drinking more water isn’t necessarily the solution.
You only need 1/2 a pint of water per hour or 1 pint per hour if in a busy and hot environment.
MDMA affects the secretion of vasopressin which is an antidiuretic hormone. This hormone has the effect of making urine become more concentrated (less water) meaning that excessive amount of sodium (salt) is excreted (peed out). This then causes decreased sodium in the blood plasma. You need a delicate balance of salt for your body to function properly ⚖️.
Basically when you are on MDMA your brain tells you that you are thirsty and need more water (making you feel the urge to drink) and then tells you to trap water inside by not peeing. It also makes your pee have more salt and less water so if you do pee you aren’t getting rid of as much water… 
Too much water then causes the blood to become overly diluted which can be fatal- the water basically drowns your brain and flushes out all the essential electrolytes which keep it running. This is known as water intoxication or hyponatremia.
Cis-women/ trans men are more at risk because they retain more water so should be especially careful!
This is why it is good to have a sports drink containing lots of electrolytes at some point in the night when on MDMA to prevent too much dilution of the blood due to excessive intake of fluids. 
When you do pee keep an eye on the colour – dark yellow means dehydrated, very light yellow or clear means too hydrated. You want it to be the colour of straw 
This said, MDMA makes you heat up and sweat (losing water) so you should make sure you have a good intake of liquids, take regular dance breaks, wear loose clothing and use a fan if you are somewhere really hot. Drink a normal amount of liquid for the activity you are doing. Festivals, bars and clubs in the UK are legally provide free water.
The old phantom pees can be annoying but you just have to wait it out, relax (try relaxing your muscles), run a tap, stick your hand under running water or think of streams…
Take a look around our drugs information pages to find out more about how to reduce the risks.
Download our in-depth MDMA booklet here.
Download our graphic guide to MDMA and phantom pees.
Have a look at the post we shared on our Facebook page which has been translated into Spanish, Polish, Slovenian, Portuguese and more!
Ever taken MDMA and not been able to pee? If you can't pee drinking more water isn't necessarily the solution. ?You…
Posted by Crew: mind altering on Saturday, 15 July 2017
