Practical tools

Hydration target and triage

These are planning aids, not prescriptions. A 24-hour urine still beats a calculator.

Daily fluid target

Built to land near the clinic goal of ~2.5 L of urine, then add heat and hard work. Phoenix summers belong on “hot.”

Body weight: 180 lb

Climate and work

Aim to drink about

3.3 L/ 112 oz / 14 cups

Split it across the day. Front-load before heat. Stop chugging if you have heart failure, dialysis, or a fluid restriction — those rules override this number.

Should I stay home?

Check what is true right now.

Fever, chills, or feeling septic
Cannot urinate, or only drops with severe pain
One kidney, transplant, or known blockage
Vomiting so you cannot keep water down
Pregnant, and this pain is new
Pain for more than a few days without a scan
Visible blood in the urine without fever
Wave-like flank or groin pain I can still drink through

If this is typical colic and you can drink, heat, strain, and use allowed pain medicine while you arrange follow-up. A first stone still deserves a proper diagnosis.

Passing guide Buy a marked bottle