Hiking the PCT with a condition that makes me constantly thirsty

I have a list of things that scare me about doing the PCT: rattlesnakes, fires, my cat forgetting who I am. But what really terrifies me is thirst.

I have a rare condition called Diabetes Insipidus, which means my body does not retain water on its own. No matter how much you drink, it all comes back. Without medication, I have an insatiable thirst. I can easily drink 15 liters a day.

I have had this condition for over a decade without knowing it. I hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Colorado Trail while drinking water at each stream. Dry camping was not an option. I avoided staying in shelters because I had to get up to urinate at least 4 or 5 times a night. No one wants to be that person in a shelter full of exhausted hikers.

I thought it was all in my head. The doctors told me it was probably anxiety.

As I walked, I spent my days fantasizing about all the drinks I would have when I got to town. Frozen lemonade, Diet Coke, Cool Blue Gatorade. When I encountered trail magic, I always went straight to the fridge.

I always knew I wanted to go up the PCT, but I didn’t know if I could do it. On the AT, I packed a 15 mile dry stretch just so I could carry enough water to survive the July heat. On the PCT, you are in a desert for 700 miles. Unreliable water sources, scorching temperatures and relentless sun.

But last August I finally found a doctor who took me seriously. After a series of blood draws and an excruciating water deprivation test, I had a diagnosis. When I told him I hiked and ran ultras, he almost didn’t believe me. Apparently I shouldn’t have been able to do it.

She gave me a medication that would change my life: desmopressin. The first time I took it I slept all night. It was the first time in years that I didn’t wake up every hour to drink water and expel it immediately.

A few months later, I finally decided to accept the PCT. Armed with a bright orange bottle filled with tiny white pills, I set out from Campo. The first day was a 14 mile water ride. I filled three liters to take to camp. I only used two.

I’m still learning how to manage my condition on the road. Heat, elevation, and exercise can affect how well the medication works. I always worry that the thirst will come back. But if so, I can remind myself that I’ve done this before.

Until then, I have other things to fear, like rattlesnakes and fires.

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