Mom Tries to 'Flush Out' Infection by Drinking Massive Amount of Water, Ends Up in ICU: 'I Was Slowly Drowning Myself'

Nina Munro increased her water intake to “flush out” a respiratory infection — which caused a seizure

A mom ended up in the ICU with dangerously low sodium levels — the result of drinking too much water.

Nina Munro, 41, was struggling with a respiratory infection and, along with taking medication, increased her water intake in an attempt to “flush out” the illness, she told South West News Service, via The Daily Mail.

Munro, of Queensland, ended up having a seizure — the result of water toxicity — and had to stay in the ICU for five days.

"Doctors later told me they didn't know how I survived it," Munro told the outlet. "I was slowly drowning myself and I didn't even know it."

Water toxicity can occur when someone drinks water faster than their body can process it, leading to dangerously low levels of sodium and other essential nutrients.

For Munro, it started in May when she got laryngitis. Then Munro caught a mycoplasma infection from her daughter.

“I never felt like I had time to rest with the constant demands of parenting and work,” she said. “I also had a cold, earache and a sore throat which I kept going to doctors for.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

She ended up being prescribed an array of medications which, along with the increased water intake, lowered her sodium levels.

“I had three lots of steroids, three lots of antibiotics, nasal sprays and Nurofen [a brand of ibuprofen].”

In early June, she said she felt “I wasn't moving right,” as she left a gym class. Concerned, Munro went to the hospital where “they said ‘drink lots of water’ as they thought I was having withdrawals from the steroids.”

The next day, she said she developed a “haze” over her eyes, but was advised to drink more water.

Related: Indiana Mom Dies from Water Toxicity After Drinking Too Much Water

By the time she was admitted to the the hospital on June 15, she had been vomiting for three days, and “drank around four liters [of water].”

“I just kept thinking I needed to drink all this water to flush it out.”

Blood work showed that her sodium levels were 100 milliequivalents per liter — far below the lowest acceptable amount, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“A normal blood sodium level is between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Hyponatremia occurs when the sodium in your blood falls below 135 mEq/L.”

Symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea and vomiting, confusion, restlessness, headache, seizures, and coma.

Treatment generally includes medications and intravenous fluids — as well as temporarily cutting back on fluids.

Related: NFL Player Lost 100 Lbs. in 40-Day Water Only Fast — Research Shows Health Dangers Behind the Method

For Munro, she says doctors told her the medication she was on, coupled with her water intake, “was a perfect storm to lower my sodium.”

These days, she only drinks when thirsty, and doesn’t drink more than 1.5 liters a day. Before her hospitalization, Munro told the outlet, “My husband said I wouldn't do anything without a glass of water by my side … I thought I was a super-healthy person.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.