Swelling Feet

I'm wondering what causes swelled feet and ankles on a cruise? I bring my own water (Evian), and I don't fly-- I drive to the pier. I'm in my 40's... and had one hell of a problem my last day of my cruise and continued at home. My ankles swelled so much that I had to go to the doctor.

I developed a rash on the inside of both ankles called "stasis dermatitis" and the swelling caused my blood pressure to go through the roof.

I had to take two days of a diuretic and use support knee highs. I mean.. c'mon.. I'm not old enough for this!

I've heard it could be the hot and humid weather as well as the salt on the food that they prepare with on board.

I walk alot and am very active on my cruise. I walk the stairs and don't take the elevators.

I'd like to hear if anyone else has had these problems? How can I prevent them?

I have heard this can be due to the fact that onboard drinking water is desalinated sea water. You might find a decrease in swelling if you drink bottled water only and avoid drinks made with ship water (iced tea, coffee, punch drinks, etc.).

Have also read, though this is in regard to swollen feet on airline flights, that a product called FliteTabs can help. I've never used this, but they do have a webpage.

I just had that problem also...even lasted for a couple of days after returning home. I think it probably has to do with the salt and/or MSG that is in the food and also on a cruise (at least in my case :o ) you tend do drink more alcohol then you would at home. I don't think I ever had more than 3 cocktails a day on the cruise but at home I probably don't even have 3 a month so I'm just guessing that maybe that was the culprit. But I am also terrible about drinking water!

Hi,:) I know over the years this topic has popped up on here.

I have heard its the salt, its the booze, whatever the reason

it happens to me too.

I never realize it until that moment though:eek: :rolleyes:. And I have

never needed to see the Dr but maybe I have been lucky?

They swell but don't hurt me.

If anyone has the magic cure, please post it:D but I will continue

to drink those Martinis and have wine at dinner;).

I always swell and retain water while on a cruise. I am very active and not overweight and work out everyday.

I take a water pill prescribed by my DR for this, it does work but....you will be using the lady's room more often.

It is the water and ice on board, the food is loaded with salt plus remember sugar and choc. (mixed drinks) will also make you retain water. What my DR. suggested was drink bottled water and squeeze a couple of lemon wedges in it, if you need it sweetened put 1/2 packet of sweet and low in it. It taste just like lemon aide and lemon is a natural cleanser. This helps me a lot but I do watch my sugar intake and actually I ask for low sodium food and just add if I want to.

I hope this helps.

I have had this problem in the past and was told to avoid the ship's water, alcohol, etc. but nothing worked. On our last cruise I added a slice of lemon to each glass of water I drank (ship water, by the way) and I drank water continually,(8-10 glasses a day) especially when I was in the sun. It was the first cruise I was on that I didn't have swollen feet. they did swell on the flight home but it was gone the next day.

Here's the mystery, though.

1. I ONLY drink Evian water and a LOT of it (I brought and drank 9 1liter bottle on my recent 7 day cruise)

2. I'm under 50 years of age

3. I don't drink alcohol on cruises

4. I never use the elevators, I walk the stairs and am extremely active on cruises.

The only thing I can think of is that the food might be highly salted, and that the water they cook in is full of salt?

What disturbs me is how bad my legs got. As I mentioned before, my blood pressure soared (it was 165/101 in the doctors office when I got back due to all of the edema), and I got the red rash (stasis dermatitis) from vascular insufficiency due to the swelling.

My doctor prescribed a diuretic, and I lost 5 pounds of water weight overnight. In addition, my BP is now down to around 105/80

This whole thing has been quite scarey, and makes me think twice about cruising again. Incidently, this is my 6th cruise.. and I never had this happen before.

As I said the sugar intake has a lot to do with it also, did you eat anythng that had sugar in it? Thats probably a stupid question considering your on a cruise???:rolleyes:

I know the food has tons of salt in it, I don't cook with salt at all and I can taste it in everything including thier butter!

I have a problem with my left foot, yes only the left one!!

I wear running shoes constantly due to the fact that they are the only type of shoe that works like a tensor bandage to keep my foot from swelling!

I would love to wear nice shoes on my cruise without paying for it with my bulging foot but I, and my doctor can not figure out why it is swelling all the time.

I feel your pain and wish there was a quick fix or even a reason, but alas It's been 2 years now and my foot is still swolen almost everyday:(

I have a problem with my left foot, yes only the left one!!

I wear running shoes constantly due to the fact that they are the only type of shoe that works like a tensor bandage to keep my foot from swelling!

 

I would love to wear nice shoes on my cruise without paying for it with my bulging foot but I, and my doctor can not figure out why it is swelling all the time.

 

I feel your pain and wish there was a quick fix or even a reason, but alas It's been 2 years now and my foot is still swolen almost everyday:(

DMI had the same problem, sh eis 79 and her left leg and foot kept swelling, they done an untrasound to see if she had soem blockage and sure enough she had one vein that was not pumping or flowing 100%. Maybe this will help you:confused:

Here's the mystery, though.

 

1. I ONLY drink Evian water and a LOT of it (I brought and drank 9 1liter bottle on my recent 7 day cruise)

 

2. I'm under 50 years of age

 

3. I don't drink alcohol on cruises

 

4. I never use the elevators, I walk the stairs and am extremely active on cruises.

 

The only thing I can think of is that the food might be highly salted, and that the water they cook in is full of salt?

 

What disturbs me is how bad my legs got. As I mentioned before, my blood pressure soared (it was 165/101 in the doctors office when I got back due to all of the edema), and I got the red rash (stasis dermatitis) from vascular insufficiency due to the swelling.

 

My doctor prescribed a diuretic, and I lost 5 pounds of water weight overnight. In addition, my BP is now down to around 105/80

 

This whole thing has been quite scarey, and makes me think twice about cruising again. Incidently, this is my 6th cruise.. and I never had this happen before.

Please picture me pounding my head against the wall while I write this. I'm not saying this to you, it's to the perpetuators of the "there's still salt in the water" crowd. It ain't the water, yes, it's desalinated, which means there's no salt left in it for crying out loud. It most likely is the salt in the food. I eat a lot of salt everyday anyway and it doesn't bother me in the least. Next time, ask for a low/no salt diet. Bet you'll be very surprised. If you care, there are a ton of threads that talk about this, where I, as well as others have explained how an evaporator works. Long story short, dissolve a pound of salt in a gallon of water, put it on your stove, and boil the water away, and you'll have a pan with a pound of solidified salt in the bottom of it. The evaporator works the same way, and just as efficiently, or more so, since it can't splash out.

fat feet was my 1st clue to heart trouble..now 5 yrs out w/valve repair..but still take Lasix..2x a day. Try to watch salt..I dont drink alot of booze..But on shore days, I can't take a water pill cuz it's to the potty ever 10/ 20 min for 2/3 hours. Same on long road trips. Cranberry juice is a natural diuretic..u might have to bring your own in the six pak. The humidity is a factor for me..but water pills early a.m. say 6..then 1 to 2 p.m...then I'm be done by dinner..that's enuff for me. Sitting alot ie: long flights, or car driving is bad for me also..everyone is different. I'm always seen on board with my 52oz water sipper..everyone thiks its booze.not alll the time!

Please picture me pounding my head against the wall while I write this. I'm not saying this to you, it's to the perpetuators of the "there's still salt in the water" crowd. It ain't the water, yes, it's desalinated, which means there's no salt left in it for crying out loud. It most likely is the salt in the food. I eat a lot of salt everyday anyway and it doesn't bother me in the least. Next time, ask for a low/no salt diet. Bet you'll be very surprised. If you care, there are a ton of threads that talk about this, where I, as well as others have explained how an evaporator works. Long story short, dissolve a pound of salt in a gallon of water, put it on your stove, and boil the water away, and you'll have a pan with a pound of solidified salt in the bottom of it. The evaporator works the same way, and just as efficiently, or more so, since it can't splash out.

Did you ever visit Nebraska(the state of) while serving on the USS Ne?...We ran the hotel in Broken Bow that was on the state tour, and housed and fed officers and gentlemen, It is every May (I think)..we enjoyed having them.

Personally I don't think it's the water. If you think about it, do you eat constantly at home like you do on a ship?, Do you eat more and more often? Most drink less fluids so you won't have to constantly find a restroom, and if you drink your usual quantity, it won't help because your food intake is so much more than at home so less fluid is excreted.

Before I sailed last winter there was a pretty extensive discussion of this problem right here on CC. I'm so glad I read the whole thing because, despite never having had swollen ankles before, by the 2nd night mine started to swell onboard. Had I not read this thread I'd no doubt have been quite worried about it.None of the others in our group of 4 were affected but suddenly we all started to notice other passengers with quite swollen ankles too.

Mine were not painful in the sense of keeping me from doing things and walking a lot...even on the ship...we were on Queen Mary 2 and that's a lot of walking just onboard!! But when I'd take my strappy mid high heels off at the end of a long night I had deep depressions in the fluid buildup that took some time to disappear. It took about a week at home before the bulk of the swelling was gone. Thank goodness my ankles are quite slim so they didn't look as bad as some others I saw...I truly had great sympathy for them!

I had a shiatsu massage the next to the last day and mentioned it to the therapist...he said he'd work on moving the lymph build-up and see if that helped...the swelling was still there but it did feel more comfortable after. I also iced it my ankles several times a day. I don't drink alcohol of any sort so I doubt that's the culprit but I do tend to salt my food a good bit as I don't use salt in the cooking at home.

In case this is helpful to any of you other sufferers, here is the link to that old thread. I saved it just as reference for the next time!!:rolleyes:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=425662&highlight=swollen

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

fat feet was my 1st clue to heart trouble..now 5 yrs out w/valve repair..but still take Lasix..2x a day. Try to watch salt..I dont drink alot of booze..But on shore days, I can't take a water pill cuz it's to the potty ever 10/ 20 min for 2/3 hours. Same on long road trips. Cranberry juice is a natural diuretic..u might have to bring your own in the six pak. The humidity is a factor for me..but water pills early a.m. say 6..then 1 to 2 p.m...then I'm be done by dinner..that's enuff for me. Sitting alot ie: long flights, or car driving is bad for me also..everyone is different. I'm always seen on board with my 52oz water sipper..everyone thiks its booze.not alll the time!

I have gotten cranberry juice on cruise ships before, just ask for it :)

It's probably not at the buffet, but in the dining room.

I always retain water when I am cruising. I usually feel it in my feet and in my thighs. On my last cruise, I visited the sauna everyday for about 20-30 minutes and I had no problem. I guess sweating out the excess water helps!

I have always had a problem with my feet AND eyes swelling while cruising. I too read the board on this problem prior to my second to last cruise.

It suggested not drinking shipboard water.

Stay away from salad dressings, oil and vinegar were fine, and soups.

I minimized my alcohol, not fun, and drank none with salted rims.

Etc. Etc. I did all of the above and still swelled.

On my last cruise I took along salt pills but did not use them. Since I had them with me if needed, I did drink the water on board.

I had a few, okay more than a few, drinks but I did NOT swell. I found I didn't need the pills and so did not use them.

The only difference between this cruise and the others was that the weather was cooler and I did not spend 1/2 as much time around the pool and in the sun. For the first time I did not burn. We have since come to the conclusion that it is a bit of sun poisoning that is causing it and from now on I will wear a large hat and will not bask in the sun. I am light haired and light skinned but I have always pretanned. I am not a big sun lover anyway so this won't hurt my time on board and it was great fitting into my strappy heels for formal night!

Have any of you done an Alaskan cruise or Canada/New England cruise and still find your feet swelling?

I've checked the other previous thread mentioned here and cannot find the thread from someone who talked about taking BUTCHER'S BROOM for swelling and bloating. Would like to know more about this product and what it will do in that regard. Do any of you out there take this and is it effective?

Last several cruises or when eating in restaurants, I always avoid the soups...they are just loaded with salt and anyway, are quite filling. The same goes for salads which have highly seasoned dressings, a lot of calories and there isn't much nutritional value...usually I just eat the appetizer and an entree...maybe dessert! I've had less swelling than before when I do this.

Hi,:) I don't recall that one but I do remember reading more than

once about parsley...and whatever is in it is supposed to help

reduce swelling.

My problem is I always forget to start eating it a few days

before I cruise. And then on the ship I just totally forget everything:D ;)

Here's a website with info on Butcher's Broom. It is a mild diuretic and so may help with the fluid retention and swelling. This sometimes happens to me also. My doctor said taking a mild diuretic is the best way to deal with it.

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/PrintablePages/herbMonograph/0,11475,4087,00.html

Please picture me pounding my head against the wall while I write this. I'm not saying this to you, it's to the perpetuators of the "there's still salt in the water" crowd. It ain't the water, yes, it's desalinated, which means there's no salt left in it for crying out loud. It most likely is the salt in the food. I eat a lot of salt everyday anyway and it doesn't bother me in the least. Next time, ask for a low/no salt diet. Bet you'll be very surprised. If you care, there are a ton of threads that talk about this, where I, as well as others have explained how an evaporator works. Long story short, dissolve a pound of salt in a gallon of water, put it on your stove, and boil the water away, and you'll have a pan with a pound of solidified salt in the bottom of it. The evaporator works the same way, and just as efficiently, or more so, since it can't splash out.

I had read that whole thread before posting here. I mentioned it again, because no one mentioned their age nor the fact that they had really serious swelling like I had. ... and the reason I mentioned the water, is because I wanted everyone to discount ship board water since I bring my own. I was just alarmed at the impact the swelling had on me-- my blood pressure, and the rash on the ankle.

We always fly to our cruises, but this time we drove to N.Y. and cruised on the Miracle. Swelling ankles can be a problem and a mystery also. This trip I started taking a water pill twice a day and no swelling. I don't drink alcohol, but I did get sunburned. We drove four hours to the cruise, but stopped frequently. It was hot on our cruise but I was fine. Didn't change sugar or salt intake so perhaps the constant water pills do help. These water pills are over the counter.

Ankle swelling has been a chronic problem of mine on cruises. The longer the cruise, the worse the problem becomes. My ankles, hands and face swell, but the swelling does start with my ankles.

Anyway, this last cruise I got sick and spent three days in bed and eating only dry toast and some fruit. Lo and behold! The swelling went totally away and my ankles were pristine.

Now all I have to do is figure out, did the swelling go away because I was in bed with my feet up for days, because I had a fever, because I hardly ate or what? I've decided it must be a combination of keeping my feet up and hardly eating ship's food which I am convinced is LOADED with sodium.

On Liberty they touted the fact that thay are going trans fat free. In fact they said it would soon be fleet wide. Why don't they cut the sodium, too? There has to be a reason why this topic comes up here every couple months.

It's very humid on cruises--if you're not used to the humidity, I imagine that could be part of the problem.