Swollen Ankles - Side effects of Cruising?

[innlady1]

Carol, I read that to mean the ship's water in the tea...it is desalinated but I'm sure not all the salt has been removed.

[Minoushka]

Not only do mine get swollen I get a wierd RASH on my ankles . It is due to heat and small blood vessels reacting to it . Now I always bring calamine lotion to calm the itch My worse rash was on an ICELAND GREENLAND CRUISE ....go figure My legs were feverish .AS soon as we hit cool weather and I did not walk so much it disappeared It is scary but now I know not really harmful . But I do know if it happens once it will happen again

 

michele

[mamaofami]

Carol, I read that to mean the ship's water in the tea...it is desalinated but I'm sure not all the salt has been removed.

 

Thanks Sheila. I guess that includes coffee.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Amazingly we somehow escaped the dreaded swollen ankle syndrome (SAS) on our last cruise. :) Wish I could tell you how but we actually talked about it during and after the cruise and we can't point to any change in behavior from food to drink to exercise that was any different than any other cruise. Actually kind of frustrating because it would be nice to know what we did or didn't do so we'd know to repeat the same behavior for our next cruise. That's not to complain, we're totally pleased, just curious. :)

Randy, The same for me too this last Nieuw Amsterdam cruise in March :confused: It was the first time in at least 4 or 5 cruises that my ankles did not swell. I think one evening ever so slight but nothing like in the past. I also did not change anything, walked a lot, had as many drinks as normal. The only thing I can think is that I maybe did not have as much ice tea as I usually do. That or I thought maybe there was not as much salt or preservatives in the food I consumed.

[the2ofus]

Interesting thread. Somehow I missed it back in February. On my first Caribbean cruise (10 days) I had horribly swollen ankles and no known health problems to account for it. Thinking back, I realize that I drank more wine and cocktails than I was used to, didn't get as much sleep as I should and didn't exercise much. Have never had the swollen ankles again, but I do get the itchy rash almost every time I cruise or even take a long flight somewhere.

 

Since that first cruise, I have been in the habit of using the stairs and avoiding the elevators. I also try to walk a mile on deck at least once a day. This has been mainly to avoid weight gain, but I think it solved the swollen ankle problem.

 

I now own compression stockings since my knee surgery in January so will wear them on my flight to Alaska this summer. I'll also bring along some cortisone cream for the ankles. Thanks for the suggestions.

[catl331]

We seemed to have a variety of symptoms that we think are caused by a variety of reasons. On the smaller ships my ankles do not swell as much. On last yrs. Med. cruise I wore stockings on the flight over and my feet were fine until we walked all around Athens and Istanbul. But we were on the N. Amsterdam and that means lots of walking. So I think maybe a combo of many reasons produced swollen ankles for me--more walking, more salt (even if you really try to avoid it), more alcohol (Still haven't had a Wang Wang!) and not vacuuming, washing dishes and clothes, and cooking!!! Shouild I give up HAL? silly question!!

[Sage]

My ankles swell every time we cruise. The doctor gives me a diuretic, but she also tells me to remember to elevate my feet. With all the walking, the good food, the wine, and the activity on the ship, I realized that I almost never elevated my feet, as I usually do at home when I'm relaxing.

[Randyk47]

Randy, The same for me too this last Nieuw Amsterdam cruise in March :confused: It was the first time in at least 4 or 5 cruises that my ankles did not swell. I think one evening ever so slight but nothing like in the past. I also did not change anything, walked a lot, had as many drinks as normal. The only thing I can think is that I maybe did not have as much ice tea as I usually do. That or I thought maybe there was not as much salt or preservatives in the food I consumed.

 

After our first experiences with SAS I asked around the hospital about swollen ankles. Just in passing I talked to just about every specialty you can imagine and have to tell you that I got more answers than I can reasonably post here. From menopause to salt to lack of exercise to alcohol to bad circulation to low potassium to you name it. There were so many potential conditions, some mutually exclusive, that trying to say do this or that and you'll be fine was kind of a waste of time and led me to believe that there was no "one size fits all" answer.

[Minoushka]

I find massage flip flops the ones with the spikes Do help they massage feet and promote better circulation Sometimes they do hurt a little .I now have CROCKs flip flops with little spikes They seem to help a lot

 

michele

[Juanita462]

I get swollen ankles too - every cruise, no matter what the temperature.

 

I stopped eating the hot soups and the swelling dropped to half

and even less when I would spend half an hour with my feet elevated above the heart level.

 

then I dropped the salad dressings and used olive oil and vinegar and they were even better.

 

Am convinced that it is the high salt content in so many foods. We try to eat a lot of fruit and raw vegies and avoid the heavily salted stuff in the dining room - I always ask for plain steamed vegetables and a baked potato with dinner.

 

then there is the water - one man told us that the water in their cabin tasted salty when he brushed his teeth - I plan to drink only bottled water - if it has a low salt content.

 

People take their own wine to the dining room - what about taking your own water?

[KirkNC]

Funny the different and sometimes conflicting theories. Mine always was that the extra walking and standing makes ankles swell a little.

 

Kirk

[bubbletoes]

I get swollen ankles too - every cruise, no matter what the temperature.

 

then there is the water - one man told us that the water in their cabin tasted salty when he brushed his teeth - I plan to drink only bottled water - if it has a low salt content.

 

People take their own wine to the dining room - what about taking your own water?

 

If I recall correctly from a thread years ago I learned that there is indeed a sodium product added in the processing of the water used onboard. I am super careful about salt in food, but would have swollen ankles every cruise until I started bringing my own bottled water....problem resolved. I just tag a case of Poland Spring with our cabin number and it goes along with our luggage. Give it a shot!

[Rahi]

I mentioned to someone today that throughout our recent cruise and since returning home from FL, my ankles have been swollen...really swollen. This happens every year so that for the last three, I've done the low sodium menu for dinner (but who knows how much sodium is in the food at the Lido at lunch or breakfast!).

 

She thought it would be a good topic for CC as it happens to her, too. So I'm throwing it out here.

 

We went from 18 degrees in MA to sunny FL and then 80 degrees throughout our cruise...plus the humidity. When we returned to FL for a few days, it was in the mid 70's.

 

I've started increasing my water intake and that seems to ahve helped today. I drank lots of water while sitting by the pool on the ship but perhaps with the increase in temps, it wasn't enough.

 

Has anyone else had this happen while cruising the Caribbean (or other warm climates)?

Happens to me on every cruise no matter which climate. I asked my Cardiologist about it, and he said it was the salt in food.

[innlady1]

If I recall correctly from a thread years ago I learned that there is indeed a sodium product added in the processing of the water used onboard. I am super careful about salt in food, but would have swollen ankles every cruise until I started bringing my own bottled water....problem resolved. I just tag a case of Poland Spring with our cabin number and it goes along with our luggage. Give it a shot!

 

I wonder if Room Service or the Lido would heat that up for coffee and tea? I bought some packets at Starbucks so I'd be good to go with hot water! Maybe I should bring one of those things that plugs in and heats water in a mug???

[RevNeal]

There are several interlinking causes to the problem of swollen ankles/feet/legs, and there are a few ways to combat it. After I suffered a deep vein thrombosis in 2001 I attended multiple lectures at the hospital on the subject of varicosity, fluid retention, and the problems that come with travel by air and by sea. All of these problems are related.

 

Firstly, there's the one factor you can do NOTHING about: the atmosphere. When one is at sea one is susceptible to the sea, and sea water is very high in sodium. The moisture in the air (not the evaporated moister, but the particulate water blown into the air by wind, etc) is saturated with salt and it permeates everything. You can't do anything about this.

 

Secondly, there is the problem of sedentariness. When we're at sea on a cruise we tend to not get enough exercise in the form of walking. If you can walk, you should. Laps of the promenade are very important: they help to elevate your heart rate and, hence, charge up your metabolism. This is good in that it helps your body to process water and flush it out of your system ... taking with it the build up of sodium from all sources. If you don't get enough exercise -- if you don't get your heart rate up enough -- you will accumulate too much sodium.

 

Thirdly, the food is indeed over-seasoned with salt. This shouldn't be that much of a problem, however, so long as you remain hydrated and so long as you get enough physical exercise so as to process and flush the fluid out of your system.

 

Fourthly, the non-water drinks -- alcohol, soft drinks, etc -- are all high in varying degrees of sodium. See above for my remarks on hydration.

 

These four factors -- sea salt, lack of exercise, salt-content of foods, and salt content of beverages, all combined with a lack of sufficient hydration, will result in fluid retention and the swelling of the extremities ... and especially the lower extremities. Here's what you can do:

 

1. Exercise. Try to get your heart rate up for a half hour, or more, every day. If you're ambulatory, walk the promenade for a mile or two. If not, there are other exercises you can do to help elevate your heart rate.

 

2. Elevate your feet at night. I cannot stress this enough: to keep fluid from settling into the tissues of your lower legs, keep your feet elevated above your heart at night while you sleep. Put a pillow or something about a half foot tall in size UNDER the mattress at your feet. Take it out in the morning, put it back at night. When you're not sleeping, but sitting around, if you can elevate your feet to at least waist height, this will also help.

 

3. Speak to your MD about gradient compression socks. The knee length socks are the ones you need to wear; your doctor can tell you what compression you need, but it should be medium compression or stronger (mild compression will help, but won't be enough). These socks apply compression from your ankles to your knee and this helps to keep your feet, ankles, and lower legs from swelling by pumping your fluids ... and especially your blood ... back up into your core. In your core these sodium rich fluids can be better metabolized and then flushed ... this fluid is not going to flush well sitting down in your ankles. Jobst makes excellent gradient compression socks for both men and women. I've been wearing them for 10 years and they have gone a long way toward helping me to maintain healthy conditions in my lower legs and avoid varicosity, phlebitis, and other forms of post-thrombotic syndrom. But talk with your doctor FIRST. S/he might have alternative treatments for you ... or may want to measure you for a proper fit.

 

4. Eat sensibly, but do not ruin your cruise out of fear over too much sodium. You probably don't need to add much, if any, salt to your dishes, however keep in mind that many of the rich foods you're eating are going to be naturally high in sodium. That's where hydration and exercise are important. You need to flush this sodium out of your system and not allow it to be stored in your tissues. A diuretic may be helpful in this, but speak to your doctor before taking anything like that.

Edited May 6, 2011 by RevNeal

[Juanita462]

Thanks RevNeal - that is excellent information and advice!

[innlady1]

Thanks, Greg, for the weath of information. I'm going to print it out! I have some compression knee highs that the hospital gave me after hip surgery in December and I wore them on the plane and back. Do you wear yours on the ship, too, when you can?

[kazu]

My ankles and feet are normally swollen, but that is due to the flight. Apparently my feet and ankles don't like flying. I deliberately pack sandals as that is all my feet can get into if I take off my shoes.

 

So my ankles are swollen when I get on the cruise and if we have gone to hot weather, then they expand even further. I find with walking, etc. it dissipates my the third day.

 

In the meantime, they go up to relieve it and if you keep moving, it does go down (and least for me) :D

[sail7seas]

Great post, Greg. Thanks.

My doctor has given me diuretics to take as needed but I don't usually need much help. He doesn't want me accumulating water.

We are walkers and that makes a big difference, as you pointed out.

 

[RevNeal]

Thanks, Greg, for the weath of information. I'm going to print it out! I have some compression knee highs that the hospital gave me after hip surgery in December and I wore them on the plane and back. Do you wear yours on the ship, too, when you can?

 

I always wear Jobst compression socks. Every day, all day long. I usually wear long pants, so I wear the mens black compression socks. When I want to wear shorts, I wear the white compression socks. The only time I don't wear them is when I'm swimming or in bed, etc. This goes for both on land and at sea.

 

I find that compression socks keep my feet and ankles from swelling on airplanes, etc. On international flights, especially, this is very important.

Edited May 6, 2011 by RevNeal

[cp556]

Just back from 12 nights aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, plus several days in Italy. I drink lots of water, and found that the bottled mineral water in Italy contained sodium. At the end of the day my ankles were quite swollen.

 

As soon as I boarded the ship and switched to bottled Crystal Geyser spring water, the ankle swelling reduced dramatically. I found that several onboard bars produced mineral water if I asked for bottled water, and so I always requested the Crystal Geyser product.

 

Between the spring water and lots of walking, the problem with swollen ankles became nearly non-existent.

 

Thanks, Rev Neal, for the great post. I learned so much...

[Mara Suung]

There are several interlinking causes to the problem of swollen ankles/feet/legs, and there are a few ways to combat it. After I suffered a deep vein thrombosis in 2001 I attended multiple lectures at the hospital on the subject of varicosity, fluid retention, and the problems that come with travel by air and by sea. All of these problems are related.

 

Firstly, there's the one factor you can do NOTHING about: the atmosphere. When one is at sea one is susceptible to the sea, and sea water is very high in sodium. The moisture in the air (not the evaporated moister, but the particulate water blown into the air by wind, etc) is saturated with salt and it permeates everything. You can't do anything about this.

 

Secondly, there is the problem of sedentariness. When we're at sea on a cruise we tend to not get enough exercise in the form of walking. If you can walk, you should. Laps of the promenade are very important: they help to elevate your heart rate and, hence, charge up your metabolism. This is good in that it helps your body to process water and flush it out of your system ... taking with it the build up of sodium from all sources. If you don't get enough exercise -- if you don't get your heart rate up enough -- you will accumulate too much sodium.

 

Thirdly, the food is indeed over-seasoned with salt. This shouldn't be that much of a problem, however, so long as you remain hydrated and so long as you get enough physical exercise so as to process and flush the fluid out of your system.

 

Fourthly, the non-water drinks -- alcohol, soft drinks, etc -- are all high in varying degrees of sodium. See above for my remarks on hydration.

 

These four factors -- sea salt, lack of exercise, salt-content of foods, and salt content of beverages, all combined with a lack of sufficient hydration, will result in fluid retention and the swelling of the extremities ... and especially the lower extremities. Here's what you can do:

 

1. Exercise. Try to get your heart rate up for a half hour, or more, every day. If you're ambulatory, walk the promenade for a mile or two. If not, there are other exercises you can do to help elevate your heart rate.

 

2. Elevate your feet at night. I cannot stress this enough: to keep fluid from settling into the tissues of your lower legs, keep your feet elevated above your heart at night while you sleep. Put a pillow or something about a half foot tall in size UNDER the mattress at your feet. Take it out in the morning, put it back at night. When you're not sleeping, but sitting around, if you can elevate your feet to at least waist height, this will also help.

 

3. Speak to your MD about gradient compression socks. The knee length socks are the ones you need to wear; your doctor can tell you what compression you need, but it should be medium compression or stronger (mild compression will help, but won't be enough). These socks apply compression from your ankles to your knee and this helps to keep your feet, ankles, and lower legs from swelling by pumping your fluids ... and especially your blood ... back up into your core. In your core these sodium rich fluids can be better metabolized and then flushed ... this fluid is not going to flush well sitting down in your ankles. Jobst makes excellent gradient compression socks for both men and women. I've been wearing them for 10 years and they have gone a long way toward helping me to maintain healthy conditions in my lower legs and avoid varicosity, phlebitis, and other forms of post-thrombotic syndrom. But talk with your doctor FIRST. S/he might have alternative treatments for you ... or may want to measure you for a proper fit.

 

4. Eat sensibly, but do not ruin your cruise out of fear over too much sodium. You probably don't need to add much, if any, salt to your dishes, however keep in mind that many of the rich foods you're eating are going to be naturally high in sodium. That's where hydration and exercise are important. You need to flush this sodium out of your system and not allow it to be stored in your tissues. A diuretic may be helpful in this, but speak to your doctor before taking anything like that.

Thank you for your sensible response. During my first Caribean cruise last week, my feet and ankles were very swollen. The swelling is gone, but my ankles are sore and discolored. As I rarely drink, and my mobility habits did not really change, and I don't have hypertension or diabetes or obesity, I've been scouring the internet looking for an answer. I suspected the processed water in beverages, but the food didn't taste any saltier than at home. Now I'm blaming the salt in the atmosphere of the ocean. Next cruise, I will take my 'ted hose', ask for a low sodium diet, and take bottled water without sodium, and hope I can still have my hot teas.

[innlady1]

Thank you for your sensible response. During my first Caribean cruise last week, my feet and ankles were very swollen. The swelling is gone, but my ankles are sore and discolored. As I rarely drink, and my mobility habits did not really change, and I don't have hypertension or diabetes or obesity, I've been scouring the internet looking for an answer. I suspected the processed water in beverages, but the food didn't taste any saltier than at home. Now I'm blaming the salt in the atmosphere of the ocean. Next cruise, I will take my 'ted hose', ask for a low sodium diet, and take bottled water without sodium, and hope I can still have my hot teas.

 

It's an on going problem, Mara. And, very frustrating indeed. I plan to bring bottled water next cruise. Wish I could figure out a way to heat up the water on the ship to make tea.

On another note, what a "blast from the past"! I started this thread almost 2 years ago!

[writer2B]

I noticed on a cruise a couple of years ago that my ankles were swelling. I was taking the elevator a lot because of a bad knee. I decided to start using the stairs and, lo and behold, the swelling went down. The extra exercise also helped stretch my knee and strengthen the leg muscles, so I had less pain from that. Also, I found myself drinking more water, and that probably helped as well. I don't know how many years I will be able to walk stairs, but for now it helps me.

[innlady1]

I noticed on a cruise a couple of years ago that my ankles were swelling. I was taking the elevator a lot because of a bad knee. I decided to start using the stairs and, lo and behold, the swelling went down. The extra exercise also helped stretch my knee and strengthen the leg muscles, so I had less pain from that. Also, I found myself drinking more water, and that probably helped as well. I don't know how many years I will be able to walk stairs, but for now it helps me.

 

That's interesting indeed. Food for thought for sure. Thanks!