Swollen Ankles - Side effects of Cruising?

[summersigh]

On a Carnival ship DH had to go to the Doctor for a non-related matter. While hanging out in the waiting room I noticed a big stack of handouts on the subject of what to do about swelling while onboard. I asked the Dr about it and she said it's way more common than people think but she felt that having the handout calmed many of the passengers fears.

 

I wish I'd kept the copy to post but alas ... I did not :) (not sure why not ... I seem to save every other doggone thing from the cruises .. LOL)

[Lovely other]

This is the first I have heard of dandelion tea.

 

it seems to be fairly common in health food stores in the UK, and even some supermarkets, but not sure where you would find it in the US. You can get dandelion coffee too but not sure whether that has the same effect

[Christine Frances]

I have been going to Costa Rica at least once a year (and maybe more) for the last 20 yrs and my ankles always swell for the first few days. My Dr says it is from the humidity and the heat. Once we are acclimatized my ankles go back to normal. Cook my own food there so salt is not a problem.

[innlady1]

I've never heard of dandelion tea...I will check Amazon. If that doesn't work, I'll check the health food store. Certainly worth a try!

[innlady1]

I have noticed something interesting lately. When I have shellfish, my feet and ankles swell. I don't know if it's an allergy or if it's the sodium in the shellfish. I had steamers the other night and lobster on Sunday; and sure enough, swollen ankles.

[pv girl]

I have noticed something interesting lately. When I have shellfish, my feet and ankles swell. I don't know if it's an allergy or if it's the sodium in the shellfish. I had steamers the other night and lobster on Sunday; and sure enough, swollen ankles.

 

Steamers are usually cooked in a salty broth.

[kirin]

I've never heard of dandelion tea...I will check Amazon. If that doesn't work, I'll check the health food store. Certainly worth a try!

 

Dandelion tea is made from the dried leaves and stalks of the plant and is available at GNC and other health food stores.

 

Dandelion coffee is made from the roots (dried and ground). It is harder to find, but an on-line store selling macrobiotic food is a good bet.

 

I have been drinking the tea/coffee for over 40 years and both are healthful. Dandelion has a cleansing beneficial effect on the liver and being natural, there are no side effects.

 

For those with any water retention problems, I would recommend burdock root. It is a vegetable readily available in the Orient and used in salads, as a side dish and simmered as a tea. I have seldom seen it available fresh in the U.S., but burdock root supplements (capsules) are available in some health food stores. As it is a vegetable, it is all-natural with no side effects of any kind.

 

Personally, ten years running, I have found all of the hot soups I ordered on HAL to be overly salty and now just avoid them altogether.

 

Kate

[innlady1]

Kate...thank you for the tips. I found dandelion tea on Amazon. Love Amazon Prime! ;)

[pv girl]

Have been on a salt free diet most of my life and so request the special diet on board. The first night the head waiter meets with you and goes over any specialty dishes they have that you can or can't have, and gives general guidelines. Then each night after dinner you get the next night's menu and make selections they advise are no salt or low salt. It would take a novel to go into total detail, but here is the general idea.

 

No soups, pasta, pizza, Oriental stir fry, mashed potatoes, rice side dishes, vegetable sautes, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, boxed cereal, french fries, cheese, ham, sausage, bacon, salami, salad dressings, crackers, tacos, hot dogs.

 

So what can you have? Baked potato (you add pepper and a little butter or sour cream on the side), steamed plain vegetables, oil and vinegar you add to the salad yourself, the plain broiled steak, salmon, or chicken from the everyday menu. If you get a meat from the regular menu, sauce on the side and use sparingly. Easy on the bread and rolls as they have salt and the butter is the salted kind. Hamburger from Dive-In okay with no cheese or fries. A big smile sometimes gets the fries straight from the fryer before they salt them.

Lido breakfast has yogurt, fruit, melon, boiled egg, cooked to order fried egg. Lido lunch has a great salad bar with oil and vinegar available and rotisserie chicken, fruit, melon. Lido dinner has a carved roasted meat, salad bar, baked potato - veggies here are hard as most are sauted in a sauce and salted. Sometimes they have baked sweet potato.

 

In a nutshell, you can stay away from salty foods on your own. You will not starve and the food is good. Go easy on the ice cream and cookies as they are salted too. Wine has no salt!

 

The waiters will work with you. Best for fixed seating in MDR dinner - they "get" it by day 2, and bend over backwards. They want you to enjoy and not get sick.

 

Other must is bottled "natural spring" or "mineral" water - no ship water. I only break this rule for 1 large cup of morning coffee, and 1 cup of peppermint tea before bed.

 

Put you feet up when you are sitting. Walk. We tend to sit a lot on cruises - reading, games, movies, eating, drinking, poolside, bus tours, etc. so the key is keep active.

 

Works for me and I find it easier to follow the program on cruises than land vacations.

[icat2000]

I' ve had psoriatic arthritis since I was 13 so I'm used to swollen ankles. However, I don't really find they much more swollen on a cruise. However, I do drink a lot of water and walk a bit even if they are sore and swollen. I also drink ginger and lemon tea that seems to help.

 

I just find the combination of drinking water (I don't drink fizzy at all) and walking seems to keep them in order as best as I can.

 

I do get sometimes problems with flying they swell or one might swell. I need to always being doing excersises while seated like rotating my ankles keeping the joint moving.

 

I'm motto is just keep on moving.

[Valley Girl of VA]

Hi, I too am a sufferer of extremely swollen feet and ankles, so swollen that I could not wear regular shoes. I also write a travel blog and just had a physical therapist write about long haul flights, DVTs and exercise but she also touched upon swollen feet (from flight) compression socks ( and she gave a link) and exercises to do to help. If you are interested you are welcome to visit: http://airlandandsea.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/long-haul-flights-compression-socks-and-exercise/

 

I hope this isn't inappropriate to list it but if it is ask the moderator to remove it. Sorry if I should offend anyone.

 

Jane

[MrsMuir]

Thank you for the link. I found it helpful. My sister always tells me she "writes" the alphabet with her toes during long flights. Great idea, but she flies Business Class. In Sardine Class it's hard to lift your feet, much less write with them. We're flying "Premium Economy" on Delta soon, so I hope the extra cost we paid for Premium will allow me to extricate my feet from underneath the seat in front of me. Provided it isn't reclined, that is.

 

Mrs M.

[DrTee]

Can someone explain to me why desalinated water contains salt?

[ksqueak]

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)?

 

 

You didn't mention humidity - that contributes too!

I remember being in one of the caribbean ports and trying on a ring - the sales lady said that hands are swollen due to the humidity and it would fit better at home. I'm going to assume (I know!) that ankles would be affected too.

[Skorpora]

I always thought cruising, and being near the ocean caused the swelling, but now I'm not so sure.

 

I went to Las Vegas last week, and the swelling still happened. Maybe it has more to do with heat and food choices?

[Cruzin Terri]

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I think my story is worth telling. if it helps even one other person, it is worth it.

 

We were on the Zuiderdam in the Mediterranean in July. After a few days my left foot began to swell. My right foot as well, but not as much. At one point I had to buy a pair of sandals a size bigger just to be able to wear shoes. I did not got to the medical center because having some experience with DVTs I did not notice heat or redness and just attributed the swelling to the unbearable heat in the Mediterranean while we were there.

 

When we got home I went to the doctor who agreed that I probably did not have a DVTs but took a D-Dimer blood test to determine the presence of a blood clot and put me on Lasix to reduce the swelling, which it did. The nurse who called me a day or two later incorrectly told me that the test was negative and I was happy and went about my business.

 

Five weeks later found me in excruciating pain in my right side that sent me to the ER in a life-threatening condition. I had DVTs in my left leg behind the knee and four emboli (two in each lung).

 

I have learned a lesson the hard way. I should have gone to the ship medical center and had it checked out while on board. I should have insisted on an ultra sound when I got home. I should have, I should have. It is all too late.

 

I am on blood thinners. I have trouble breathing. I have to go for pulmonary rehab. All this could have been avoided had I not thought I was so smart and knew so much.

 

Don't ignore the swelling like I did. Get it checked out.

 

We have two cruises planned and we are not sure we can go.

 

Terri

Edited November 1, 2015 by Cruzin Terri

[Cruise_More_Often]

Terri, thank you for posting. Your experience should be a warning to all of us. I'm sorry you're going through such an awful situation.

[maxie99]

this thread is very informative--I never have had that problem, till last year on the Eurodam-- was the same , I could only wear my sandals-- but that was my only time,- iv been on 3 cruises since, and no problem. the only difference was I didn't have too much wine, but on the last 3-- I was back to my party self,, :)

Edited November 1, 2015 by maxie99

[57redbird]

Just happened on this thread....believe it or not, my doc told me I wasn't drinking enough water & that my body was hanging on to what water it had.....making a concerted effort to drink more & it seems to be helping.

[sammiedawg]

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I think my story is worth telling. if it helps even one other person, it is worth it.

 

We were on the Zuiderdam in the Mediterranean in July. After a few days my left foot began to swell. My right foot as well, but not as much. At one point I had to buy a pair of sandals a size bigger just to be able to wear shoes. I did not got to the medical center because having some experience with DVTs I did not notice heat or redness and just attributed the swelling to the unbearable heat in the Mediterranean while we were there.

 

When we got home I went to the doctor who agreed that I probably did not have a DVTs but took a D-Dimer blood test to determine the presence of a blood clot and put me on Lasix to reduce the swelling, which it did. The nurse who called me a day or two later incorrectly told me that the test was negative and I was happy and went about my business.

 

Five weeks later found me in excruciating pain in my right side that sent me to the ER in a life-threatening condition. I had DVTs in my left leg behind the knee and four emboli (two in each lung).

 

I have learned a lesson the hard way. I should have gone to the ship medical center and had it checked out while on board. I should have insisted on an ultra sound when I got home. I should have, I should have. It is all too late.

 

I am on blood thinners. I have trouble breathing. I have to go for pulmonary rehab. All this could have been avoided had I not thought I was so smart and knew so much.

 

Don't ignore the swelling like I did. Get it checked out.

 

We have two cruises planned and we are not sure we can go.

 

Terri

 

Terri,

I am so sorry to hear of your illnesses. Thoughts and prayers across the miles. PE's are so scary but hopefully the worst is over. Hopefully you will regain your strength and pulmonary function and be able to travel again.

[Vict0riann]

Cruizin Terri, so sorry to hear you are having such a bad time. Hope you make a speedy recovery, and manage to take the cruises you have planned.

[summer slope]

Prayers Terri. I get swelling but it usually goes away if I put my legs on the bed and body on the floor. Because of you I will keep a closer eye on it. Thank you.

[CowPrincess]

Cruzin' Terri, thank you for sharing your experience. That is really valuable information. I hope you are feeling significantly better soon, and able to go on the cruises.

[cruz chic]

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I think my story is worth telling. if it helps even one other person, it is worth it.

 

We were on the Zuiderdam in the Mediterranean in July. After a few days my left foot began to swell. My right foot as well, but not as much. At one point I had to buy a pair of sandals a size bigger just to be able to wear shoes. I did not got to the medical center because having some experience with DVTs I did not notice heat or redness and just attributed the swelling to the unbearable heat in the Mediterranean while we were there.

 

When we got home I went to the doctor who agreed that I probably did not have a DVTs but took a D-Dimer blood test to determine the presence of a blood clot and put me on Lasix to reduce the swelling, which it did. The nurse who called me a day or two later incorrectly told me that the test was negative and I was happy and went about my business.

 

Five weeks later found me in excruciating pain in my right side that sent me to the ER in a life-threatening condition. I had DVTs in my left leg behind the knee and four emboli (two in each lung).

 

I have learned a lesson the hard way. I should have gone to the ship medical center and had it checked out while on board. I should have insisted on an ultra sound when I got home. I should have, I should have. It is all too late.

 

I am on blood thinners. I have trouble breathing. I have to go for pulmonary rehab. All this could have been avoided had I not thought I was so smart and knew so much.

 

Don't ignore the swelling like I did. Get it checked out.

 

We have two cruises planned and we are not sure we can go.

 

Terri

Im sorry to hear of your troubles. Life was not been good to you lately. I hope things turn around for you soon and you are able to cruise. Thx for the info.

[ger_77]

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I think my story is worth telling. if it helps even one other person, it is worth it.

 

We have two cruises planned and we are not sure we can go.

 

My gosh girl, if it weren't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any !!! I really hope life returns to some semblance of normalcy for you, your hubby, and your b-i-l.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)