How to avoid getting swollen on a cruise

[funnychick39]

Every cruise I go on, I watch what I eat by eating fruit for breakfast, salmon for dinner with veggies and avoid the bread basket, but I do treat myself to the occasional Guy Burger and go to the Fish Fry station (Hey, I am on a cruise:D), even with doing these things, I also end up with my legs, feet’s and hands swollen. My legs and feet got so swollen that I could barely walk. I have an upcoming cruise next year and want to avoid this. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[TreeLuvr87]

Are you drinking plenty of water throughout the day to help flush the sodium through your body? Sodium is my biggest bloating culprit for sure, and I imagine the food on the ship is loaded with sodium. Trying to keep a full bottle of water with me all day helps some.

[mosaic_mom]

I agree with the water idea. I always have plenty of water and do lots of walking. Seems to help.

[riffatsea]

Hmm? The only time I get swollen like that is on long plane rides and never on the ship. I wonder if you are doing any exercise while on board or if you are sitting a lot?? You need to walk around on the ship or up and down the stairs in addition to the water that has been suggested.

[StaceySteveDMB]

It's called "vacankles". Drink tons of water.

 

 

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[LTS1960]

You should be talking with your Dr. about this. It is unusual to swell up so much that you can't walk! A bit of swelling on long trips while seated is normal but what you are saying is not normal.

 

 

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[hotpinkchica14]

I had horrible swelling on my first cruise. So bad we were unable to go to our planned destination of Busch Gardens after our cruise. All my other cruises after I made sure that I drank a ton of water and walked a lot. I always make sure to take the stairs a couple of flights just to keep moving but I do believe the water is extremely important.

[Orison]

Every cruise I go on, I watch what I eat by eating fruit for breakfast, salmon for dinner with veggies and avoid the bread basket, but I do treat myself to the occasional Guy Burger and go to the Fish Fry station (Hey, I am on a cruise:D), even with doing these things, I also end up with my legs, feet’s and hands swollen. My legs and feet got so swollen that I could barely walk. I have an upcoming cruise next year and want to avoid this. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Unless yoh plan on stop breathing, there's nothing you can do. Most of the air you are breathing, you are ingesting a lot of salt.

 

Just drink lots of water to keep your kidney working on overdrive to rid rid your body of that salt.

[babsee101]

You will find, if you search through CC, that swelling while on a cruise is very common.

 

I have had this problem on every cruise until my last one. This time in preparation I took water pills for a few days before sailing and made sure that I drank at least two to three bottles of water everyday during the cruise. I had no problem whatsoever. I ate like normal and had plenty of adult beverages.

 

The last thing you want is to not be able to walk or find the cute shoes you bought just for your cruise do not fit! :eek:

Edited November 17, 2014 by babsee101

[bjd2]

My husband always got very swollen feet/ankles no matter what we tried, every time we went on a cruise. Before our last one this spring, I searched this forum and found a thread where someone raved about this brush and oil combination. I'll go try to find it and paste it here. We did buy them and he used it morning and evening on our last cruise and had NO SWELLING!!!!

 

That was our 6th cruise and the first without swelling. We ate/drank the same types of things as previous cruises and did pretty much the same for activities. He is a believer.

[jwjax]

You should be talking with your Dr. about this. It is unusual to swell up so much that you can't walk! A bit of swelling on long trips while seated is normal but what you are saying is not normal.

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Ditto!! See you Doctor!!:)

 

FYI.... My Dr. prescribed a stronger water pill (diuretic) for me after I told him about the swelling on a couple of our cruises. Although the swelling hasn't occurred on every cruise, when it does, I drink lots of water and take the full strength pills, instead of half the dose.

 

One thing I did notice, the normal grilled hamburgers (not Guys), seemed to always result in a little ankle swelling for me. So unless I am on ship with Guys Burgers, I usually opt for something else. :)

[bjd2]

Here is the thread that I mentioned above. They are Elemis products that we ordered from Amazon:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1637335

[Viv0828]

DH had this problem on one cruise. We wondered if the ship's water used in ice cubes, lemonade, coffee, etc might be to blame. (I know it's used in cooking as well but not in such large quantities). Anyway, DH decided to eliminate ice, drinks made with ship's water and drink only bottled water and other bottles or canned drinks, and the swelling vanished. Weird but true.

 

 

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[AngAndBoys]

I always seem to get cankles on cruises too. Even though I drink quite a bit of water and do leg excercises while sitting, think ankle pumps, rotating your foot around, trying to get some circulation going. None of this works terribly well. I don't know how to keep it from happening, but when it does, I do a few things to minimize it.

 

I bring ACE wraps and wrap them at night if it is bad, usually mostly gone by morning. If you don't know how to properly apply ACE, don't do this! You must use a figure 8 pattern and not too tight or you'll have even more problems. The other thing I do when I notice they are getting bad is to get in out of the sun for a while and elevate my feet. And I don't mean just a little, I mean lay in your bed with your feet on the wall above the headboard for a good while. If that's too uncomfortable, a couple pillows will do. Gravity is your friend. The higher you get them, the more the fluid dissipates.

[Steamboat Holly]

I get very swollen when I travel. I also read the thread posted above, and I did some YouTube research on dry brushing. I found a similar brush at the dollar store, and plan to try this on our cruise in a few weeks. I also remember somebody saying they put the life vest under the mattress at the foot of the bed at night. This kept their feet elevated while they slept.

 

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[FlaMommy75]

My husband and I are both avid water drinkers and exercise (almost) every day while on the ship…and we both swell up and neither of us can get our rings on by the end of the week. I really think they must add salt to everything.

I have found the best thing to do is to pack Gatorade and/or Coconut water and drink at least one bottle a day. Powerade also sells a tiny bottle that you can drop a squirt in your water. It REALLY helps us a lot!

[rferr]

Might try the sauna/steam room as well to sweat out some salt.

[BallFour4]

There is no secret to what happens, it's sodium intake.

 

Look at what your average consumption is at home and then look at a lunch someone might have aboard the ship.

 

Guys burger, fries and then throw in a Diet Coke to cut down on the calories you've doubled a full day of sodium from most home diets. The cardiovascular system goes into a "fight or flight" reaction and cannot clear fluid fast enough.

 

The ships water is not sodium laden, and it helps. What also works is anything to increase circulation. Even a 30 minute walk on the jogging track a day will do wonders.

 

If you take a calcium channel blocker for hypertension (those end in "pine") then you know already those exacerbate retention of fluid. There is not finer product for BP control, alone or in combo.

 

I'm right there with you if I choose a sedentary lifestyle for a couple of days. I visit the gym at night and spend an hour on a bike. Take your iPod and listen to an audio book or some new music. You'd be amazed how empty it is and how good the showers feel in the spa.

 

Don't tell me "I have old knees" or "I cannot walk long distances" as I'm 56, been through 4 orthopedic surgeries and hit hard in a car accident not that long ago. Start moving before your cruise. Talk to your doctor before you begin any exercise program!

 

Bring me some fries will ya... I'll get us some cookies.

 

.

Edited November 17, 2014 by BallFour4

[crewsweeper]

Here is the thread that I mentioned above. They are Elemis products that we ordered from Amazon:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1637335

 

The ships' spa market this as a cellulite/detox product. As recent research has shown, "detox" is a scam and cellulite is not a disease but simply a natural part of the postpubescent human female body (although correct dieting can reduce it's appearance). You can't body brush it away. But because the product applied to the skin it only works like any oil/lotion in penetrating only your first layer of skin and then helping to prevent water loss through the skin. So technically, any body oil/lotion will serve a similar purpose in helping your skin retain moisture.

 

Swelling can come from a number of causes, lack of water, too little activity, loss of circulation, etc. But the cruise related swelling does anecdotally seem to have its root in the excessive amount of salt in the air and salt water pools and spas on the ship.

[riffatsea]

It is soo interesting to read this thread!

I have only swelled up when flying to Europe and never on a cruise. I imagine it is because we walk up and down the steps a lot and are not so sedentary. We don't do anything else special and we have never swelled up while cruising.

[kelkel2]

I can almost guarantee your doctor will say it's an increase in sodium intake and a combination of not enough water/exercise.

You may be drinking fluids but if you are drinking soda, juice, alcohol it's not the right kind of fluids you should be drinking. You should bring a bottle of water with you and make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. That is the recommended amount for the average adult.

If you are drinking water and you continue to bloat like that you really need to seek medical advice because they can prescribe a diuretic for you to help "pull the fluid off your body" as we would say.

It really isn't normal for that much swelling to occur to the point that you can't walk. If that's happening I would call your doctor and make an appointment because your probably need a little something!

[Lace]

It is soo interesting to read this thread!

I have only swelled up when flying to Europe and never on a cruise. I imagine it is because we walk up and down the steps a lot and are not so sedentary. We don't do anything else special and we have never swelled up while cruising.

 

I only swell on a cruise if I have flown. I'm completely puffy by the time I get to my stateroom.

 

When I sail local, I never swell.

[sandij]

Drink lots of water, water not alcohol, and make use of either the gym or the walking track.

[CalaDragonflyLady]

I am more active when cruising, so if anything, I am walking more, not less! I seemed to have swollen feet on vacation no matter what type of vacation it was, but yes, I flew each time.

 

I am not a doctor or medical professional of any kind, but this is what worked for ME; I started taking black cherry supplements two weeks before and during my cruise (it has also been recommended for gout). I also used a dry brush on my feet and ankles every day at bedtime. I tried to visit the Thalassotherapy pool every day.

 

I still had a tiny bit of swelling, but nothing like the usual "can't see my ankle bones" swelling I have gotten in the past.

[irishnyc]

 

I have found the best thing to do is to pack Gatorade and/or Coconut water and drink at least one bottle a day. Powerade also sells a tiny bottle that you can drop a squirt in your water. It REALLY helps us a lot!

 

 

Gatorade is full of sodium. You don't want to drink that to alleviate swelling from sodium.