Water Retention

[Fish66]

I have been on one cruise and that was around America and Mexico

on the Rick Springfield and friends cruise eight years ago

And the minute I stepped on the ship I had swollen ankles and feet to the extent that I could not wear shoes the whole week I was on that cruise

has anybody got any tips or hints on how to avoid water retention

Thanks in advance 😀😀

[OzKiwiJJ]

Often the food on cruise ships is high in salt. Don't add extra salt to your meals and avoid excessively salty dishes.

 

Drink lots of water, a couple of litres a day at least. It may sound contradictory, but a well-hydrated body is less likely to retain fluid. Plus if you drink water with meals it will dilute the salty food.

 

Cut back on dehydrating drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol. By the way cranberry juice has a mild diuretic effect so if you want a cocktail choose a Cosmopolitan ;)

 

Put your feet up as much as possible, above your head if you can. Try sleeping with your feet on a pillow.

 

Exercise.

Edited October 21, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[Fish66]

Wow so much info

Thanks so much

[wotaripper]

Wow so much info

Thanks so much

 

Green tea is available onboard and is a natural diuretic. You say you have swollen ankles straight after boarding this could be put down to flying down or long car trip take the pressure off the back of your knees when travelling by putting a cushion handbag etc under your feet to elevate them.

[Fish66]

It is definitely not from flying I have flown 24 hours straight before and never any swollen ankles

And I don't drink any herbal tea unfortunately

I might have to go and see my doctor before I go just to get something just in case it happens again hopefully not

[chester32]

I have had this happen before (three cruises) so before last cruise I did some looking around and there was a post that suggested eating a banana every morning, so I tired it and no swollen ankles whether it was just coincidence I don't know but will be doing it again on next cruise

[Fish66]

Thanks.. I'll try that too

[victravellers]

This happens to me on warm and humid cruises, along with a horrible rash.

The doc can give you diuretic tablets and as others have suggested kept your legs elevated when you can. I also wear flight socks when I am sleeping, that seems to help as well. Although they are not very attractive. :eek:

[Fish66]

That's ok about them being not the best to look at

I'm going on my own lol

And I'll talk to my doctor about it

Thanks heaps

[The_Big_M]

It is definitely not from flying I have flown 24 hours straight before and never any swollen ankles

And I don't drink any herbal tea unfortunately

 

Green tea isn't herbal tea.

[Fish66]

It is too me !

I only drink black tea lol

[PerfectlyPerth]

By day 2 on the Radiance I had the same prob. Interestingly - I was living solely on the ships tap water - filling up my water bottles each day, while my cabin mate was living solely on the bottled water package. She had no retention whatsoever.

 

Both my doctor and my chemist recommended Fluid Away pills for future cruises.

https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/63680/Carusos-Natural-Health-Fluid-Away-60-Tablets

[Fish66]

Interesting you say that as I only drink water and tea and I might see if I can take bottled water

Thanks for the tip

And I've heard a lot of people say those pills don't work

But everyone's different

I'll buy some to have

Thanks

[PerfectlyPerth]

if it was only the chemist recommending them I would think it was a sales pitch - but the doctor specifically suggested them.

 

Yes I live on water - so for next one I will either bring it on board with me or have the bottled water package.

[reedy8]

Often the food on cruise ships is high in salt. Don't add extra salt to your meals and avoid excessively salty dishes.

 

Drink lots of water, a couple of litres a day at least. It may sound contradictory, but a well-hydrated body is less likely to retain fluid. Plus if you drink water with meals it will dilute the salty food.

 

Cut back on dehydrating drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol. By the way cranberry juice has a mild diuretic effect so if you want a cocktail choose a Cosmopolitan ;)

 

Put your feet up as much as possible, above your head if you can. Try sleeping with your feet on a pillow.

 

Exercise.

Do you think eating dried cranberries would have the same effect?

[helpmeremembermyusername]

On my first couple of cruises I also had swollen ankles / lower legs and would get a red rash (golfers Vasculitis)....best thing I have found is "dry brushing" it worked for me. Use a natural bristle brush - got mine from the chemist - and start at your feet and work your way up towards your heart, circular motions. Then have a shower. Sounds weird, but really did work. Google "dry brushing".

 

Good luck, and enjoy your cruise.:)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Do you think eating dried cranberries would have the same effect?

 

Maybe, if you drank lots of water while eating them. ;)

[Aus Traveller]

My doctor told me the reason for swollen ankles when on a ship is inactivity. I have found that when I have swollen ankles one evening, then the next day I do a session in the gym or walk a few kilometres around the deck, my ankles are not swollen the next evening.

 

Out of all the suggestions above, something should work for you. Maybe you could try all of the different ideas. :D:D

[PerfectlyPerth]

My doctor told me the reason for swollen ankles when on a ship is inactivity. I have found that when I have swollen ankles one evening, then the next day I do a session in the gym or walk a few kilometres around the deck, my ankles are not swollen the next evening.

 

I was far from inactive. Fluid retention is generally salt related whether the person is at land or sea. The ships desalinated water has a higher salt content than Aus tap water.

[t60]

There is a long thread here about water retention and swollen legs and ankles. It has lots of hints, tips and solutions

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

 

Sandy in Spain

[Kinkacruiser]

I was far from inactive. Fluid retention is generally salt related whether the person is at land or sea. The ships desalinated water has a higher salt content than Aus tap water.

 

I'd be interested to learn more about this (something to 'google'). If the ship's water does in fact have more salt than our water at home, then your certainly can't taste it.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I'd be interested to learn more about this (something to 'google'). If the ship's water does in fact have more salt than our water at home, then your certainly can't taste it.

 

Heres a thread on that very topic....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=878157

[Kinkacruiser]

Thanks David. I'll have a look at that thread. Meantime I found this response from a 2011 thread that focuses on salt content.

 

 

"I used to be in the USN on 3 differnt ships and worked in the engineroom on all 3 of them. i also operated Distilling plants as well. They were the flash type that uses steam and vacum. Either way, the process is the same. The max PPM is .006 per parts per million for drinking, for sodium content in water. Since those 3 ships I operated were steam turbined powered with boilers. the feed water came from the same plants, cant exceed .002.. No, ships water is NOT salty, if it was it would contminate other parts of the ship where water used for heating such as galley hot water tanks, etc from the result of scale buildup. If you look on the label on water bottle, even it has "sodium" in it.

As far as swollen feet? well Carnival ships DO put SEA water in the pools, that has salt in it. Also all the walking you do around the ship and in various ports will cause your feet to swell up because you body isnt used to walking that much when your home..RIGHT?"

Edited October 24, 2015 by Kinkacruiser

[The_Big_M]

Heres a thread on that very topic....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=878157

 

chengk knows his stuff and, given his statement here (and subsequently) on the removal of salt from desalinated water, I view that as definitive:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40786975&postcount=22

[MicCanberra]

I do drink the ship's drinking water in the dining room and such but do prefer to buy the bottled water (or in my drink package) as I find it tastes better.:D