Any remedies to avoid swollen feet/ankles on the cruise?

[eng4]

Do you think its the salt in the air? Some people think its the drinking water because its recycled salt water?? Any remedies that helped keep your swelling down?

[chengkp75]

Do you think its the salt in the air? Some people think its the drinking water because its recycled salt water?? Any remedies that helped keep your swelling down?

 

Recycled salt water? About half the water produced onboard is pure distilled water, the remainder is desalinated by reverse osmosis. There is some salt still in this water, but generally not more than say NYC water which gets road salt in it.

 

Anyway, my feeling is that this is caused by salty food, and the chlorine in the drinking water.

 

Possible remedies:

 

Either drink water from dining venues, bars, or drink dispensers, as these have the chlorine removed, or de-chlorinate your own water by keeping a pitcher of it open in the fridge or on the desk for a couple hours. Chlorine can contribute to water retention.

 

Put your lifejackets under the mattress at the foot of the bed, to elevate your feet at night.

 

Stand in the pool. The additional water pressure on your ankles, over that on the rest of your body (at lesser depth) will "redistribute" any retained water to other locations around your body.

 

Drink more water. Contrary as this sounds, water retention can be caused by low water intake.

[homeofthedogs]

I was wondering the same thing. Have had swollen ankles/feet the last couple cruises and couldn't wear most of my shoes. Felt terrible. Going to ask my doctor before I sail again about water pills. Fingers crossed.

[csunshine860]

Recycled salt water? About half the water produced onboard is pure distilled water, the remainder is desalinated by reverse osmosis. There is some salt still in this water, but generally not more than say NYC water which gets road salt in it.

 

Anyway, my feeling is that this is caused by salty food, and the chlorine in the drinking water.

 

Possible remedies:

 

Either drink water from dining venues, bars, or drink dispensers, as these have the chlorine removed, or de-chlorinate your own water by keeping a pitcher of it open in the fridge or on the desk for a couple hours. Chlorine can contribute to water retention.

 

Put your lifejackets under the mattress at the foot of the bed, to elevate your feet at night.

 

Stand in the pool. The additional water pressure on your ankles, over that on the rest of your body (at lesser depth) will "redistribute" any retained water to other locations around your body.

 

Drink more water. Contrary as this sounds, water retention can be caused by low water intake.

 

I have this problem. I drink distiled water at home definitely not the same on ship and do not drink ships water, reverse osm water and 3 L a day bottled water at home and while cruising . Have tried no salt diet in MDR by request and really watch at the Lido mainly fresh veggies etc. So yes there is salt in the air is the only answer. Ankles and feet swell so bad never know which shoes I will be able to wear.....so pack 6 pairs. Cabin stewart usually fills my zip lock bags with ice in the evening and have also used life jackets. So what is next.......will not stop cruising because of this.

[SadieN]

The Fashion and Beauty Board has several threads about this.

Do separate searches for 'Swollen' and "Black Cherry"

 

Somewhere is a whole thread about using a stiff brush to aide in circulation.

Edited November 18, 2015 by SadieN

[Cruisegirl6]

The reason why many people get swollen feet/ankles on cruises is because they are not eating like they normally do at home....most people do not eat out everyday neverless every meal as you do on a cruise. All restaurants including cruise ship dining and buffet foods contain high amounts of sodium, this is what causes the swelling.

 

There are others that swell because their feet are tired.

 

Some remedies to help swollen feet are to have a foot massage, elevate your feet above heart level for 30 minutes each day, I believe the herb ginkgo blob helps with circulating but if taking medications ask your doctor whether it is safe or not. Magnesium supplements might relieve pain and inflammation of the feet/edema....keep yourself hydrated, wear comfortable and loose shoes and try to avoid excess use of salt.

[riffatsea]

I get swollen ankles on long flights but it has never happened to me on a cruise!

I imagine it has to do with salty food and/or sedentary behavior. I walk up and down the stairs as much as possible. It is caused on flights by sitting in the seat too long.

[chengkp75]

I have this problem. I drink distiled water at home definitely not the same on ship and do not drink ships water, reverse osm water and 3 L a day bottled water at home and while cruising . Have tried no salt diet in MDR by request and really watch at the Lido mainly fresh veggies etc. So yes there is salt in the air is the only answer. Ankles and feet swell so bad never know which shoes I will be able to wear.....so pack 6 pairs. Cabin stewart usually fills my zip lock bags with ice in the evening and have also used life jackets. So what is next.......will not stop cruising because of this.

 

Little confused by the first sentence, but I'll try. As I said, part of the water is distilled, part is from reverse osmosis, and part is from shore. It's all mixed together. All of it is chlorinated, and unlike water supplies at home where chlorination only happens once at the plant, ship's water is constantly recirculated and constantly has the chlorine dosed so there is always a residual amount.

 

Do you mean you have a reverse osmosis filter in your home? Great, but that starts with fresh water and removes particulates, spores, and minerals. Desalination by reverse osmosis takes raw sea water and removes the salt by the porous membrane like your RO unit. The product from the two RO units taking from two vastly different sources will produce vastly different water qualities.

 

If salt in the air caused water retention and swollen ankles, all of us who live on the shore, from Maine to Alaska would have swollen ankles.

[Heartgrove]

Get compression stockings. It sounds like a severe remedy but compression stockings (men too) and walking should help.

[Cruisegirl6]

Compression stockings/socks do help but not sure whether anybody wants to wear them on a cruise??

[Fla Senior]

It's not the salt in the food or the salt in the air (we live on Gulf). More likely it's the ship water that is made by onboard desalinization along with leg circulation.

 

Here's my proof. On our two previous 8-day cruises, my wife's ankles swelled to the point that her calves were even swollen. She took prescribed water pills that didn't seem to help.

 

I read that water and circulation may be the issues. So, we just returned from B2B 21-day cruise and my wife had ZERO swelling issues. The remedies were only drinking bottled water (purchased from Carnival) and twice daily calf massages using a small vibrator. Also used a stiff brush to massage bottom of feet and calves. She also took the water pills, but not sure if they worked. Needless to say, we are incredibly impressed with these results.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Fla Senior

[kingston13]

Do you think its the salt in the air? Some people think its the drinking water because its recycled salt water?? Any remedies that helped keep your swelling down?

 

 

Mine do. I prop up while sleeping and that helps. I get them all the time.

[LATK]

I learned to stay away from the soups, ankles stayed down. Avoid any salty foods.

[rainbowflag]

I believe the herb ginkgo blob helps with circulating

Never heard of a ginkgo "blob" or is that a term for a measured amount of ginkgo? Like "take two blobs in the morning and again at bedtime."

[kelkel2]

I wear compression socks at night! It has helped tremendously with my swelling on cruises and with the swelling from me being on my feet all day at work (12 hour shifts)

Edited to say, I just wear them at bedtime and it helps tremendously!

Edited November 19, 2015 by kelkel2

[Cruisegirl6]

RAINBOWFLAG- Sorry misspelled. actually spell checker sorry..Ginkgo b i l o b a

Edited November 19, 2015 by lyndamr

[mzloolue]

I would get swelling too.

 

I stopped eating the soup, good but more salt than you might think.

Don't eat the sauce at the Mongolian Wok.

I drink water at all meals and chug a bottle a day too.

Diuretic pills help too.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Swollen ankles are common with older adults who fly, who vacation, who interrupt their normal eating habits. They occur lots of places besides cruises. The minute I step on the Hawaiian islands my ankles look like tree trunks.

 

Processed and "restaurant" foods can be a big contributor, as well as introduction of salt air that someone isn't used to. Standing for long periods, more walking, and sitting for extended times are all contributing factors...ask anyone who visits a casino and sits for hours at a slot machine.

 

Anyone with any kind of heart condition (however mild) will be more prone to ankle swelling when their normal routines are interrupted.

 

If you have experienced swelling before, see your Dr. before you travel and get some low dosage "water pills". Drink lots of "fluids"...ships water is fine. The salt in ship's ro water is pretty much the same as most municipal water supplies. When sitting, don't tuck your legs in...sit with them outstretched. Get plenty of rest and bring along compression stockings if need be. Eat fresh fruit and go light on salad dressings which are really salt laden. Don't put extra salt on your foods, beware of sauces and gravies and soups. And be cautious of your alcohol consumption.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Sweet Dutch Girl

[JMHAM1]

This is a suggestion I received on our FB group and it worked AMAZING!! I am also using this when I fly on business too or any other time my feet/hands swell.

 

Take parsley capsules and celery capsules. I did this about a week or so before we went and all during the trip. No problemo and I suffered horribly before.

[SMSACE6]

I agree with Chengkp75? hope I got your screen name right. Anyway, staying well hydrated helps, and I am not sure about that assumption that the ships water is full of sodium, but from my recent cruise on carnival, I purchased the 12 pack of water for 2.99, and it was definitely low sodium, but tasted good.

 

The food might be the culprit. In trying to make it all taste good, sodium comes into play unfortunately. I did not have an ankle or foot swelling issue until a day after I was home. Not sure how that happenend, because I have had swelling issues before on other cruises, and just put it down to sodium.

 

I did drink a lot of that 12 bottles Carnival water for 2.99 though, and think that it just might have made all the difference.

[oakleys]

Too much sodium, if you move enough take stairs work out hydrate it will not happen. Take a sauna, sweat it out.

[iheartbda]

Started getting swollen ankles after cruising many times with no issues previously so have read all the threads on the subject. One thing I've learned is, there is no ONE solution, what works for one does not work for another. I've tried every recommendation that people wore by and even combinations of suggestions.:( What worked for ME was brushing with am inexpensive brush from Bed Bath and Beyond rather than the pricey spa brush that was recommended.:)

[LHT28]

for me it is avoiding food with sodium

I ask for low or no sodium meals

I avoid sauces, gravies etc...

drink plenty of water so far it is working

 

YMMV

[searoses]

My Dr suggested I only drink bottled water.....I whined but did it and it worked really well.....I was very surprised at what a difference it made....I agree that not one thing works for everyone....I don't mind drinking it at room temp and just carried a bottle with me everywhere....will be doing it again in feb and hoping for the same results....

[eng4]

Recycled salt water? About half the water produced onboard is pure distilled water, the remainder is desalinated by reverse osmosis. There is some salt still in this water, but generally not more than say NYC water which gets road salt in it.

 

 

 

Anyway, my feeling is that this is caused by salty food, and the chlorine in the drinking water.

 

 

 

Possible remedies:

 

 

 

Either drink water from dining venues, bars, or drink dispensers, as these have the chlorine removed, or de-chlorinate your own water by keeping a pitcher of it open in the fridge or on the desk for a couple hours. Chlorine can contribute to water retention.

 

 

 

Put your lifejackets under the mattress at the foot of the bed, to elevate your feet at night.

 

 

 

Stand in the pool. The additional water pressure on your ankles, over that on the rest of your body (at lesser depth) will "redistribute" any retained water to other locations around your body.

 

 

 

Drink more water. Contrary as this sounds, water retention can be caused by low water intake.

 

 

Thanks, lots of great ideas