Swollen legs/ankles/feet - THIS WORKED!

[sail7seas]

Good luck, SanJoseGal,

Hope the brush and oil work well for you and you have a great cruise.

Edited September 3, 2013 by sail7seas

[Laurie S.]

I just drink beer instead of water. No problem with swelling. :)

[Bars7816]

Elemis cellutox oil is $82 online from Wal-Mart. I'll go with the beer if this ever happens to me!:D

[Laurie S.]

Elemis cellutox oil is $82 online from Wal-Mart. I'll go with the beer if this ever happens to me!:D

 

Plus the oil and brush don't do anything. I have a set, have used them, and saw no difference whatsoever. Pass me a cold one, please.

[RumRunner01]

Can't wait to hear from Sanjose girl to see it the oil and brush worked.

 

 

Amy Olson

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[SANJOSEGAL]

Can't wait to hear from Sanjose girl to see it the oil and brush worked.

 

 

Amy Olson

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Sitting at the Sheraton San Juan Puerto Rico Ive been walking all day just used the oil and brush so far so good. Get on the ship tomorrow stay tuned.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I take an over the counter diuretic when it gets really bad. Just make sure I do it on a sea day. :D Sometimes it seems that the bottled water is worse than the tap water on the ship.

 

Mary Lou

[trixiegal]

I have the same problem. Fortunately, I didn't have much major swelling until I got off the cruise but I did notice some of my heels were really snug by dinner time. I'm a vitamin fanatic, so I popped my B12, Magnesium and Apple Cider Vinegar pills 3x a day. Helps with circulation and sluggishness of digestive system. I also drank A TON of water and walked instead of using the elevators all the time. I really enjoyed the filtered water on the Carnival Dream. Kept my reusable water bottle at home filled with water throughout the day.

 

I love Elemis and all of their products but they are pricey. Thanks for reminding me about the skin brush sitting beside my tub. I've had great results in the past. Can't remember where I bought it or how much I paid. Here's a link to the website-

 

http://us.espaskincare.com/product-finder/skin-brush

[thebutlerdidit]

I have no experience with the oil, but here's a great video on how to do the "dry brushing" technique that was recommended to you at the spa.

 

 

Here's the brush I got at Amazon for under $8 (love it!).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KNHJ5G/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Dry brushing is sort of addicting.

[royalcruz]

Amazon has the oil for $50.

[SANJOSEGAL]

I have no experience with the oil, but here's a great video on how to do the "dry brushing" technique that was recommended to you at the spa.

 

 

Here's the brush I got at Amazon for under $8 (love it!).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KNHJ5G/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Dry brushing is sort of addicting.

 

I loved that video great information. So I'm back from my Southern Caribbean cruise out of Puerto Rico and happy to report IT WORKED 😀 No swelling I used the oil which I bought at Macy's yes very expensive, I bought the brush at Bed Bath and Beyond pretty cheap. Brushed my feet twice a day and no swelling so nice to wear my cute sexy shoes on formal night.

[NanaL]

Do you have to use the oil or will the brush work alone?

[SANJOSEGAL]

Do you have to use the oil or will the brush work alone?

 

I can only speak for what I did I used both the oil and the brush. I think the brush would probably work fine alone though.

[cinamonlocks]

Thanks for all the info on this! We cruise in less than 3 weeks & I'm desperate to not have my ankles swell this time. It's SO annoying! The only time they do this is on cruise ships (or if I wear flip flops for too days at a time). Guess I'm off to find this brush & oil you all are talking about. Do you think just any other massage oil will work? Or does it have to be this one?

 

Thanks for this post everyone!!

[SANJOSEGAL]

Thanks for all the info on this! We cruise in less than 3 weeks & I'm desperate to not have my ankles swell this time. It's SO annoying! The only time they do this is on cruise ships (or if I wear flip flops for too days at a time). Guess I'm off to find this brush & oil you all are talking about. Do you think just any other massage oil will work? Or does it have to be this one?

 

Thanks for this post everyone!!

 

I would think this specific oil does have something to do with helping the swelling. If you are going to Nordstrom's to find the oil you might want to call first. The Nordstrom's near my home only had one bottle. The brand Elemis the oil is called cellutox active body oil. I looked it up and saw it advertised at a few stores but non of them carried this particular oil. I finally called Nordstrom's and they had it.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Do you have to use the oil or will the brush work alone?

 

I've found the brush alone works.

[DaisyL]

Thanks for all the info... I'll check it out. DH and I only get this swelling on cruises ... huh? Can anyone help with the reason why this happens.

 

We fly ... no problem. Ride in cars for longer than we should .. no problem. Have vacations where we only eat out at restaurants and fast food ... no problem.

 

We walk and exercise more on a cruise but still have swelling of our feet and ankles. I'll try the brushing technique but we don't cruise again until next year. If I can get to the cause of the problem, I think that would help me more.

 

Thanks for your help.

[sunshine55]

I've had issues with swelling ankles and it only happens on ship. Dr said it is from all the salt used in the food. I found a remedy that works for me and it cost nothing. Take one of your life preservers in the cabin and stick it under the mattress at the end of the bed where your feet will lay.

It will elevate your feet. In the morning I stick it in the closet. On the nights that I forgot to put the preserver back under the mattress, I woke up with swelled ankles. Works every time..:)

[geocruiser]

Thanks for all the info... I'll check it out. DH and I only get this swelling on cruises ... huh? Can anyone help with the reason why this happens.

 

We fly ... no problem. Ride in cars for longer than we should .. no problem. Have vacations where we only eat out at restaurants and fast food ... no problem.

 

We walk and exercise more on a cruise but still have swelling of our feet and ankles. I'll try the brushing technique but we don't cruise again until next year. If I can get to the cause of the problem, I think that would help me more.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Ask for no/low salt diet when on a cruise and see it that helps.

[DaisyL]

Thanks all... I'm surprised cruise food has more salt than restaurants and fast food.

 

Also, the swollen ankles are in the evening because I notice it when we get dressed for dinner. In the mornings it has subsided on it's own for both my husband and myself.

 

I also think it may have to do with drinking alcohol too. We didn't drink on our RCI cruise because we were with others who didn't drink and our feet didn't swell. And it was the only cruise so far with RCI and the only cruise we didn't drink alcoholic beverages; so is it drinking alcohol or RCI uses less salt? .... hmmmm?

[cinamonlocks]

Here are my findings from our cruise this past week. Keep in mind my ankles swell every single time I board a cruise ship. It's as if I cross onto the ship & immediately...BOOM! Balloons. So I tried a few things from this post.

 

I don't believe it has to be that special brush...or oil. I used a plain old cheap $5 foot brush from Target to brush the toxins out of my ankles a few times a day. Followed by plain old lotion I snagged from the hotel.

 

I drank ONLY bottled water. Absolutely NO cruise ship water at dinner or otherwise. The one day I drank a little bit of the tap water at dinner (the very last day) my ankles swelled a tiny bit. I brushed them. Rubbed regular lotion on them & they were fine the next morning. I also had bacon that morning (the only morning I choose to have the bacon) & we know that's filled with salt.

 

I also slept with the life jacket under the bottom of the mattress.

 

Still drank my fair share, & a few other people's, of alcohol as we were on the Cheers program.

 

I added only pepper to my food & no additional salt.

 

For the first time ever in the history of cruising...my ankles did not swell!!! It made for a much more enjoyable time! Thank you for the suggestions!!!

 

Also, they had that oil on board the ship for about the same price Ulta carries it for. Incase you need it. I thankfully didn't. I prefer to spend that money on umbrella drinks via the Cheers program.

 

Happy Sailing Everyone! :D

[jamona2311]

After reading this post last night I went on Amazon n ordered the brush n oil. Last cruise I really swelled n want to try to avoid it fromnownon. Thanks for the advise everyone:D

[pcur]

One of the gals on my cruise was also on the same flight. She wore

"compression hose" (overseas flight)....she told me they help in

preventing her legs/ankles from swelling. My ankles definitely got

swollen on that flight but I have no desire to wear hose.

 

I tried these for the first time on a long car drive.

 

What is being discussed in this thread is vasculitis, IMO. I've had it for about 20 years, and mine is caused by standing or sitting for long periods (i.e. airplanes and cars), and walking in hot/humid weather. I get the rash, which is blood pooling in the capillaries in your ankles and calves, all the time on cruises.

 

I think the fundamental cause on cruises is flying, because that's when my ankles and feet swell. Then, it's aggravated by hot and humid weather and alcohol consumption.

 

I tried the compression socks recently for the first time on a 5 hour car trip, and the swelling was significantly less. I got the nude colored ones on Amazon for around $17 and wore them with slip on sandals. With longer capris or long pants you can't tell that you're wearing them. When I took them off my ankles were looking normal.

 

On cruises my red rash gets VERY red, and I use arnica gel to help dissipate the color. Arnica is good for getting rid of bruises, and that's basically the same as the vasculitis. I rub the arnica on with an upward motion to help push the pooled blood out of the capillaries and swollen area.

 

Then, when I have to go out I put liquid make-up on my ankles and calves that is a shade or two lighter than my skin tone. It covers the redness very nicely, as it can take several days for the rash to go away.

Edited October 22, 2013 by pcur

[lawblond7]

I saw this link today - i have not tried this yet - but thought that I would pass this along -- I most likley will look into this

 

http://campwander.blogspot.com/2012/12/essential-oils-for-swollen-ankles-legs.html

 

sharon

[Harborfamily]

Here are my findings from our cruise this past week. Keep in mind my ankles swell every single time I board a cruise ship. It's as if I cross onto the ship & immediately...BOOM! Balloons. So I tried a few things from this post.

 

I don't believe it has to be that special brush...or oil. I used a plain old cheap $5 foot brush from Target to brush the toxins out of my ankles a few times a day. Followed by plain old lotion I snagged from the hotel.

 

I drank ONLY bottled water. Absolutely NO cruise ship water at dinner or otherwise. The one day I drank a little bit of the tap water at dinner (the very last day) my ankles swelled a tiny bit. I brushed them. Rubbed regular lotion on them & they were fine the next morning. I also had bacon that morning (the only morning I choose to have the bacon) & we know that's filled with salt.

 

I also slept with the life jacket under the bottom of the mattress.

 

Still drank my fair share, & a few other people's, of alcohol as we were on the Cheers program.

 

I added only pepper to my food & no additional salt.

 

For the first time ever in the history of cruising...my ankles did not swell!!! It made for a much more enjoyable time! Thank you for the suggestions!!!

 

Also, they had that oil on board the ship for about the same price Ulta carries it for. Incase you need it. I thankfully didn't. I prefer to spend that money on umbrella drinks via the Cheers program.

 

Happy Sailing Everyone! :D

 

Ok, I've been giving this a lot of thought.... I'm active, otherwise healthy and have never had a problem with feet/ankles swelling. Until... On our first 2 cruises it was not a problem. However, on our last two, it was a very big problem; my feet swelled so badly, I considered going to the ships doc. I brought compression socks and rx diuretics on our last cruise - used both, but with minimal relief. Then I started thinking that I spent a lot of $$ on bottled water the first two cruises because I assumed the ships water would be yucky to drink. Then I did a little research, found out the water was fine (I drink a lot of water every day), and drank it on my 3rd & 4th cruises - the same ones in which I had the swelling. It may be total coincidence, but I cruise again in a little over a month, and plan to put this costly notion to the test.