Does this happen to you??

[PeggyTC]

We just got back from a cruise on the Carnival Liberty. On Wednesday i noticed my feet had swelled horribly! It was so bad i couldn't even think about wearing my dress shoes on the second elegant evening, I mean we are talking NO ankles :( I have been on 4 cruises before this 2 of them on Carnival. When i started mentioning this to people, they also said they were having the same problem for the first time. Some people were alcohol drinkers some not. Has anyone else had this problem??

[CWcruisers]

It's typically from too much salt in the food. Maybe they are adding more than the last time you cruised.

[missypriss19]

Happened to me on our last year Christmas cruise. I have pitcures of what looks like ballons atached to the end of my legs. Hurt like hell. It got so bad that when we stopped in Cozumel I went to the pharmacia and bought Lasix. (Which I do not recommend unless you know this medication and how it needs to be used)

[PeggyTC]

Missy~ had this ever happened before??

[MSRussell]

The first two times I was on a cruise...no problem. Then it got worse.

When it got to the point where I had to be rolled off the ship in a wheelchair, I decided to do research.

A relative recommended Black Cherry Concentrate capsules, also, after reading about the salt air on a cruise, I started taking diuretics.

Both of them really work!! I walked around Key West one time on a cruise, with no pain or swelling. The capsules also helped my my arthritis.

[dodgetrucksrule]

I believe it is normal. I have always been told it had to do with the sea air.

It has happened to me on all my cruises regardless of which cruise line it is.

I have a pair of dress flats that are 1 size to big and extra wide – just for cruising!

[FireMedT]

I don't think this is strickly a salt intake issue. When someone's ankles swell like that it's called pedal (foot) edema (swelling from fluid retention). That does not have as much to do with salt as it does with other possible medical conditions. If not everyone that went on a cruise ship or who ate Maruchan soup would have swollen ankles. So the question is, what medical issues might be causing someone to retain all that fluid.

[Scrapnana]

My feet usually swell when I fly. It happened again when flying to my last cruise. They stayed swollen most of the trip but luckily I usually wore sandals. The one time I tried to wear regular shoes they rubbed my feet so badly I had to take them off and walk barefoot. When I got home I bought a pair of dressy sandals so I will be prepared for my next cruise.

[cruiseawaits]

The first two times I was on a cruise...no problem. Then it got worse.

When it got to the point where I had to be rolled off the ship in a wheelchair, I decided to do research.

A relative recommended Black Cherry Concentrate capsules, also, after reading about the salt air on a cruise, I started taking diuretics.

Both of them really work!! I walked around Key West one time on a cruise, with no pain or swelling. The capsules also helped my my arthritis.

 

Do the Black Cherry Concentrate capsules act as a diuretic? Where do you get them? The swelling happens to me also. In the past, I have used over the counter water pills which help a little, but not great results.

[mikel24m]

We just got back from a cruise on the Carnival Liberty. On Wednesday i noticed my feet had swelled horribly! It was so bad i couldn't even think about wearing my dress shoes on the second elegant evening, I mean we are talking NO ankles :( I have been on 4 cruises before this 2 of them on Carnival. When i started mentioning this to people, they also said they were having the same problem for the first time. Some people were alcohol drinkers some not. Has anyone else had this problem??

 

Water is your (our friend) and I can bet if you drink tons and tons of water things will get back to normal shortly

[Butterbean1000]

Did you fly? My trainer once told me never weigh after you fly because you tend to retain fluids for a few days. Believe it or not, double up on your waster intake.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bjd2]

This never happens to me but always happens to hubby, normally at the end of the cruise or right after we get home. It always goes down but he has me researching the cause every time.

[vacruizer]

Water is your (our friend) and I can bet if you drink tons and tons of water things will get back to normal shortly

 

I've only had the swollen feet once in 13 cruises and it was one where I wasn't drinking as much water as I normally would. I also think it can depend on the chefs and how much salt gets added to the food.

 

Oddly enough, I just came back from the Liberty like the OP and didn't have the swollen ankles this time. Even though we had the Cheers card and had a fair bit of alchohol on our most recent sailing, I made sure I drank TONS of water and no swelling (or hangovers lol!):p

[mbmbird]

This happens to me too! I think it is the salt in the food. It has only happened while cruising, and that is the only place I eat in a restaurant for 7 days 3 meals a day. I think the heat and humidity add to it (I'm not use to either) I try to drink ALOT of water and when I'm in my room I keep my feet up (the cusions off the back of the sofa are perfect for this). I love the idea of taking a "big" pair of shoes:)

[All4fun&fun4all]

This happened to DBF on our cruise in December. This has not happened to him on previous sailings.

 

I read on these boards some time ago that the water onboard caused some folks feet and legs to swell and since he had water with breakfast, lunch and dinner this sailing, that's what we attributed it too. He stopped drinking the water after day 2 or 3 of our 7 day sailing and went back to our bottled water and the swelling began to go down. Although, it was still a bit swollen when we got home.

 

I dont believe it was related to the salitness of the dishes he ate because he has pretty much eaten the same types of food on the previous sailings we had been on with no swelling at all. The only new addition was an increase of water in the MDR.

 

We typically dont eat breakfast or lunch in the MDR but a couple of times but this time we did breakfast every day except 2 port days and have never eaten lunch there until this time.

 

This is just our opinion but we believe it must have been the water.

[txponycruiser]

Just curious as I'm looking into this for my mother who will be going on her first cruise with us this summer. For those who have had this swelling, where are you from originally? I wonder if it has something to from changing climates?

 

I've always lived within 3 counties of the Gulf, as my husband, and neither of us suffered any swelling on our first cruise 2 years ago.

[nlktx49]

That's awfully bad swelling! Have you been to see your doctor? I would be very concerned about this. I've never had this happen to me on a cruise, but I drink lots of bottled water. I do drink some lemonade, and iced tea from the buffet, but that's the only time I would be getting the ship's water. But as someone else said, there could be an underlying medical condition causing this. See what your doctor says.

[MSRussell]

Do the Black Cherry Concentrate capsules act as a diuretic? Where do you get them? The swelling happens to me also. In the past, I have used over the counter water pills which help a little, but not great results.

 

I buy the capsules at GNC. I don't think they have a diuretic in then, but they are known to reduce swelling.

My cousin who has gout, swears by them.

It might come from me living in Indiana, alcohol is not a factor, as I don't drink.

I take the diuretic just in case as I have to fly to the port city.

Melanie

[Cruisin'Doc]

This is common for me when I travel, in general. Often because I spend more time up. Whether it be walking or driving/sitting, it increases.

 

There's also the issue of salt. When on a cruise, you are getting increased amounts of salt from two sources - the food and the air. Always try to be careful about the amount of salt *you* add to the food and be sure that you are staying hydrated.

[Blurgh]

Yeah, it happens to me in the ankles, it's hard not to notice because I have tiny, bony ankles. Normally I take water pills and it works itself out. Thankfully I don't fly or I guess it would be worse. I don't add salt to my food and sometimes I wonder if that's what it's from.

[PeggyTC]

Thank you sooooo much everyone for your replies. Your answers gave me a lot to think about. I always drank the ship water in the morning and at dinner in the MDR. But i have always consumed their water so i don't think it's the ship water but maybe NOT drinking enough. I don't have a thyroid and am on synthroid and yes i have a dr.s appt. at the end of the month. I'm hoping my meds are off and maybe that is the reason this happened as suggested by a couple posts. I will definately try the pills from GNC on our next cruise ;) Thanks everyone

[mbmbird]

Just curious as I'm looking into this for my mother who will be going on her first cruise with us this summer. For those who have had this swelling, where are you from originally? I wonder if it has something to from changing climates?

 

I've always lived within 3 counties of the Gulf, as my husband, and neither of us suffered any swelling on our first cruise 2 years ago.

 

I've wondered this too. I live in a very dry cool (cold in the winter ) climate and at 7000' and I have only cruised in the winter. So going from cold to warm and humid. But it doesn't happen to me when we do a land vacation at the ocean, even after flying 6 hours to Hawaii.:( Next time I will drink more bottled water and try the dark cherry thing.