Swollen everything!

[bec]

Does anyone else have swollen ankles and wrists? My poor ankles have disappeared, my wrists are obviously swelling because they are putting pressure on my carpal tunnel, and causing my fingers to tingle and hurt. There is only one pair of shoes that I can wear.

Is there anything I can do about this, other than drink lots of water (which I am doing)?


Bec

[laisett]

yep, i've got it! for me it's ankles/feet and fingers. i can't wear my wedding and engagment rings and the swelling in my fingers leaves me really sore at night- in the morning i can barely move them for a minute!

my mw said that increasing my protein and decreasing my carbs would probably help, fwiw...and yeah, the water!

[samsmamma]

My chiro always helps me with the swelling in my hands and feet...

[MamaFern]

i have had days where they get a bit swolen, but nothing too bad and it usually goes away if i have a big glass of water and put my feet up for a while

[bec]

I've been going to the chiro weekly, and she has been helping somewhat. I have been suddenly craving protein, so I'll try to bulk up on that!

Thanks for the suggestion!


Bec

[Godiva]

alternating between walking around and keeping your feet up should help alot. Whenever I sit in a chair too long my feet will almost triple in size!! After a few minutes of walking then laying down they go back to normal.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Originally Posted by bluebottle

trying to exercise as much as possible might help?

... she said it was definitely because of my activity level - what adds up to several hours of walking a day, lots of flights of stairs, and a half-hour or hour of yoga a day (my only intentional "exercise."). i know that on days when i am able to stay in, i feel a lot worse, so have been trying to get out as much as possible - even scheduling work meetings as walks through parks, things like that.
xoa

Right, my MW said same thing - there's only one way for the fluid to get back to your heart if it's been pooling due to standing or sitting for long periods of time. Lying down flat (legs/arms up on pillows) or exercise does seem to make a huge difference. Also - water, massage, chiropractics, etc.

I feel pretty lucky this time around, I have very little swelling except when I fall off the proverbial horse and sit around, not drinking much and eating a lot of processed foods (mmm, gardenburgers have 400 grams of sodium, so good for the fluid retention...). Which happens to coincide with every weekend, but still... on the weekdays I usually do well.

[bec]

Well, between running around after the almost 2 year old, and getting the 4.5 year old to all her activities, not to mention the mad cleaning and nesting urges I've been having, I think I'm doing pretty good with activity level. I don't get much time to put my feet up, though. I could improve my diet and the amount of protein I eat. Yikes, I wonder what it would be like if I wasn't doing these things! OK, more protein, less salt, less carbs!


Bec

[MrsMoe]

Excercise, standing, walking and so on makes my fluid retention SO BAD.

It goes away a lot when I am off my feet for an extended period of time.

[gonnabeamom]

Actually the salt question is not so clear. Many MWs subscribe to the idea that inadequate salt intake can be problematic. It's the salt that helps your body hold the fluids in your blood stream-instead of leaking it into the surrounding tissue.

So mine recommend salting to taste, and making sure you are having enough. I find that drinking recharge makes a difference in my swelling.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Originally Posted by gonnabeamom

Actually the salt question is not so clear. Many MWs subscribe to the idea that inadequate salt intake can be problematic. It's the salt that helps your body hold the fluids in your blood stream-instead of leaking it into the surrounding tissue.

So mine recommend salting to taste, and making sure you are having enough. I find that drinking recharge makes a difference in my swelling.

Hmm, I don't think most Americans have a big problem with inadequate salt intake unless they're fruititarians or something. We eat a lot of salt. Salting to taste, sure, no need for a low-sodium diet... but if I eat out a bunch in restaurants (chinese!) or eat a lot of processed things (gardenburgers, trader joe's pizzas, other fast and easy and delicious heart attack foods), I find that I'm taking in way too much salt for me and have some retention issues the next day. Maybe that's just the way my body works. Figures.

[bec]

Yeah, I know that I have definitely had too much processed food lately to be concerned that I do not have enough sodium in my diet. Normally, I'm pretty good, and feel like I have a good amount, but not lately.

I think this may be something that just has to be suffered through. Although, I am doing everything I can to minimize it.


Bec