Water Intake or Swelling Which to Choose!!

OK - Hi all, so gald to see most everyone is doing so well. I am a consistant slow loser. only 22 pounds since surgery on July 13th. Looking great though. My dilemma is water retention. I know I am not getting enough water in because of how much I'm drinking, the smell of my urine and for the first time in about 2 years, my feet don't swell up like balloons by 11:00 in the morning. It's nice to wear normal shoes but I don't want to be giving up proper hydration for normal feet. I tend to find myself not drinking much anymore and I feel guilty but loving my normal feet. Help give me a kick, I see my doctor again next Tuesday so I'm going to ask him about the swelling. 260/240/218/145

hi janice, just a thought... as you know your body needs water. the water hydrates you as well as flushes the impurities and toxins out of your body. my feet had been swollen everyday for the last 5 years (since i was pregnant and now my daughter is 4) nothing...not drinking enough water or drinking a ton of water ever made a difference. now, i am 6 weeks out (almost 7) off of caffiene, and drinking plenty of water and my swelling ankles/feet are a thing of the past. one thing that i was told, when you body doesn't get the water that it needs, it holds onto every little drop of it for fear of being dehydrated. and caffiene is a diuretic and i believe that was a major reason for my feet being swollen for so long. i don't know if you take in caffiene or not but it's jus a suggestion for you to not have any if you do...and see if it makes a difference. brandy

Thanks for your reply, I haven't had caffeine since June 19th, 3 weeks before surgery. I guess I should have mentioned that I have been confined to a wheelchair for 24 years and I don't have great circulation but when I am at a lower weight my feet don't swell at least they didn't 4 years ago when I was at 180. I've had huge feet for so long that it's nice to have pretty feet again so it's hard to give up. It's the vanity in me popping it's ugly head. I like wearing summer shoes without looking like the elephant woman but know I need to drink more for weightloss and hydration. I guess I just have to choose which is more important.

Drink Drink to flush... Put your feet up above heart level if need be...DO not give up the liquids. Check with DOC. Since, I have been consuming large amts of liquids my shins have reduced 2inches. If I do not get the daily amt they swell..

Another thought on the water issue. Water intake helps regulate metabolism - i.e. the more you drink the higher your metabolic rate. I'm 6 weeks out and I've been plateauing on and off for the last 2 weeks or so. I've been struggling to get my water in since surgery (which is ironic because I used to drink a ton before surgery). But when I get in enough (meaning at least 64 oz. if not more), I usually drop at least a little weight and I also lose inches. I only mention it because you said you were a slow loser (which, by the way, I understand is not unusual for us "lightweights"). I've read 1/2 oz. of water per each pound of your body weight is a good goal to jump start metabolism. I'm not quite there yet myself, though! - Tara 243/213/130-ish