dehydrated yet retaining fluid??

Ok...when I was out last night, my feet kept cramping, so I know that means I am dehydrated. But, I also noticed that my fingers were swollen (rings were tight) and this morning I woke up with swollen ankles, forearms and hands/fingers.  So, if I am dehydrated (and I know beer last night did NOT help) why am I retaining fluid and what is the quick fix?  I would say lemon in my water to help with the water retention, which always works for me....but since I am dehydrated, I don't want to be peeing out what fluids I do have.....so, should I just throw down the water in big amounts today?  I know...I will have to lay off the coffee  Nurse Pam...can you fix me ?? LOL

HG

I am in the same fix....damn coffee.

I am drinkin water with lemon it will help with the electrolytes which will help your body and i am sipping throughout the whole day constant source of fluid rather than gulping in down when i remember throughout the day.
Goodluck. You party girl LOL

Let's see...I ask for advise and then instead of following it, I go and gulp down a 24 oz wawa REGULAR coffee....but starting NOW I am going to drink water!! 

I didn't realize that lemon helped with the electrolytes...interesting...um,..what are electrolytes exactly LOL

hg

watch your salt intake today too - and LOTS of water!!  I wonder if dehydration is like starvation, your body holds on to what it has "just in case"

Water water water - maybe a power ade or gatorade if you can handle the sugar. Oh and my feet cramp when I am low on potassium. Have a banana too!

Hope you feel better ladies!

I thought the same thing about the potassium...i had a banana yesterday and today in protein shakes.  Haven't had any cramping today...so hopefully that is over with.  I will carry water with me today.  It also crossed my mind about my body holding on to what it has...funny creatures are bodies are huh?  

Well....i have to go drink my water so I can rehydrate myself before I go an DEhydrate myself all over again tonight....

HG

Well I don't know if I am qualified to "fix" you.

Electrolytes = sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium etc etc etc

It sounds to me like you are lacking the sodium/potassium.  They work with the water balance and it's a tricky balance to boot.  When your cells are low in the potassium/sodium the water shifts OUT of the cell and into the tissue space.  This decreases the dilution of the electrolytes in the cell.  Therefore, the sodium/potassium count is "higher" in regards to concentration amounts.

However, the fluid is now in your tissue space causing the swollen ankles, fingers, etc.

I would keep up with the bananas...maybe have something with salt (cheese is good if you are not doing the carb thing)

And keep up with the water water water.  Or, you could drink the "smar****er" which does not have sugar or stuff like that in it, but does have electrolytes.

Are you taking your multi vits?  Make sure you are.  They contain potassium magnesium calcium etc.

Correction....apparantly smar****er does not contain sodium.  It does, however, contain the other electrolytes

see pams post made much more sense than mine. 
I am bad too.....farmers market large caffe aulait Bad Nicole

Heather,
I see that u already got alot of advice - so I am not going there.
I just want to say that I love your new avatar.
Tammy