Question:
Does anyone have a problem retaining water??

I seem to get swollen feet and ankles due to water retention... has this happened to anyone else?    — Shelly M. (posted on June 21, 2002)

June 21, 2002
Oh yeah! I have since a botched surgery in 1993 and it seems I will have to have water pills the rest of my life. I had hoped that WLS could cure that.... or really the weight loss itself. But it has'nt. I don't see why WLS would cause it though. I'm assuming you've had this problem since WLS?
   — Danmark

June 21, 2002
This happens to me almost every day! Before my surgery I would have swollen ankles and feet, but it seems worse now. The swelling never completely goes away overnight either. So I start my day out already swollen. I read somewhere that it has something to do with not getting enough protein, which I'm definitely not doing, but I don't know how much of an impact that really has. Also, I'm on some medication that I think is causing this to worsen for me. The only thing I do, until I talk to my doctor, is put my feet up and continue drinking about 50 oz of water a day. More water is supposed to help you NOT retain water. Good luck!
   — Christine L.

June 21, 2002
I suffered from swollen ankles pre-op and I also thought it would go away post op. When I returned to work my ankles where worst than before WLS I thought it was due to my job being sedentary. I talked to my PCP and she changed my blood pressure med (Tropol) that really helped even though at least a week or two during the month I notice it happens still. What I do is when is getting near my menstrual and I notice my ankles really swell I take a water pill (approved my surgeon of course) it helps. Good luck.
   — Carmen E.

June 21, 2002
I'm pre-op and have that problem now. I was hoping it would go away after WLS. Maybe not? Mine do go down now at night, but as I sit all day at work and sometimes can't get up when I want to, (court reporter) I just try to get the water in. That's the key, I think, along with watching sodium intake.
   — crawford1213

June 22, 2002
I had horrible swelling before surgery - 4+ pitting edema and started swelling like that when I was pregnant with my son (he's almost 16 years old). About 3 days after surgery my mother noticed the swelling in my legs and ankles was completely gone. In face when I tried to cross my legs at the ankles it hurt from the bones banging together. I stayed that way until about 5 weeks after surgery and right before I was to start my period. The puffed back up but not nearly as much as before surgery. Once I started back to work at 5 1/2 weeks working half days I noticed they started puffing again. At that point I started taking 1/2 Dyazide pill in the morning. Now they're almost back down to normal again. I think this is one of those things I'm just going to have to fight at least once a month for the rest of my life. Hey I can live with puffy ankles as long as I'm healthy. Good Luck!
   — Vicki H.