Question:
Is it possible to gain seven pounds in a week?

I have gained seven pounds in a week and can not understand why. I exercise at least three times a week for 45 minutes to an hour. I was taking demadex for fluid retention but it seemed like lately they were not working like they use to. I call my specialist that I see for my lupus and asked if he could prescribe something else. He gave me lasix, 40mg. I took 80mg the first day and nothing extra happened. It is like the fluid pills are not working like they use to. Should I have blood work done to check on my kidneys? There are some days I do not get in 64oz of water or fluid but for the most part I do. Please help.    — twin94 (posted on February 27, 2004)

February 26, 2004
How long ago did you start exercising? If it was a short time ago, your body is building muscle. If you have been exercising for a while maybe you are not getting enough calories in you to maintain your body. You sometimes have to increase your calories say 100 or so otherwise your body thinks that you are starving it and it will hoard the calories thinking that it is not going to have enough to get it thru the "lean" times. Hope that make sense. If it does not make sense maybe someone else will come along and expound on what I have started to tell you. hugs Chris
   — ChristineB

February 26, 2004
Hi Margaret, it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound. I doubt you were about to eat 24500 extra calories in order to gain 7 pounds of fat. That being said, if you have problems with edema, it does sound like you are retaining fluid. The 64 oz of water a day is the minimum. For someone that has fluid retention problems, the water intake should be higher. Also, how is your protein intake? If you are low on protein, your body retains fluids. Increase both your water and protein and see if that helps.
   — Ali M

February 28, 2004
I agree with the other two responses as both their answers could be your problem, also you do not mention if you could be pre-menstrual, which is the only time water pills do not work no matter what dosage you take - and sometimes they do not work during your cycle as well. But this has happened to me esp. during my pre-menstral time I just stay away from the scales, continue to drink water and exercise - eventually the scale goes down dramatically - and it turns out it was all fluid. Try not to become discouraged, which is easier to tell you then do. GOOD LUCK
   — Anna M.