Question ?

BlazinEmerald

Very Swollen , legs, feet, and hands .... am I possibly drinking too much water ? Or just the weather... I know I tend to swell in the heat in summer , it's spring and lovely outside but not overly hot ...Will not attempt scales or measurments til the swelling goes down, and Im feelin gross. Any ideas

Im averaging at least 12 8 oz cups of water per day. But Im one of those people who constantly need a drink in hand. My sodium intake is less than the "normal" old me so ... I dont get it :grumble:

BlazinEmerald

Very Swollen , legs, feet, and hands .... am I possibly drinking too much water ? Or just the weather... I know I tend to swell in the heat in summer , it's spring and lovely outside but not overly hot ...Will not attempt scales or measurments til the swelling goes down, and Im feelin gross. Any ideas

Im averaging at least 12 8 oz cups of water per day. But Im one of those people who constantly need a drink in hand. My sodium intake is less than the "normal" old me so ... I dont get it :grumble:

LokiFae

Please be careful, what with all the news about water intoxication. Try cutting back just a teeny weeny bit on the water and see if that makes a difference. Here's something I found on WebMD:

"When you drink huge amounts of water, you flush out sodium, potassium, and other essential electrolytes. Kidneys overload. Cell membranes rupture from osmotic pressure. The brain swells with edema. Headaches, nausea, disorientation, and dizziness occur, followed by seizures and coma. Death can soon follow."

So if you have headaches or anything, make sure you see a doc.

I know I'm probably WAY overreacting, but you never can be too careful. I think you have to drink WAY more than 12 8 oz cups to get water intoxication, but I'm just lookin out for you! Feel better...:flowerforyou:

alf1163

Wow!! I just don't want this to sound bad but if that happened to me I would be freaking out!! I am no expert but I dont think it is due to drinking too much water....did you eat a lot of salty foods? You said it has happened before, how long did it last? You might want to see your physician as soon as possible. Good luck and take care!!! :flowerforyou:

LonelyPilgrim

I don't know much about your fitness level/health hx but extreme swelling of the lower extremeties can signal a heart problem such as CHF. Is your blood pressure normal? I Dont' think 12 glasses of water is enough to give you intoxication, but maybe cut back to 8-10 glasses instead, and see your physician. If your heart is pumping insufficiently, you can get venous backup, causing this swelling in lower extremeties.

Also, make sure you are watching your salt intake, if it seems reasonable, I would see my PCP quickly. I think it's better to go when you are HAVING the edema, so he can see it, than to wait for a checkup and say "oh, sometimes I have pretty bad swelling in my legs"

Helawat

I highly doubt it's water intoxication. You would have to drink a lot of water in a short amount of period to have water intoxication.

I would consult your doctor to see what's up with the swelling in your legs and arms. It could be anything from pulmonary hypertension to diabetes.

It's Not How Much You Drink, It's How Fast You Drink It!
Source:http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm

The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day! You are unlikely to suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to intaking an enormous volume at one time. As a general guideline, most adults need about three quarts of fluid each day. Much of that water comes from food, so 8-12 eight ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake. You may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, if you are exercising, or if you are taking certain medications. The bottom line is this: it's possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition.

Beccilynn

Very Swollen , legs, feet, and hands .... am I possibly drinking too much water ? Or just the weather... I know I tend to swell in the heat in summer , it's spring and lovely outside but not overly hot ...Will not attempt scales or measurments til the swelling goes down, and Im feelin gross. Any ideas

Im averaging at least 12 8 oz cups of water per day. But Im one of those people who constantly need a drink in hand. My sodium intake is less than the "normal" old me so ... I dont get it :grumble:

you should read the article about water I just posted

BlazinEmerald

Thanks everyone for the replys and concern. I am very overweight/ obese weighing 310 lbs. it's not unusual for me to swell from standing on a hard surface for too long or sitting too long. That is most likely all it is. Just frustrating cause I feel so yuck , as they fell like they weigh 50 extra lbs.

peej76

Where I am in Ontario it is very warm today, and we were outside for a few hours, doesn't take my toes and fingers long to swell in warm weather. If it's a more severe swelling then what your used to in the warmer weather, definitley see your dr. But if you tend to swell up in the warmer weather, it's probably just that!