Dealing with water retention

How does it actually show up?
Who’s most likely to be susceptible to this?
Is it actually harmful? And if it is, how bad are we talking?

My grandmother deals with this too. You can tell by how swollen her legs and ankles get. She takes potassium supplements, but she doesn't take them every single day—treatment plans vary wildly from one patient to the next. She mentions those pills really take it out of her, even though she only takes them every third day...

restlessmarlin6 said:So, how does this actually show up?
Like, who’s most at risk here?
And is it even dangerous? If it is, how bad are we talking?

It usually shows up as you just... not drinking enough water, I guess.
The people most likely to deal with this are the ones who aren't hitting their hydration goals every day.

Think about the difference between a clear, running stream and some stagnant puddle out in a field—it's basically that, except we can't really see it happening inside ourselves. 😉

If you're eating way too much salt or sugar, it kind of forces your body to hold onto more water than it actually needs. Maybe the fix is just upping your minerals and vitamins, plus making sure you're getting at least two liters of water in daily. That should help the body find its own balance again, and the herbal complex helps kick out the junk... once you're actually hydrated enough, the body won't feel like it has to "hoard" water, so everything just runs a lot smoother. 🙂

You know how those birth control pills can be... they can make you retain way too much salt... people with high blood pressure are especially prone to that...
So, you cut back on the salt, maybe take some diuretics, snack on watermelon and celery... stuff like that.🙂

The reason I'm asking is because I've been taking these pills 🙂

I mean, I haven't really noticed anything specific happening to me personally—nothing is coming up or anything—but I guess I just feel a bit... off? Like, a little sluggish right before my period starts. What are all the different ways this can show up? How can you actually tell if it's happening?

Btw, I drink a ton of water, so I'm basically living in the bathroom at this point 😁 though I definitely have a massive craving for both salty and sweet stuff 😢

So, there’s this "thing" that basically helps flush out all the junk and keeps things moving fluid-wise, and it’s made up of stuff like:

Potassium – which I guess is huge for keeping your nerves working right. It helps keep your body's water levels from getting totally wonky. If you're running low, you might end up dehydrated, feeling super weak, or dealing with those annoying muscle cramps. Potassium is also part of how nerve impulses travel and plays a role in cell growth and division, I think.
Magnesium – which is pretty much necessary if you want to recover, repair tissue, and keep your immune system from tanking.
Vitamin C – an antioxidant that helps protect vitamins A, E, and some of the B-complex ones from oxidizing.
Iron – really essential for carrying oxygen and cellular respiration. It helps with growth, boosts your ability to fight off sickness, and stops you from feeling totally wiped out. Honestly, women should probably be looking into supplementing this more often.
Apple cider vinegar – actually a decent way to get some potassium and iron.
Artichoke – helps balance out your fluids and is good for digestion, too.
Cumin seeds – helpful if you're dealing with bloating or digestive issues.
Celery – generally good for your digestive tract.
Chicory – can help settle your stomach and maybe kickstart your appetite. It’s one of those plants that just strengthens the body.
Dandelion – acts as a gentle cleansing tonic. It helps with appetite and digestion, plus it's loaded with Vitamin C. It seems to be pretty good for your kidneys, liver, and gallbladder.
Hops – helps with digestive upsets and cramping. It stimulates digestion and is packed with Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and potassium. It might even help with stomach issues caused by being stressed out or with various painful spasms.
Licorice – stimulates both digestion and appetite.
Corn silk – kind of a soothing ingredient.

😉

restlessmarlin6 said:I mean, I haven't really noticed anything out of the ordinary about myself—nothing is actually leaking or anything—it’s just that right before my period starts, I feel a little bit... bloated?

Well, that’s just one of those classic PMS symptoms! Honestly, don't go drowning yourself in water if you don't need to. As long as you aren't feeling exhausted all day long, you should be totally fine.

restlessmarlin6 said:And I’m only asking because I’m actually on these pills right now, you know? 🙂

I haven't even touched those pills yet. 😁 I mean, look, I know for a fact that everyone's body reacts differently when you throw certain chemicals into the mix... it's just how it works. You could have this absolutely perfect balance of vitamins and minerals going on, and sure, maybe that helps a little bit, but I honestly worry that you just can't get that kind of precise, reliable balance through a standard American diet—you know, just eating your fruits and veggies and calling it a day. The whole problem is that we don't even really know exactly how much of what we're getting in any given serving, so I guess it’s all a bit of a guessing game. I guess I should probably mention something about fruit and veggies, though I'm not really sure why it matters right now. Maybe it’s just one of those things that comes to mind when you're thinking about staying healthy or whatever, but honestly, it's all pretty much the same if you aren't being super picky about it. It's just stuff you eat, I suppose. . 😕

That link you’re sharing isn't some independent study—it’s just a landing page for a specific MLM outfit 😁 So, let's call it what it is: you aren't informing us, you're pitching a company. Real shocker there 😁 Sixty little aloe vera gummies for about seventy bucks... yeah, what a deal

Megan Morales5 said:That link you shared isn't some independent study—it’s just a landing page for a specific MLM company. 😁 So, instead of actually informing us, you're basically just running an ad for them. Well, color me surprised! 😁 Paying 70 bucks for a little pack of 60 aloe vera gummies? Yeah, what a steal.

Oh, please—that link is about ten times more boring than a Sunday afternoon in Nebraska. If only they actually bothered to read what was written on there...

Megan Morales5 said:that link you posted isn't even an independent study, it's just some random MLM company's website 😁 So, you aren't actually informing us, you're just running an ad for a specific brand. Wow, I am just so shocked by that revelation. 😁 60 aloe vera gummies for like 70 bucks? Yeah, what a great deal.

You are honestly hilarious (trust me, I have much worse insults in my head, but I'm trying to be a decent person here), especially along with your buddy nimbledriver81... 😁

The research was conducted in labs that have absolutely nothing to do with HL (source: Pfizer (Swiss) and the FDA/Mayo Clinic (Germany)) and the whole point of the thing is just facts that back up the idea that fruits and veggies don't have nearly as many micronutrients as they did 10 or 20 years ago, which I guess should probably make people who swear they eat enough produce think twice about their diet a little bit, 🤔

ps: and I can see that you two aren't really the type to sit down and think things through, since it's always easier to just jump to broad conclusions... 😵 😁

nimbledriver81 said:Just ignore him—that link is at least ten times more boring than this. If only he actually understood what’s written there...

You've got a point, 🙂 why isn't it a link from some organic lifestyle site? That would have actually explained everything in favor of fruits and veggies... 😉>

Megan Morales5 said:I mean, you've got a point there. 🙂 Why isn't this just a link from some organic health blog or something? That would probably explain a whole lot more about why fruits and veggies are actually good for us, I guess. 😉

Look, I just shared the link to whatever it was I actually found, but instead of just constant nitpicking and throwing shade at everything I post, maybe—I don't know—just give us some actual useful info? I’m clearly down to learn something here, so why not? 😉

James Newman4, one more HL and you’re headed for the penalty box.

My inbox is practically overflowing with complaints about you every single day. Honestly, my health was doing so great before you showed up...

restlessmarlin6 said:The reason I'm asking is because I'm taking these pills 🙂

Honestly, I haven't really noticed anything weird happening to me personally—nothing is coming up or anything—though I do feel a bit sluggish right before my period starts... What are all the different ways this can show up, and how do you even spot it?

Oh, and by the way, I drink tons of water, so I’m basically living in the bathroom 😁 plus I have a massive sweet tooth and love salty snacks 😢

Are you dealing with high blood pressure at all?
Not really, but why on earth are you even taking those tablets?

Contraceptive 🙂
And no, my blood pressure isn't high—it's totally normal, except maybe when I get worked up about things 😁

I’ve been on birth control pills (Yasmin) for five years now, and honestly, they were a lifesaver at first. They cleared up my skin, smoothed out my PMS, and finally got my cycle on a predictable schedule. But about six months ago, everything changed. I started gaining weight out of nowhere. It’s incredibly frustrating because my appetite hasn't increased at all—in fact, I've actually cut back on food and I'm hitting the gym for an hour every single day. Even though I drink plenty of water, it feels like all that hydration is just getting trapped in my stomach area. I never used to deal with bloating, but now I can barely squeeze into the jeans I wore last summer. I’ve read that these pills can frequently cause major water retention. Has anyone else gone through this? Any tips on how to flush all this extra fluid out of my system? Right now, I'm dealing with such intense bloating that I feel like a total elephant! I know for a fact I'm not overeating; I’m being really disciplined with my diet and exercise. Also, one more thing—can I just take the pill right before sex, or does it have to be taken consistently every single day? I'm 30 years old and I'm just at a loss for how to stop this swelling.

Nicole Davis7 said:I’ve been on birth control pills (Diane) for five years now without any issues—in fact, they actually helped me out quite a bit by clearing up my skin, smoothing out my PMS, and getting my cycle on track. But about six months ago, things took a turn. I started gaining weight even though my appetite hasn't increased; if anything, I've cut back on food and I'm hitting the gym for an hour every single day. Since I drink plenty of water, I've noticed it seems to just sit in my stomach. I never used to have a bloated belly, but now I can't even squeeze into the jeans I wore last summer. I've heard that these pills can frequently cause this kind of water retention. Has anyone else dealt with this, and does anyone know how to flush all this extra fluid out? Between the bloating and my period, I feel like I look like an elephant! I know I'm not overeating, and I'm being really disciplined with my diet and exercise. One more thing—can I just take the pills right before sex, or do I need to take them consistently every day? I'm at a loss for how to stop this bloating. (I'm 30.)

You have to take the pills every single day; otherwise, you aren't even protected. You should talk to your OB-GYN about switching to a different brand. Personally, I take Yasmin, and the packaging specifically mentions they help reduce fluid retention.
Also, make sure to check your blood pressure and your thyroid levels, because the root cause might not even be the pills.

I was on Yasmin for two years and ended up gaining about 33 pounds. My gynecologist had the nerve to tell me it was all because of my smoking habit 😲
Supposedly they aren't meant to cause weight gain, but if you smoke while taking them, they just make you retain water and bloat

Carol Moore said:I was on Diane for two years and ended up gaining 15 pounds. My OB-GYN told me it was actually because I smoke.😲
Apparently, they aren't supposed to cause weight gain, but if you smoke while taking them, they make you retain water and put on weight.

Well, I don't smoke. Honestly, I try my absolute hardest to live as healthy as possible.