Water Retention And Diabetes
Reader No. 1
I am a diabetic, I have water retention with swollen legs, ankles, feet. I first noticed it about a year or little less ago. I had been on Avandia, so my doctor took me off that. But, I started insulin in Sept and I gained 35 pounds in 5 months. I mentioned to my doc about the water retention but he says it is just weight gain. I have never had problem with this before and I have never been this heavy before. I was given a water pill and I felt like I went to the bathroom less that day than I normally do — as I go to the bathroom a lot, between the diabetes and I drink A LOT of coffee/tea. I have been exercising (walking) and I cannot even go a half hour before my legs (shin area and ankles) hurt so bad I could cry and I have to stop. It feels kind of like they are tightening up. Is this a symptom of something? I want to keep walking and will push myself through the pain if I know it is ok, but am worried that something else is wrong and should i push myself?? PS I am 40 years old. I do medical transcription as my job, work 1 full time and 1 part time and am sitting at a desk the best part of my day EVERY day.
Reader No. 2
Hi Linda, my wife is 33 and she has had diabetes all her life, In the past 12 months she’s has lost her eyesight thorught diabetic retinopathy and now suffering from diabetic neuropathy of which she has been prescribed various different drugs (pain killers and neuropathy disease tablets). One of these drugs are called ‘Gabapentin’, just in the past week my wife has been taken off this drug beause it’s the main cause of severe water retention in her feet, ankles, legs, belly and (slighting lesser case in her) arms. She has been prescibed 20mg ‘Furosemide’ and she has been taking these for the past couple of weeks but I can’t see much change if any.
Answer from Linda Lazarides
The first thing to understand about type-2 (adult-onset) diabetes is that it is a degenerative disease. This means that before I can offer any natural help or advice for this condition you have to understand what degeneration is.
Degeneration occurs when an individual’s diet and lifestyle are not adequate to maintain health in that individual. Unlike a car, the human body does not come with a manual. If it did, you would see the following instructions:
- Eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables every day
- Limit your consumption of sugary items to three times a week
- Limit your consumption of deep-fried foods and alcohol to once a week
- For every cup of tea or coffee, drink at least one glass of water
- Do not put sugar in drinks
- All bread must be made from whole-grain flour…. Etc.
Once degeneration has reached a very advanced state, it gets diagnosed by doctors as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and so on… It may or may not be accompanied by symptoms such as swollen legs, water retention and other problems. Insulin in particular, while necessary to treat insulin-dependent diabetes, is also prone to causing water retention.
All the doctor can do is give a pill here and there in an attempt to make the symptoms less troublesome.
If you really want to help the health of a person with a degenerative disease, you have to imagine that the person is a car, get out the manual, and do what it says. The Waterfall Diet book (paperback version, ISBN 0749942533) is a manual that can help point you in the right direction. Although written specifically for water retention, it has much useful information for people with degenerative diseases too, since water retention can occur both on its own and as part of a degenerative disease pattern.
Hoping this has been of some help, and wishing you well if you are a diabetic. Do let us know how you get on.
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Comments
Comment from William
Time March 19, 2011 at 12:13 am
Im 30. Have S.Q. A type of C.P. Fibromialga. I had a thin body, Except to tummy. Diegnosed to diebetes. I’m also was in 24/7 pain to my right middle right ribs, upper right rib, right shoulder & upper arm. Was trying to figure it out why. had multiple blood scans, cat scans, x rays & some other scan This was mostly “fixed” by time, lowered sugar to being cleaned out. I was also on some strong pain medicine mophiene. It helped first few days, then I became immune to it. My body has very strong resistance to all forms of medicine pills and such. but most don’t believe me. Water retention yes. Bad. All lower body. But as the feeling was watery, now the “water” has turned into cement. Very hard to get in bed, as sitting on toilet is painful, and intestimes take forever-56 min to over an hour to let it out. I however go at lest 2 times a day. As over time got harder to do everything. My muscles have recovered a bit and bit stronger. But I assume it wil stop. Because the water be in the way. I feel im cracking up, and this water retention will kill me. But no one listens to me.
Comment from ana
Time November 30, 2011 at 11:55 pm
i have high blood pressure and diabetis, the doctor say i have liquid in my legs. my knees hurt so bad and ankles, now my hands and arms r swollen and it hurts and it feels hard to the touch.
Comment from melissa
Time February 18, 2012 at 2:46 am
my brother is diabetic his feet,ankles,stomach and one side of his lip area is swollen is that also liquid in the body water retention?
Comment from Carrol Kishk
Time June 1, 2010 at 10:50 am
I am diabetic, insulin makes body pain in legs subside, until next due insulin shot. Waking up in middle of nights wracked with pain in legs requires a little more insulin to get to sleep again. I do belly dancing at home to fight tummy bulge and water retention. I am 60 years old. I have feet degeneration or atrophy. I cant be on knees or floor , or else I cant get back up without help . I have always had water retention and bad mood swings with it. Fuller moons make more water retention each and every full moon days. I am trying ALDACTONE to get rid of excess body water, and do not even eat beef or chicken at all. Just fish. No salt added fish. We do not cook with salt in our home, and never fry anything in our kitchen. I was on belly dancing and the rice diet in my 20s. I was very thin and better looking. Have had sore legs since childhood. I am type 2 diabetic. I use way less insulin since I dont eat fat and salt and meat. Garlic helps . I am a painter so I am indoors a lot. I sell my art. So … why the water retention, oh yes, insulin. true , I have a large belly area, looking pregnant. But not age 60 and that !! Had a hysterectomy 10 years ago. I will down load your diet and everything and try to buy your book. Thank you for your wonderful health advice.