Just trying to get a little clarification from the experts here...

When I first started LC, I lost 17 pounds the first week! I know this was not fat, it was water weight. As I understood what I was reading, I had a lot of glycogen bound up with water in my liver and muscles which got depleted that first week.

I also realize that as a side effect of a LC WOE I might not have been getting enough sodium initially which may have also contributed to loss of water weight.

After two weeks, my edema was gone and it has not returned, even after I increased my fluid intake about 4 weeks ago. I have also been consuming more salt for the past couple weeks. (I think I was getting enough sodium from my diet but I've started taking bouillon every day which is also helping).

I am wondering if the two are somehow related. The articles I've read seem to be a bit unclear. I am wondering how water is stored in the body via sodium vs glycogen...

Bill, one of the dynamics which occurs when we go strict low carb after having consumed carbs as our primary fuel for many years is that sodium gets flushed by the kidneys at a dramatic rate in the first couple weeks due to the initial transition away from glucose as primary fuel. In order to make up for that, consumption of more salt is recommended. Couple that with the recent findings that salt and sodium RDA has been reduced over the years, so as we go low carb, we're starting at a lower salt consumption point, so it makes sense to consume more salt when we reduce our glycogen stores. If we choose to stay low carb, it's always good to eat a healthy amount of salt, as that's the amount we need for this WOE.

I'm no expert, but this is what I've learned about myself with much help from others on this forum coupled with the research I've done about healthy salt consumption. All the best.

All processed foods in boxes and packages plus drive through fast food are loaded with salt so when we go natural and fresh, it's totally salt free until we add some. That combined with our accelerated loss of salt in LC makes it very important to be sure we consume enough.
I have a neighbor who was LC and after going to the hospital in an emergency she found out she was dangerously low in salt!

For me, going low carb did not effect my salt intake too much, I don't think... Most of the foods I had to cut out were on the fruits, sugars and starches side of things.

When I do snack now, its not necessarily healthy stuff I am eating, its just low carb I'm talking pork rinds usually with American or spreadable cheeses and or potted meat, dill pickles, (especially hot cauliflower pickles - I eat a jar a week), etc. - ie stuff insanely high in salt / sodium. I've always been more of a salt lover than a sugar lover. For my meals I always salt my meat and veggies and cook them with bacon, (often in the salty bacon grease which I never throw out). I also use MSG, (Accent), which is very similar to salt and is high in sodium. Now on top of all that I'm making my own "ramen" using shirataki angel hair pasta with chicken and beef bouillon.

I'm not too worried that I don't get enough sodium. As I learned more, I became more concerned about my potassium and started taking a half teaspoon of French's NoSalt as a supplement per day.

I just remember reading that if you consume sufficient salt when you go low carb, you won't have that initial huge drop in weight. I am of the belief that my initial wight loss had little to do with sodium and probably had more to do with glycogen.

I have to do some more studying I guess.

Sounds like you're doing exactly what you should be doing with salt intake on LC.