You should have seen my belly last night. I had a little bit of peach sorbet and my tummy grew alarmingly big.

My weight got up to 139lb on Wednesday. I decided that I really needed to lose the water. I realised that not only was the skin on the top my feet tender from the retention, but my skin was all over tender - like the slight skin irritation you can get from too much sun, but not quite burnt. For the last 4 days I have been eating 40-60g of fat per day. I have lost just over 1lb per day. Digestive enzymes didn't work for the retention, but I still take some if I eat cooked food. I am still trying to eat all raw - so for me that means a lot of fruit.

Cavemama

Hi Cavemama:

I have been struggling with water retention (about 20 lbs) for one year now. One month ago, I finally found a brilliant gynecologist in Los Angeles that diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and hypothyroidism. Basically, all of my hormones are out of whack: estrogen, progesterone, insulin, thyroid, testosterone, and cortisol. All of these can cause water retention in some way or another. PCOS is often missed by doctors. And hypothyroidism is also missed because doctors don't test T3 and T4 along with TSH. There's a LOT of information out there about PCOS. And a low carb diet is IDEAL for PCOS because many PCOS woman are Insulin Resistant. When you are insulin resistant, the tiniest things can cause surges in insulin...PCOS women just tend to have much more insulin running around in their body than other people. And insulin causes sodium retention which causes water retention. So, cutting back your sodium definitely helps...but clearly that's only part of the picture. And hypothyroidism also can be a player too.

My doctor started me on Glucophage XR for the insulin resistance (normally she would recommend a low carb/no sugar/no fruit diet -- but I was already on this type of diet so she knew I needed something extra to help me out), and she started me on thyroid medications. I've also started eating small, frequent meals because one of my problems was eating large meals which caused insulin surges. I've noticed some improvement...but it's only been about two weeks. I still struggle with about 10 lbs. of the water weight. But I don't have these huge hideous scary swings in water weight anymore. I go in tomorrow to recheck my thyroid levels...

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that it can be quite complicated, that you're not alone, and from my experience doctors are QUITE ignorant...so I would look for a very brilliant endocrinologist or gynecologist after doing a LOT of research first. Good luck to you.

Thanks for your input RinnyS, yes PCOS is another thought in the back of my mind. My hormones have always been "out of whack" - no doctor has ever thought to test for any levels - I gave up expecting doctors to be of any use a long time ago. I might go and get some tests done....... although I am non-fertile at present (breastfeeding my nearly 2 year old), so the tests may not give a true picture?

At present I am 126lbs (down from 139lbs), eating a lowish fat, high carb (lots of fruit) diet. Eating this way doesn't really feel "right" but it is getting rid of the water retention. I could very happily eat a very low carb high fat diet for ever - I just need to get my body to agree.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

C.M.--

My edema is finally responding these past few days ever since my thyroid is being regulated...after one year of having excess water on me...it's such a relief. And I'm finally feeling more like my normal self...which I've not felt like in years (I realize...I feel mentally happier and more alert also). I wouldn't be surprised if after being pregnant and nursing if you were hypothyroid (what a toll that takes on your poor body!). And being hypothyroid can affect every single body system. So, that would be something to look into as well. And again...make sure they check all three values: TSH, T3, and T4 as that's where I went underdiagnosed for so many years. And usually you need to be treated with both T3 and T4. Good luck.

-R.S.

(PS...one of the "telltale" signs of hypothyroidism is if your tongue has your molar teethmarks along the sides of it indicating a swollen tongue. If yours doesn't ... it certainly doesn't mean you AREN'T hypothyroid...but something to go check in the mirror!)

R.S.

How wonderful that your edema is getting sorted at last. Well, I did get some tests done, just got the results, and everything is 'normal' - the doctor tested thyroid, adrenal, & testosterone (for PCOS) but not estrogen or progesterone? I will pick up a copy of the test results next week, then I will see what tests they actually did. The nurse seemed quite surprised that I wanted a copy. Not sure what I will do if they didn't do the type of tests that I wanted. I live in a very small village, so options are very limited. I had hoped that the tests might show something, as I don't really expect the doctor to figure it out - she thought that it was wonderful that I could lose weight so easily (yeah eat no fat!), but it didn't 'sink in' that I also gain weight very easily! She considered my very low blood pressure to be extremely healthy "Just don't stand up too quickly..."
I had a look, but not sure about the tongue thing Although I do know that my temp. is usually a bit below average (I tend to be a 'cold' person - though hubby is the opposite, a real hottie - nice to snuggle up to in winter!). I have done one of those online thyroid quizzes with symptoms, and most do fit, so again I just don't know.

Cheers Cavemama

I have similar symptoms, and although my bloodwork doesnt show off-kilter thyroid levels, i have heard/read that it is possible for those readings to greatly vary. I see a naturopath that is treating me for a hormone imbalance, and the tincture I am taking for it would help my thyroid gland aswell -if it needs it. that seems the wisest path in the meantime -treat the symptoms with naturopathic medicine, as if it is a thyroid condition.

Well, they tested free T4 & TSH, both of which were at the low end of normal, so I guess it would be wise to try some natural methods to boost the thyroid a little - although, that's where I thought coconut oil would help - but of course it aggravates the water retention! My female hormones S.LH & S.FSH were very low (confirming my non-fertile status), but my breastfeeding baby is 2, I would think that I should be fertile again by now. It makes me wonder if other glands like the pituitary aren't operating at 100%. I might take a general herbal tonic for glands and see how that goes. My testosterone levels were very low, so it seems, that rules out PCOS. I don't know the levels of my other reproductive hormones, but I have a history of many miscarriages, and I understand (now) that lack of progesterone is a likely cause.

Thanks everyone for your input, it has been a learning journey

Cavemama

TSH at the low end means your hyperthryoid, but T4 at the low end means your hypothyroid. TSH signals the body to produce more thyroid hormone, so if it gets high it is saying, "I need more juice!". But if it is high then T4 is probably low, because T4 is one of the actual thyroid hormones. So unless you're an exception case you probably don't have both TSH and T4 low.

Thanks Nancy, the free T4 was 13 (10-25 normal) & TSH was 1.1 (.3-5.0 normal). So the results were 'normal' but at the lower end. I will have to research this further.

Cheers Cavemama

The TSH looks very good. You want that on the lower end of normal, the higher end of normal means "hypothyroid" and you'll feel awful.

Thanks to lil Annie for reviving this thread. Fascinating! It reminds me of the Brewer Diet - they prescribe high protein and INCREASING salt intake for edema in pregnancy. The Brewer diet recommends 80-120g of protein per day, much higher than Dr. K.. Brewer also recommended that you "salt to taste."

I've always had trouble finding information on the Brewer Diet online, and we don't have the book anymore, but this site looks helpful:

http://home.mindspring.com/~djsnjones/id13.html

Be sure to check out all the threads that Valtor started and/or contributed to about FRUCTOSE and its role in metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity.