Oh, yeah! Mine starts two weeks before and drags out until several days after. I swear, I probably only have a couple of "normal" days in there, although, since there are so few, I really think the water retention is what's normal for me rather than otherwise.
Mentally, it's excruciating, since I've been working so hard for so long to get the rest of this weight off. Watching the numbers on the scale bob around like that or, if I'm on one of my get-rid-of-the-scale kicks, feeling my clothes tighten, is so frustrating! And I don't just gain 1-2 pounds; it's more like 6-8. Ahhhhhh!
Reducing you salt intake can help, although I track my sodium religiously (as I do all my food, vitamins, minerals, etc.), and keep it at at the recommended daily allowance. The water retention gets worse if I don't do that, but it doesn't seem to get better if I do. Does that even make sense? Also, I would advise not drinking soda, even if it's diet. Soda actually makes me ache, the water retention gets so bad. My hands, feet, and (as strange as it sounds) hips ache if I drink soda in this phase, badly enough to wake me from a sound sleep. I also take a prescription diuretic daily, and it does help, but the symptoms I've just mentioned are with the diuretic.
I guess there's really not much more we can do about it, but do watch the sodium and diet soda. That can help a little.
Your sister in bloat,
Shari x(
