broomhilda- i might have some info for you on the swelling thing. I am often "swollen" I mean fingers,arms belly, legs,etc. I have been told many times over that when you are having lots of D and you become dehydrated, you often have a "puffier" appearance due to the bodies initial response to dehydration. The bodys vessels when in beginning stages of dehydration let fluids leak out of them spilling into the surrounding tissue. So, unless we are talking the end stages of dehydration when your skin is literally paper and you can't blink w/o pain form dryness, often you will actually feel and appear swollen. In addition, if you are malnourished your body starts spilling protein instead of absorbing it- this is apparent in C-reactive protein levels, BUN and Creatinin (sp) levels in bloodwork. This will also have a fluid reaction process in your body. I know it is frustrating, I fluctuate
by literally 8-10 lbs over 2 day courses depending on my state of malnutrition and dehydration (i am under 90 lbs now, unable to eat anything more solid than yogurt for months and am having surgery again in december). Hope some of this helps! 