Lyme Disease

[shorti503]

My sister-in-law is diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. She has her room book to go on her first ever cruise with us in January. Now she is considering backing out, afraid of how the trip will affect her health. I was wondering if anyone on these boards suffers from Lyme disease and how does cruising affect you? She worries about the unsteady seas and her balance, worried about her diet and eating the wrong kinds of foods, but mostly worried that she will over do it and end up spending most of her trip in bed from exhaustion. Any tips and suggestions would be wonderful!

[Itchy&Scratchy]

my friend's kid contracted Lyme disease, but it never affected his cruising twice a year in any shape or form. He did get antibiotic therapy and appears to be more or less healthy at this time (it's been about 3 years).

You may also want to check out the Disabled Travel board.

 

Cruises are all about relaxation. If you can get her up to a nice secluded place on the ship, she won't have to spend ALL her time in bed.

[gatour]

Has your SIL talked to her doctor? Also there are "travel" doctors who provide innoculations when people travel in health risk areas. While she may not require any innoculations, they may be able give an opinion on a consultation basis.

[3monkeys4me]

I strongly suspect this is one of those things that varies greatly from person to person depending on their circumstances. I have not had Lymes, but my husband was diagnosed with it in 2014. In his case he was diagnosed about 8 weeks post contracting it and while he did have some symptoms it wasn't as bad as it could have been. There were two sets of tests done, the first was more of a screening as I understand it. The second one they were able to pinpoint the time frame (an estimate) of when he contracted it. They based the treatment off of the second set of tests. He did a 9 or 10 month antibiotic course and has been symptom free since. He started feeling significantly better within 2-3 weeks and was pretty much himself about 6 weeks after starting treatment, IIRC. He had orbital cellulitis at the time as well and I can't remember if that was related to the Lymes exactly but they ran the Lymes test in the blood work he has when he was admitted to the hospital for the cellulitis.

We didn't cruise that year at all, but he was diagnosed in August and we went to Hawaii in December and he was fine then, just had to watch the sun with the antibiotics he was taking.

 

So, anyway, I would think your friend should speak with her doctor and decide based on her treatment.

[shorti503]

I strongly suspect this is one of those things that varies greatly from person to person depending on their circumstances. I have not had Lymes, but my husband was diagnosed with it in 2014. In his case he was diagnosed about 8 weeks post contracting it and while he did have some symptoms it wasn't as bad as it could have been. There were two sets of tests done, the first was more of a screening as I understand it. The second one they were able to pinpoint the time frame (an estimate) of when he contracted it. They based the treatment off of the second set of tests. He did a 9 or 10 month antibiotic course and has been symptom free since. He started feeling significantly better within 2-3 weeks and was pretty much himself about 6 weeks after starting treatment, IIRC. He had orbital cellulitis at the time as well and I can't remember if that was related to the Lymes exactly but they ran the Lymes test in the blood work he has when he was admitted to the hospital for the cellulitis.

We didn't cruise that year at all, but he was diagnosed in August and we went to Hawaii in December and he was fine then, just had to watch the sun with the antibiotics he was taking.

 

So, anyway, I would think your friend should speak with her doctor and decide based on her treatment.

 

 

Thank you, she is going to talk to her Dr. about it to see what they think. She was diagnosed last year and they believe she has actually had it for almost 10 years before ever getting her diagnosis so she does have a more severe case than a lot of people. We'll start with her Dr. and see what he thinks.

[shorti503]

Has your SIL talked to her doctor? Also there are "travel" doctors who provide innoculations when people travel in health risk areas. While she may not require any innoculations, they may be able give an opinion on a consultation basis.

 

That's good to know. I will let her know that also. Maybe we can look into if there is one in our area she could meet with.

[SRF]

Unsteady seas cannot be controlled.

 

But amount of activities and what you eat can be controlled. No one will force her to do activities. And no one will force her to eat the wrong foods.

 

So that part of the cruise is no different than home.

 

And, as to activities, no vacuuming, no making the bed, no doing laundry, no cooking, no washing dishes, etc, etc. So a cruise can be a LOT less active than being at home.

[sazzifrazz]

I suffered with lyme for 3 years. Her concerns are her concerns...everyone is different. I felt better in the hot sun, others can't take the heat and feel worse. I would support her in whatever she decides. Lyme sucks and I'm sure she would love to be carefree and travel but right now her health is priority.