World cruise question 2020

[indigosea]

Am going on the World Cruise Mariner 2020.   Is it possible for me to get my blood pressure checked a few times a week?  In the ships infirmary?  Or should I bring my own blood pressure thing ?

[wcsdkqh]

You will be charged in the infirmary.  Bring your own.  Although, on 2nd thoughts, medical care in the infirmary may be included on World Cruise.

Edited November 21, 2019 by wcsdkqh
addition

[Ladys Mom]

All medical care on board is included if you are on the entire world cruise.  Bon voyage!  We will be following you on the 2021 WC.

[UUNetBill]

Although for a WC I’d bring my own BP monitor.  Beats going to the infirmary and troubling them on a daily basis.  You can probably cuff up and run a triple reading in less time than it’d take to slog downstairs and back.  JMO.

[JMARINER]

I agree with UUNetBill. Take your own. you can buy a cheap B/P Machine on Amazon for about $30.00 and just leave it at the end of the cruise if you want.

 

Even if the Medical is free on the ship, you still have to go down and wait. And they have to fill out forms every time you visit. You can figure you'll spend at least 15 minutes and probably much time, every time you go down to the Med center. Plus their hours are very limited, usually open for an hour about 8:00am and then again at 5:00 pm. You might have to wait in the room with people who have colds, flue etc.

 

J

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'll probably bring my own cuff, in 2021.

[travelwell]

I agree with  bringing your own cuff. I will be avoiding the Medical center. Too much exposure to germs. We have a very accurate battery powered blood pressure cuff from Amazon that will be seeing the world in 2021.

 

[cruiseluv]

8 hours ago, JMARINER said:

I agree with UUNetBill. Take your own. you can buy a cheap B/P Machine on Amazon for about $30.00 and just leave it at the end of the cruise if you want.

 

Even if the Medical is free on the ship, you still have to go down and wait. And they have to fill out forms every time you visit. You can figure you'll spend at least 15 minutes and probably much time, every time you go down to the Med center. Plus their hours are very limited, usually open for an hour about 8:00am and then again at 5:00 pm. You might have to wait in the room with people who have colds, flue etc.

 

J

 

I've never understood those limited hours. What the heck do they do in the meantime? Lounge around on the pool deck?

[Kwaj girl]

6 hours ago, cruiseluv said:

 

I've never understood those limited hours. What the heck do they do in the meantime? Lounge around on the pool deck?

They are also treating and doing  routine eexams on the crew. Plus other related duties

[xrvlcruiser]

And they are on duty in case of an emergency.

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, travelwell said:

I agree with  bringing your own cuff. I will be avoiding the Medical center. Too much exposure to germs. We have a very accurate battery powered blood pressure cuff from Amazon that will be seeing the world in 2021.

 

I'd be interested in the model info, since I bought a wrist cuff several years ago when my old arm cuff died, and it is a useless piece of junk. Omron, a top brand, but I can't get accurate readings from it.

[JMARINER]

8 hours ago, xrvlcruiser said:

And they are on duty in case of an emergency.

 

 

The are on duty 24/7, except when in a port with reliable and close by medical facility. Even in port, either the Doctor or Nurse will be on board at all times.

 

J

[rcandkc]

If you have a small wrist...I was told wrist blood pressure monitors are not very accurate.  

[travelwell]

I have had good luck with the Omron series 10. As a nurse I had checked mine
 with cuffs at work and it was accurate. Be aware you need the correct cuff size to get an accurate reading. Some automatic machine cuffs say what range the circumference of your arm should be but I notice my Omron does not. 
I am not a fan of the wrist blood pressure cuffs.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

19 hours ago, rcandkc said:

If you have a small wrist...I was told wrist blood pressure monitors are not very accurate.  

 

Yes I do, and yes, it's not reliable for me.  I thought I was saving space.  Oh well.

[indigosea]

Thanks. Bought one today. It stores the info 60 times. And seems accurate. Hopefully will never have to see the doc or use the expensive insurance.  Time is going fast until the big adventure. 

[indigosea]

Bought a $53 Life brand from Shoppers. It seems to be accurately display BP and heart rate.  Thanks for the advice. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, indigosea said:

Bought a $53 Life brand from Shoppers. It seems to be accurately display BP and heart rate.  Thanks for the advice. 

 

Oh hey, nice, good price!  I'll perhaps wait until spring when I'm back in Canada and do the same.

[Floridiana]

This got me thinking. We have a blood pressure monitor at home. It helps to mitigate the 'white coat syndrome' when you have high pressure only at the doctor's office.

 

However, what do you do with the number on a ship? We bring our medication. Would you expect the ship's doctor to change it if necessary? Will you have to see a doctor in a port? Will they take you to a hospital and that's it, medical disembarkation. End of cruise.

[orvil]

Floridiana,

 

Why not ask your personal physician about how to best deal with the situation?

 

They might suggest you contact them via email with your latest readings in the course of the sailing.  They can send you a change of medication order via email once you are under way.

[gnomie1]

One should verify the accuracy of any home BP monitor - I know that my doc's office offers this service for free after too many patients were not getting accurate readings and were unaware of it.

 

Also, one should be aware that the food on Regent is prepared with a great deal of salt which could adversely affect readings.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

6 minutes ago, gnomie1 said:

One should verify the accuracy of any home BP monitor - I know that my doc's office offers this service for free after too many patients were not getting accurate readings and were unaware of it.

 

Also, one should be aware that the food on Regent is prepared with a great deal of salt which could adversely affect readings.

 

Yep to both.  I was just thinking about the first item on my daily walk--when I buy my new unit I will do just that when I visit my doctor.

 

On my WC, coming up in 2021, I intend to ask for the "no salt added" dietary option.  It'll mean choosing dinner menus in advance, but I think it would be worth it.

[Caroldoll]

You are so smart, Wendy, to do a no salt added diet.  I don't have any problems, but even so I would do that.  Your doc should be on board with this.  Also, drink a lot of water.  

[Floridiana]

17 hours ago, orvil said:

Why not ask your personal physician about how to best deal with the situation?

 

I expressed myself unclearly. It's not a situation we have ever faced, but I don't think that our doctors would change prescriptions via e-mail. For the duration of a long cruise, the ship's doctor is responsible I would assume. But never mind, I plan to stay as healthy as I am right now.