scale on board? really needed

[CruiseZapper]

maybe this is a dumb ? but we will be on enchantment of the seas Jan 20th. my husband has a heart issue and needs to weigh everyday to keep up with a fluid/sodium built-up/gain,, he has a defibrillator already so this is really important that you don't go over a couple days at a time without weighing,the last time in the hospital they drained over 60 lbs off,it can build up really fast,,,now the question- does the ship have a scale where someone can go and weigh themselves.. or could i just throw a small floor scale in my check-on bag, or should i just carry it on with me, thanks,Wanda

[spookwife]

the gym will.. but do not count on it being in any way calibrated or and thus accurate. he should stick to the one he normally uses at home.

[xxoocruiser]

There's generally always a scale in the fitness center on RCCL ships but as the previous poster stated whether it's accurately calibrated in questionable.

 

The Medical Center should have a scale that's properly calibrated but not certain if you could use this one without incurring a charge .

 

Would suggest you pack your own if not too inconvenient.

Edited December 31, 2013 by xxoocruiser

[Clarea]

I agree about the medical center. I'd go visit the doctor as soon as you board and find out what time would be convenient to use the scale.

[CruiseZapper]

thanks for the quick answers, we use a dr. scale at home so i can't pack it but i will check into buying a small thin scale to take with me, he can weigh after we get on board in cabin, then maybe while we are on board it might be somewhat correct,,i also have a tape that we measure his stomach, calves, and ankles with every morning, this helps but it only helps after the swelling begins.. He's doing great with no problems right now and we just want to keep it that way,,we have changed our ways of eating and he's down counting the fluid loss from 308 to 217.... and a bonus for me,, i'm down from 255 to 186,,,,,,but now the eating out everyday scares me, we never eat out at home, i can handle it with only a weight gain, but he's back in the E.R.

[Clarea]

I don't know if sodium intake is relevant to your husband's condition. If so, I'd contact Special Needs ([noparse]special_needs@rccl.com[/noparse]). They can help with a low sodium diet. My wife experiences swelling when on the ship. We've been avoiding the hot soups and using bottled water, and that seems to be helping.

[CruiseZapper]

thanks clarea, yes it's the main issue with his gaining fluid, his heart is weaker than normal and won't push off the fluid, thanks, i' ll check with them..

[pink_flamingo20]

Last cruise we went on ny dad ended up in hospital. He was able to join us later on in the cruise and they let him order his meal the night before from the mdr menu. That way they said they could make pretty much whatever he wanted from the main menu low sodium

 

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[nmuller328]

I would suggest calling and discussing special needs- You could find out if you could check in with medical a few times during the trip. Even if it costs a few bucks- it would be better then ending up hospitalized.

[NJcruisenewbie]

Have him go to the gym and weigh himself the minute you get on the ship. The scale might be off a few lbs from yours at home but he'll still be able to monitor whether he's gaining if he has a baseline at the very start of the cruise.

[Mountains.to.Sea]

He should also plan to weigh himself when the ship is docked. My wife lost some weight 2 years ago and purchased a very slim and packable digital scale. We took it on a cruise last year and discovered that even in fairly smooth waters, trying to get an accurate measurement was nearly impossible. The motion of the ship causes the reading on the scale to bounce up and down 8-10 pounds as you just stand on it.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Mountains.to.Sea

[CVU]

We have had hit and miss on scales in the gym. So, not all ships have them or they are off for "repair".....or in the Change Room, on Allure, we found out.

 

Yes, for the low sodium diet for sure, that will help. I have heard from others it works very well.

[Janet524]

Have you requested a low sodium or no sodium diet? DH has kidney issues and must be very careful about sodium intake. We always request low sodium diet and his meals have always been excellent. The waiter will show you the menu for the following night and you can select what you want and it will be prepared accordingly. Call RC customer service and they will make a notation in your reservation. (If you already know about all this, sorry for the post.)

[CruiseZapper]

i did check the site for special needs meals and it said i had to do this 90 days out before cruising. we leave on the 20 of jan.

[molly361]

i did check the site for special needs meals and it said i had to do this 90 days out before cruising. we leave on the 20 of jan.

 

 

I would still go ahead and give them a call

[Mom.to.2]

I would still go ahead and give them a call

 

Agreed. Call them anyway.

 

 

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[Colorado Babe]

I weigh myself everyday at the gym! I would avoid the hospital dispensary at all cost as there maybe many folks in there who are sick. I wouldn't want to chance it.

[caribbean sailor]

maybe this is a dumb ? but we will be on enchantment of the seas Jan 20th. my husband has a heart issue and needs to weigh everyday to keep up with a fluid/sodium built-up/gain,, he has a defibrillator already so this is really important that you don't go over a couple days at a time without weighing,the last time in the hospital they drained over 60 lbs off,it can build up really fast,,,now the question- does the ship have a scale where someone can go and weigh themselves.. or could i just throw a small floor scale in my check-on bag, or should i just carry it on with me, thanks,Wanda

 

Bring your own scale,If you go to medical it will Probably cost you a Hundred and Fifty Dollars. :)

[TC1957]

I also have an ICD for a heart condition. I take a medication every morning (well, almost every morning) to "help expel the fluids". I will be honest and say if I have something going on...like a meeting or excursion...where restrooms are not readily available for the next several hours I will put off taking the pill.

 

I said that to make it clear I understand the need to monitor fluid retention closely. After all, you don't want to go into CHF on vacation. However, does the scale really have to be that closely calibrated? Think about it. If it is off by 50 pounds (I am being overly extreme), as long as you use the same scale every time you should be fine. He only needs to be concerned by changes in weight. Even if accuracy is a concern, get on the scale as soon as you get on the ship and do the math. If he weighed 180 at home and that scale shows 190 he knows to subtract 10 from the number.

 

There are also visual ways to determine if fluid build-up is occuring. If rings, watches, socks, etc. start to get tight. He can also press firmly right above the ankle on the shin till it make an indention...when he removes his finger the indention should disappear failry quickly (test it at home when he knows there is no excess fluid). He probably already knows these things.

 

Lastly, check with the doctor and see if he thinks a diuretic might be a good thing while on the cruise.

[kteachcruiser52]

On our 15 day cruise to Hawaii my husband had to closely monitor his weight due to weight loss needed to dramatically lower blood sugar to avoid shots. The scale in the gym weighed him all over the place. The person overseeing the gym said that the amount of wave movement at any given time affected the scales and it was seldom able to tell you if you were gaining or losing weight. I would check with special needs as your husband needs to be monitored for a more serious reason than mine.

[DrD]

I see a lot of folks who accumulate edema during a cruise due to the change in eating habits and high sodium content of just about everything. You will have to be extremely careful.

 

Scale may not be that accurate but should be fine for your purposes. It may read quite a bit differently that yours at home so you should weigh the very first day and use that as your baseline.

 

Immersing yourself to the neck in a pool actually can help treat edema as it allows dependent fluid to shift back centrally. You will have to get out a lot to pee though. You should do this at least 30 minutes a day and that will help a lot. Do it towards the end of the day when edema tends to be worst.

 

Of course I'm sure you know about elevating the legs etc.

 

Not to be a downer but definitely have trip insurance.

 

Good luck.

Edited December 31, 2013 by DrD

[cruisnseas]

The 90 day deadline is if you need premade special meals. Your husband does not need that - he needs low sodium versions of the normal meals. As soon as you board, go see the restaurant manager. He will set you up with the appropriate waitstaff. They will sit you down and plan out your dinners for the duration of the cruise and they will alert the staff it must be low sodium. That way it is handled.

 

The scale at the gym will not be accurate even day to day. Being on the water could mean his weight can fluctuate 10lbs day to day even if he never gains or loses a pound. I suggest packing a slim light weight scale and weighing him onshore.

[fred30]

Your best bet would be to buy yourself an accurate digital scale now to bring along. The new digital scales with load cells repeat very well and they are not expensive. Many of these are very thin with glass plates and 4 load cells on the corners and are light weight. These type of scales have very good repeatability which is the most important thing with weight fluctuation. Get one now and check it out before you go so you will feel comfortable with its reliability. This way you won't have to worry about ships scales.

[dealer9296]

I took my own scale that I bought for cruises one time. I could not weigh the same at any time with the unbalance of the boat movement. Never took it again. I did not use the scale in the gym. ????. I would suggest that he just watch his food intake. Try to eat clean as possible. Use the test if you have them. You might also contact the chef and ask for a diabetic diet while on board.

[Mom.to.2]

Immersing yourself to the neck in a pool actually can help treat edema as it allows dependent fluid to shift back centrally. You will have to get out a lot to pee though. You should do this at least 30 minutes a day and that will help a lot. Do it towards the end of the day when edema tends to be worst.

 

 

Is this why you have to pee so frequently when in a pool? I always wondered why...