what causes increase in blood pressure while on cruise

[owl61]

I have high blodd pressure for which I take meds. My BP measures between 14/9 to 11/ 7 with the meds. When I go on a cruise it goes up. I have asked that my meal at dinner be prepared with no salt.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon of increased BP on a cruise? Is there something inherent in cruising that could cause higher BP than normal...besides the salt in the food?

[BroncosFan2010]

Probably has a lot to do with the rich food, and YES the added salt. Also, travel and the stress (even though it can be good stress) that comes with it can increase blood pressure. Add in a few alcoholic drinks, being dehydrated, and the lack of exercise some cruisers experience, and you have a recipe for raised blood pressure.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Definitely the amount of sodium in the meals will impact blood pressure, also alcohol. This is just my theory, but I believe getting over-tired can do it too.

 

Stay away from soups which tend to be quite salty.

 

I hope you have a good trip.

[paradiseseekers]

I have high blodd pressure for which I take meds. My BP measures between 14/9 to 11/ 7 with the meds. When I go on a cruise it goes up. I have asked that my meal at dinner be prepared with no salt.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon of increased BP on a cruise? Is there something inherent in cruising that could cause higher BP than normal...besides the salt in the food?

 

 

I'm an RN and these numbers don't make sense to me...??? 14/9 and 11/7 are not blood pressures. you would not be alive with these numbers...

Blood pressure can go up for a number of reasons...

Yes diet, but anxiety, change of climate, change in pace...etc, etc..

[momofmeg]

I'm an RN and these numbers don't make sense to me...??? 14/9 and 11/7 are not blood pressures. you would not be alive with these numbers...

Blood pressure can go up for a number of reasons...

Yes diet, but anxiety, change of climate, change in pace...etc, etc..

 

I think they meant 140/90 and 110/70 with meds.

[Pearlbill]

For many, it's chair hogs, buffet line etiquette and door decorations!

 

Pearl

[Sir PMP]

OVEReating......

[dandro]

I have hypertension, also. Overeating can be a major cause of BP spikes. When you put too much food in your stomach all at once, the stress on your system to digest all that food will cause the BP to spike. If I overeat and get that "too full" feeling, I can actually feel my heart pounding. Compound that with too much alcohol and it can make it dangerously high.

 

Make sure you get plenty of exercise while cruising and some meditation/relaxation sessions would be beneficial.

[caribsun]

Call your doctor and ask. I'm sure the people here are wonderful but their opinions don't whole much salt.

[TheVegasMan]

No idea what units you or your DR. are using to measure but those are funny numbers. My normal range is anywhere from 112/72 to 140/80 and that is not high. For BP to be considered to be high it has to be 160/100.

 

Vacations and cruises are meant to lower BP and stress levels. If cruising causes your BP to go up, stay home.

Edited March 20, 2009 by TheVegasMan

[KULPN]

I have high blodd pressure for which I take meds. My BP measures between 14/9 to 11/ 7 with the meds. When I go on a cruise it goes up. I have asked that my meal at dinner be prepared with no salt.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon of increased BP on a cruise? Is there something inherent in cruising that could cause higher BP than normal...besides the salt in the food?

so many variables on a cruise. Eating too much volume and salt, too much sex,increased activity, stress, excitement, the hot tub, seeing all the girls in bikinis,running for the elevator,............on & on.

[jollyjones]

When I go on a cruise it goes up. I have asked that my meal at dinner be prepared with no salt.

 

But do they actually do it? And what about food from the buffet or ashore? Snacks? I find food on cruise ships incredibly salty - even things that shouldn't be prepared with much seasoning. I deal with it by drinking a lot of water but I don't have hypertension - if you have HT needing medication, even a small increase in your sodium input could have a profound (although hopefully temporary) effect on your blood pressure.

[BallFour4]

Water follows sodium or what we take in as salt.

 

Cruise ship diets are usually high in sodium and the rest is history. The end result is ankle swelling and weight gain.

 

Be careful with the idea of drinking less water to prevent this. The body retains water (sometimes a 5 pound swing) based on a response.

 

Hydration and good diet habits will reduce the chances of this happening.

 

Just my opinion laced with facts :)

 

 

.

[DonnaK]

The "tap" water on a cruise ship is desalinated sea water, however all of the sodium is not removed. It has a higher sodium content than "tap" water at home. This causes water retention and edema (swollen ankles/feet) which increases BP.

 

To avoid this, you can drink bottled water, or other non-alcoholic beverages that are not prepared with water, such as juices or milk.

[cruisinbuddy]

The show girls in thongs, :D

[mypleasure]

For BP to be considered to be high it has to be 160/100.

 

 

In the Uk 140/90 is considered high and if regularly over that figure then medication would be required to bring it under.

 

I now have to take 2 different medications as my pressure has reduced from around 160/115 to 145/95 on one med. The second one should reduce it a further 10 on each figure which will be more acceptable at around 135/85.

 

yes, this was all done yesterday at my bi-weekly visit to the Doctors.

[FritzG]

The "tap" water on a cruise ship is desalinated sea water, however all of the sodium is not removed. It has a higher sodium content than "tap" water at home. This causes water retention and edema (swollen ankles/feet) which increases BP.

 

To avoid this, you can drink bottled water, or other non-alcoholic beverages that are not prepared with water, such as juices or milk.

 

This point has been argued over and over on these boards, but I agree with the you. My ankles swell so much on a cruise, and the one that I broke several years ago gets more swollen than the other one. We're very careful about salt at home, and we don't drink on a cruise so it has to be the food and water.

[Philip217]

What causes increase in blood pressure while on a cruise?

 

Driving 1200 miles to the cruise terminal because you can't/won't afford the airfare.

Arrving at the pier 3 hours before embarcation starts and getting upset that you have to wait 3 hours to board.

Pushing and shoving to be first onto the ship.

Eating 8 meals per day.

Having 2 main courses and 3 desserts with dinner.

Having 3 dishes of ice cream "because it's free".

Waiting 20 minutes to take an elevator one deck up or one deck down.

Getting upset every time 3,000 other passengers decide to do the same thing you want to do - at the same time.

Getting de-hydrated because you can't afford the bottled water and are afraid to drink the tap water.

Drinking 8 diet cokes every day, hoping to cancel out the obscene amount of fattening food you have consumed.

Going to the pool and finding that you can't get a sun chair directly next to the pool.

Getting a sun chair directly next to the pool and then getting splashed and bothered by all the unruly children and adults in the pool.

Pushing and shoving to be first off the ship.

Driving 1200 miles home, completely losing any benefit you received from a relaxing cruise, because you cannot afford the airfare.

[white_rose]

It is really important not to spend too much time in hot tub. I stayed at a hotel here in the UK which had a sign near the hot tubs stating that people who suffer from hypertension should not use the hot tub for more than 5 minutes per session. It was the first time I had seen this type of warning anywhere.

[jocap]

AIRPORTS!-jocap.

[happyaussies]

OOOH just reading above.chill out folks.........I thought people here were NICE.......maybe you both need a chill out pill????

 

 

 

Here is Oz and especially here in SA.....drought effected Australia.

We are learning very quickly about desalinated water...

AGREE with Donna........a lot of retained salt in this water........ BEWARE!

 

So possibly this is the cause of all the fluid retention when crusing.

I dont know the answer on to how to avoid it really!

And actually this is the one things I'm not liking about cruising, as i too suffer from edema. Maybe some fluid tablets from the doctor might be the answer?

 

Bubbs & Blues :cool:

Edited March 22, 2009 by happyaussies

[owl61]

The "tap" water on a cruise ship is desalinated sea water, however all of the sodium is not removed. It has a higher sodium content than "tap" water at home. This causes water retention and edema (swollen ankles/feet) which increases BP.

 

To avoid this, you can drink bottled water, or other non-alcoholic beverages that are not prepared with water, such as juices or milk.

I have heard that the tap water has less salt than most bottled waters. Maybe Philip can clear the air on this.

 

What causes increase in blood pressure while on a cruise?

 

Driving 1200 miles to the cruise terminal because you can't/won't afford the airfare.

Arrving at the pier 3 hours before embarcation starts and getting upset that you have to wait 3 hours to board.

Pushing and shoving to be first onto the ship.

Eating 8 meals per day.

Having 2 main courses and 3 desserts with dinner.

Having 3 dishes of ice cream "because it's free".

Waiting 20 minutes to take an elevator one deck up or one deck down.

Getting upset every time 3,000 other passengers decide to do the same thing you want to do - at the same time.

Getting de-hydrated because you can't afford the bottled water and are afraid to drink the tap water.

Drinking 8 diet cokes every day, hoping to cancel out the obscene amount of fattening food you have consumed.

Going to the pool and finding that you can't get a sun chair directly next to the pool.

Getting a sun chair directly next to the pool and then getting splashed and bothered by all the unruly children and adults in the pool.

Pushing and shoving to be first off the ship.

Driving 1200 miles home, completely losing any benefit you received from a relaxing cruise, because you cannot afford the airfare.

I guess this is intended to point out that certain conditions/behaviors unique to a cruise can elevate BP as can any stressful situation. However I can rule out all or almost all of these stress inducing situations and nevertheless I have experienced a spike on last 3 cruises.

What about the sodium level in the ship´s tap water?

[momofmeg]

I have heard that the tap water has less salt than most bottled waters. Maybe Philip can clear the air on this.

 

 

I guess this is intended to point out that certain conditions/behaviors unique to a cruise can elevate BP as can any stressful situation. However I can rule out all or almost all of these stress inducing situations and nevertheless I have experienced a spike on last 3 cruises.

What about the sodium level in the ship´s tap water?

 

Now I have okay blood pressure but I do swell on cruises. I tried bringing my own bottled water but I still swelled. No not from overeating and drinking, I can't, I have diabetes, and not from dirnking sodas. I do not drink carbonated drinks.

 

However I did drink the coffee prepared with that water and I ate the food cooked in that water. I now only bring enough bottled water for excursions.

[Hlitner]

We cruise a lot (usually about 70 days a year) and had a related issue regarding swollen ankles. My wife noticed that her ankles would swell whenever we were on a cruise (and we tend to take long cruises of 14+ days) but she did not have this problem at home. Than on one cruise a physician at our table suggested the problem was simply that cruise lines cook banquet-type food and their chefs tend to add lots of salt to every dish to enhance flavor. He suggested my wife drink lots of fluids (much more than when at home) and that would solve the problem. Well, it did work and has continued to work on subsequent trips. For those whose BP is sensitive to salt/sodium (this is only a segment of the population) it is not surprising to have higher BP on cruises. If this is a major issue, you should speak to your physician who could suggest an adjustment to your meds (such as a diuretic) during your trip.

 

Hank

[hajekfam]

I have high blood pressure (take 2 different meds for it) but find that on a cruise, my blood pressure goes way down.