Hi,
My husband and I are thinking of planning a new trip to Disney (went last May)! Last time we were there it really was too much for him. He has low blood pressure and sometimes, especially in heat the medications do not work as well as they should. With the heat and the walking and standing all day he was miserable some of the time. I wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to things we could do or accomodations he could take advantage of in the parks to make it more manageable for him?
First up; do the obvious. Avoid situations that are triggers. This thus includes not going during hot times or year. If you do go during those times of year; accepting that it will and does come with limiations. Like; avoiding the times of day that are not right for him to deal with. Benefit of those times of year in your advantage tends to be the longer park hours. Doing a bit of park time in the early morning hours to return to an airco'd room and hit a park again after the temps have dropped enough.
If there is too much walking and/or standing, there are 3 options;
- use a mobility aid (which can be used as needed, it's not as if they come with the rule that you will get junxed when daring to get out/off of it)
- refuse to use such aid but limit the amount of walking and standing to the max he can deal with. Yes, it will influence the day at the park but that's a consequence of this option.
- refuse to use a mobility aid and refuse to respect physical limitations and press each second of parktime out of a day. Results in feeling not that peachy.
It's his pick which he wants to do. You on the other hand can have your own set of "demands". For instance when he goes for option 3, you only will be willing to go along with it as long as he doesn't push it into unsafe situations and/or does not constantly nags you about how bad he feels. (heck, you'll know it anyway, that's bad enough sometimes to except somebody picked such an option, there is no need to get the constant complaining added to it). Both respect eachothers picks and limits.
Use tips and tricks that can be beneficial. Like for instance not changing positions rapidly like going from flat to standing or sitting to standing. Taking it easier and slower can reduce or even totally prefent an extra drop of BP. A thingie for all, even more so if he's sensitive to it.
Keep hydrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a problem for most people, even without any "medical problem". Most think they're drinking enough but aren't. Not in daily life, let alone when using more fluids while running allover a park, being more active and needing more fluids put in. A day at the park will use more fluids than a day at home will unless his days at home are normally filled with running all around the place for miles and miles.
Sometimes foods can be of influence. Some have found salt can be a temporary help. Not something to venture on your own as salt also can come with things one doesn't want in certain situations, so discuss it with his docs first. If it's OK-ed, a salty snack can do wonders at the right time if he fits that group. Same for certain other foods.
For some it can help to give the body a bit of a helping hand to help pump blood back against gravity. In those cases mild grade pressure stockings can be a help, both while walking and sitting.
My experience is that only knowledge of ones own body and triggers in this are truely beneficial. That knowledge can easily be translated into what not to do and what to do. If one can not translate it (for instance, they find themselves getting qweezy when standing up but don't know what to do about it or why that is) it can be very beneficial to get some medical help in learning what's going on and how to deal with it. Depending on the subject this help could be found with both the specialist but also an occupational therapist.
