Rides to avoid with high blood pressure?

[MaggieMoo'sMom]

In a recent trip to Six Flags over Georgia, my DMIL, who has high blood pressure, decided that riding the Batman ride was a great idea. While she loved the ride, it did not love her, to the tune of blood immediately shot out of her nose and she spent 4 hours in the first aid station.
She is going with me to the World this summer and I do not want to enjoy the walls of the first aid station. Any ideas on what she can and can't ride? Thanks!

 

[Rhonna]

If her BP is caused by stress (even the good kind like coasters) there will be a lot of rides that she will have a problem with. Heck, even other guests could stress her out LOL! But if it's something else like being inverted, then she'd have to know which do loops, etc. Can she ask her doctor what is most likely to be her problem?

 

[MaggieMoo'sMom]

She said it had to do with the "G" force? I know RRC is out... She said it is the pressure of taking off?

 

[Missytara]

I have high blood pressure, but still manage to enjoy some of the attraction where my stress level does not go up.

I also try to do some downtime in between each attraction in order to stabilize my BP in case I feel it has gone up a bit.

My fav attraction is TT, but I try to only do it once in the day and then wait until another day to do it again.

Also stay hydrated and take breaks with snacks to avoid getting dehydrated - that can tend to make my BP rise a bit as well.

 

[patty57]

I think it might be a good idea to get a little more info about this besides "G force". She should check with her doctor on exactly what the causes of her blood pressure problems are...if a cause is even known. This doesn't sound like something to leave up to well-meaning, but not medical people.

 

[MaggieMoo'sMom]

I guess what I was aking was which ride have warnings on them that say "People with high blood pressure should not ride this" on them.... Is there a list somewhere? Maybe it's in my Unofficial Guide?

 

[spacemountainmom]

I have high bp and go on everything.....well everything except Mission Space green side because I am very motion sensitive. I would also recommend that your mil speak to her physician about her experience and what she should watch out for.

Good luck!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I also think that she should ask her doctor.

I have chronic hypertension but I can ride everything as far as I know. I'm on drugs though.

 

[twinkable]

Same as previous posters for me - I have high blood pressure (controlled) and I haven't had a problem riding anything.

The only thing that stresses me out is IASM!!! But that's for other reasons.

 

[MaggieMoo'sMom]

Thanks everyone! I will get her to check with her doc before we go!

 

[goofyernmost]

I also think that she should ask her doctor.

I have chronic hypertension but I can ride everything as far as I know. I'm on drugs though.

Same as previous posters for me - I have high blood pressure (controlled) and I haven't had a problem riding anything.

The only thing that stresses me out is IASM!!! But that's for other reasons.

Me too! Except for IASM, that is just a puzzling ride for me. Each time I go on it I wonder why I went on it. Must be nostalgia.

 

[suemom2kay]

Thanks everyone! I will get her to check with her doc before we go!

Thank you for following everyone's advice. I'm thinking that a bleed in her nose could have easily been a bleed in her brain. Did she mention the nose bleeding event to her physician? It is definitely cause for concern if it was in fact related to her blood pressure.

 

[yankeepenny]

The only thing that stresses me out is IASM!!! But that's for other reasons.

This is so true. This attraction, cute, and fun, will grind on your brain /raise your blood pressure worse than scratching a chalkboard.

 

[MaggieMoo'sMom]

Thank you for following everyone's advice. I'm thinking that a bleed in her nose could have easily been a bleed in her brain. Did she mention the nose bleeding event to her physician? It is definitely cause for concern if it was in fact related to her blood pressure.

I am not sure if she told them or not. The reason they kept her so long in the first aid tent is because her blood pressure was so high, which she told them repeatedly that was her normal blood pressure on 2 blood pressure pills. Don't even get me started on all the many, many ways she does not take care of herself... I will let her know that we really need to know her limits.

By the way, love the comments about IASW!!!! My 17 year old male cousin rode that with 3 of his friends on a band trip and got stuck in the ride for 45 minutes. He said the dolls just went on and on...My question was why in the world did four 17 year old boys get on that ride in the first place!

 

[SueM in MN]

While someone with controlled high blood pressure might be OK for many of these, someone with uncontrolled high blood pressure (which is what it sounds like she has) should not ride unless they talk to their doctor and get an OK.
You can look at the park maps for the attractions with warnings - they are marked with a red triangle on the map and also on a sign at the entrance to the queue.
The wording for the general warning is:
WARNING! For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.

For Epcot here are the attractions with warnings:

• Mission Space - the orange side is more intense. The green side has the same motions, minus the centrifuge spinning you around at the same time. (So both are fairly intense).
• Test Track

For Magic Kingdom:

• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
• Space Mountain
• Goofy's Barnstormer (this doesn't have a triangle warning sign on the map, but does say that pregnant women should not ride, so not completely tame)

For Disney Studio

• Star Tours
• Rock N Roller Coaster
• Tower of Terror

For Animal Kingdom:

• Kilimanjaro Safari
• Kali River Rapids
• Expedition Everest
• Primeval Whirl
• Dinosaur

Soarin' doesn't have any warnings that would affect BP; just heights and possible motion sickness.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have had high b/p for 17 years....I manage it just fine with medication. I have never had an issue on any ride..either at WDW or US/IoA..and I did all the 'big' coasters at US/IoA.
If her nosebleed wasn't a true nosebleed (due to pressure on those capillaries inside her nose..which it could very well have been), and her b/p is high enough that the medical tent people were concerned, then she should really avoid any ride that warns those with high b/p to not ride. And then run immediately to her physician!!