Land Sickness ??

[burlybear]

Hi All,

We just got off our first cruise on the Carnival Dream which we absolutely loved. We hope to cruise again very soon! :D

Anyways I didn't have any problem with sea sickness while on the ship at all - but now being back on land I keep feeling this rocking sensation (like I am still on the ship). It makes me feel very dizzy/tired. Has anybody else experienced this (am I crazy)??? :confused: How long does it take to go away??

 

Thanks!

[sparky-elpaso]

No, you're not crazy. DH and I had it happen after our last cruise. There's actually a name for it - although I can't think of what it is at the moment. How long it lasts and severity depends on the person. I think we felt a little rocky, especially in more enclosed spaces like the shower, for a few days. But I guess some people have it severely enough to go to the doctor for medication.

[micro yaya]

first let me say you're not crazy. this happened to me, my doctor said to take the bonine for the next ew days to a week, and it would pass. good luck

[Post Captain]

This condition is known as Mal de Debarquement syndrome, and, in its mildest form, is fairly common. I always experience it for a few days after an ocean voyage, and occasionally after a transatlantic flight.

 

There have been rare cases in which the effects have been more or less permanent:

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/central/mdd.html

The only known cure is to take another cruise.

[MagnoliaFly]

Mine lasted about 3 days or so after the cruise was over. Then I missed it. :( I like being rocked to sleep!

[CheckersMidwest]

I had extreme sea sickness once and while on land, I swear the island was moving. No one else in my group experienced it. I also feel dizzy & a little disoriented sometimes when we've been to listen to a band. I think it's the vibrations & something to do with my ears. I didn't know about continuing the Bonine.

[serene56]

I had that for about a week last cruise- I will never stay on a ship the entire time next cruise. (that is what I blamed it on)

It was a long time leaving.

[jstsig101]

its actually your body adjusting back to land after getting your "sea legs" it is your inner ear and ability to adjust to constant motion, as well as vision, stomach, balance etc.. it should go away. I always have fun with it, watching myself and other walking around the airport like we are still a little tipsy. should be temporary! "post captian" is correct though, the initial RX is usually start planning your next cruise.

cheers

[Haoie]

Mine lasted about 2 days.

 

Like being drunk without the inflated sense of selfworth.

[MMMD]

Just off my first cruise and luckily here on land this never happened to me, maybe because I had so much Dramamine in me from taking it each day on the cruise!

 

I started the dramamine 2 days before I got to the ship and took it every day while on the cruise and it worked. Maybe it worked a little extra, because once on land I felt fine.

[waverley7]

I had this happen on about my first three cruises, the first time it lasted almost three months. It was awful, I couldn't go to the gym, go for walks, I was tired all the time, it was hard to work and concentrate. Anyway, it got less each time I sailed and I don't get it anymore (even after a two week cruise). I found that when I returned home from my trip I would lay in bed at night and dream of sailing with the door open and listening to the waves. Ya know, wishing I was back there again.....I stopped doing that at night and I haven't had a problem since. Coincidence?? Who knows, I am just glad I don't get it anymore because I wasn't about to give up my cruises!! Hope you feel better soon!

[burlybear]

Thanks for all your answers!! At least it confirms to my husband I am not crazy - he doesn't have it at all. It seems like it is starting to fade now - but I still have moments where I feel very unsteady. It is very much like being drunk - it was hilarious trying to even push a grocery cart around the store the other day, and walls have become enemies since sometimes I have walked into corners. I haven't been able to find bonine/dramamine here in Canada - I only have Gravol - which makes me very sleepy so I only take it when it gets really bad.

Haha I guess another solution as people recommended is to take more cruises - which hopefully I can do soon! :p

[navybaby1113]

I normally get it for about a week or two. I just continue taking my sea sick medicine and it seems to help.

[Dayenu]

I take Ginger for several days after a cruise to avoid "sea legs"

 

Sometimes I feel the floor rocking even after a long train ride!!

[rocket_j_dawg]

I believe what all of you are suffering from is C.W.S. (Cruisers Withdrawal Syndrome) Unfortunately the only known cure is to return to a ship on another cruise.

However, the simple act of just booking a cruise hes been known to lesson the symptoms and I have heard just reading a cruise catalog or visiting a travel site will also help lesson the symptoms.

 

Good luck and happy cruising.

[ferfoodle]

Have never had motion sickness in my life - and have been on some long rough rides. But I always get land sickness lasting anywhere from 3 days to 3 months. The worse was after my second cruise, and boy did my coworkers have so much fun poking fun at me. I worked in a cube farm and I could not walk down the rows in a straight line to save my life. Then when sitting at my desk, I would just rock and sway. But out in the open, I was fine. Hallways and showers - what a trip. Next time, I will start taking either ginger or Bonine a couple days before getting off the ship ( like you are supposed to start taking it before seasickness happens) and see if that helps.

[two4me]

Hahaha, had that our first cruise. It seems like a short version of vertigo.

We had to hold hands to try and keep us both walking straight on land.

Maybe a drink would have made us walk straighter,lol

[1932Canal]

Hi,

For the first several years of my working life I sailed the Seven(?) Seas and even some of the Oceans, on ships, way, way smaller than today's Cruise Ships - even the largest Passenger ships that I sailed on were still smaller than present day Cruise vessels. As a seaman one developed a way to walk around the decks of a pitching and rolling ship and that 'walk' translated into a 'waddle', with legs spread out. Today, although when onboard, I am always cognisant of the motion of the ship; ashore I don't have the feeling that the 'land' is moving; but, unfortunately, I still waddle.

[monicajay]

Never get sea sick but always get land sick. Starts only about 3 days after my cruise and can last from a day to a week. Take bonine and it goes away. No, you are not crazy

[LittleMissS]

I haven't been on a cruise yet (June 2011...can't wait!), but I HAVE experienced this feeling after a long flight to Europe. I too, literally thought I was going crazy for several days after I arrived home...now I know to take Bonine for a few days before AND after my flight/cruise this summer!

[mksgfly]

I am curios to know if those of you who suffered "Land Sickness" after your cruise took Bonine while you were on your cruise. Our family is about to take our first cruise. We have motion sickness issues and so we WILL take Bonine starting the day before and then during the cruise. I hope this will prevent us from needing it after the cruise. I'd like to know if taking Bonine during the cruise has helped anyone avoid this.

[burlybear]

I am curios to know if those of you who suffered "Land Sickness" after your cruise took Bonine while you were on your cruise. Our family is about to take our first cruise. We have motion sickness issues and so we WILL take Bonine starting the day before and then during the cruise. I hope this will prevent us from needing it after the cruise. I'd like to know if taking Bonine during the cruise has helped anyone avoid this.

 

Actually this was my first cruise too and I thought the motion sickness would be more of an issue than it was - I took a lot of anti-nausea medication with me just in case. While we were on the cruise though I never needed any of them. Normally even if I read my blackberry in the car I will get motion sick. The only time I felt a bit iffy on the cruise was when we were in a place where there weren't any windows. Anyways, just suggesting maybe take a wait and see approach??

I don't know if the bonine would help prevent the land-sickness though, thats a good question....

[navybaby1113]

I am curios to know if those of you who suffered "Land Sickness" after your cruise took Bonine while you were on your cruise. Our family is about to take our first cruise. We have motion sickness issues and so we WILL take Bonine starting the day before and then during the cruise. I hope this will prevent us from needing it after the cruise. I'd like to know if taking Bonine during the cruise has helped anyone avoid this.

 

I take Bonine during our cruises and still get sick after we get off. I would continue taking it for a few days after the cruise.

[Post Captain]

I am curios to know if those of you who suffered "Land Sickness" after your cruise took Bonine while you were on your cruise. Our family is about to take our first cruise. We have motion sickness issues and so we WILL take Bonine starting the day before and then during the cruise. I hope this will prevent us from needing it after the cruise. I'd like to know if taking Bonine during the cruise has helped anyone avoid this.

 

Yes, I take Bonine during the voyage but still experience mild mal de debarquement for several days after returning ashore (as well as when I'm ashore during a cruise). I have no medical expertise at all, so take my comments as you will--but I don't believe that taking or not taking Bonine (or any other seasickness preventative) has anything to do with whether or not one experiences any form of Mal de debarquement. After all, taking Bonine doesn't keep you from feeling the motion of the ship; it only keeps you (in most cases) from regurgitating your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

For what it's worth, here's the Wikipedia entry on the syndrome:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_de_debarquement

(My own symptoms have only ever included "a persistent sensation of motion usually described as rocking, swaying, or bobbing" and intermittent "difficulty maintaining balance." The First Mate frequently has pointed out that I also suffer "brain fog," but that has nothing to do with whether I've recently disembarked; indeed, I'm often told that I'm "all at sea" when in fact my two feet are planted on Terra firma.)