Has anyone had landsickness or MdDS post cruise? How long did it last?

[topgallent]

Hello Everyone.

I am a 33 year old female and several years ago in June July of 2007, I went on a week long cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. The last night was especially rocky and our cabin was near the front of the ship. After disembarking I experienced what I think was MdDS for several weeks, I believe it was just under a month's time, before the symptoms went away. If you are not familiar with what MdDS is, it's the sensation of being on the boat when you are on land that is usually only alleviated by movement in a car or boat (something like that) and for some can last years. There is no cure but many go into remission where they feel normal again. There is little research on it so there is no way of knowing if one is in the high risk group to have dizziness for a long time or just for a few weeks, as far as I have found. I have done some questioning among support groups for MdDS but their group is biased of course, towards encouraging me never to cruise again. Maybe this group, as a group of repeat cruisers, has a different point of view.

 

So that you know it isn't MdDS if it's just a few days, or if it's relieved by typical drugs used for seasickness like Bonine. Specifically, antivert, bonine, meclizine, dramamine, scopolamine seem to be of little use. Valium and related medications such as Klonapin are helpful in some persons. If what you had responds to that it is not MdDS. Also, you would feel great on the boat but then sick after the boat...not both. MdDS will feel better if you're in a car or on another boat. You feel like you're still on the boat, basically.

 

After that episode I did go on one overnight ferry and several small ferries over theyears but never had a recurrence.

 

I have been invited on a 14 day cruise around the Mediterranean leaving on April21 of this year and I have been posting and sending emails looking forinformation on whether it is too risky for me to travel again.

 

Questions I have been asking include: If you have MdDS did you have a smaller episode before the larger episode from which you currently suffer or do you always suffer episodic symptoms which pass? Do you prevent your symptoms with any means successfully? Do you think it matters how calm or rocky the sea is and was the cruise that affected you the on the Med at all? Do you think it's possible for someone to experience the symptoms once and never again, even if they do other cruising? Do you think it's too risky to endeavor to go on the cruise? Is it rare for episode to be long lasting or do typically the episodes remain short as

mine did?

 

 

Thanks so much and I hope these aren't too many questions. As it stands I'm leaning against going on the cruise but it's quite a shame as it would be a lovely experience if I remained well.

 

btw this cruise critic account belongs to my father who loves to cruise.

[April Jewel]

I experienced this on a cruise and felt awful for the whole of the shore day which was a shame as we were on a beautiful beach.

 

Thankfully it has never occurred again although I always worry it will.

 

There was an article about a poor woman who has been suffering from this since 2008

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21786689

 

I hope you can go on your cruise and not have any symptoms

[celebrity]

I have had it twice in 18 cruises. The strange part is that both cruises were extremely calm. The sensation lasted a few days.

[sopranos]

I have that feeling after every cruise, in fact I have it right now . We just returned from the Celebrity Reflection. The last cruise we went on I had it for two weeks , but it went away on its own. Also , the cabin location doesn't seem to matter, because I have I no matter the location. I seem to have it pretty bad now. I have never gone to the doctors because it goes away on its own. This will not stop me from going on cruises again though. Talk to your doctor and see if there are preventive measures you can take if you choose to go on your next cruise. Good luck.

Mary

[StLucia]

This is really interesting I had these strange sensations for weeks after we returned from our rather rough return Hawaii. It was very unpleasant and I even had it in bed at night. I thought it was just me, didn't know it's a recognised condition. Never had it before, I put it down to 9 rough sea days. Thanks for the info.

[celebrity]

This is really interesting I had these strange sensations for weeks after we returned from our rather rough return Hawaii. It was very unpleasant and I even had it in bed at night. I thought it was just me, didn't know it's a recognised condition. Never had it before, I put it down to 9 rough sea days. Thanks for the info.

 

I believe it's called Mal de Mer.

[Gracie115]

I have had it on about half of the 20 or so cruises we have been on. once even had for about 3-4 months!!!....and there was never any way of knowing whether it was going to happen or not as it did NOT seem related to how rough the seas were...as a matter of fact the cruise that had the roughest seas I don't remember having any issue with it at all....so who knows why it happens when it does.

 

I would certainly NOT let it keep from going on any cruise especially around the Med...if you are concerned about rough waters, while there is no guarantee, I've been on two one in Sept. and one in April and the waters were VERY calm for both, so if you're convinced it was because of rough waters you should be okay....

 

As I said I wouldn't let it stop...hope you go and have a wonderful time!!:)

[Murphy]

Yes, I've had it several times... usually on longer trips with a lot of sea days. If I feel "rocky" once I'm back on land, I take dramamine for a few days and that usually takes care of it.

[B1G]

My gf have this since we came back from Eclipse last saturday, now she feel better, but she missed work monday and tuesday because of that, glad to see she is not the only one with this problem. We booked two more cruise, I guess it's not that bad...:D

[HopefulCruiser123]

I have experienced it as well, lasted in total about a month. I also am a bit susceptible to motion sickness so stay off all carnival rides and have to sit in the front seat of a car if a passenger on longer road trips. I also in recent years had an episode of really nasty bilateral inner ear infections about six months after my one and only scuba adventure. I bet there is a link between susceptibility for inner ear, sinus problems and this post cruise MdDS.

[chamima]

I have experienced it as well, lasted in total about a month. I also am a bit susceptible to motion sickness so stay off all carnival rides and have to sit in the front seat of a car if a passenger on longer road trips. I also in recent years had an episode of really nasty bilateral inner ear infections about six months after my one and only scuba adventure. I bet there is a link between susceptibility for inner ear, sinus problems and this post cruise MdDS.

 

 

 

I agree.

Years ago I had dizzy spells and heard a rushing sound (similar to what you hear from a Conch shell) and had a hearing loss. I was diagnosed with Meuniere's Disease. (It's an imbalance of fluid in the inner ear.) The doctor then said the only real "cure" was surgery but that it was near the brain so I chose to forego. The dizziness eventually went away. I am still susceptible to extreme dizziness when looking up or down quickly .

Anyways, we've cruised for 40 years and I almost never get seasick. However, the last 5 years or so I get what I call landsick after a cruise. It seems to last a little longer each time we cruise. At first I ignored it and it went away after a week or so. Two years ago it lasted into the second or third week after we returned so I took Tylenol Sinus (which for some strange reason was the drug that , after a lot of trial and error, helped the Meuniere's). Then last year that didn't help so on a friend's advice I switched to Meclizine and after a couple of days it went away. This year I started on the Meclizine and it wasn't helping so after the second week I tried the Tylenol Sinus. Again, after about 3 days it went away.

So, I guess my advice is to definitely go on that cruise and IF you are dizzy when you get home try one thing for a while and if that doesn't work try something else.

I LOVE cruising and would hate to give it up!!! :(

 

BTW - a good friend recently told me about a friend of her mothers' who was dizzy after her first cruise for years and years and then decided to take a second cruise anyways and the dizziness went away and never came back!

[Murray's Pop]

I believe it's called Mal de Mer.

 

Just an FYI, Mal de Mer is seasickness - the stuff you get while on the ship at sea. This is Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, a rocking sensation that occurs after exposure to motion, or "land sickness" after you get off a ship.

[ninnau]

Hello Everyone.

I am a 33 year old female and several years ago in June July of 2007, I went on a week long cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. The last night was especially rocky and our cabin was near the front of the ship. After disembarking I experienced what I think was MdDS for several weeks, I believe it was just under a month's time, before the symptoms went away. If you are not familiar with what MdDS is, it's the sensation of being on the boat when you are on land that is usually only alleviated by movement in a car or boat (something like that) and for some can last years. There is no cure but many go into remission where they feel normal again. There is little research on it so there is no way of knowing if one is in the high risk group to have dizziness for a long time or just for a few weeks, as far as I have found. I have done some questioning among support groups for MdDS but their group is biased of course, towards encouraging me never to cruise again. Maybe this group, as a group of repeat cruisers, has a different point of view.

 

So that you know it isn't MdDS if it's just a few days, or if it's relieved by typical drugs used for seasickness like Bonine. Specifically, antivert, bonine, meclizine, dramamine, scopolamine seem to be of little use. Valium and related medications such as Klonapin are helpful in some persons. If what you had responds to that it is not MdDS. Also, you would feel great on the boat but then sick after the boat...not both. MdDS will feel better if you're in a car or on another boat. You feel like you're still on the boat, basically.

 

After that episode I did go on one overnight ferry and several small ferries over theyears but never had a recurrence.

 

I have been invited on a 14 day cruise around the Mediterranean leaving on April21 of this year and I have been posting and sending emails looking forinformation on whether it is too risky for me to travel again.

 

Questions I have been asking include: If you have MdDS did you have a smaller episode before the larger episode from which you currently suffer or do you always suffer episodic symptoms which pass? Do you prevent your symptoms with any means successfully? Do you think it matters how calm or rocky the sea is and was the cruise that affected you the on the Med at all? Do you think it's possible for someone to experience the symptoms once and never again, even if they do other cruising? Do you think it's too risky to endeavor to go on the cruise? Is it rare for episode to be long lasting or do typically the episodes remain short as

mine did?

 

 

Thanks so much and I hope these aren't too many questions. As it stands I'm leaning against going on the cruise but it's quite a shame as it would be a lovely experience if I remained well.

 

btw this cruise critic account belongs to my father who loves to cruise.

I had it on my first cruise, way back in the 70's, but have never had it since. It only lasted for a day or two and then I was fine.

[sredish]

Mine lasted for a few days after the first cruise, but it wasn't serious.. I found any allergy medicine helped, like an antihistamine. Anything to open up your inner ear and help bring back the equilibrium.

[Clydesmom7865]

I have only taken two cruises and I have had it both times. I am absolutely FINE while on board anything moving but as soon as I am on dry land: uurrrrp. The entire world is swaying as though on a rocking boat. I am NOT nor have I ever been prone to motion sickness and I am an avid theme park ride and roller coaster rider!

 

My doctor clearly did not understand that MDDS is NOT the same as Mal-de-mer. He prescribed the scopolamine patches which I never used. Not all physicians realize that this really isn't sea sickness and that anti-anxiety medications work better for some reason even though you aren't anxious either.

 

It was not as bad this last time as the first cruise. It generally lasted about a week at most when I got home from the first cruise and about 4 days this last time. It isn't pleasant but it also isn't life threatening.

[dgparent]

I have had it the last few days, hopefully it is gone now. Very weird sensation.

[Muushka]

On a 7 night cruise in 2004 we had up to 35 foot seas. While I was not seasick, I did experience the rocking like I was still on the ship for approx 6 weeks after the cruise.

 

The following year we did a cruise with up to 18 foot seas. With that cruise the post rockiness lasted about a week.

 

Since then I use the Patch (Scopolamine) for at least the first 3 days (on the cruise). While the seas have only been up to 15 ft since using the patch, I have never experienced the rocking post cruise again.

 

Good luck!

[Purplsmurf]

I have a friend that got it after her cruise early December.....and still has it. I felt so bad because I talked her into going on a cruise and then she got this! :( she went to physical therapy for it. Not sure of any meds she might've taken, but unfortunately it hasn't gone away. She has good days and bad days. The doctor told her that she might always have it.

[1bsymom]

I get it for about 3 days after every cruise....it is so strange because I don't have any sea sickness on the boat! I don't take anything and luckily it goes away.

[gail8]

Yes once it lasted 2 months, once 2 weeks really bad, usually a day or two. Never know what causes it but read a website that was interesting about it. Just search disembarkment syndrome, virtual tourist, and loud noise to find it.

 

Gail

[royalcruz]

I had it for a few days after my first cruise, which was on an older ship that probably lacked stabilizers. I wasn't actually seasick, but the ground felt like it always rocking. I haven't had it since.

Edited April 13, 2013 by royalcruz

[Presto2]

I had it for about a month after our first cruise which was only a 2 day mini cruise from Cyprus to Haifa on a Louis ship called the Marissa. We've since been on 4 cruises in August since on much newer ships (either in cabins right at the front or aft cabins) and it has only tended to last a day or so if at all.

 

We are going on a 4 day taster cruise on IOS in later October so that may change everything if it gets rough !

 

:D

[joschus]

My daughter was referred to one of the most respected physicians for her nearly continual dizziness (not related to being on the sea) and headaches. After trying all sorts of other doctors, she went to a "dizziness specialist's" clinic in Chicago and it made all the difference in her symptoms. The website is http://dizzy-doctor.com/index.php

Good luck to you!

[runnerandme]

My sister suffered this after two cruises. She had used the transderm patch both times. Dr. did a vertigo treatment, ( she was turned upside down , etc) made her sicker but it went away. She now uses Bonine ( chewable) before she gets on the plane to go to the cruise, and one a day in the morning for up to a week after she gets home. She has never had the problem again. She too was going to give up cruising. So glad this works for her.

[miched]

That sensation is often referred to as "sea legs". It is a strange but I have never had it very long after going on land.

 

Sea legs can mean getting adjusted to walking on a ship or the sensation of still being on a ship when getting off and walking on land.

 

Buy a Oprah watch (Phillip Stein) as that is supposed to cure everything. :D

 

 

.

Edited April 13, 2013 by miched