do ear problems = a bad cruise

[Mrs.G]

i am planning a cruise for me and my friends. one of them has ear problems and she is afraid of getting sick on the cruise. Does anyone have ear problems and cruises dont bother you? and if they do is there something you can take to make it better? Thanks!

[willysgrandma]

What kind of ear problem does she have? If it is an inner ear issue, she might have some problems. She should speak to her doctor to see if there is some medication she can take in case she isn't feeling too good.

[wieslaw]

i am planning a cruise for me and my friends. one of them has ear problems and she is afraid of getting sick on the cruise. Does anyone have ear problems and cruises dont bother you? and if they do is there something you can take to make it better? Thanks!

 

Hi Mrs. G

 

what do you mean by "ear problems" ?

 

Wes

[Mrs.G]

she said that she got a bad ear infection when she was in college where she ended up in the hospital for a couple of days. she said when she flys she has to take dramamine. atleast i think that is what she said she takes. she said it just makes her feel bad and she is worried that the cruise will make her sick.

[Sue L]

I have miserable ears, constant ear infections as a kids and even now a 48 I get them several times a year. They make me crazy when I fly, pain and stuffiness. I chew gum like a cow and use Earplanes when flying to help the problem, because if they clog I lose what little hearing I have left (long story).

 

When I cruise, absolutely NO problems. No sickness, love the rocking a rolling, except when I am in heels. :rolleyes:

[Ella2]

I have major inner ear problems that sometimes surface when flying, but have never had a problem while cruising...my ear problems have to do with the pressure issues when flying and the effect on my eustachian tube.

 

Your friend should talk to her doctor; I use prescription steroid nasal sprays and antihistimines as needed (thankfully, not often). If she has more VERTIGO issues, I would suggest she take Bonine (brand name for meclizine) for the entire cruise, as directed on the box...and take the first dose the morning you sail. I have had vertigo issues with other ear problems as well, and that is actually one of the things that is prescribed for dizziness.

[bermudashorts]

Ear drum replacement in the late 70s as a kid.

Don't know if they did a great job back then..lol

I get car sick and sea sick (not that bad anymore) but it doesn't stop me from cruising.

 

Tell her to go to the ear doctor.

He will prescribe meclizine an a allergy med to stop the swelling in the ear canal.

 

I also use the relief band

Cheaper on ebay

 

http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Relief-Band-Motion-Sickness/dp/B0000AY4VL

[cb at sea]

I have to take a decongestant when I fly, or it feels like my ear will explode! I asked my ENT about it, and he proscribed a steroid nasal spray when I had a 10 hour flight to Hawaii. It made all the difference! No WAY I could have done that flight with excruciating ear pain!

If that's her problem, the ship shouldn't exacerbate it. If it's a motion sickness problem, Bonine will work well, if she takes it daily.

[FreewayFortune]

My ears get clogged a lot and I have no issues with sea sickness. Hopefully unless your friend has serious ear troubles they'll be fine on the cruise.

[Arizona Laura]

My DH had some ear discomfort /congestion but did not tell anyone prior to cruise. On the second day of the cruise started with vertigo. Put patch on, still had symptoms but managed to get through cruise. Finally after 5 days of dizziness at home talked him into going to dr. He had an ear infection plus fluid. One month before the dizziness and pain subsided.

Lesson learned..see dr pre cruise if ear symptoms. He could have been on antibiotic and meds prior to 2 flights and cruise. He loved cruising but I know he is afraid that he'll have dizziness again on next cruise.

[Lauderdalegal]

If she gets vertigo, like I do , she should be ok without taking anything. It all depends on how the ship is moving and size of the ship.

 

The times when I "feel" as if vertigo might be coming on are walking down the hallways and in the shower (I did fine with the tub).

 

It's never stopped me from cruising!

[wieslaw]

I have to take a decongestant when I fly, or it feels like my ear will explode! I asked my ENT about it, and he proscribed a steroid nasal spray when I had a 10 hour flight to Hawaii. It made all the difference! No WAY I could have done that flight with excruciating ear pain!

............................................

 

Hello cb,

I read this thread with some interest because it described problems that my wife was having on our last flights.

We just got back from a visit to a doctor who is a specialist in ear problems and during that visit among other things wife was discussing her flight dilemma.

The doctor prescribed Afrin Nasal Spray and Sudafed and assured my wife that this medication will take care of her problems during flight and pressure changes inside the plane - we did not have a chance yet to find out if the doctor was 'right' ( wife is still too scared to fly after her last bad experience).

We do have to trust our doctor ( a well known specialist ) ...... but by any chance is this the medication that is working for you ?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Wes

[wrp96]

Wes, that combination is exactly what has been recommended to me by my doctor - and that I have followed for years. My mom does the same.

 

Here's the hints that I was given by my doctor in regards to the Afrin. Spray in each nostril as the plane is being pushed back from the gate.

Then spray again when the plane starts descending. Make sure to keep kleenex handy, also she'll want to drink lots of water as the afrin will definitely dry out your sinuses.

[pcur]

I take guaifenesin/phenylephrinehc periodically for inner ear swelling which causes intermittent tinnitus. It's a prescription decongestant. My doctor prescribes it for her husband to take when he flies because his ears BLEED after he flies.

 

I take these just before boarding the plane, and then the day after, maybe 2 days. My ears usually react to the pressure changes going UP and DOWN both, so the few days after can be bad.

 

This stuff works really well for me, and keeps me from having sinus and ear problems. There is no side effects (medicine-head, sleepiness, etc.). It thins the mucus in the ear canals and sinuses so they drain completely. The only thing is it can dehydrate the mucous linings, so drinking lots of water counteracts that, which you're supposed to do when you fly, anyway.

 

Your friend might ask about it.

[wrp96]

I take guaifenesin/phenylephrinehc periodically for inner ear swelling which causes intermittent tinnitus. It's a prescription decongestant. My doctor prescribes it for her husband to take when he flies because his ears BLEED after he flies.

 

This stuff works really well for me, and keeps me from having sinus and ear problems. There is no side effects (medicine-head, sleepiness, etc.).

 

When I take guaifenesin it keeps me up. I can only take it early in the morning if I want to sleep at all that night. Other family members have the same thing happen.

[pcur]

When I take guaifenesin it keeps me up. I can only take it early in the morning if I want to sleep at all that night. Other family members have the same thing happen.

 

WOW!!:eek: That really surprises me, because I've never experienced any sleep problems with this. I take any time of the night or day I start to get stuffy. Maybe it's because I only take a half tab at a time, so I can take one in the am and one in the pm?

[ColoradoMom!!]

What is guaifenesin/phenylephrinehc ?

 

I have had horrible ear pain for about a month. Diagnosed with a bad ear infection (my first) three weeks ago. Took the full 10 days of antibiotic, and now I am back to ear and throat pain. Kept thinking it would just go away. Anyone had an ear infection that didn't respond to antibiotics? I hate to go spend the $$ at the Dr.'s to hear them say "just give it some time . . ."

[pcur]

What is guaifenesin/phenylephrinehc ?

 

I have had horrible ear pain for about a month. Diagnosed with a bad ear infection (my first) three weeks ago. Took the full 10 days of antibiotic, and now I am back to ear and throat pain. Kept thinking it would just go away. Anyone had an ear infection that didn't respond to antibiotics? I hate to go spend the $$ at the Dr.'s to hear them say "just give it some time . . ."

 

It's a decongestant that drains ALL the mucous from your sinuses and eustatian (sp???) tubes. I was told by my doc that ear infections are frequently because the inner ear area is too small. My youngest DS was an ear infection toddler, and it was because his tubes were too small, so the bacteria have a nice warm, moist place to thrive. The mucous build-up gives them a great place to stay and thrive.

 

Draining the mucous not only makes you feel better, but it discourages the bacteria from multiplying by taking away the "good" environment, and flushes things out.

 

The drainage isn't blow-your-nose type, but just thins it out so it doesn't congest and build up. Probably goes out through the digestive system, and keeps it from thickening, which is what causes the congestion and subsequent infections.

[wieslaw]

Wes, that combination is exactly what has been recommended to me by my doctor - and that I have followed for years. My mom does the same.

 

Here's the hints that I was given by my doctor in regards to the Afrin. Spray in each nostril as the plane is being pushed back from the gate.

Then spray again when the plane starts descending. Make sure to keep kleenex handy, also she'll want to drink lots of water as the afrin will definitely dry out your sinuses.

 

Hello wrp,

thanks for your response and I am glad that this combination works.

I / we do trust 'the doctor' and his recommended Rx ...... but wife is still too aprehensive to fly and we might have to postpone a cruise or two.

And yes the procedure what you have described is exactly the same what is written on the Rx except it recommends "2 puffs each nostril" ....and the Sudafed to be taken 1 hr before flight.

 

wrp - does the pain completely go away when the medication and the procedure is used ?

 

Thanks, Wes

[ColoradoMom!!]

What is guaifenesin/phenylephrinehc ?

 

It's a decongestant that drains ALL the mucous from your sinuses and eustatian (sp???) tubes. I was told by my doc that ear infections are frequently because the inner ear area is too small.

 

Draining the mucous not only makes you feel better, but it discourages the bacteria from multiplying by taking away the "good" environment, and flushes things out.

 

The drainage isn't blow-your-nose type, but just thins it out so it doesn't congest and build up. Probably goes out through the digestive system, and keeps it from thickening, which is what causes the congestion and subsequent infections.

 

Thanks! I found a generic of it at Costco - but it is also sold under the Mucinex brand. I think the only difference in the Mucinex is that it has the sudafed PE stuff in it that you can get without a perscription. Anyone try this Mucinex?

[pcur]

Everyone reacts differently to meds, as posted above by wrp96. I CANNOT take sudafed; gives me major medicine-head.

 

My guif-watchmacallit dosage is 15 mg (a 30 mg pill cut in half), and I take them every 12 hours.

[winncove]

If you have heart problems, specifically fast rhythm [fibrillation], do not use Sudafed. Not sure about other types. Of course everyone should check w/their MD before taking any new meds. IMHO, pharmacists sometimes keep up better w/drug reactions since it's their primary profession.