I don't want to go!!!

[cruzinnluvinit]

OK - time to sit down, take a deep breath and count to 4. Exhale. Repeat - 3 times. I suffer from panic attacks and I can tell you that they are no fun. Especially when you are traveling on an interstate highway, hundreds of miles from home at speeds of 70 mph in bumper to bumper traffic. There's nothing like feeling good one second and the next second your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty and you stomach is doing flip flops and you find youself in the middle lane and can't pull over. Believe me I created the word "panic".

 

First keep saying to yourself - "I will go on my cruise and enjoy myself". "I will go on my cruise enjoy myself". "I will go on my cruise and enjoy myself".

 

Second - everyone is so worried about their own luggage that they will not notice how many pieces of luggage you are handing over to the porter. As for as the gowns and suits, find a nice light weight garmet bag and carry it over your arm. That is what we do. In fact we have two garment bags so each one of us has one slung over our arms.

 

Third - Go on-line and find a packing list. You can even search for one here at cruise critic. Look under the planning link at the top of the page.

 

LASTLY - just think of how nice you are going to find it once you are settled in your cabin and you have someone who cleans your room, makes your bed, picks up the dirty towels off the bathroom floor, cooks your meal, (my favorite) washes the dishes and turns down your bed for you. And if you are lucky you will find a towel animal on your bed waiting to welcome you back to your cabin when you come back from dining.

 

We all get panicky right before we leave on a cruise so don't feel alone. I think it is just part of human nature to keep saying "what if". But you know what "what if" very seldom if ever happens.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

She went on this cruise or didn't on August 25, 2007. I keep hoping she will come back here and post so we know what a great time she had. She hasn't posted ANYWHERE since August 10th. I hope she didn't cancel her trip.

 

Linda

[JHCALLAHAN]

Just one slight caveat about cutting up your scopolamine patches: If you get a pill/tablet from your pharmacist, and it is scored down the center (has a groove), it means that the drug company promises that if you cut or break it in half, each piece will have an equal portion of the medication in it. If it is not scored, and you break it in half, the medication might not be equal in the pieces. Same goes for your patch. Unless it has cutting lines on it, Cut it up, and 3/4 of the medicine might be in 1/4 of the patch. E.

 

The manufacturer strictly recommends NOT cutting them. Cutting transdermal patches screws up the delivery system. NONE of them (Nitro patches, estrogen, etc) are supposed to be cut.

 

JHC RPh

[wieslaw]

The manufacturer strictly recommends NOT cutting them. Cutting transdermal patches screws up the delivery system. NONE of them (Nitro patches, estrogen, etc) are supposed to be cut.

 

JHC RPh

 

 

Hi JHC RPH,

 

I gave a similar 'advice' to one of the posters on this thread and the poster got very upset. I am glad that others do post and are aware that the patch should not be cut - perhaps some will save themselves a lot of problems.

 

Here is what I wrote in one of the posts above:

 

"Since you have used ' it ' before and you SWEAR BY IT, you probably

 

know about all the side affects / problems that one can have sometimes while using the patch. I am sure that you probably read about the warning not to cut the patch or the controlled distribution system might be disturbed and more of the scopolamine can get into the skin in a short time.

So this post is probably just a waste of time ..... and I hope that the patch will work for you just as it does for many others....... but just in case if some strange symptons might show up at least you can recognize them as being related to the patch "

 

and I got a very nasty response.

 

In the case of Essiesmom, the way I read this post, the poster was also trying to demostrate that the 'patch' should not have been cut.

 

 

Wes

[JHCALLAHAN]

You're right Wes. I was really posting it for general information, not aimed at Essiesmom, but I can see how it might have come across otherwise. No offense meant, just chipping in my 2 cents. Few lay people know exactly how patches work or what a sophisticated delivery system they are.

 

Fair winds,

JHC

[wieslaw]

I was really posting it for general information, .......Few lay people know exactly how patches work or what a sophisticated delivery system they are.

 

Fair winds,

JHC

 

 

Hi JHC,

an advice or explanation from someone like you ( RPh) about medication is worth to me ( and I am sure to others as well) a lot more than advice from lay or even some medical people - and I thank you.

I am not a professional in that field but after having some bad experience after one of the usage of the scopolamine patch, I made an effort to learn about that drug /and its delivery system .

Please correct me if I am wrong - wasn't there a problem with the delivery system in some of the Transderm patches in mid 90s ? That was about the time when I used them, and I remember they were taken off the US market for a while, untill corrections were made.

Like any other drug the patch is great for some and not for others.

As I got older , some of (my) other medical problems prevent me from using the patch.

JHC, thank you for posting - I am sure someone will benefit from that, and without even knowing you that someone will 'owe you one'.

Wes

[debjam24]

Hello to you all, I am so sorry for not replying to any of you after my cruise. It was totally rude and completely unforgiveable, but I hope you will forgive me. I can't even remember why I didn't after the help and advice you all gave.

 

Both me and hubby had a great time. The Ffjords were breathtaking and the ship was fantastic. I actually put on a stone in weight in a week from all the food. It is now 8 months since we went and I so want to get back on a cruise ship, it is becoming unbearable. The problem is we only have a "decent" holiday every two years so I have at least another 10 months to wait.

 

Anyway once again thanks to everyone who read my post and also replied with words of encouragement and advice. It definitely worked and helped me to enjoy a great holiday, and yes I am hooked.

 

So to anyone new who reads this please feel at home with the panic and know that it will disappear the minute you get to the port and see that bloody great ship towering over you, and all the friendly faces of your future passengers for the next few days/weeks. (They are probably feeling the same as you are).

[cruzinnluvinit]

Hello to you all, I am so sorry for not replying to any of you after my cruise. It was totally rude and completely unforgiveable, but I hope you will forgive me. I can't even remember why I didn't after the help and advice you all gave.

 

Both me and hubby had a great time. The Ffjords were breathtaking and the ship was fantastic. I actually put on a stone in weight in a week from all the food. It is now 8 months since we went and I so want to get back on a cruise ship, it is becoming unbearable. The problem is we only have a "decent" holiday every two years so I have at least another 10 months to wait.

 

Anyway once again thanks to everyone who read my post and also replied with words of encouragement and advice. It definitely worked and helped me to enjoy a great holiday, and yes I am hooked.

 

So to anyone new who reads this please feel at home with the panic and know that it will disappear the minute you get to the port and see that bloody great ship towering over you, and all the friendly faces of your future passengers for the next few days/weeks. (They are probably feeling the same as you are).

Hello,

I am so glad you had a good time. Thanks for getting back on here and letting us know. Was there anything that happened that made your worry come true? Is there anything you would change? Did you take too many clothes, like the rest of us?

 

Linda

[2Cruise4Ever]

OK, all anxious passengers, listen up ~ it's really easy: make a packing list. If you forget anything, you can buy it on board or at port. One time, I forgot my saline solution for my contacts. Got on board, went right to the gift shop and there was my very own brand. No biggie.

 

Search "packing list" here on CC. You will find a wealth of information. Then, pack. Then, take out 1/2 of what you packed and you'll be set. THEN, grab a very, very, very strong martini and hit the hay. You'll be better for it.

 

It's a vacation! Don't stress out about it. The staff on board caters to everyone (especially OCD folks like myself). You WILL have a GREAT time!!!

 

Relax, and happy sailing!! :D

 

Oh, and be forewarned: you WILL be hooked for life!!! Cruising is very addictive. A bad day on a cruise is better than my best day at work!

[simplelife]

. . .only a few rules . . .half of the clothes . . . twice as much money . . .

Put your valuables such as passport, doc papers, jewelry and a change of clothes in your carry-on and go on vacation . . .tequila.

 

You said it, Clackey!

Keep it simple and relax - that's the beauty of cruising!

[debjam24]

Hi Cruizinnluvinit, no nothing that I worried about came true, I worried about Hubby having to wear a Dinner Suit/Tux - he took to it like a duck to water (I think secretly he really enjoyed it but would never admit tp that in public). Yes we took too many clothes, though as we did the Norwegian Ffjords it was difficult to guess the weather, but we still took too much.

 

And yes 2cruise4ever you do get hooked. I read so many posts on here saying how people got hooked I thought no way I'm not that sort of person but P&O go live with their 2009/2010 prices on 22nd April and I can't wait (we can only afford a "decent" holiday ever 2 years). I am poring over their brochure and the web site tryong to decide which cabin to choose (I have already picked the holiday - Caribbean & Panama Canal).

 

Now I am not a first timer where can I go to get reassurance about my next cruise? Cause want a bet I will be just as hysterical when it comes round to the next cruises. (At least I have another 18 months to work up to that point).

[cruiserbryce]

nothing but first cruise worries...I remember how many questions I had before our 1st...and as far as packing...there isnt that much different about packing for a cruise vs. packing for another vacation

[NCTribeFan]

There are threads every few days about what to do/use for seasickness.

 

This isn't one of those threads, though, is it? It's gotten totally off topic.

 

In every one of those threads, people bring up the possible side effects of the patch.

 

I added ginger to my bonine regimen with great success in December.

 

There, now back on topic...

 

lists are a life saver for someone like me, who is OCD and prone to panic attacks. And I still find that I pack more than I'll ever need, so I continue to fine tune my lists before each cruise. DD & I are down to one suitcase each and one carryon. And even though I'm driving to the ports this year, I'm going to keep the packing light, just because I now can!

[cruzinnluvinit]

Hi Cruizinnluvinit, no nothing that I worried about came true, I worried about Hubby having to wear a Dinner Suit/Tux - he took to it like a duck to water (I think secretly he really enjoyed it but would never admit tp that in public). Yes we took too many clothes, though as we did the Norwegian Ffjords it was difficult to guess the weather, but we still took too much.

 

And yes 2cruise4ever you do get hooked. I read so many posts on here saying how people got hooked I thought no way I'm not that sort of person but P&O go live with their 2009/2010 prices on 22nd April and I can't wait (we can only afford a "decent" holiday ever 2 years). I am poring over their brochure and the web site tryong to decide which cabin to choose (I have already picked the holiday - Caribbean & Panama Canal).

 

Now I am not a first timer where can I go to get reassurance about my next cruise? Cause want a bet I will be just as hysterical when it comes round to the next cruises. (At least I have another 18 months to work up to that point).

You'll have fun looking on the boards about the ports of call and going to the closest book store and reading their cruising/caribbean islands. There is so much to read. I found out some wonderful information that helped me at different ports. We showed up in San Juan and knew to take the ferry to the Bacardi plant so we didn't pay the 30 dollars for the cruiseline arranged tour. We spent 3.50 each I think, 50 cents for the ferry and 3.00 for the taxi. I was the hero of the day to our small group. You shouldn't be nervous this time, just excited. Have a great time.

 

Three days ago we bought new windows for the house, so we may not be vacationing for a few years. I want to cruise so bad.

 

Linda