Any thoughts on battling after cruise dizziness???

[m&m123]

A friend of mine developed disembarkment syndrome after her cruise in December and is still having lingering effects of balance and movement issues. She is trying everything to get better and nothing yet. (Meds,acupuncture, chiro, therapy etc.).
Is there anybody out there who has had it linger for this long?

I am looking to see if anyone has some suggestions I can give her as she is not on these boards. Her type is pretty rare and not much is known.

As I typed my new post this other question about dizziness got bumped up. Looks like my question was merged with this one! Why? I had a specific question to diser's to ask for help with someone who has now had this syndrome for 4 months. She knows what it is called!
Just looking for some help from those that have the rare kind that doesn't seem to go away.

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

FWIW, the post cruise dizziness I've been experiencing since Saturday is finally gone!
I ended up not taking anything.

 

[diesel]

As I typed my new post this other question about dizziness got bumped up. Looks like my question was merged with this one! Why? I had a specific question to diser's to ask for help with someone who has now had this syndrome for 4 months. She knows what it is called!
Just looking for some help from those that have the rare kind that doesn't seem to go away.

My husband had it for about 6 months after our cruise. Still suffers from it 2 yrs later after flying on a plane or long car rides. Doesn’t last as long as 6 months but at least a few weeks. When he first had the symptoms (after 3 months) he went to his dr. and they did an MRI and CAT scan to rule out any other issue. There is no cure or treatment. The Dr.s did prescribe an anti-anxiety med that would help with the symptoms but they said time is the only way it clears up. I wish your friend luck. My husband was so miserable for those 6 months.

 

[m&m123]

My husband had it for about 6 months after our cruise. Still suffers from it 2 yrs later after flying on a plane or long car rides. Doesn’t last as long as 6 months but at least a few weeks. When he first had the symptoms (after 3 months) he went to his dr. and they did an MRI and CAT scan to rule out any other issue. There is no cure or treatment. The Dr.s did prescribe an anti-anxiety med that would help with the symptoms but they said time is the only way it clears up. I wish your friend luck. My husband was so miserable for those 6 months.

Thanks for the Info!

 

[disjest8]

I usually get the land leg syndrome for a few days to a few weeks each time we cruise. Unfortunately on our last cruise, I got terrible bed spinning vertigo the last night and have had it since....5 weeks and 4 days! I'm having some additional tests done next week, but my doctor is relatively confident that it's a type of vertigo due to re-positioning of particles in the inner ear. Our last day and night were pretty choppy and she thinks that may have triggered it. The link below tells more about it.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vertigo/DS00534

The good news is that simple physical therapy can frequently provide relief. I have my first physical therapy appointment tomorrow, so I'll try to post an update this weekend.

While the vertigo is definitely an irritant, it won't stop me from cruising. I'm booked on an 8 day on the Magic on May 10th. Call me crazy.

 

[LoriABil]

Another good site for information is www.vestibular.org. It has resources for patients with dizziness, like articles and even a way to find healthcare providers who specialize in vertigo and vestibular problems.

Mal de barquement can last from weeks to (rarely) years. The only thing I would add to what previous posters have said is that there seems to be a link to dehydration. People who get dehydrated tend to be more likely get it. But then again, maybe they are dehydrated because of feeling ill! As far as treatment: Drink plenty of fluids, especially light electrolytes (think Pedialyte or Vitamin Water as opposed to sports drinks). Bonine is great to control symptoms. Limit caffeine, salt and sugar because this prolongs duration of symptoms.

 

[LoriABil]

I usually get the land leg syndrome for a few days to a few weeks each time we cruise. Unfortunately on our last cruise, I got terrible bed spinning vertigo the last night and have had it since....5 weeks and 4 days! I'm having some additional tests done next week, but my doctor is relatively confident that it's a type of vertigo due to re-positioning of particles in the inner ear. Our last day and night were pretty choppy and she thinks that may have triggered it. The link below tells more about it.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vertigo/DS00534

The good news is that simple physical therapy can frequently provide relief. I have my first physical therapy appointment tomorrow, so I'll try to post an update this weekend.

While the vertigo is definitely an irritant, it won't stop me from cruising. I'm booked on an 8 day on the Magic on May 10th. Call me crazy.

I hope you get a good therapist! This is what I specialize in! If your dizziness is from "particles" in the inner ear, PT should help. Don't give up, though. Sometimes if it has been going on for a while, I find patients need 2 or 3 times to resolve. But they always feel better after that 1st treatment!

 

[NaplesFLMom]

I work in a physical therapy office and they do the epley maneuver for people with symptoms of vertigo and this seasickness feeling. Call one locally and ask if they do this. Sometimes it can be corrected in one visit. Some have tried the YouTube version with success also. Don't continue to suffer. Call!

Good luck all! Hopefully I won't get it on my disney wonder cruise next week April 27th

 

[CT Mom of 3]

Oh gosh - add me to the list! Just got off the Wonder yesterday and I am rockin and rollin all over the place. After our cruise on the Fantasy in July, I had it for 6 weeks. I sure hope it doesn't last as long this time around.

I don't get seasick or have ear infections. Guess my body just wants to be back onboard!

 

[mjf]

We are off the Fantasy now 5 weeks and I am still rocking and swaying. People think I'm nuts!

I am not dizzy or nauseous but it feels like the ground is moving beneath me up and down or side to side depending on if I'm standing or sitting. I would classify it as disturbing and bothersome but not debilitating. Although I am starting to stress on the fact that it may not go away. It seems to go away when driving and I'm fine running outside, but I do feel it when playing sports in an enclosed area (soccer dome).

I was not sea sick on board at all, although others in our group were sick during the cruise with the rough seas we had. I did not take any sort of sea sickness meds befor or after. I haven't gone to the doctor yet as I really thought it would just go away.

I loved our cruise and want to go again but not sure if I will if this doesn't stop soon

 

[disjest8]

I hope you get a good therapist! This is what I specialize in! If your dizziness is from "particles" in the inner ear, PT should help. Don't give up, though. Sometimes if it has been going on for a while, I find patients need 2 or 3 times to resolve. But they always feel better after that 1st treatment!

Thank you for the encouragement!!! I really liked my therapist, but I'm feeling pretty rotten this evening. However, I'm still hopeful it will be better tomorrow.

 

[disjest8]

I work in a physical therapy office and they do the epley maneuver for people with symptoms of vertigo and this seasickness feeling. Call one locally and ask if they do this. Sometimes it can be corrected in one visit. Some have tried the YouTube version with success also. Don't continue to suffer. Call!

Good luck all! Hopefully I won't get it on my disney wonder cruise next week April 27th

I've tried the home version of the Epley a couple of times and it seems to have helped a tiny bit. The therapist tried a different maneuver today, so maybe it will be a bit more effective. I'm determined to get over it somehow. If nothing else, maybe that cruise in May will fix it.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[disjest8]

I hope you get a good therapist! This is what I specialize in! If your dizziness is from "particles" in the inner ear, PT should help. Don't give up, though. Sometimes if it has been going on for a while, I find patients need 2 or 3 times to resolve. But they always feel better after that 1st treatment!

Where are you in Texas? Any chance you're in San Antonio or Austin?

 

[omalley1118]

The best relief for the post cruise wobblies is Tower of Terror every hour for a couple of days. I guess the up/down counteracts the port/starboard motion/feeling.

As I am a big chicken...I'll just have to put up with the dizziness.....

 

[tluther5406]

I had vertigo that lasted for weeks/months for my first three cruises. The first two cruises were during tropical storms so I blamed the extreme rocking. The third cruise had calm seas so I realized it was just me. My next two cruises were each over a week unlike the first three that were long weekends. I did not suffer from vertigo on the last two. I am now wondering if my body didn't have enough time to adjust on the shorter cruises causing the vertigo once off the ship. I just hope the vertigo doesn't return after our weeklong Eastern Caribbean cruise in June. Good luck to all of you because I definitely understand how brutal the vertigo can be as you bounce off the walls as you walk around your house and you sway in the shower feeling as if you just drank an entire bottle of an adult beverage.

 

[runwad]

I gotta tell you people this thread is scaring me. Now like I said up thread I did experience this vertigo but just took bonnine for about 4 days after our cruise and was fine. But that was 4 years ago. About 2 months ago I rode in the back seat of a car that was going up and down and around for an hour ride and I was SOOO car sick. I know I get car sick but honestly have not experienced it in about 20 years due to being in the front as an adult so I forgot. Any way for about a week I had that vertigo feeling. Everyone kept telling me to go to a doctor but I really thought it was due to getting car sick. Now I'm wondering if the cruise will affect me so much more now that I'm a little older and seem to be changing :-(

 

[Kendal]

On our first cruise was the worst our second cruise we got off the ship and went straight to sea world we was active all day with some minor vertigo and was in the car for 16 hours the next day by te time we were home we all three seemed to be fine I wonder if its because we were very active the day we left the ship?? But our first cruise it lasted for about a week when we left that cruise we set in the airport or 10houra

 

[eemaxx]

I always feel dizzy for days, sometimes a few weeks after getting off a cruise ship. This past cruise (Fantasy in January) I used my nasal rinse every night (the kind with the bottle and the little salt packets). I was still rocking for a few days afterwards, but the spells were MUCH less frequent and it only lasted for a few days. Not sure if that was a coincidence or not, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[Kendal]

I also just read that a worker on a ship recomends a vigorous workout the day prior to getting off of the ship tends to help and constant moveing around after so I would say the day we walked around sea world helped us?? I'm no expert but just letting you know what I read

 

[kenly777]

Replying to a very old thread, but I have been suffering with this for eight months! I was wondering if others still had symptoms? I have some days where it's not so bad, but it really seems to get worse when a storm is coming.

How did PT work for the people who suffer with it long term?