Tips for dealing with vertigo

[phillymummer]

Hello!

I figure I would ask this here since more rides cause motion sickness at Universal than over at Disney.

So, my hubby started having trouble with rides several years, after he blew out an ear drum. Ever since then he has been sensitive to rides. He can tolerate mild coasters like BTMRR at Disney but nothing that spins more than TSMM (he got very dizzy on the cat in the hate ride!). He does not get nauseous- he gets vertigo. He is not big on taking medicine, so he has never tried motion sickness pills. No... I take that back... he tried 2 bonine before going on a steam boat on Lake George and they make him lightheaded! He didn't get "sea sick", though! He doesn't want to take that again!

Will something like meclazine even help him? Or is there something else that might better help him? I think he really wants to try some rides at Universal but is nervous. He did FJ on our last trip and he down and out several hours. He doesn't want to do that again, but also doesn't want to sit on a bench the entire day! Does the inner ear issue complicate the matter?

Thanks!

~PM

 

[squirrel]

I take Bonine but I take it at night (starting the night) before I go on a cruise. I continue taking one pill each night and even after the cruise (especially if I am going to DL). I will be doing the same for my Universal trip next year- start the night before going on rides.

When you said he took 2 Bonine was that right before getting on the boat? I would have to check the package but I think you only need to take one pill, maybe taking 2 made him lightheaded.

 

[theotherlostprincess]

Just an fyi bonine is meclizine before you go out buying more stuff :]

 

[phillymummer]

Humm.... Interesting. My hubby took 1 meclazine yesterday and didnt have any issues. Maybe the problem with the bonine was the fsct he took 2 at once. Or.....this is going to sound so dumb, but is meclazine chewable like bonine? He swallowed it whole like tylenol. Maybe that makes a difference.

But i am still left wondering if any medicine is going to help,him when the problem stems from an inner ear issue.

 

[DisneyOma]

Humm.... Interesting. My hubby took 1 meclazine yesterday and didnt have any issues. Maybe the problem with the bonine was the fsct he took 2 at once. Or.....this is going to sound so dumb, but is meclazine chewable like bonine? He swallowed it whole like tylenol. Maybe that makes a difference.

But i am still left wondering if any medicine is going to help,him when the problem stems from an inner ear issue.

The meclazine works on rewiring the brain to handle the screwy input from the nerves that attach in the inner ear. BTW, the eardrum is not part of the inner ear - it's the barrier between the outer ear and middle ear. If he's having balance/vertigo issues, it's in the semicircular canals. He should go back to the doctor and have stuff checked out. A ruptured eardrum should have healed by now, and have nothing to do with inner ear issues.

 

[phillymummer]

thank you! that is good to know. He always assumed the problems he has now was a result of the blown ear drum bc it was after that incident he could no longer handle rides. He also has a tendency to get car sick on long drives, even in the front passenger seat. Getting him back to the doctor, though will be next to impossible. He is one of "those guys" who hates doctors.

Hopefully the meclazine will work for him then.

 

[squirrel]

The first package I bought was the name brand Bonine and was chewable. I was warned on the Dis that it tastes bad and to just swallow it, so that's what I did. The next time I went to purchase they didn't have the name brand so I bought Meclazine in the stores brand. It was not chewable. I have to go down to the US to buy as we don't have it up here in Canada.

I too get car sick (never actually thrown up) if not in the front. I'm not 100% sure but I would think the Meclazine will work. You said he was not sick on the boat when he took 2 Bonine.

 

[Brenda Kim]

I have always gotten car sick in back seat and sea sick on any boat, but hate taking any medication. I found that if I take ginger candies, or ginger chews I get over sudden onsite queasiness pretty quickly. It works for theme park rides, but not for long term movement like cars rides or cruises. I also have recently started getting vertigo, it happens when the weather changes and can last a month to half the dang year, I found that ginger helps that as well.

Has anyone tired those motion sick bracelets?

 

[schumigirl]

Brenda, I tried those bands on the ferry between Copenhagen and Oslo........it was slightly rough I have to admit but they were useless........did try them going the short hop across the English Channel and didn't work then either......

I too find ginger helps take away the nauseous feeling after a ride.....but does nothing for the actual symptoms of dizziness.......

Vertigo is horrible.

 

[darlingdeb]

Just an FYI, if vertigo is a long term issue in your general life, after a doctor's apt, go see a chiropractor! I had a very rough 1 1/2 year period where I had vertigo and felt pretty bad. Of the 6 different doctors, a hospitalization, spinal tap, etc. within two weeks after a few adjustments I was almost feeling like my normal self. To me, it was almost a miracle. My whole life was affected. Also, a bite guard for sleeping, special pillow and certain positions were extremely helpful. Not staying one position too long is really important as well as no repetitive motions, i.e. weeding, raking. So many people are afraid of chiropractors for many reasons. A recommendation from someone you know will help. Anything new is scary.

 

[soniam]

I started taking a medication a few years ago, still taking, that sometimes causes dizziness. I was feeling dizzy and having what felt like a mild anxiety attack on BMTRR and 7DMT. Last trip, we went to Universal. I was really worried. However, I found that the motion simulator stuff wasn't bad for me. If my brain knows that we aren't really doing these things, then it was fine. For instance, I could close my eyes or look for a stationary point. This doesn't totally help on FJ, since it does toss you around a bit. I also think riding FJ, Simpsons, and others many times, 3-4, helped a lot. YMMV. I think my issue is more psychological than physical. For instance, I have always enjoyed the teacups. After Uni, BMTRR and 7DMT were a breeze. I think next trip I will try Space Mountain. I also found taking slow deep breaths helped me.

I also had a problem on a snorkel boat off Kauai a few years ago. I didn't feel nauseous really, just had a ton of butterflies in my stomach and felt anxious. Sitting down below helped some. Also, after snorkeling, they opened the bar. I had one drink, and it made a huge difference. So I think relaxation is also important.

I hope your husband solves his issue.

 

[lvdis]

Just an FYI, if vertigo is a long term issue in your general life, after a doctor's apt, go see a chiropractor! I had a very rough 1 1/2 year period where I had vertigo and felt pretty bad. Of the 6 different doctors, a hospitalization, spinal tap, etc. within two weeks after a few adjustments I was almost feeling like my normal self. To me, it was almost a miracle. My whole life was affected. Also, a bite guard for sleeping, special pillow and certain positions were extremely helpful. Not staying one position too long is really important as well as no repetitive motions, i.e. weeding, raking. So many people are afraid of chiropractors for many reasons. A recommendation from someone you know will help. Anything new is scary.

Wow, this could have been me! I went through nearly the same thing a couple of summers ago and no one was able to help me either until I started going to a chiropractor. I had never been to a chiropractor, but decided to try after months of desperation. I swear by her now! I agree, it is like a miracle. I now go to her once a month to be sure it doesn't get bad again. She helped with my headaches too! I hope others have good results if they decide to go this route.

 

[donnajherren]

Count me as someone else who anticipated issues with the rides but didn't experience any. I've always had motion sickness, but meclizine makes me so drowsy that I can only take a 1/4 dose at a time! My doctor prescribed scopolamine patches for our summer trip. I wore one for less than a day before I had to ditch it. The side effects were killing me---easy dehydration and sunlight sensitivity in Florida in late May? maybe literally--and I dreaded getting ill on the rides, but it never happened.

Obviously your husband already knows he gets dizzy on rides. But take heart that it might not actually be worse than Disney for him.

(Also, two Bonine? That's like 50mg of meclizine. I'd be unconscious. Maybe he could try a smaller dose?)

 

[nkereina]

I have an inner ear condition and see a ENT specialist for it. It causes random bouts of vertigo for me. Whenever I experience one, I do the Epley Maneuver on myself which can be self-taught by watching You Tube videos. I've used meclizine before but it does not help me. I do take ginger root capsules with my vitamins on the mornings we'll be doing rides which is a natural way to help with any nausea I experience.

I will say that my vertigo hasn't been a factor on any of the rides as a result of the movement, but I do get a little queasy on MIB and The Simpsons. Just the movement and the screen make me have to close my eyes and then I'm fine. Same on Star Tours.

 

[phillymummer]

We are in Disney now. Here is an update. He had been taking 1-2 meclezine each day (one in the morning, one at night). It had helped. He was able to ride all of mountains at MK without a problem (whereas before BTMRR gave him some issues). He also did TT at epcot twice. But soarin did mess with his head a little.

So we'll see how Universal
Goes.

 

[thr33boys]

We are in Disney now. Here is an update. He had been taking 1-2 meclezine each day (one in the morning, one at night). It had helped. He was able to ride all of mountains at MK without a problem (whereas before BTMRR gave him some issues). He also did TT at epcot twice. But soarin did mess with his head a little.

So we'll see how Universal
Goes.

Yep, I can do most coasters/rides but spinning and simulation rides always cause me problems. I get vertigo occasionally as well and it is not fun. I refuse to do spinning rides but for the simulation rides, I just close my eyes when it starts to bother me. I'd rather do that than suffer afterwards. A bout of vertigo can last a couple of weeks for me.

 

[mamalolo]

Just an FYI, if vertigo is a long term issue in your general life, after a doctor's apt, go see a chiropractor! I had a very rough 1 1/2 year period where I had vertigo and felt pretty bad. Of the 6 different doctors, a hospitalization, spinal tap, etc. within two weeks after a few adjustments I was almost feeling like my normal self. To me, it was almost a miracle. My whole life was affected. Also, a bite guard for sleeping, special pillow and certain positions were extremely helpful. Not staying one position too long is really important as well as no repetitive motions, i.e. weeding, raking. So many people are afraid of chiropractors for many reasons. A recommendation from someone you know will help. Anything new is scary.

Just curious as to the pillow that you use that helps. I am currently dealing with a severe vertigo issue, and I definitely need some new ideas for helping me through it. Thanks!

 

[Disney fan sandra]

I had my dr send me for therapy on vertigo. It has helped so far I am looking forward to hitting the parks next week. I will pack meds just in case but last time the therapy worked for two years.

 

[phillymummer]

UPDATE On Universal. He was also able to to FJ one time without too many issues (on our last trip, I thought he was going to vomit!). He closed his eyes during the screens. He also loved Gringott's and we did it three times. He was okay on Cat in the Hat (the spinning made him very dizzy last time) ans MIB.

So the Meclazine was a lifesaver this trip!

 

[squirrel]

Glad he found something that works for him. Spacing the meds out was a great idea.