Cruising w/ Menieres(noncontagious/similiar to motionsickness)

[HappyGilmore]

Just wondering if there is anyone out there that has Menieres, has cruised with DCL and if so how well you handled it. I posted about Meneires a year or so ago and had several replies but didn't print the info. My Father (US Navy veteren from about 40 yrs ago/ pre-meneires) has finally decided to brave it out and travel on DCL with us 2/13/03. He has not had any episodes lately so we are going to keep our fingers crossed. He will be talking with his Dr. about getting the patch to help prevent any threat of sea sickness but any experiences you all can comment on it would make it a little easier in knowing what to expect.

 

[disneyholic family]

i have menieres syndrome and was on the 3 day wonder cruise in july...
however, unlike your father, i take a miracle drug that totally takes care of it..
maybe your father takes it, but i doubt it as it's not available for sale in the US....(if memory serves, the generic is betahistine dihydrochloride....which is why you can't take it together with motion sickness medicine....the menieres medicine is a histamine...motion sickness medicine is an antihistamine.....translation: very nasty drug interaction).....
it's available in every other country in the world....just not the US...
(it's been around about 40 years.....i checked with the FDA and the reaaons that it's not in the US is because no one ever applied for permission from the FDA....guess there's not enough moeny in it...)

i was very worried before the cruise because you can't take any of the seasickness medications in combination with the menieres medicine...
but as it turned out, i was perfectly fine....no seasickness at all ...
but as i said, i was taking my menieres medicine....i take it every day for life...

so i'm not really any help to you as i can't tell you how the motion sickness medicines do on the ship for someone with menieres...

 

[bill kellum]

I've had Meniere's disease for ten years now and have been on five cruises and leaving on december one for my sixth cruise. My first cruise ,as a precaution I took dramamine on the first day. after that I took nothing.on the last day of my first cruise I felt a bit off and laid down for a couple of hours and then I was fine. Every cruise since there has been no problems what so ever.

 

[howardk613]

We just returned from our 3rd cruise and my DW who has menieres had no problems on any of our cruises so go and enjoy that amazing ship.

 

[HappyGilmore]

Just wanted to thank everyone that replied for the words of encouragement. I will pass this thread along to my father to put his mind at ease.

 

[albiats]

I also suffer from Meniere's and have been on 5 DCL cruises without any major problems.

I have several 'layers' of preventive measures that I take while onboard.

I take Ginger Root capsules, an herbal supplement, starting at least one week before the cruise and at least two days after. One capsule in the morning and one at night. Ginger is known to help calm stomachs and has very few side effects.

I have prescription Antivert 25mg. I take one tablet about 11am before boarding the ship. I take a second tablet (or a half tablet) just before the ship pulls away from the dock knowing that it takes at least 15 minutes to clear the channel before it heads out to sea. If the ship seems to be experiencing motion as it passes through the Gulf Stream, I might take another half tablet, about 11pm and before bedtime.

After the first evening, I only take the Antivert when I need to, and sometimes just half of a tablet, depending on my symptoms.

I also have an inexpensive set of the elastic wrist bands that use a pressure point on your wrists. I use them sometimes, but I haven't seen much success with them. They either don't work for me or I don't know how to apply them, but I have had very limited success with them.

I would suggest trying whatever remedies you have planned well before boarding the ship to make sure you don't have any side effects from them.

hope that helps