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After cruise motion problems /rocking.


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Hi there. I've only been on one cruise so far, a ten day cruise... Loved it!

When I got home though my world rocked for nine days straight. It was very disconcerting and I began to worry that it would never end!

Is this common and normal? It was quite debilitating and even walking down stairs was quite a task.

My husband just sprang a surprise on me and has booked another cruise - next week! (he's never been before. I went with a friend last time.)

I'm excited, but I confess, a bit worried that this after cruise rocking will happen again. I expected there might be some for a day or two but nine days?

 

I'm hoping that this time maybe the waters will be a little calmer, and maybe being in the middle of the ship? - (our cabin was right at the back the first time and some nights we were REALLY rolling) might help a bit? Hope so anyway.

 

Tracy

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Hi there. I've only been on one cruise so far, a ten day cruise... Loved it!

When I got home though my world rocked for nine days straight. It was very disconcerting and I began to worry that it would never end!

Is this common and normal? It was quite debilitating and even walking down stairs was quite a task.

My husband just sprang a surprise on me and has booked another cruise - next week! (he's never been before. I went with a friend last time.)

I'm excited, but I confess, a bit worried that this after cruise rocking will happen again. I expected there might be some for a day or two but nine days?

 

I'm hoping that this time maybe the waters will be a little calmer, and maybe being in the middle of the ship? - (our cabin was right at the back the first time and some nights we were REALLY rolling) might help a bit? Hope so anyway.

 

Tracy

 

"Sea legs" is a fairly common occurrence. Did you have any sinus congestion on the cruise or after? Did you spend a lot of time in the pool, and is this normal for you?

 

What has happened is that your inner ear is still experiencing the sensation of vessel motion. Motion sickness, which "sea legs" is a form of, is caused when your eyes and inner ears send different messages to the brain. On the ship, your eyes say that you're not moving (since the room moves with you), but your inner ear senses the changes in atmospheric pressure associated with vessel motion. A lot of motion sickness can be lessened just by looking at the horizon, so that your eyes see that you are moving, and agree with your inner ear.

 

At home, something is still causing the inner ear to sense changes in pressure, so you feel dizzy from the conflicting messages. Sinus congestion could cause this. Water trapped in the ear from time in the pool could also do this. When this happens try clearing your ears like you would when a plane changes altitude: holding nose and mouth and "blowing" hard, or swallowing hard. Many times this will clear the problem. If you have trouble clearing your ears on planes, there may be a medical reason for blockage in the ear (other than wax :p), so this may require a visit to your doctor.

 

Hope this helps.

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Hi and thanks.

No, I didn't have any sinus problems, no colds or anything while on the ship, or when I got home. I didn't go in the pool either (It was last winter and a cold one so I didn't swim.)

I didn't get any nausea or anything. In fact I felt perfectly fine even when they started hanging paper baggies on the stair rails for those prone to getting seasick.

 

I figured it must just have been my brain getting confused about the whole motion thing and taking it's time to adjust once back on land.

 

It just worried me a little because I remember years ago seeing a story on TV about this woman who had this happen to her and it never went away!

I'm sure that is extremely RARE.

Hope so anyway, or else I might be doomed to live on a cruise ship....forever. lol!

 

Tracy

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Hi, I haven't cruised yet but am a boater and am familiar with "land sickness" after several days on the water.

 

This sounds really silly, but one thing to try is to "reset" yourself when you are back on land by deliberately walking along a straight line, such as the painted lines in a parking lot or the edge of a long aisle way such as in an airport, or along a long carpet edge or sidewalk, and focusing on the line as you walk. Similar to watching the line on the side of the road for those who get carsick, this can remind your brain that you are in motion in a particular direction. Sitting still and visually scanning the horizon, if a view of it is available, can also help.

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Thanks Fa-li. Ok I will try that when I get back this time. (When no one is looking, lol!)

I work from home....I'm a candle maker. I can't be pouring hot wax when I feel like that. :) Doesn't quite work.

 

Tracy

Edited by Desertrose7
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That gives me hope Mike....so it "may" not necessarily happen to me this time?

I'm going to think positive anyway.

 

Oh dear....and then I saw the link and went and read it! :(

 

Funny thing is one other occasion when we flew to the US and there was a lot of turbulence I had the same thing happen, but only for a day or two. But since then it hasn't happened after air travel.

Edited by Desertrose7
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Yes, I did some googling and apparently it's quite common to get these short periods of land sickness.

I also read that it might be worth seeing a doctor and starting on some sea sickness meds even BEFORE the cruise, even if you don't necessarily feel sick while on the water.

I think it's rare for it to go on for very extended periods of time. This is what I'm telling myself anyway.

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I usually rock for 3 or 4 days after every cruise. However, after my second cruise it lasted close to a month. It's seems the worst in small spaces (like the shower).

 

It's not particularly uncomfortable, for me at least, and I kind of look at it like a nice reminder of my cruise.

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Ok, I'm not going to frighten myself into thinking "what if" .

I enjoyed the last cruise so much and it took a lot of convincing to get my hubby to warm to the idea of trying a cruise himself.

I'm just going to go and have a great time with him and if I get the rocking afterwards...well plenty of people do it seems.

Thank you :)

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That gives me hope Mike....so it "may" not necessarily happen to me this time?

I'm going to think positive anyway.

 

Oh dear....and then I saw the link and went and read it! :(

 

Funny thing is one other occasion when we flew to the US and there was a lot of turbulence I had the same thing happen, but only for a day or two. But since then it hasn't happened after air travel.

 

I had taken a dozen cruises, including a 33 day cruise, and never had it happen although I'd read about it. Then, after our 26 day cruise last year I had it happen. Suffered from it for almost a week after the cruise before it finally went away. Evidently it does not always happen, so think positive and enjoy planning for your cruise.

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We're sailing away - I just noticed how many cruises you've been on.

Maybe you just haven't had enough time on land to be able to tell, lol!

That's a lot of cruising!

 

Nah, they're still tadpoles. 38 years x 7 month/yr avg = 7900 days (first time I've ever figured that out) :D

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Hi Tracy

I experienced this after my first cruise last year. I had "sea legs" ie I walked like a drunken sailor for 3 days post cruise. I didnt experience any rocking or swaying so I was fine in bed. It was just the wobbly walking - I actually experienced this at the ports during the cruise as well.

 

We had calm seas, our cabin was down low and in mid-ships and I took seasick meds before we boarded and during the cruise.

 

I got over it pretty quickly (3 days) so I have booked another cruise which will be longer. It will be interesting to see how i go next time. It;s the the wobbly legs during port visits that I am bit concerned about.

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It's fairly normal and nothing to worry about. it happens to some and not to others. If the seas are calmer it won't be so bad the next time you cruise. I think I would ratheer have that than be seasick.

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I was on my first cruise in Jan. It was a short 4 day cruise but the on land motion problems lasted a full week afterward. The dizziness mostly occurred when I moved or turned too quickly. Fortunately, it was not my first experience with this, so I was familiar with the sensation.

 

Every time I fly or we go on a long road trip, I have the same experience. Flying or driving only causes about a half of a day of wooziness. But the cruise caused me a full week of wooziness.

 

We will be on a cruise next month for a week, so I expect I will go through the same again. It doesn't really matter to me though. I love traveling by air, land and sea. It just goes with the traveling for me. Kind of like packing and unpacking.

 

Good luck on your cruise.

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I experienced this sea leg thing, sense of motion that wasn't there, after my first cruise which was 14 day TA. It lasted about a week if I remember and was pretty mild compared to what some others here say. But I have not experienced it after subsequent cruises. Maybe some people acclimate and eventually don't experience it.

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Thanks so much everyone. I'm feeling more and more reassured that this is all "ok" and common and nothing to worry about. I'm SURE it had something to do with the rough seas we experienced and who knows it could be a lot calmer this time. (I did strangely enjoy the rolling while on the ship though, lol!)

I'm SO excited to be going. Counting down the days now :)

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:-) I called it "my own personal souvenir". It actually makes me smile, as I remember the fun time on board the ship. It goes away on it's own and nothing to be worried about.

 

True ... It goes away and it's useless (according to my doctor) to take anything for it which might actually make it worse and the best thing is to accept that it's normal and give yourself time for your body to adjust.

Seems the more motion of the ocean experienced on the cruise, the longer it takes. I've found that to be true.

LuLu

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I tell you what, the most embarrassing memory of that after cruise rocking happened when I went to a doctor when I got home as I'd been experiencing some unusual (unrelated) pains in my leg.

I TOLD him I was experiencing this vertigo/rocking feeling but none the less to decipher this leg pain he'd asked me to remove my jeans while he prodded and poked and moved my leg in all crazy ways to see if it was muscular pain or whatever.

As if that wasn't embarrassing enough, he then asked me to crouch/squat on the floor and "waddle" across the room.

I laughed and said "I cannot do that while I feel like a drunk person." but he made me try anyway. I almost face planted on the carpet.

I have NO idea what this excercise proved to him....except maybe to later provide him with a good laugh.

Goes without saying I never went back to that doctor again!

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I guess I'm the exception, I've cruised about 5 times and experienced it every time. It lasts for about a week each time. Going to try dramamine in July and hope it helps.

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