Land sickness?

[volvorules]

After my first liveaboard last November, I had some pretty bad headaches and land sickness for about 5 or 6 days after the trip. While walking down the street in St Maarten, it felt like the whole street was wallowing left and right. I only had one time while on the boat where my stomach felt a bit queasy, otherwise I don't have motion sickness issues.

I am wondering if taking dramamine or one of the other motion sickness remedies during my trip will help this land sickness? Or should I start it on the 2nd to last day and continue for a few days after I get off the boat? I am worried as I am headed to Palau for a liveaboard in a month. Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[knotical]

Mal de debarquement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't know if motion sickness medications will help, but the above article gives some potentially relevant info.

edit: found another article (still without an answer to your question):
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/Motion_Sickness

 

[eternaljonah]

i only get land sickness when out of the water too long ...

 

[g1138]

Not a scientific guess by any means but, maybe your body just got used to sloshing with the boat and probably still is compensating for it even though there's no sloshing present. Next time you're on a boat, be sure to focus on the horizon so you're reference isn't constantly tilting. Your eye sight has a lot to do with balance.

For now I would consult your doctor and give DAN a call. DAN might be able to dig something up.
1-919-684-2948 - DAN Medical Info Line (You don't have be a member or insurance holder)
Scuba Diving Medical Services

 

[Akimbo]

Just as it can take some time to get your sea legs, it can take a while to get rid of them. Many of us noticed the phenomenon after rides back from North Sea platforms to Norway on supply boats when the weather was too bad for choppers to fly.

My unscientific observations lead me to believe it wore off much faster with walking and mild physical activity. The worst was trying to go to bed soon after. A beer or glass of wine helped — but beyond that, who could tell?

I would be concerned if it lasted more than 3-4 hours without noticeable improvement. I always understood it to be a middle ear issue but that could easily be an old wives’ tale.

 

[freewillie]

A beer or glass of wine helped ...

Helps with lot of things ......

 

[eponym]

After my first liveaboard last November, I had some pretty bad headaches and land sickness for about 5 or 6 days after the trip. While walking down the street in St Maarten, it felt like the whole street was wallowing left and right. I only had one time while on the boat where my stomach felt a bit queasy, otherwise I don't have motion sickness issues.

I am wondering if taking dramamine or one of the other motion sickness remedies during my trip will help this land sickness? Or should I start it on the 2nd to last day and continue for a few days after I get off the boat? I am worried as I am headed to Palau for a liveaboard in a month. Any recommendations?

Unfortunately, your acclimation to life onboard includes constantly shifting your balance to anticipate and find which way the deck will go next. When you return to solid ground, the unconscious testing/shifting persists for some time. I'd say five days is a lot, but individuals vary. All my life I've sailed, sometimes for extended periods, and I always get the land legs on my return.

If you ask a mod to move this thread to the Dive Medicine forum (use the "report post" gadget below your post) you might get some recommendations for relieving the symptoms, especially the headaches. I'm thinking motion sickness remedies won't touch the land sickness, but try moving the thread so you get some doctor's opinions.

Good luck,
Bryan

PS. Came across this just now:

MDD usually gets worse as the day goes on, which doctors believe may have something to do with fatigue and stress. Studies of the syndrome are few and far between, but most information seems to indicate that the problem doesn't lie within the vestibular system, but in the brain itself. One reason for this hypothesis is that motion sickness remedies and medications have no effect. Dr. Timothy Hain, a neurologist at Northwestern University, working with an aeronautics engineer with credentials from MIT and NASA, has constructed one of the leading theories about MDD. They believe that the brain forms internal models to deal with an unusual environment like being out in a rocking ship. As the model gets more accurate, the likelihood that the person will get seasick decreases. They theorize that people who don't surrender these models once on land suffer from MDD.

That's from an article at discovery fit & health.

 

[Quero]

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Thread moved to Diving Medicine.

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[soltari675]

It goes away eventually. I had it after a liveaboard last spring. Lasted about 3 days or so. Slowly wore off. It's just your body adjusting from having to deal with the constant motion of the boat, back to land again.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I often get it after being offshore for 4-5 days. I always seem to notice it after getting in the truck and driving an hour or two (I feel nothing in the truck) but when I stop and have to pump gas, I always feel like the truck and pump are moving. It seems to resolve in a few hours for me and is a minor annoyance. Then again, i haven't really gotten seasick in like 15 -20 years.