Linda McManus
Mal de Debarquement Syndrome
MSC Opera Cruise - March 12, 2005
Linda McManus
Submission Date: August 14, 2007
Event Date: March 12, 2005
Cruise Bruise: MdDS
Bruise Location: Caribbean
Age: 54
Home Town: Texas
Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
Ship: MSC Opera
Details:
The cruise that just won't end, or Extended 'floating' after a 1 week cruise. A classic case of Mal de Debarquement (illness after leaving the ship).
In March 2005, the beautiful MSC Opera sails from Florida to delightful Caribbean destinations with much excitement, food, and entertainment along the way.
Incredible sunsets over open water give way to evening festivities. Dinner is followed by aperitif and a show; evening performances from magicians to opera are diverse and superb. Evening meals are served with style; seating at window's edge includes intercontinental travelmates with an enthusiastic sense for visiting new places and making new friends.
The invitation to join the Captain's table provides new faces and perspectives. Sharing food together extends age-old customs. The conversation is dynamic and filled with lovely memories. A trulywonderful vacation.
So where in the midst of all this fantasyland did it happen? Was it during the gentle sway of the ship while underway? Or, while observing sunsets off the deck? I'll probably never know for certain. What I do know is as follows:
The cruise included very calm seas and was without event. I did not experience seasickness. In short, for 7 days, I thoroughly enjoyed time aboard as well as the off shore excursions. Therefore, I was dismayed to realize a sensation of floating or rocking after disembarking from the cruise ship.
In truth, I recognized my 'inappropriate' symptoms after only a few days onboard, none of the other passengers I queried thought the ship was rocking as we sailed between islands!
Returned to home, I visited my regular doctor who thought that the symptoms would subside spontaneously within a week or so. Three weeks and several prescriptions later with no change in symptoms, he referred me to ENT.
Extensive testing of my ears and a MRI of the brain returned completely normal results. My ENT diagnosed MdDS and prescribed vestibular therapy. This effort did not provide symptomatic relief. Symptoms (then and now) are definitely made worse by stress; all tasks associated with work are more difficult and require extra time.
Relief of symptoms is immediate when traveling by auto, air or boat. I refuse to let this poorly understood disorder force me to alter my personal and professional activities, but I admit to regular frustration over my inability to multi-task and accomplish routine activities.
There is a video from another Cruise Bruise story that explains this condition. The video is HERE
A support group for MdDS sufferers is HERE
More MdDS cases are here
Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) is a rare balance disorder that most often develops following an ocean cruise, other type of water travel, or motion experience. MdDS persists for months to years. Common symptoms include a persistent sensation of motion such as rocking, swaying, and/or bobbing. This sensation of motion is often associated with fatigue, difficulty maintaining balance, and difficulty concentrating (impaired cognitive function).
Symptoms of MdDS include persistent sensation of motion, imbalance, fatigue, sensitivity to light, headaches, migraine headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, memory loss, ear pain, anxiety, and depression.
Symptoms are rated on a severity scale as follows:
1-2 Sensation of rocking/bobbing/swaying is almost imperceptible. Most often noticed while walking but may also be recognized while sitting, standing or lying down. Can usually perform routine daily functions without the need for rest periods.
3-4 Rocking/bobbing/swaying sensation is almost constant but can function fairly well with occasional rest periods. The sensation of rocking/bobbing/swaying may include the perception of movement along either a horizontal or vertical axis. The floor seems to move when walking (as if walking on a suspension bridge, water bed, or trampoline). Altered balance. Cannot remain standing in a fixed position with eyes closed.
5-6 Rocking/bobbing/swaying intensity is increased. Accompanied by difficulty in concentration and/or mental confusion (impaired cognitive function). Most routine tasks become difficult to accomplish. Require periods of rest. May stumble when walking.
7-8 Rocking/bobbing/swaying is more severe and noticeable while walking, standing, or sitting. Associated with considerable fatigue. Increased loss of concentration and/or mental confusion. Balance is affected (bump into objects when walking; clumsy in handling objects; may drop things).
9-10 Rocking/bobbing/swaying is extremely severe. Balance is very poor. Require support for walking and standing (have to hold onto walls). Significant mental confusion. Impaired ability to speak. Remain in bed most of the day.
Treatment
While there is no known cure for Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS), some success in managing symptoms has been realized with medications and vestibular rehabilitation.
Most anticholinergeric medications that work for other forms of dizziness and motion sickness, such as meclizine or scopolamine, are not effective in either treatment or prevention of MdDS.
