Help - this is freaking me out ( Motion Sickness )

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hoi,

I recently returned from a trip to London. I was staying at a hotel by the thames, and each morning had a boat take us from the hotel to the office each morning and afternoon.

I normally do not suffer any adverse implications to boat trips and the like, for example, I have had several sea fishing trips where friends have been throwing their guts up the whole day and I have been fine.

However, yesterday, after the very short trip I am embarrassed to say, literally a few minutes the width of the river thames, I have been suffering from what is seemingly vertigo. This has lasted, on and off for 1 1/2 days.

As I have never really suffered vertigo before, or do not recall, is it normal to:

1. Feel this way after a very short trip

2. It to last 1 1/2 days (so far), on and off

3. What do people recommend?

4. Perhaps before a doctor, if necessary, what drugs at the chemist should i be looking for here?

It is worth pointing out, i think, that this seemed to last most of Wednesday, but eased towards the afternoon, returned late at night last night, and seemed to have eased in the morning, but has surfaced again in the last 2 hours.

Thanks for any help and advice

2
I assume you are a guy?...if female, well pregnant?

3
Go to an ear doctor before you buy anything from the chemist.

cheers

SC

4
It could be Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Very common. I get it on and off. Most doctors say there is no cure, however I once saw a program where a doctor claimed that you can relieve the symptoms by rotaing yourself laying 15 minutes on each side including sideways. After a week of this treatment apparently the symtoms can disapear.

5
Yes I am guy, so ruled out pregnancy

6

You think?

I know ear infections can cause this, I am just not so sure given the fact I have no ear symptoms, though not sure if I necessarily would have, and along with the fact I had made several short boat trips over the past few days, though could be coincidence, as, as I mentioned, I dont normally suffer this.

Wont an ear doc charge me for an examination though?

I have never seen a doc here.

7
Jordan, I've had a similar experience when I lived in Hong Kong. It started all of a sudden...I figured it was because of lack of sleep etc. I felt better after a couple of days. Now, a year or so later, when I finished University, I started to get the exacty same feeling and since I was an athlete I didn't think it could have been anything major (physically at least). Now, I consulted a regular doctor and they took my blood etc. in order to figure out, whether there was something wrong with me. The dizziness started to get severly wrose and it always started, immediately, when I tried to leave the appartment, forcing me to basically stay inside. I went back to the doctor and he told me, that it had to be either some sort of anxiety or seizures. My mom is a Chinese medicine practitioner and she adviced me so see a Chinese medicine practitioner, which I did. Basically, what the chinese doctor told me, was that I had to detoxify my liver and that I had Chinese symtoms of wind and dampness. I had to change my diet for a month, take special herbs and go for some acupucture treatment. The dizziness was gone after 3 weeks of intensive treatment. The way you're depicted your spells of dizziness sound like just what I've had. I suggest to visit a Chinese medicine practitioner if your regular doctor won't find anything.

8
A common cause of sudden vertigo when someone is normally not affected by water travel is something wrong in your inner ear, perhaps the start of an infection.

I've known people who would get the same reaction from excessive wax buildup and needed a regular ear washing to keep it from happening

Go see your Dr.

9
Yes, otherwise i would not of said it.

Yes

cheers

SC

10
Thanks LIB!

From initial online reading I am seeing anxiety related issues, but am not sure sure. Although I wont rule it out, seems to be an easy explanation for doctors to attribute to, when they really are not sure.

Though the issue seems to be very common i.e. lots of people experiencing this, all being told suffering anxiety.

You may be right, and I will certainly consider this.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I havent been able to decipher myself when and what is causing it or making it worse, i.e. there is no pattern, its very sporadic.

It will suddenly just occur when I am walkng or even sitting, and feel like I am on a bouncy castle / boat still.

And I dont generally feel anxious about anything, but who knows, perhaps its supressed elsewhere.

11
Ya, same with me...it initially just started all of the sudden (at a restaurant..at the mall)..and then it got worse and worse to the extent, where I wasn't able to funtion normally anymore. The main thing to consider is, that Western medicine is quickly to tell you that you have anxieties. Now, I by no means am an anxious person and therefore, thankfully declined the prozac and went with the Chinese options.

12
I had a similar thing after a 15 hour ferry trip..not quite the same circumstances but it was indeed the onset of a really nasty flu/ear infection. Hope you feel better soon!

13
It's quite possible to have an ear infection where the vertigo/dizzyness is the symptom, but I'm not a medical doctor, and as far as I know, apart from one contributor to the forum, none of us are. So by all means read what people have to say, but only a doctor will be able to tell for sure what's happening

Yes you will get charged, but how much you eventually have pay will be dependent on the type of health insurance you have.

As for seeing a doc here, there's no real difference between here and the UK. However, unless your German is passable I'd recommend trying to find an English speaking Dr. There are plenty around in the Zürich area, and a search on this forum should reveal some recommendations.

14
It sounds likely that it is motion sickness (sea sickness) as I do not think it is a coincidence that your symptoms appeared after your boat trips. Some people are much more sensitive to motion than others and the effects can last for several days.

More info: http://www.medicinenet.com/motion_sickness/article.htm

15
You didn't say how you got there in the first place - or how you were feeling before you left.

I've got problems with "positional vertigo" when my sinuses are very congested as it fills up back to interfere with my ears. I had particularly bad bouts with dizziness as you describe after I'd done a trip while congested which involved two or three shorter flights (so fairly rapid succession of up and down pressure changes). Maybe it has less to do with the boat ride on it's own and rather is a combination of boat + plane + congestion?

16
Ooo, maybe this is something.

I flew Saturday morning, early, then got several trains to see family, friends etc.

Sunday i returned to central London.

Monday am - boat trip

Monday pm - boat trip

Tues am - boat trip

Tues pm - boat trip and several train journeys

Wedneday am - boat trip

Wedneday pm - boat trip and flight back to Zurich.

Note the boat trips were very short, 5mins max, but quite choppy. But I have spent 8 hours at in choppy seas fishing and never felt likes this, which is why I am bit freaked out. lol

17
that was my first thought also

18
It's most likely you've simply got an infection of the inner ear, but the only way to be sure is to see a doctor. Or possibly the local ENT department at the hospital? That would be a cheaper option than a specialist doctor but you'll probably have a bit of a wait to see someone.

It's also possible it's BPPV or even Ménière's disease. I developed the second a few years ago (sudden changes in position caused me to be violently sick), but after a week or so of drugs prescribed by my GP it cleared up, thank goodness.

Hope you feel better soon, feeling constantly nauseous is no fun.

19
Sinuses are easy to check. (see http://www.ehow.com/how_2362391_diag...ties-head.html )

But refering to the knowledge bank of everything (Wikipedia) " Vertigo) , lightheadedness , and blurred vision are not typical in chronic sinusitis and other causes should be investigated." (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinusitis )

In my not-a-doctor opinion, taking a multivitamin tablet each morning that has a good dose of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D3, should alleviate most ailments. Afterall, placebo is the best medicine.

20
Any feedback on your progress?