Mal de debarquement Syndrome (dizziness)

[NancysGarden]

Does anyone out there suffer from or know anything about this syndrome? I have just returned from a week on a narrowboat and I cannot get my land-legs back. I am constantly dizzy and it is really getting me down (luckily for me it has only been 2 days, but I have just read it can last weeks, months and years.

It's not something I had heard of before. Anyone who can share their experience?

We sailed to Norway on a 40ft yacht,it took three days and I was fine , however on the return journey we hit force 10 gales which lasted for 36 hrs..when we got back to land the first thing I hit was the showers in the marina, being in such an enclosed space made me feel incredibly ill, violently sick and dizzy.
When I got home the same thing happened in the bathroom and when I went to bed for the first 3 nights I felt like I was rolling, it was a weird and horrible experience, Like being sea sick but on land, very weird. It did go away after about 3 days though and apparently is normal after and sea / water journey of any length.
If it goes on any longer you maybe should see a gp who may prescribe anti-vertigo meds, and or anti-nausea treatments.

after and sea / water journey of any length

should read after ANY sea / water journey of any length

I get it every time I get off a ship or ferry. Lasts for a couple of days, never knew there was a name for it.

Relieved to hear that your experiences have only lasted a few days. I looked it up and felt really depressed, reading about most cases lasting weeks/months or longer. I have had other symptoms too, migraine yesterday, difficulty remembering words, very sore eyes and general "fog". HOpe it goes soon. Thanks for sharing.

yes, I get it - generally lasts a couple of days, but has lasted up to a week before. Does wear off

I got this 5 years ago after a 24 hour boat trip to Sweden for a short holiday. The entire time there I felt like I was constantly swaying and I only got relief when I got back on the ferry for the return trip.

It was quite horrendous and went on for a while and then I found out I was 4 weeks pregnant (prob conceived a day or two before we went on the boat)! Eventually after a couple more weeks the symptoms disappeared only to be replaced by the joys of early pregnancy symptoms!

I did some googling at the time and read that the condition often occurs in middle age women who have been on cruises leading to some people suggesting that it related to (or affected by) hormones - ie menopausal women.

With me being newly pregnant it did kind of make sense why I got it, having never been affected by boat trips before

Hope you feel better soon

Yes I read the same stuff as you Minty, but I am 34 and def not pregnant so now wondering if I am pre-menopausal ...

I am feeling ever so slightly better today. It eased in the car but as I say other symptoms liked real tiredness and general fog are quite annoying. Hopefully it will keep getting better. Trying my best to ignore but it isn't easy.