Disembarkment syndrome, any thoughts?

[vpbarkley]

Disembarkment syndrome (MdDS) is the feeling of motion that persists after you leave the boat. As a young person this feeling would last overnight sometimes.

I'm in my 60s now and have been living aboard for about 5 months during a refit. The boat is in a canal so there isn't large scale movement generally.

I now have a persistent feeling of motion. I've been off the boat for 8 days.

I feel less stable on land, as though I was walking in a dinghy. When I go to a store, I'm looking for handholds. I'm not to the point where I need them.

I just wanted to compare notes with those of you who experience this as I do.

[Chotu]

“This too shall pass”

It just comes and goes. I actually developed some serious vertigo on the boat itself after spending several years only going on land momentarily here and there.

I got off the water to build a new boat.

Oddly, I didn’t have any problems at all on land at that point. None of the usual feeling where land is moving.

When I was in my late teens/early 20’s ant time I went sailing for the day, I’d go to the bathroom later and it felt like I was underwater in there for like 24 hours.

I’ve noticed this stuff is very transitory in nature and just cones and goes.

Nothing to be concerned about b

Originally Posted by vpbarkley

Disembarkment syndrome (MdDS) is the feeling of motion that persists after you leave the boat. As a young person this feeling would last overnight sometimes.

I'm in my 60s now and have been living aboard for about 5 months during a refit. The boat is in a canal so there isn't large scale movement generally.

I now have a persistent feeling of motion. I've been off the boat for 8 days.

I feel less stable on land, as though I was walking in a dinghy. When I go to a store, I'm looking for handholds. I'm not to the point where I need them.

I just wanted to compare notes with those of you who experience this as I do.

[vpbarkley]

Found this article about a cure:

https://www.mountsinai.org/about/new...-syndrome-mdds

[Snore]

After a very long passage, I normally “stabilize” physically in 3-4 days. It is a lot of mind Over matter.

After a passage of 2 weeks or more, what takes longer is dealing with the self-centered knuckleheads that seem to dominate society.

Add to that a good crewman would never think of waking me for the “urgent” problems some people flip out over.

[LittleWing77]

I call it "landsickness". As far as I'm concerned, I think it means we're far more comfortable at sea than on land!

It fades in a few days or a week - more's the pity! Maybe you should go back to sea...?

Warmly,
LittleWing77

[KenKo]

I've found that visual cues play an important role. Sometimes, after a short time (week or two) afloat, I'll be fine on land but stepping into a running shower, I'll have a strong boot of "land sickness" for a bit. I'm not sure how general this is but if you can stay in touch with a stable visual surround (like being on deck vs down below) it might help. Good luck.
Ken

[redhead]

Hi I have BPPV, a vertigo that comes and goes, for almost a year now. I've also had "landsickness" in the past and have moderate success with the Epley maneuver.

You can look it up online. I read the article a few posts up and their treatment sounds somewhat the same. I find it lessens the vertigo feeling - until it doesn't.

Oddly enough, I don't get vertigo underway, just living at the dock. This just confirms I should spend more time away from the dock

[MV Caroline]

In my family we have always called it "Land-rush". I grew up sailing, ocean racing and cruising and have always experienced it to a greater or lesser degree. I am in my 70s now and full time cruising and I always have it.

[Mike OReilly]

I'm usually on board for months at a time, often without even leaving the boat. Once I move back to land I usually experience this slight disorientation that feels a bit like vertigo (I assume ... I don't suffer from it).

It's most pronounced in smaller enclosed places, like when I get into the land shower. And it seems to last for many days or even weeks, depending on how long I've been on board.

Doesn't seem to be a big deal. I assume it's simply the idea that on board our bodies acclimatize to constant motion, so when it stops, the body has to acclimatize. No biggie... Just makes me want to stay on the boat .

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by redhead

Hi I have BPPV, a vertigo that comes and goes, for almost a year now. I've also had "landsickness" in the past and have moderate success with the Epley maneuver. ...

I share that malady, it's called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Very unpleasant when it comes and usually lasts 2-3 weeks. It's a bit like feeling seasick, but it comes on as a wave of nausea, very suddenly when moving your head. You don't realise how much your head moves until you suffer from this. So during an attack whenever you need to move, you try to be careful with head position changes.

But OP if I were you, I'd be off to a doctor. Whether sea life triggers BPPV or it's something else entirely you shouldn't have land sickness for more than a few hours, certainly not more than overnight.

[Virginia Lee]

As a retired audiologist, let me point out that disembarkment syndrome and BPPV are very different, though a person can have both. Disembarkment syndrome cannot be treated with repositioning maneuvers (such as an Epley).

BPPV is characterized by movement-triggered real vertigo, a spinning sensation. It is intense, but lasts less than a minute in the episode. (Though many patients feel unsteady for longer.)

Disembarkment syndrome is a general hallucination of movement. Like others who've posted, I rather enjoy sitting to dinner or lying down and feeling like I'm still on the boat. But if it's been weeks and is causing a fall risk, that sounds like time to get treatment.

The article was a good reference, thanks to the poster. You might try self-therapy - more head motion while concentrating on what you are seeing. There are physical therapists who are specially trained in treating dizziness, but finding that person can be tricky. Look for large centers with "balance" in their name for best results.

Best wishes!
Teri

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm usually on board for months at a time, often without even leaving the boat. Once I move back to land I usually experience this slight disorientation that feels a bit like vertigo (I assume ... I don't suffer from it).

It's most pronounced in smaller enclosed places, like when I get into the land shower. And it seems to last for many days or even weeks, depending on how long I've been on board.

Doesn't seem to be a big deal. I assume it's simply the idea that on board our bodies acclimatize to constant motion, so when it stops, the body has to acclimatize. No biggie... Just makes me want to stay on the boat .

Me, too. I first experienced it after being on our previous boat, a C25, for a week. My daughter and I went into a restaurant and they seated us in a booth. We both felt it at the same time and she said, "Hey, I'm still rockin'."


So, for our family it's call Rockin'. I didn't know there were two possibilities. medically.


I agree with Mike, most pronounced in small spaces.


As a corollary, it means at least I was just on the boat for a while!

[rognvald]

This has only happens to me after an extended rough passage. However, my wife gets it regularly after a lifetime of sailing. I'm a firm believer in Biology/Genetics. My family line comes from untold generations of Scandinavian seafarers. Fact or fiction? Safe sailing . . . Rognvald

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by KenKo

I've found that visual cues play an important role. Sometimes, after a short time (week or two) afloat, I'll be fine on land but stepping into a running shower, I'll have a strong boot of "land sickness" for a bit. I'm not sure how general this is but if you can stay in touch with a stable visual surround (like being on deck vs down below) it might help. Good luck.
Ken

I had that happen to me once, and it was in the shower, but thankfully it only lasted for a few minutes. Also thankfully, it wasn't a serious issue and I found it rather amusing and almost enjoyable. I am sure that I wouldn't have felt that way if it lasted for a while. I wonder if the two and a half days in a storm just prior to the shower was a contributing factor.

Luckily I have never had that happen again.

[Hudson Force]

My wife and I used to enjoy this bit of vertigo after some vigorous sailing; however, after the first ten years or so aboard we never experienced it again. I can remember the time noticing that the sensation was gone and it was surprising to us that we both had experienced the same adapting to the motion at the same time.