Woman sea sick 3 years after cruise

File photo: The retired auxiliary nurse from Herne Bay, Kent, went on an eight-day cruise to Norway with her lorry driver husband Dennis, 69, in 2012, to see whether they would enjoy a longer excursion to the Caribbean.

File photo: The retired auxiliary nurse from Herne Bay, Kent, went on an eight-day cruise to Norway with her lorry driver husband Dennis, 69, in 2012, to see whether they would enjoy a longer excursion to the Caribbean.

Published May 19, 2015

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London - When Diane Morley went on a cruise, the only downside seemed to be a ferocious storm that struck on the second night of the voyage.

But shortly after getting back on to dry land she was struck with debilitating nausea and problems with her balance – and she is still suffering three years later.

The grandmother is often taken for drunk because she keeps falling down or bumping into people.

After seeing a specialist she was diagnosed with mal de debarquement – disembarkment syndrome – a rare condition that causes the sufferer continuously to feel a rocking sensation or loss of balance.

Mrs Morley, 64, likens it to walking on a bouncy castle. Sleeping is difficult because she feels that she’s on a waterbed. Because there is no cure she can only hope the condition eventually goes away.

“It’s just got worse and worse,” she said. “Last year I had some surgery and had to go under anaesthetic and that made it worse. It’s 24 hours a day. It doesn’t come and go, it’s always there. It’s just awful – I still feel like I’m out on the ocean waiting to be rescued.”

The retired auxiliary nurse from Herne Bay, Kent, went on an eight-day cruise to Norway with her lorry driver husband Dennis, 69, in 2012, to see whether they would enjoy a longer excursion to the Caribbean.

When the storm struck it felt like they were being “tossed around in a washing machine”. After returning home Mrs Morley struggled to regain her land legs.

Chores such as ironing and vacuuming bring on queasiness and walking up steps or being confronted by bold colours or patterns leaves her struggling to stand upright.

Doctors initially thought she was suffering from vertigo and her husband thought she “was making an excuse for not doing something”.

Her GP had so little idea that he suggested another cruise to shake off the symptoms. But after a bout of sickness left her in bed for two days she was sent to a specialist at Kent and Canterbury Hospital who diagnosed her unusual ailment.

Mrs Morley was so ill she even contemplated suicide at one point but is now coming to terms with her chronic condition with the help of counselling. She has given up alcohol and coffee which seem to aggravate the problem. She also takes Valium.

“I just felt like I had lost my life,” she added. “It’s sort of a grieving process you go through. I wasn’t the same person who got on that boat. That person is still out on the ocean somewhere.”

Strangely, the only time she feels normal is in a car or on bus. But as soon as she gets off the sickness returns and she has to spend ten minutes getting her bearings again.

A spokesperson for the MdDS Balance Disorder Foundation said: “MdDSis a rare, and often misdiagnosed syndrome even though it is recognised by many large teaching hospitals. Little scientific literature exists and research is woefully under funded.”

Mr Morley said he had also “found it really hard to cope” with his wife’s condition. “I just couldn’t understand why she was saying she was ill all the time and why she couldn’t do anything,” he said.

“Tobe honest I felt a bit embarrassed by it. I’m quite a private person so I didn’t like the fact that she would draw attention to herself when she would fall over or struggle with her balance.” One trick Mrs Morley uses to dampen the symptoms is to wear sunglasses outside to block out bright light.

Kent and Canterbury Hospital said it could not comment because of patient confidentiality.

Daily Mail

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