Emsy,
Do you still get the rocking sensation? Is it like being on a boat? I wonder if the docs tried to treat us like we had Mal de Debarquement if that might provide any relief. Curious to see if you or anyone else has seen any effective treatment for rocking.

hi ohio, emsy

one recent excercise ive seen for mdds is to sit in a chair and press your feet into the ground and grip the sides of the chair so u r forcing yourself into it, another is stand against a wall and push into it......it is supposed to retrain the brain to accept that u r still through the , cant spell it tho....lol......not vestibular or visual the touch system.........

Yes brina means the procoreptive ( god have no idea hwo to spell it, am v tired!!) - another one I was told is to roll a tennis ball under your feet whilst watching tv - enhances the touch system.

Yes I have the constant ship thing...it is mild most days but can be horrific...

Oha nd there is no cure for mdd - they simply prescribe vrt too...
xxx

I found this on Dr. Hain's website:

Treatment for Mal de Debarquement
After the MDD has started, most medications that work for other forms of dizziness or motion sickness are ineffective. Specifically, antivert, bonine, meclizine, dramamine, scopolamine seem to be of little use. Valium and related medications such as Klonapin are helpful in some persons. There is some worry that these medications may prolong the duration of symptoms (although this worry has not yet been tested by a research study). An antidepressant called amitriptyline may also be helpful. Occasionally persons with rocking due to other causes respond to one of the SSRI type antidepressants, and this may also be worth considering. Hormonal medications such as estrogen or progesterone might be problematic -- it might be worth a trial of stopping them if this is practical. Recently (11/2001) we have been told that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as "Celebrex" or "Vioxx" have helped two patients. Also anecdotally, phenytoin and carbamazepine (or oxy-carbamazepine) may be useful in reducing symptoms. A controlled trial of these medications may be in order if more evidence accumulates.

Prevention: It is possible that medications taken prior and during boat travel might prevent development of MDD. Anecdotal evidence suggests that while antivert and scopolamine are ineffective, some people can prevent MDD by taking Valium, Klonapin, or Ativan prior to getting on the boat or airplane. Again, this possibility has not been tested by a research study and a trial, perhaps controlled with one of the medications known not to prevent MDD might be helpful. Nevertheless, medications which suppress the inner ear or block adaptation to inner ear signals might be useful.

Physical therapy: Physical therapy may be helpful in MDD, although the evidence is not very strong. In our study, 10/15 persons who had vestibular rehabilitation reported improvement, but the natural history of MDD is to improve, and one wonders what would have happened had they not undergone rehabilitation. Zimbelman (see below) has written a review of rehabilitation in MDD. A controlled trial of vestibular rehabilitation in MDD would be helpful.

Avoidance of motion is clearly helpful. If you get dizzy from riding on boats, don't do it !

Yes have read that too - treatment is v similar for inner ear dysfunction. Stick with the vrt and dont try the medications xxx

I'm trying to stay off the medications..although I am on an anti-depressant right now...just started about 10 days ago or so. I told my therapist about it..hopefully it doesn't hinder the rehab. Tell me a little more about what you do for MDD. I would love to try a few things to help the rocking that I get while sitting on the couch.

Hi Ohio - I dont know about mdd - all I know isw they give you meds and try vrt. Have no specific exercises for it am afraid. I too would love to get rid of this rocking! xxx

Hi Ohio, if ANYONE finds ANY help for this rocking ship--PLEASE let me know.These two exercises seem to help--stand with one foot in front of the other--eyes closed--count to 30--if you lose your balance--do not start over--begin again where you lost balance, then reverse feet. and I am trying the new one listed on here--standing on one foot with other leg raised and eyes closed. It does seem to help some. Prayer is what gets me through. Have days I can't go to work and am worried. So please if the valium helps,let me know. Its been 15mths now.
Hey Lorr, will deff try what you said--have you gave it a go? Belle

Realbelle,The exercises you are describing are part of my VRT exercises. Try doing those on a foam cushion or something similar if you master it on your feet. There are certain things that can be done for rocking (Valium is supposed to be a moderate help). You should see the post earlier in this thread from Dr. Hain's website. But I think VRT is the best thing for it.

Thanks Ohio, I have been doing VRT for many months now. I can't do as much as I use to because I also work full time. Untill 5 mths ago, I was doing quite a bit of VRT but now I can't suffer the after-math of VRT and work!! Thanks, Belle

hi all

belle, yes i have tried this exercise, but only recently found out about it so not long enough to say if it helps, i found out this from someone who deff has been dx with mdds and has been doing vrt for the last three years and has had no benefit from them at all, she says infact it may have made things a bit worse for her.....there is a Q mark over vrt and mdds but as we r all different we must give it a go, another post on mdds says that they think they have been helped by the alexander technique or at least didnt feel worse by it , their rocking levels were low.........lorr

Hi lorr - enjoy monday with ilia. Can I ask what are your symptoms like tolerability wise? Are you able to function as well as ilia or do oyu find things hard - like shopping etc? What % would you say u are? xxx

hi emma,

well, tolerbility wise i would say im doing ok, i can do cooking and housework take the kids to school , go shopping, these things i couldnt do at all for months last year, i am not back to 'normal' and would put me at say 70% ish better but i feel like i have been at this level for quite a while and not progressing anymore, i get the blips tho , like a bad vertigo will just turn up, thankfully i have still been in bed when they happen, i get momentary heavy dizzies when doing things like cooking, it seems to be from looking in the middle distance then close up say from looking at the kitchen surface then at the ingredients on a tin...likewise if i am out shopping , i have paid at the counter and from looking at the till person then putting change away into my purse these things can sometimes cause quickish dizzy in the head but not spinning.....i still have the motion when still, thats strange it doesnt feel quite so bad when sitting now but just as bad when lying in bed ,that feels as bad as ever.....i prefer high streets to mals like lakeside if i get engrosed in what im doing i can be alrightish but if i sit down for a coffee say, im pretty quickly reminded of that ship feeling, but i can do these things now.....an improvement but by no means back to the way i was before all this started, its like the tinnitus in a way i still have it but have habituated to it, even that can still get me at times if it gets louder i get instant anxiety.....i can cope with the levels i have but like all of us want it all gone.......how r u ? is it still fluctuating or steadying......well i hope u r ok.......take care......lorr......xx

Ok lorr - so you dont have dizziness in the head - are you more like ilia than me? It sounds that way... that is good. I have dizziness in the head constantly, it never goes. The ship is always mildly there too. I am still not great from cold etc, v v faint today and dizzy...hope it gets there soon. Enjoy monday xxx

hi emma,

no dont have the dizziness in my head constant, but several times a day, as yesterday there was a couple of times and ud think i be used to them but they still turn my stomach......i think the more i move the less i notice the tugging, push pull , or helium trying to get out of my head that is there constant but not as severe.....i know i havent got helium in my head but thats what it feels like....like my brain is moving and that is what i hate most now......but as i say less noticable when moving.........ilia mention that u feel the dizziness constant, thats how i was for about 5 months or more.....maybe the fact that i am on meds has helped a bit im not saying that stress or anxiety has caused any of this but from what ive read about some ssri's helping with mdds some alteration of chemicals in the brain perhaps slowing the messages down fromand to the brain......just guessing........i have deff felt like u...and...u perhaps get more than your fair share of colds, flus that just keep u from making that jump further in compensation.....im in a goodish phase at the mo...but i never underestimate the thought if it worsening again....not possitive i know but i have to feel prepared if u get me.......yes i look forward to meeting ilia on monday and one day hope we can all meet....do u take any supplements? i went to holland and barrats and had a vitimin check and low on all b vits u never know if it could help in a little way........get u forwards in comp......i hope u r feeling loads better soon...do think of u .....lorr...............xx

Hi lorr - thanks for your words. I havehad this blimin constant diz for 21 months now - aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Do worry. Ilia not coming tonight now due to change of plan but meeting her hopefully on way home. Enjoy monday and take care, will phone soon xxx