Just a vent - get sick every time we cruise

[Lady Chew]

Very surprised that your doctor would provide antibiotics without a soecific reason or diagnosis. We are constantly advised not to take antibiotics without specific diagnosis/labs etc. most of the bugs we all pick up are becoming resistant to antibiotics because of unnecessary use.

 

I always ask my doctor for antibiotics before I cruise, and she always gives me a prescription. She also goes over when it is/is not appropriate to use them. I've been doing this for years, and (so far) have never needed to use them.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Sorry to say this but I hope you physician has wised up and won't give you antibiotics unless you are actually sick. The unregulated and improper use of antibiotics is why we are developing super bugs.

 

You and I agree! There should be a like button on cruise critic!

[D&L Thomas]

My husband travels with an antibiotic because of a heart condition. He knows not to take them unless really sick with a secondary bacterial infection, not just the sniffles, but a sinus or ear infection. We most often return the medicine to the pharmacy because it was not needed.

 

I think it helps to begin your trip in really good shape: well rested, nourished, and hydrated. We take extra vitamin C, garlic capsules, and probiotics. And a neti pot or saline rinse is great for travel - you can request distilled water on the ship.

[Grandma Dazzles]

My husband travels with an antibiotic because of a heart condition. He knows not to take them unless really sick with a secondary bacterial infection, not just the sniffles, but a sinus or ear infection. We most often return the medicine to the pharmacy because it was not needed.

 

I think it helps to begin your trip in really good shape: well rested, nourished, and hydrated. We take extra vitamin C, garlic capsules, and probiotics. And a neti pot or saline rinse is great for travel - you can request distilled water on the ship.

 

Prescription drugs cannot be returned here - probably varies from place to place; not sure if it is a state law.

[slidergirl]

I have a similar problem. I'd travel to a new office - I'd have a sore throat that first night. If I stayed for around 5 days, I would get better. Same if I'm stuck in someplace else - by that I mean I'm inside the same room/building all day long and not getting outside. Figured out that I am very sensitive to "unfamiliar" air and the HVAC systems that move it through a building. I now am sure to pack my antihistamines and decongestant and start it before I arrive. It does help. I also make sure that I don't stay indoors in an enclosed environment too long. I've also been known to tape up a piece of cardboard to a vent in a hotel room or a visiting office room.

The HVAC systems on ships are pumping a lot of air around. Try to get out as much as possible. When you go indoors, be sure to sit as far away from any vents that are pumping the air into the rooms.

[navybankerteacher]

My husband travels with an antibiotic because of a heart condition. He knows not to take them unless really sick with a secondary bacterial infection, not just the sniffles, but a sinus or ear infection. We most often return the medicine to the pharmacy because it was not needed.

 

/QUOTE]

 

Wow - pharmacies which take back unused meds rather than just telling you to dispose of them - I hope you are not suggesting that they put them back in stock - presumably after making a refund.

[zqvol]

Prescription drugs cannot be returned here - probably varies from place to place; not sure if it is a state law.

 

It's not, it's a Federal Law. The pharmacy may take the drugs back but they are not refunding them and they are disposing of them, though most pharmacies refuse to even let you drop them off.

Edited May 11, 2016 by zqvol

[Lady Chew]

I just hang onto my antibiotics until they expire ... then I dispose of them and get a new prescription ... as I said in my earlier post, I've never needed them yet, but I'd rather have them and not need them, then need them and not be able to get them ...

Edited May 11, 2016 by Lady Chew

[Gwendy]

I just hang onto my antibiotics until they expire ... then I dispose of them and get a new prescription ... as I said in my earlier post, I've never needed them yet, but I'd rather have them and not need them, then need them and not be able to get them ...

Fine to take with you if you are confident you know the difference between a cold, sore throat and an infection. Only needed them once in 2009 but take them with me every time just in case. Sometimes I even travel with my own personal nurse (daughter) lol

[calliopecruiser]

It's not, it's a Federal Law. The pharmacy may take the drugs back but they are not refunding them and they are disposing of them, though most pharmacies refuse to even let you drop them off.

It's kind of a shame that some won't accept them and dispose of them......improper disposal can be a problem, either because of pollution or theft. I know there are several "take back your drugs" days in the US occasionally to help people safely dispose of their prescription (and OTC) drugs....in Ontario (Canada), there's a year-round program to take meds back for disposal at many pharmacies.

[Aquahound]

Any hints to help me avoid this would be greatly appreciated.

 

DW had the same problem. Turned out to be allergies to mold that most likely existed in the AC system.

 

Try using Veramyst nasal spray. That's what DW is using now and it has helped a lot. She sprays every morning and night while on the ship.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Aquahound

[MNfamilycruiser]

If you are truly catching a cold each time, and it is not allergies or dry air, my biggest tip is DON'T TOUCH the hand rails! If you are touching the hand rails, it is very difficult to remember not to touch your face at all. You might be washing your hand before you eat, but if you have itched your eye or rubbed your nose after picking up something from the hand rails the hand washing before dinner is too late.

[pris993]

I eat right, work out a few times a week, take vitamins and supplements and am very healthy.

 

However, whenever we cruise, I get a sore throat which progresses into a cough a few days later. Takes a long time to get rid of when I get home.

 

Wash hands frequently onboard.

 

I've read this cruise cough is pretty common.

 

Any hints to help me avoid this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Use to have a similar problem. We have well over 50 cruises, so a lot of experience.

 

We started to set the temperature to the lowest heat setting in our cabin at night, no matter if we are in a hot climate, so we are not sleeping under cool air all night. Once we did this, we greatly reduced the number of times one of us got a cold during or after a trip.

 

We avoid public restrooms as much as possible as well. We do all the other things ie., wash hands etc.

 

We also use a cleaning cloth around our seats and on anything we might touch on an airplane seat.... flying to and from our cruise.

 

These things have helped us.

[Christine Frances]

While not clinically proven, it has been suggested that excessively dry air contributes to the development of many respiratory problems. When your air passages are too dry they lack the mucous coating which serves to protect against bacterial and virus infections. Wet towels - or other humidifying effects can help. I know that when I fly, occasionally holding a wet handkerchief or napkin to breathe through seems to prevent the sort of coughs I used to develop on flights.

 

When a lot of people got the cruise crud in Indonesia the Doctor said the same thing about the AC and nasal passages. My pharmacist recommend a nasal saline gel (Secaris) that all his aniline related customers use. I have had good luck with that. The cruise crud is airborne (as opposed to Noro which is transmitted more by contact which makes it so hard to prevent. All it takes is someone coughing or sneezing in an elevator eg and bang, you are going to be sick.

[Keith1010]

I am afraid this happens when people travel.

 

They are exposed to more people and you are all together and then there is the crew who can get sick too.

 

Same challenge when you fly.

 

Keith

[slidergirl]

I am afraid this happens when people travel.

 

They are exposed to more people and you are all together and then there is the crew who can get sick too.

 

Same challenge when you fly.

 

Keith

 

But not necessarily all related to just the people you are around. The new environment plays a huge role in this.

[BruceMuzz]

I eat right, work out a few times a week, take vitamins and supplements and am very healthy.

 

However, whenever we cruise, I get a sore throat which progresses into a cough a few days later. Takes a long time to get rid of when I get home.

 

Wash hands frequently onboard.

 

I've read this cruise cough is pretty common.

 

Any hints to help me avoid this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Let's see now................

You get sick every time you go on a cruise and you do not get sick when you do not cruise.

 

The solution to your problem seems fairly obvious - also extremely easy and incredibly inexpensive.

[gooch47]

All of this makes sense except I often get sick, my husband never gets sick. We are both exposed to the exact same things.

[Jane2357]

Our last 14 night cruise - I started getting sick on around day 7 - just a little throat tickle - that progressed into the mystery illness from hell. DH did not get sick.

 

As I can tend to catch bronchitis easily - I too travel with antibiotics which my Dr. - who also likes to cruise - is more than happy to prescribe. As I got sicker and sicker I took myself and the antibiotics to the ship's Dr.

 

She said to take the antibiotics and she put me on a steroid - which did nothing but cause me to have horrific pain in my lungs when I'd get a coughing spell. I asked about should I quarantine in the cabin and she said no.

 

It took 6 weeks post cruise to get rid of the cough. I'm due to head to Alaska in 11 days - and have 3 flights to get to Vancouver - and I'm nervous about getting sick again. I'm 58, reasonable health but I know that my immune system is poor.

DH and I are both taking vitamin C at the moment in an effort stave off anything.

 

I have my antibiotic packed and ready to go - and no - you can not shame me out of it. I will do what I have to do to try to stay healthy while I enjoy my vacation with my Dr.s approval. :p

[Grandma Dazzles]

Might help to wear a mask on your three flights. No one is shaming you out of antibiotics. It is your choice. However, people need to realize that antibiotics do not work on viruses, and there are too many super bugs now because infections are becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics. Taking them for a medically undiagnosed bug is just not a good idea.

[MrsPete]

This thread reminds me that back in college I'd become sick just after exams every single year. Didn't take me long to figure out that it was stress. After a while I learned to deal with that proactively -- making a point to eat 5+ vegetables per day, making a study schedule so I felt in control, getting plenty of rest and the problem stopped.

 

I know you said you generally live a healthy lifestyle, but I wonder if you could do more to avoid stress as your vacation approaches.

 

I have my antibiotic packed and ready to go - and no - you can not shame me out of it. I will do what I have to do to try to stay healthy while I enjoy my vacation with my Dr.s approval. :p

I don't think you need shame, but more information might be useful. I suggest you do some reading about what antibiotics do/don't treat and the dangers of over-use.

[SuiteTraveler]

On cruise ships I wash my hands all the time and do everything I can to avoid touching rails, elevator buttons, door knobs, etc. I even specifically always use the bathroom in our cabin only if at all possible just to avoid as many germs as possible. I avoid anyone who is coughing or sneezing and avoid most crowded areas on the ship.

 

For some it is possible that the sore throat/bronchitis/pneumonia stuff starts as gastric reflux while you are asleep. On a ship where you are drinking and eating liberally, you may be having reflux at night while you sleep and not know it. About all you might notice is a sore throat or perhaps a sour taste in your mouth along with a sore throat. However, the reflux can get up into your sinuses and start an infection. The solution is to take an inflatable wedge pillow and sleep on that. Sleeping on your left side is also helpful at keeping stomach contents down. Also taking acid reducing medication can help as well.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Inflatable-Pillow-Graduated-Wedge-Vinyl/dp/B00GJ2M8PI/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1463265704&sr=1-2&keywords=inflatable+wedge+pillow

 

In regards to traveling with antibiotics, Travel Medicine doctors in the USA recommend that everyone always travel with antibiotics. Of course, you must be very educated about if and when you should take the antibiotics and you should know that there is no reason to take them prophylactically to avoid getting sick - that just doesn't work. However, on a cruise ship, you have the ship's doctor who can give you antibiotics if they are needed or with whom you can consult before taking antibiotics your own doctor has prescribed. Also people who have medication sensitivities are well advised to bring antibiotics that they know are safe for them on vacation prescribed by their doctor at home. Without knowing a person's full medical history, I think it is wrong to criticize anyone for bringing antibiotics. For them it might be the difference between having the appropriate medication while on vacation or being prescribed something that causes anaphylaxis (which is potentially fatal.)

[calliopecruiser]

I have my antibiotic packed and ready to go - and no - you can not shame me out of it. I will do what I have to do to try to stay healthy while I enjoy my vacation with my Dr.s approval. :p

 

Why would I try to make you feel ashamed? I think you're wrong, but you can do whatever you like.......just understand what you're doing and what it means.

[navybankerteacher]

Why would I try to make you feel ashamed? I think you're wrong, but you can do whatever you like.......just understand what you're doing and what it means.

 

It has been reported that a number of doctors will prescribe antibiotics for insistent patients, knowing that they will be essentially ineffective, - because it is easier to humor them than to educate them. Sadly, that attitude contributes to the proliferation of resistant infectious agents.

[patlarry1976]

I eat right, work out a few times a week, take vitamins and supplements and am very healthy.

 

However, whenever we cruise, I get a sore throat which progresses into a cough a few days later. Takes a long time to get rid of when I get home.

 

Wash hands frequently onboard.

 

I've read this cruise cough is pretty common.

 

Any hints to help me avoid this would be greatly appreciated.

Interesting. Its sea air so shouldnt ble dry. If you fly fown is it possible you are picking up something on the plane. We sanitize our seats, arm snd head rests trsys. Keepnhydrated take airborne, which is a big fose if vitsmin C. Slso is domeone is coughing near us. Oyr masks go on. Coild be you sre puvking somrthing up on thevplzne xnc by day 2-4 of ghd cruise it comes out. Just a throry as my hudband and I got tired of getting sick after we fly.