Freedom Sickness: Sore Throat/Chronic Cough

[bajathree]

I doubt it would have anything to do with the change of enviorment, change of your regular schedule your body is used to or best yet partying for one week straight...no it couldn't be that:rolleyes:

[chubbycheeks]

I doubt it would have anything to do with the change of enviorment, change of your regular schedule your body is used to or best yet partying for one week straight...no it couldn't be that:rolleyes:

 

Nope definitely not the partying straight for a week. ;)

[ollipekkah]

The reason is obvious -> New ship a lot of glue is still giving out solvents and lot of dust is coming from floor materials! Think about that!

[kizzibee]

Was interested in this thread as I'm just finishing my Mediterranean cruise onboard Brilliance of the Seas.

I've had a sore throat/cough for the past 3 days of my cruise and I'm only just starting to feel better.

My husband is fine. The only thing that we did not do together was swim. I swam daily, he didn't swim at all.

I spoke to our tablemates about this and sure enough, the wife has a sore throat/bad cough and her husband who never swam is fine!

It's the pool!

[rcicruiser]

It is a cold someone spreading germs. We have had it a work this week.

[JKHawaii]

From reading all the responses, I have conjured up the prescription for avoiding the Freedom Cough ( or Brilliance Cough, or Explorer Cough or any other variation):

 

1. DON'T FLY

2. DON'T HAVE ROOM SERVICE

3. DON'T DRINK SALT WATER

4. DON'T GO IN THE POOLS (HOWEVER, THE CALTIVATED WHIRLPOOLS ARE O.K.)

5. DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH FUN.

 

So, just follow these 5 simple rules and you'll have a great cruise.

 

P.S. - Have I forgotten anything?

[chubbycheeks]

From reading all the responses, I have conjured up the prescription for avoiding the Freedom Cough ( or Brilliance Cough, or Explorer Cough or any other variation):

 

1. DON'T FLY

2. DON'T HAVE ROOM SERVICE

3. DON'T DRINK SALT WATER

4. DON'T GO IN THE POOLS (HOWEVER, THE CALTIVATED WHIRLPOOLS ARE O.K.)

5. DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH FUN.

 

So, just follow these 5 simple rules and you'll have a great cruise.

 

P.S. - Have I forgotten anything?

 

Sounds about right. ;)

[Frick_&_Frack]

Actually, our physician (who is an avid RCL cruiser) advised us to avoid the buffet when he diagnosed our pneumonia (on return from the 09/08/06 Explorer sailing).

 

He said that between people using their hands *in* the food (passengers) and others wiping noses, etc. and touching tongs, it's the worst place to eat.

 

Just his opinion I guess - but, like I said, he goes on a minimum of 1 RCCL cruise a year.

[JKHawaii]

O.K. -------------> Rule #6 - DON'T DO THE BUFFET (UNLESS YOU'RE SITTING IN THE CALTIVATED WHIRLPOOLS)

 

Gosh, between no buffets and no room service, one might actually LOSE weight on the cruise!!!

 

By the way, 3 weeks until I depart on the Adventure of the Seas.....................has anyone heard of a problem with "Adventure Cough"? The AOS doesn't have a caltivated whirlpool, so I'm a bit concerned........................

 

;0}

[chubbycheeks]

O.K. -------------> Rule #6 - DON'T DO THE BUFFET (UNLESS YOU'RE SITTING IN THE CALTIVATED WHIRLPOOLS)

 

Gosh, between no buffets and no room service, one might actually LOSE weight on the cruise!!!

 

By the way, 3 weeks until I depart on the Adventure of the Seas.....................has anyone heard of a problem with "Adventure Cough"? The AOS doesn't have a caltivated whirlpool, so I'm a bit concerned........................

 

;0}

Nope I think you're doomed...just don't have any fun! Maybe that will stave it off.:p

[JKHawaii]

I think you're right, Chubbycheeks...................no fun!!!! I also think I'll wear some rubber gloves and a mask.............that should stave off those little germs! Wait a minute, a brainstorm! Doesn't alcohol kill germs? Rule #7: Bahama Mamas for everyone!!!!

[beachchick]

I've got to admit that DH and I don't do buffets anymore either. We know that not eating at the buffets doesn't guarantee that we won't catch something, but our Drs. agree it can lessen the chances. We do sanatize things in our cabin/room (and yes, we do it again each day after the cabin is cleaned). Just the basics that we know we're going to touch a lot (door handles, light switches, the phone). We always have the bedspread removed. We wash our hands regularly and use wipes or alcohol gel for quick clean up (like after handling a dinner menu). I suppose we could be considered cleaniks, but OTOH we both have to be careful. I'm not going to go too nuts, but I am going to take precautions that I think might be helpful.

 

Oh yes, alcohol taken internally helps quite a bit also...did I hear a call for Bahama Mamas?

 

beachchick

[celle]

Just to throw another point into the discussion:

 

To develop a robust immune system, your body needs to have contact with viruses and bacteria. If you constantly deny it the chance (by excessive insistence on cleanliness), it may succumb to a more severe infection when you are out of your home environment. Please note, that I did not condemn routine household cleanliness.

 

If you go on a cruise, or if you travel on a plane, your body may encounter "germs" that it has never met before. The enclosed community on either a ship or a plane makes it more likely that you will pick up a cold/cough/other infection. You are in far closer contact with a lot of strangers than when you are in your home environment, and many of their "normal" germs may be foreign to your body.

 

It's a pain, but it is a fact of travelling.

[clm101798]

Just to throw another point into the discussion:

 

To develop a robust immune system, your body needs to have contact with viruses and bacteria. If you constantly deny it the chance (by excessive insistence on cleanliness), it may succumb to a more severe infection when you are out of your home environment. Please note, that I did not condemn routine household cleanliness.

 

If you go on a cruise, or if you travel on a plane, your body may encounter "germs" that it has never met before. The enclosed community on either a ship or a plane makes it more likely that you will pick up a cold/cough/other infection. You are in far closer contact with a lot of strangers than when you are in your home environment, and many of their "normal" germs may be foreign to your body.

 

It's a pain, but it is a fact of travelling.

 

I have read this too. They say kids whose parents aren't the best housekeepers have a better immune system than kids whose parents keep the house spotless with antibacterial everything. Same reason. Your body cannot learn to fight what it never sees. Same with Nosocomial infections (Nosocomial infections are those that originate or occur in a hospital or hospital-like setting.) You go in the hospital and are exposed to things your body have never seen. As for my kid, with my housekeeping she will never be sick!

 

Has the OP gone to the doctor yet to be checked out?

[chubbycheeks]

I'm sorry to say I don't think the alcohol helps. I had PLENTY while I was on the Freedom. Then again...maybe I caught the plague and then it got downgraded because of all the alcohol? hmmmm

[penguin6969]

I don't think it has anything to do with the ships, I believe it's the air on the planes. Every cruise we have been on, always flying home a few days later, I get a cough and sore throat. So I don't blame it on the ships, but to me the planes are so much smaller and people are constantly breathing on each other - that is where I think it's coming from. We have taken cruises in the summer and winter and the same thing always happens.

 

Does anyone know if there is something out on the market today that you can take BEFORE we leave for your cruise that actually prevent you from getting sick on the way home? What about AIRBORN (sp) that some teacher/parent invented -has anyone use it, does it work?

 

Thanks and happy cruising to everyone,

[Kirk W]

Originally Posted by MACE in ref to colds:

 

Mace, I was on my way to another thread and noticed your post about the colds. I am Diamond . The last two cruises out of Miami on the Soverign and the Freddom, I had caught very a very bad cold with sore throat and a nasty URI. I am diabetic, and most of the time I wash my hands after everything, but it is almost impossible to not touch something where staph lives. I truly beleive the prob is in the Hot Tubs. I got an infection from our jacuzzi at our Miami Beach Condo, which is for everyone in the condo.

At anyrate, sorry to barge in your thread.

 

Kirk

rbots@bellsouth.net

[beachchick]

Just to throw another point into the discussion:

 

To develop a robust immune system, your body needs to have contact with viruses and bacteria. If you constantly deny it the chance (by excessive insistence on cleanliness), it may succumb to a more severe infection when you are out of your home environment. Please note, that I did not condemn routine household cleanliness.

 

If you go on a cruise, or if you travel on a plane, your body may encounter "germs" that it has never met before. The enclosed community on either a ship or a plane makes it more likely that you will pick up a cold/cough/other infection. You are in far closer contact with a lot of strangers than when you are in your home environment, and many of their "normal" germs may be foreign to your body.

 

It's a pain, but it is a fact of travelling.

 

I pretty much agree with this. Neither my DH nor I had moms who were the worlds best housekeepers (not filthy, just not spotless). We grew up in neighborhoods with lots of kids. We are old enough that we even "got" all the childhood illnesses that kids get vaccines for now. I taught grade school for 3 years. We have a DD who brought home her share of colds and such as well. We were exposed to plenty of this and that, and had very good immune systems--right up until we (independently and at different times) developed auto-immune diseases and DH had his first asthma event (3 months recovery from a basic cold). Now, we do take more precautions than we have in the past. We don't travel during flu season (did that once, big mistake). We've always been big believers in hand washing. That's the number one most important thing, IMO. We do not use anti-bacterial wipes or gels or any other over-the-counter anti-bacterial items; we don't ask for anti-biotics unless we actually need them; we use alcohol wipes and gels because bacteria do not develop resistence to alcohol.

 

We know we're taking risks if we travel, and we know our risks are higher than for many others. That's one reason we always, no exceptions, get travel insurance, and we have had to file claims. That's okay. The only other option is to stay at home all day, every day and never have any "life" at all now.

 

beachchick

[Justin.Melissa]

My wife and I just returned on Monday from a Vision of the Seas sailing out of Los Angeles (San Pedro). She developed her symptoms (sore throat) on the next to last day on the cruise...and now she has a cough. Today, I woke up w/ the sore throat and am just waiting for the cough. I know how many of you are saying how it's probably the plane or other factors...but you have to admit, it is pretty ironic that a lot of people are having a lot of the same symptoms...and they come about at the same time.

 

Now this won't stop us from cruising...but I think I'm going to tell my investment advisor to buy stock in Airborne...since I have a feeling everyone's going to be buying it. HAHA

[Little Feet]

We were on the Freedom of the Seas 9/17 and we did not get sick. We did not go in the pools, did enter one large hot tub briefly when it was not crowded, did not order room service, did have a balcony, did not go ice skating, but did watch the ice show. Every time that I have been sick while traveling I have suspected that it was contracted on the plane. The plane ventilation is horrid....really should be flushed with all fresh air instead of recirculated. The confinement on planes is closer than most public health guidelines for sleeping quarters in camps and dorms.

 

About 24 hours after writing the above quoted post, I did get sick....very sick. This is not a little cold....it started with a sore throuat for 3 days and then the horrid cough, congestion & aches, chills, etc. It it probably more of a flu type illness. A few days later, my husband came down with the exact same symptoms. We are still sick, although I am coming to life....but still have the almost constant cough.

 

There were a lot of people coughing on the plane....but now I am wondering about that ship....if there are so many of us sick....is there any connection?

[ChristieNJ]

I just got off Freedom this past Sunday, and none of my group are sick.

It IS allergy season, however. But no matter where you go, in place with large concentrations of people you MUST keep clean. That's why I brought anitbacterial gel.

[irishnyc]

I usually don't get sick this time of year and just find it interesting reading other posts that people have mentioned getting sick within a few days of sailing on the FOS.

 

First time in years reading these boards that I've seen something like this come up

 

-MACE-

 

many people get sick when they travel. It's a fact of life. you're in confined areas with recycled air, with hundreds of people. It's bound to happen. Being on the FOS may be a common factor for all the sick people you know, but it's probably nothing to be alarmed about.

[chubbycheeks]

Also, is it preventing me from planning my next escape to the Freedom? NOOOO! LOL ;)

[strype2]

I'm sitting at my desk and I have a sore throat and constant cough that I can't get rid of. I was not even near the FOS. Wish I was but no such luck. It's going around everyone I know has it. It caused by a germ not a cruise ship.

[cruizinmimi]

About 24 hours after writing the above quoted post, I did get sick....very sick. This is not a little cold....it started with a sore throuat for 3 days and then the horrid cough, congestion & aches, chills, etc. It it probably more of a flu type illness. A few days later, my husband came down with the exact same symptoms. We are still sick, although I am coming to life....but still have the almost constant cough.

 

There were a lot of people coughing on the plane....but now I am wondering about that ship....if there are so many of us sick....is there any connection?

 

Little Feet

 

I'm glad you're feeling better. Sorry to hear you guys soooo sick. We both got sore throats and the sniffels on the ship around the 3rd day, but it was definitely from all the smoke in the casino and schooner bar, etc. We are allergic to smoke and when it was so thick, it was bound to happen. But I really don't think it had anything to do with the ship itself. We found that the ship was absolutely gorgeous and we had so much fun with everyone. Keep in touch with me lindamartinez@myarbonne.com.

 

Sorry you guys got so sick. Go over and check in at our thread:D

 

Make it a great day

Linda