freak out/medical care?

[Suni99]

what happens if you get onboard and have a full blown Panic Attack?? I knew of someone that said they got on the ship and freaked out and couldnt get off and wanted to go home, but they wouldnt let her. Her friend said she actually gave herself a mini heart attack from fear and anxiety, I was listening to her story like....um... I didnt know what to say. Anyway has anyone ever seen a passenger flip out or have to go back to port to bring someone back?:confused:

[ohioNCLcruiser]

If the ship was at sea the medical team would take care of her till they docked. She could leave then but would have to possibly pay fees for leaving the voyage early.

[Suni99]

If the ship was at sea the medical team would take care of her till they docked. She could leave then but would have to possibly pay fees for leaving the voyage early.

James have you ever heard of this kind of thing to happen? She was telling me this story and I started getting nervous thinking....what if i have an anxiety attack..... having not sailed yet It made me think...

[Toyz711]

if you aren't bothered by hotel rooms, long drives in the confined space of the car, shopping in malls or dining in restaurants...it shouldn't bother you. my mom was a person who could never take a cruise or fly any where, she would panic just thinking about it. she actually worried that because she couldn't swim, that she would drown if she cruised (Really!)

some people have strange reasoning to their panic attacks. but people who suffer from these really suffer.

 

BUT there are so many places to just walk around or sit and enjoy the views...most people love it. these ships are huge!

[ohioNCLcruiser]

James have you ever heard of this kind of thing to happen? She was telling me this story and I started getting nervous thinking....what if i have an anxiety attack..... having not sailed yet It made me think...

 

Nope it never happened on my 2 years on the Pride of America. You can forget that you're on a ship very easily.

[fin]

Panic attacks, like autism and peanut allergies, seem to be a relatively recent 'invention', at least compared to my childhood. It seems the peanut allergy sufferers have been succesful in banning peanuts from some airlines and are now targeting kids bringing sandwiches from home.

 

So it would not surprise me in the slightest if someone, knowing they might be susceptible to such an attack, would still go cruising and then expect the whole ship to divert to offload them. And in these days of unbridled enthusiastic litigation, the ship just might.

 

Someone else might well ask why someone, knowing that they are in danger of such an event, would deliberately go to the trouble of subjecting themself to the possibility.

[KerCar]

James have you ever heard of this kind of thing to happen? She was telling me this story and I started getting nervous thinking....what if i have an anxiety attack..... having not sailed yet It made me think...

 

You'll be fine:) I've been on 5 cruises and I still get pre cruise jitters every time! Being nervous before a cruise (espesially your first one) is entirely normal. For me, it all goes away once I am on board with drink in hand, LOL! Also, like James said the ships are SO big you often forget you are on one!

[KerCar]

Panic attacks, like autism and peanut allergies, seem to be a relatively recent 'invention', at least compared to my childhood. It seems the peanut allergy sufferers have been succesful in banning peanuts from some airlines and are now targeting kids bringing sandwiches from home.

 

So it would not surprise me in the slightest if someone, knowing they might be susceptible to such an attack, would still go cruising and then expect the whole ship to divert to offload them. And in these days of unbridled enthusiastic litigation, the ship just might.

 

Someone else might well ask why someone, knowing that they are in danger of such an event, would deliberately go to the trouble of subjecting themself to the possibility.

 

As someone who is diagnosed with a peanut allergy (by a specialist through the use of two different blood tests), I can assure you that your above statement about peanut allergies being an "invention" is complete nonsense :rolleyes: As for kid's being targeted for bringing sandwiches, keep this in mind: My son (who is not allergic to nuts) is in a nut free classroom in school due to a classmate's life threatening nut allergy. That's right! She can literally die from coming in contact with nuts or nut products! Therefore, myself and the other parents, and our children are more than happy to forego PB&J sandwiches rather than risk the life of a 6 year old! The notion that we are being 'targeted' is ridiculous!

[CruisnGram]

James have you ever heard of this kind of thing to happen? She was telling me this story and I started getting nervous thinking....what if i have an anxiety attack..... having not sailed yet It made me think...

 

You'll be just fine. Don't confuse anxiety or panic with anticipation. Unless you have specific issues already with fear of water, or fear of confinement, you are going to be so excited there's no way some unfounded fear is just going to crop up. The most you have to worry about is flipping out when it's time to get off.......you won't want to go home! :)

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

CG

[Catz4001]

I have suffered from panic attacks...and have a fear of water, yet never had a problem cruising. Most the time you don't feel like you are on a boat unless you go to the side and look out.

And the person thinking people invented panic attacks and peanut allergies is ignorant....

[rlmlcb6]

Mine not a freak out problem. But sometimes my back goes out. what if it happened on the ship? how much is the dr? does my travel ins cover that?:confused:

[garycarla]

...And the person thinking people invented panic attacks and peanut allergies is ignorant....

 

Not sure I would say ignorant, but maybe less tolerant of the many "new medical problems" that appear to be occuring these days.

 

I am aware of the severe peanut allergies and witnessed a 4 year old one day that was near peanuts. Within minutes, he looked like he had been dragged down the highway face first. Not a pretty site.

 

There is some truth somewhere between that situation and the poster being called ignorant. I would guess this thread is about to take off into never never land.

 

Here we go!

[renalrn]

If you're being treated currently for panic attacks or an anxiety disorder please share your concerns with your MD, he or she may want to give you a prescription for some emergency Ativan just for the trip.

I highly recommend any one travelling to buy travel insurance, research it and make sure that it covers emergency transport, then if you need to be evacuated it is covered .

 

I'm not prone to panic attacks but I do get a little claustrophobic, this has never bothered me on a ship, even when I was a poor student travelling on an inside cabin/no window.

 

To the above poster who questioned the validity of panic attacks and peanut allergies: after spending some time working in an emergency room and seeing bad cases of both, I hope that your doubtful attitude doesn't karma back around to you and bite you in the end!

[IUcruiser]

what happens if you get onboard and have a full blown Panic Attack?? I knew of someone that said they got on the ship and freaked out and couldnt get off and wanted to go home, but they wouldnt let her. Her friend said she actually gave herself a mini heart attack from fear and anxiety, I was listening to her story like....um... I didnt know what to say. Anyway has anyone ever seen a passenger flip out or have to go back to port to bring someone back?:confused:

 

I had a life-threatening accident four months ago that has triggered a few panic attacks. The feeling of anxiety is a smothering one, like claustrophobia, accompanied by a terror of not being to escape the panic itself, its so gripping it feels like your heart is beating strangely. The way I deal with it is to get my mind to do math problems in my head if I feel anxious. Something about using the right side of your brain to stem the attack. Sounds crazy, but it works!;)

On the ship there is so much open space and your mind is so busy, a panic attack is pretty unlikely.:)

[mmceachn]

If you require medical care on board, the charges will vary according to the extent of the treatment rendered.

 

Whether it is covered by your health plan or by travel insurance will depend on the nature of the illness, and the coverage provided on the plan that you purchase.

 

When my DH developed an ear infection while on board, he had two trips to the doctor and one prescription. The charges were added to the on board account and we were provided with a paid receipt to submit to the travel insurance company. Reimbursement was pretty quick.

[jackieodonnell]

You should be fine but you can always ask your doctor to prescribe you some xanax or a tranquilizer before your trip. Those things will keep you calm no matter what!

[Suni99]

You should be fine but you can always ask your doctor to prescribe you some xanax or a tranquilizer before your trip. Those things will keep you calm no matter what!

 

 

 

:D:D sounds good,,,,,some just in case valium or xanax:D:D

[NJGRANNY]

I have to tell the person who thinks that panic attacks are a "new invention," that I had them 50 years ago. No, I didn't have a name for what happened to me, but that's what they were. People just weren't as open about their problems back then.

 

Go on your cruise and enjoy it. I am afraid of heights, but have never suffered from it, even on the highest deck of a ship. I'd rather be on a ship than anywhere.

 

Have a great time and, as several people suggested, take some extra

meds with you just in case. That way you'll know that you have "backup" and can forget about it.

 

Enjoy!!!!!!

[trb351]

You should be fine.

 

I have trouble with anxiety and was a little apprehensive with our first cruise a couple of years ago. The ships are very large and a little overwhelming at first. However, once you are onboard and see how beautiful the ships are and how excited everyone is your anxiety should subside. I am a total landlubber from the prairies, but one cruise and now I'm hooked.:D Have a great time!

[Leafpeeper]

Worse case senario is that the doctor will give you medication to relax and sleep until you arrive at your first port and fly home. I always travel with my panic medication just in case I need to sleep--especially when I fly. I always come home with a nearly full bottle but relax knowing I have it just in case. I remember needing to take pills when we hit turbulents flying home from San Diego one year. It's just more relaxing knowing the medication will help you sleep if necessary. Good to have that medication during rough seas when you need help getting to sleep.

[beachchick]

Not sure I would say ignorant, but maybe less tolerant of the many "new medical problems" that appear to be occuring these days.

 

I am aware of the severe peanut allergies and witnessed a 4 year old one day that was near peanuts. Within minutes, he looked like he had been dragged down the highway face first. Not a pretty site.

 

There is some truth somewhere between that situation and the poster being called ignorant. I would guess this thread is about to take off into never never land.

 

Here we go!

 

Reasonable, but I'd change "less tolerant" of "new medical problems" to "unaware of" or "uninformed" or even "unwilling to accept" the "newly named and acknowledged medical conditions that have been around for a long time."

 

It's kind of like the way that MS, Parkinson's, and similar illnesses were viewed as "all in the head" or "just stress" until medical science advanced enough to understand that auto-immune diseases are physical in nature and not just "in someone's head." In fact, we're still kind of in the dark ages (as it were) regarding mental illnesses and conditions. Last time I checked, the brain was a physical part of our body. Taking something like panic attacks that manifest through chemical changes in the brain and claiming that it's not physical is absurd, IMO. Or consider PTSD. It's been around for centuries, but has gone through numerous name changes and much misunderstanding. Ditto for many allergies. It's certainly possible that there are more people with specific allergies, such as various nuts, but it's also possible that many people died from unrecognized or undiagnosed allergies.

 

None of these things is new. And to even suggest (garycarla: not directed at you; you're not the one suggesting it) that peanut allergy sufferers are "targeting" classrooms or anywhere else for some selfish reason or gain is ridiculous and ignorant. There's no other way to put it. It's like those who claim that wheel-chair users are somehow trying to "put one over" on rest of us by "needing" wider doors, specially designed cabins/rooms/homes, ramps and other access, and so forth. (I put that in quotes because some time back one of our own CC members made that exact claim: That h/c pax were trying to "put one over" all of us. I almost couldn't believe my eyes. Talk about ignorant.)

 

Anyway, if someone knows that certain situations are likely to lead to a panic attack, then he or she must--absolutely must--bring and take appropriate medications or do whatever the doctor has ordered to try to prevent it. IMO, he or she needs to consider whether cruising is a good idea before even booking. I won't stay in a high-rise hotel in a room higher than the fifth floor. That's my little :eek: of heights. Nevermind that my brain knows I could just as easily die if I fell from the third or fourth floor. My brain has its own "comfort" level. While I have mastered quite a bit of it (I can now climb a ladder onto the roof of our two-story house and I can even climb a ladder up the wall partway if necessary), I also know my limitations. Does this make me crazy (or should I say "crazier")? I suppose to some. But there are many things I am not afraid of in the least that terrify others. It's so important to know ourselves well enough to admit what we can and can't do.

 

I would hope that the doctor and medical center onboard have the facilities to at least give someone a sedative if necessary.

 

beachchick

[sjbdtz]

I had a life-threatening accident four months ago that has triggered a few panic attacks. The feeling of anxiety is a smothering one, like claustrophobia, accompanied by a terror of not being to escape the panic itself, its so gripping it feels like your heart is beating strangely. The way I deal with it is to get my mind to do math problems in my head if I feel anxious. Something about using the right side of your brain to stem the attack. Sounds crazy, but it works!;)

On the ship there is so much open space and your mind is so busy, a panic attack is pretty unlikely.:)

 

 

True. It is unlikely.

 

Ultimately what causes palpitations is adrenaline. It's the "fight or flight" response. It sucks

 

What's tremendously useful when having a full-blown panic attack is to practice Yoga-style breathing exercises.

 

Slow, deep breathing will restore the oxygen flow to your brain (often reduced by deep, shallow breathing during a panic attack), and help calm you. Plus the concentration on breathing tends to distract your mind from the cause of the panic.

[Mrs. H.]

Panic Attack:

I know a guy who's parents (60ish) were going on the Dawn 2 yrs ago. His mother was packing away and was very excited. Turns out that when his mother stepped foot on the ship she had a panic attack and they both returned home. Too bad the hubby didn't continue the trip. lol

I believe she went to a doctor. He was trying to get them to fly somewhere to salvage some of their vacation.

Claustrophobic:

I purchased a gaurantee back on the Triumph and paid for the inside/bottom deck. When I got to the pier we were happy to find out our assigned cabin was on the 10th deck but inside. Hubby LOVED IT! Slept like a baby with no light from the outside. I was cool with it. But now I wouldn't want to chance an inside. I'm afraid that as time goes on and I get older I might be getting a little claustrophobic.

I love a balcony, (won't go on cruise without one), but I still take baby steps with my arm reaching out when I step out onto the balcony going towards the railing. lol DH is like, 'why do we get a balcony?" lmbo

Medical care:

Our first cruise was back in '94 on the Princess. Formal night came and dh bent down to retrieve his dress shoes from the closet and when he came back up he hit his head on the safe that I was stupid enough to leave open. Well, talk about blood gushing out!:eek: We tried so hard to get it under control. Wound up getting to the dinning room at 8:00 and they were just closing the doors. Almost didn't let us in. My cousin and his wife were waiting for us at the table. Came picture time and there was my husband in his tux holding a tissue at his head.

We tried to get the doctor to look at it but were told the doctor wasn't there. We wondered where he could have been since WE WERE OUT TO SEA! Well we never did get a doc to look at it and dh has a little scar there. Now I remember to close the safe and the dorrs each time. ;)

Travel insurance:

I never ever leave home without it. You just never know.

Two years ago dh's back went out before going on a land trip.

Got our money back and wound up going on a quickie cruise when

he was all better.

Have a great day!

[Mrs. H.]

Panic Attack:

I know a guy who's parents (60ish) were going on the Dawn 2 yrs ago. His mother was packing away and was very excited. Turns out that when his mother stepped foot on the ship she had a panic attack and they both returned home. Too bad the hubby didn't continue the trip. lol

I believe she went to a doctor. He was trying to get them to fly somewhere to salvage some of their vacation.

Claustrophobic:

I purchased a gaurantee back on the Triumph and paid for the inside/bottom deck. When I got to the pier we were happy to find out our assigned cabin was on the 10th deck but inside. Hubby LOVED IT! Slept like a baby with no light from the outside. I was cool with it. But now I wouldn't want to chance an inside. I'm afraid that as time goes on and I get older I might be getting a little claustrophobic.

I love a balcony, (won't go on cruise without one), but I still take baby steps with my arm reaching out when I step out onto the balcony going towards the railing. lol DH is like, 'why do we get a balcony?" lmbo

Medical care:

Our first cruise was back in '94 on the Princess. Formal night came and dh bent down to retrieve his dress shoes from the closet and when he came back up he hit his head on the safe that I was stupid enough to leave open. Well, talk about blood gushing out!:eek: We tried so hard to get it under control. Wound up getting to the dinning room at 8:00 and they were just closing the doors. Almost didn't let us in. My cousin and his wife were waiting for us at the table. Came picture time and there was my husband in his tux holding a tissue at his head.

We tried to get the doctor to look at it but were told the doctor wasn't there. We wondered where he could have been since WE WERE OUT TO SEA! Well we never did get a doc to look at it and dh has a little scar there. Now I remember to close the safe and the dorrs each time. ;)

Travel insurance:

I never ever leave home without it. You just never know.

Two years ago dh's back went out before going on a land trip.

Got our money back and wound up going on a quickie cruise when

he was all better.

Have a great day!

[LOWTYD]

Hey, just put the word "Syndrome" after anything you've got a new medical disease!

O my! I can't stop coming to this site! I have Cruise Critic Syndrome!:rolleyes:

I need professional help!

(just lightening things up)