Did you catch Gil Grissom say he has Mal de Débarquement on the popular crime serial CSI:Vegas? In episode 3, from the opening scene to the shocking last 5 minutes, he struggles not only with the symptoms of “land sickness” but also how to tell his wife, Sara.
The show’s producers did not consult the MdDS Foundation so we’re glad they got so much right in their understanding of MdDS. The initial disorientation. The imbalance. Cognitive impairment. Coming in waves. The uncertainty. That men suffer with MdDS, too! Our education efforts are clearly effective.
Honey, I got a problem.
The producers won’t reveal the complete story line, so we’re monitoring social media and news media alerts closely. While Grissom said he still felt “Out to sea” in episode 4, we’re guessing MdDS will probably not be mentioned again for a while. Grissom is a main character, but the show is about solving crimes not a medical mystery. Nevertheless, we’ve set alerts to watch CBS every Wednesday at 10:00P ET and hope you do, too. It will be very interesting to see how MdDS is further portrayed.
The episode “Under the Skin” in which MdDS is first mentioned can be streamed online, or on demand if you subscribe to Amazon Prime or Paramount+. We’d love for you to watch and come back to this post with your comments.
I did not see the show. However I’m glad for more awareness. I was first diagnosed by a neurologist in Chicago in 2009. It took about 4 months to feel normal again. I’ve had small reoccurrences over the years. As of April 7 I’m back on the boat reliving all the symptoms…
I was delighted to hear that someone figured out her diagnosis from watching this show 🙂 I have to hope that the show honours the lived experiences of real people with MdDS and the amazing work done by the MdDS researchers, especially during the last decade.
Vim aqui justamente pelo episódio. Vim pesquisar em um site que me parece sério. Não sabia da existência dessa síndrome. Fiquei temerosa pelo personagem. E agora estou lendo o depoimento e os comentários por quem passa por esse desafio. Se ver retratado, ajuda. Emocionalmente. A gente não se sente estranho. Em outras questões, o ser retratado, me transmitiu empatia. Força! Deus os abençoe.
As a male who suffers from persistent MdDS with spontaneous onset, although primarily triggered from chronic vestibular migraines, it felt reassuring to see this portrayed. It is still so hard for anyone to understand the impact of the symptoms and impact on your life. I am on medications that have improved my symptoms and given me a normal life to about 90% thanks to Dr. Shin Beh. We move forward…one day at a time.
What medications do you take and should I see a neurologist?
I’ve got mdds for4 years. I was told that here is no treatment. However I know my body and what triggers it. I find [dosage redacted] Ativan calms me and helps with imbalance
Thanks so much for the post
I will watch it too
You are welcome. Please come back to this post and tell us what you think of the episode and the inclusion of Mal de Debarquement in the script.
I seen the show. I wish they would show him having more difficulty getting around and functioning.
It was barely a blip. However I expect more said in future episodes. He had maybe 3 or 4 symptoms, which were subtly shown, but in the end he tells his wife something’s wrong, what he’s been experiencing, the name, and if it doesn’t go away in a few days, it may never go away. She hugs him and promises support.
Though subtle, the symptoms were recognized by viewers who did not know what they had, and now they have a name for it. Membership in MdDS Friends, our online support group, is now up to 5,700 people worldwide.
It will be interesting to see how MdDS is further portrayed. Many commenters on our Instagram post had the same to say.