Predicament

[Beef1992]

Right basically I'm going back to sea on tuesday for 6 months , but there's a possibility i might have glandular fever. In brief since may i have been ill on and off until about 3 weeks ago , chest infections , D&V , Chest infection again , Fever , Throat infection and tonsilitus , and lastly a gland infection in my throat .

Recently went to see my doc to get a quick checkup on the glands told him i was going away and he said go for a blood test as you may have glandular fever , told him i was going away he said how are you feeling now tired etc i said not atm. He stocked me up with more penicillin than my liver can handle and said go for it , if you feel unwell go see the doctor in your next port.

But should i inform my company or keep it quite , any one else had dealings with being unwell on a vessel ?

I have had a blood test , but will not get the results until after i have been away , i asked 6 weeks ago if i had glandular fever and they told me no.

There is no cure for glandular fever just makes you quite fatigued

[Randomist]

At the very least maybe the ship should know about it. Just in case you fall really unwell and they need to know of any recent medical history. It's more important for them to know than the company.

Sorry to hear you're not so good, it sounds crap. I was really unwell before I went away ages ago but got better in time to join ship. You may be fine and join ship, not suffering any more symtoms.

I'm not saying that calling the company is right or wrong, I think all they would do is ask you whether you want to stay at home for your results or if you're too unwell to join ship or something like that. Remember the position they're in is only to either send you away or offer you a different contract.

[Beef1992]

I feel fine , just got a swollen neck gland it means your body is fighting some form of infection i dont know blood were though , im fine to join the ship been back to gym so manual and fatigue isnt a problem.

Im not one to moan i just get on with it , i'm that guy whos ill and still goes to college or work who then makes everyone else ill and ends up the only one in work.

[GuinnessMan]

Make sure the guys on the ship are aware that you are ill. Last thing everyone needs is for you to collapse and then have some hairy arsed 2nd mate try to figure out whats wrong with you...

[Randomist]

As GM said, it's quite important for the ship to know about any illness, just incase you fall ill

[penfold]

Consider it from a personal safety perspective; what bad things may happen if it does get worse suddenly? Will you just be fatigued, feel crap and be confined to your cabin/light duties until the next available port for repatriation, or will you be at death's door needing a helicopter medevac in mid-ocean? I have no idea but it's a question I would want an answer for before going.

[GuinnessMan]

Also, just to avoid ever having it again, don't go kissing any more dirty slags you!

[YoungMariner]

I'd be honest with your company and explain what the Doctor has said and you feel OK to travel, they might have you checked out by their own doctor, or ask you to wait an extra few days before joining but at least you've taken the responsible approach.

[Hatchorder]

Make sure the guys on the ship are aware that you are ill. Last thing everyone needs is for you to collapse and then have some hairy arsed 2nd mate try to figure out whats wrong with you...

Guinessman is right - tell the company and let them decide.

Listen up. My experience of the 1 week "Ship Captains Medical Course", run by the BMA I think, was scary. We were given a copy of the "Ship Captains Medical Guide" (Is it still around?) and told to give a diagnosis based on symptoms we were given when we interviewed a "patient". Every one of us came up with a different diagnosis and we all decided the best thing was to learn how to do a "Pan Pan Medico" rather than open the book in anger!

If you do collapse then you are likely to be diagnosed by said "hairy arsed 2nd mate" with an ectopic pregnancy and wake up with a leg missing...... even it you are male!

I once had a hairy arsed sailor come and see me completely off his face one night, having been ashore and got lashed, and into a fight, and had a beer glass broken over his head and was losing a fair amount of claret. He really needed to go to the shoreside hospital but was afraid to go because he knew the guy he had the fight with had been taken there as well (in a far worse state!) and he would be arrested, so he begged me to sort it out. It was horrendous but all the crew with him kept pleading with me to do it.

I told him I could definately not use local anaesthetic or freeze spray on it as he had consumed far too much booze. In reality I was pissed off at being dragged out of my pit to sort him out having had about a dozen standbys in about a week and no run ashore for a beer myself and it was a job that was far too big for me and really needed professional care on it!

He had no choice so he agreed...... He felt me wash it out and he felt every stitch...... all 31 of them!

When I took the stitches out a week later he asked me if it was true that I could not numb the scalp. I confessed it was not. He never came to see me again!

Moral of the story - never upset the guy with the key to the medical tools and drugs!