why do older people get less travel sickness & chemo nausea

[hairyfairy]

I`ve just read on a couple of internet sites that people over 50 are less likely to get sick when having chemotherapy, & are also less prone to travel sickness. That`s good news for someone of my age group, but does anyone one this site know why this is?

[Erica1649]

I don't have an answer for you unfortunately but thank you for bringing this up. This is quite an interesting concept quite frankly. I'm going to guess and say its a tollerance thing perhaps? For example we are more able to control our vomit reflects, bathroom happenings as we mature as opposed to children?

[olschesky]

i'm going to believe this since it's good news for me.....i'm 60....hahahahaha

[jmoore10]

How interesting...I've not heard that before but good to know. My stupid emets only gotten worse with age so hopefully this will hold true for me!
41 years down, 9 more to go!

[out_of_order]

I don't know about travel sickness but I have personally known several older people (family and neighbours) with cancer and were VERY sick during chemo, so I don't think that one is right.

If I had to guess about the travel sickness, maybe the older you are, the more your body gets used to the motion??

[jennjt]

I have heard / read that motion sickness is related to hearing-- those that are hearing impaired, especially if a particular nerve is damaged, do not experience motion sickness. Maybe that is why the elderly experience motion sickness less. Due to decline in hearing?

[MarrickFait]

...? New to me. Must have something to do with cellular replication. (Me attempting to sound like I know what I'm talking about)

[kristinak]

I have heard / read that motion sickness is related to hearing-- those that are hearing impaired, especially if a particular nerve is damaged, do not experience motion sickness. Maybe that is why the elderly experience motion sickness less. Due to decline in hearing?

I have heard/read the same thing about the hearing/motion thing. I don't know if I agree with the chemo aspect of it. I know plenty of older people who get very, very sick with chemo and younger ones who weren't affected as much

[hairyfairy]

I have read an interesting fact about people who are born deaf, they never get motion sickness, so I guess nature has compensated them.

[betsie]

I have read an interesting fact about people who are born deaf, they never get motion sickness, so I guess nature has compensated them.

Even I, as an emet, would not see that as compensation! I would much rather have my hearing and deal with the propect of getting travel sick, than the other way round.

[MarrickFait]

^I second that xD

[KaydeeJayde]

Third ^. I'm sure the people without their hearing would much rather have that and get sick, too.

I do know people who are hearing impaired (not completely deaf, mind you) who do get motion sickness. And I've just asked my mother (a nurse who works with a LOT of cancer patients) and she says that she's seen equal amounts of people over 50 and people under 50 who have gotten sick. She even went as far as to say that older people (as in, the elderly, so over 75-ish) that she has seen have gotten more sick than younger people whose bodies are much better equipped and stronger and deal with chemo better.