I had surgery almost three years ago, and recently flew for the first time. I, too, was apprehensive, and while I did not experience vertigo or nausea as you describe it, I found the hustle and bustle of the airports to be almost overwhelming, starting with the first flight from our small local airport. Going through security, I was hit with a bout of the "stupids" -- meaning I couldn't figure out how to remove my laptop from the case, couldn't keep track of my boarding pass and passport -- I just totally blanked mentally. This sometimes happens when I am very tired, but I was well-rested on that day. I attributed it to nerves about the upcoming trip, and somehow made it through security without losing anything or being asked to take a breathalyzer (or worse). I was okay on the flights themselves, could even walk the aisles with ease, but my vestibular went nuts on deplaning -- all three flights. My sense of depth perception abandoned me, tunnel vision set in, and I found it difficult to navigate the jetways. Once I got into the airports and could walk around, my symptoms seemed to calm down. It was very strange. The worst part happened on the return flight into Atlanta, clearing customs and immigration. Once again, I got the stupids -- blindly followed the herd until I was at the front of the line, had no idea what to do, asked a few fellow passengers for help (they were lost too, so maybe it wasn't the AN after all), and finally decided to just stand there and wait until either the entire line cleared out, or my husband figured out I was missing and came looking for me (not really joking here). Sure enough, an airport employee came up and started speaking to me -- in my deaf ear. Over the din, I just pointed to the deaf ear and mouthed "Hearing impaired! Please speak in other ear." She pretty much took me by the hand at that point and walked me through to the immigration officer. It was unnerving. I couldn't tell my boarding pass from my immigration form -- just handed everything to the guy. Same thing at security -- fellow passengers helped me through (oh, the kindness of strangers!). By that time I was staggering under the weight of my laptop, and when they called for early boarding for the final flight, I wobbled on past all the first class passengers to the front of the line to the Delta agent, who then ran down the jetway ahead of me yelling "Let her on NOW!" I will say that I had been up and traveling about 20 hours at that point, after an intense two-week stay (for work), and I think the combination of fatigue and sensory overload was just too much for my system. The tinnitus was just off the charts. I should also mention that I have chronic sinusitis and was taking prednisone, but I would think that would help with balance. All in all, a strange and unnerving experience.
