Motion sickness help on liveaboard

[littleguppie]

great suggestions, but now I'm confused if I should get the Transderm pill (makes sense that the patch was maybe too potent to me since I'm only 120 pounds?). Or should I use scubaphil's plan...but Phil my trip with SOF departs at 7:30am. So, I should probably take the night before I go to bed and then again the morning? When you suggest the Dramamine do you mean Dramamine II? Isn't that the one that is supposed to not cause drowsiness?

Or should I use the rx Meclizine?

What about the Kwells? Sounds interesting...anyone else have any feedback on using this stuff? Where could I get it in Cairns? A little leary about using since it's not approved in the US.

Aaaahhhh, I'm confused and not sure what route to go now.

 

[littleguppie]

well, i think the transderm pill is out...I was doing some reading in a medical journal about how the pill is only effective for about 4 hours and needs to be taken again. Only problem is that it said the side effects (blurred vision) greatly increased when the medication had to be taken every 4 to 6 hours repeatedly.

I'm really interested to hear more about the Kwells. Anyone have experience with it? How do you take it? I'll be on the boat for 4 days and depart at 7:30am. Sounds like you can wait till you feel ill to take it. Not that I want to wait that long, but it's nice to know.

 

[labuckland]

I had horrible seasickness the first time I went out to Anacapa here in Cali. It was a 2 hour ride in four foot swells and no horizon due to fog. Like a moron, I sat out in front and tried to find something stable to look at. By the time we got out there, I was throwing up. Missed all but one dive and that one I almost chowed through my reg.

Someone told me to use Meklazine the night before and then again before driving to the boat. Finally, they suggested that I go down below and close my eyes for the trip out. I did all of this and it did the trick. I found Meklazine to be more effective than the active in Dramamine.

I hope it went well.

 

[Hoomi]

On an episode of the television show Mythbusters, the team took a look at different seasickness remedies. They have a couple of folks on the team that are very prone to motion sickness, so they not only had ready subjects to study, they had a vested interest in finding effective remedies.

One thing they found that was surprising to them, but not much to fans of organic and homeopathic medicine, was that ginger was more effective than many of the pharmaceutical remedies, without any of the undesirable side-effects. Ginger root has long been known by herbalists as a powerful stomach-settling agent. You can buy it in numerous forms, including candied ginger chews, which offer the benefits in a form that has a milder flavor (full strength ginger root is pretty powerful stuff).

If you haven't tried it before, you might give it a shot. One nice thing is that it doesn't tend to have an interaction with other drugs, so using it doesn't put you in the position of having to wait four hours or more to take something else if it doesn't seem to be working for you.

I'm not a die-hard proponent of herbal remedies, but when I find something that works and doesn't have the side-effects or residual "hangover effect), I'm all for it. If you get a chance to see that episode of Mythbusters, it's definitely worthwhile.

 

[SCUBA_Phil]

Littleguppie,
Are you doing the Mikeball trip? If your leaving early, take your med the night before and then again that morning. The trip from Cairns to the lower ribbon reefs is about 4 hours of open ocean. Once you get the reefs, the water is calm.

Phil

 

[aMc10]

What about the Kwells? Sounds interesting...anyone else have any feedback on using this stuff? Where could I get it in Cairns? A little leary about using since it's not approved in the US.

It's available over the counter, and in Cairns, you'd probably be abe to pick it up in most convenience stores.

Another good one that I used to take as a kid in the UK is Stugeron, but I don't think it's available here - not sure about the US.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

It's available over the counter, and in Cairns, you'd probably be abe to pick it up in most convenience stores.

Another good one that I used to take as a kid in the UK is Stugeron, but I don't think it's available here - not sure about the US.

I have purchased STUGERON online. It is readily available and no prescription is required. It does work, but what I think my biggest problem is diesel fumes. No matter what I take, if the boat has big engines and I can't get away from them then I am chumming. I am doing a liveaboard in Nov. to the Bahamas. But I am also doing some other dives before that and I am going to try the Meclizine just to give myself some options.

Good luck!
Carolyn:sharks:

 

[diver918]

i should have read this before the weekend...had a trip out of PCB on Saturday and i was not able to hold it down...thought i didnt need the medication, but apparently i am one of those ppl that needs to take it.....

 

[scubadobadoo]

I have had great success with the patch for more than one day but sometimes I actually get sea sick AFTER the trip when I take the patch off.

Ginger...it helps settle my stomach after a bout of sickness but it does nothing for my "inner ear" as it were and that's the issue with some of us.

If you get really sick like me, then the patch is your best bet as it gives constant medication. If you only get mildly sick then maybe pills and other things like ginger may help alleviate the madness. Good luck!

Other than that, go to Bonaire.

 

[littleguppie]

Littleguppie,
Are you doing the Mikeball trip? If your leaving early, take your med the night before and then again that morning. The trip from Cairns to the lower ribbon reefs is about 4 hours of open ocean. Once you get the reefs, the water is calm.

Phil

Phil - I'm doing the Spirit of Freedom trip. We depart at 7:30am. I wonder if we head to the Ribbon Reefs first too? I'll have to check the itinerary (on another computer).

It sounds like something different works for everyone, but since I know the patch causes me blurred vision and the dramamine makes me feel like I've been drugged, I may try the meclizine, bring some ginger, heck I'll try the one ear plug in the ear too. Maybe I'll try to pick up some Kwells when we get to Cairns as well.

did anyone post how long in advance the Kwells should be taken? And how long does it last?

Now, on to my husbands issue - ear problems. I'm going to post a new thread regarding his situation. We are a bit of a mess between the two of us.