Any tips for sea sickness?

[BRT]

Scopolamine

In the pill form.

 

[BRT]

Just want to add that I never thought that Dramamine worked for me, but it turned out I was taking it wrong. Several people told me to take it the night before diving rather than first thing in the morning. Some said to take it at night and then in the morning. That worked for me. I used the less-drowsy Dramamine and do take it the night before and also in the morning. I grew up on the water and even having spent so much time on boats I have always been prone to seasickness. I made it through an 8 day LOB and the only time I felt remotely sick was the last day because I forgot to take the Dramamine the night before.

Less Drowsy Dramamine is Meclazine.

 

[Scraps]

The best cure for seasickness is more time at sea.

Your body can learn to deal with the motion—you just need to give it sufficient opportunity.

 

[markmud]

I have never met anyone that has puked their guts out and felt better afterwards with seasickness. My wife has a problem for at least 24 hours after getting on dry land.

Hi Snoweman,

There is no magic pill. As @rick00001967 is trying to impart in his post is that it takes work. And once your stomach is full of acid and screwed-up, there is no fixing that. A seasick person needs to FORCE themselves to eat small portions of some food that does not upset their stomach further! There is no magic medication that will fix that; the side affects from those meds create their own problems. One of our guests ended up in a psych ward for a week because of scopolamine combined with a rough passage. The scopolamine gave him hallucinations.

The people who don't get over seasickness are the ones who won't work at it while they feel like crap. Do you know how lousy I felt in the galley making my tuna sandwiches at O-Dark-30 after I had puked-up a ½ nectarine pie? Or how about the time I ate all of the beef tenderloin that the galley chef piled on my plate? Yeah, again at Zero-Dark-30 I was in the galley making my tuna sandwiches and five hours later I was eating a full breakfast and feeling quite well, even though we were still taking 12 foot seas (not swells) on the beam. Even some of us pros have problems now and then.

The people who shut-down at the first sign of seasickness and expect a magic solution will probably never get over it. Sorry! It takes work and a "gut-check" Grit your teeth and carry-on.

Mind you, throwing up doesn't help me either.

Have you tried eating small quantities of food after you up-chucked? Have you tried making yourself busy after your "Ralph" experience (with that breakfast burrito in one hand)? Wallowing in your seasickness problem doesn't fix it. Eat and get busy.

Once you learn how to deal with your seasickness issue, it becomes easier. You know, "been there, done that!"

"The best cure for seasickness is more time at sea." @Scraps

Scraps is right-on! For some people it takes more time at sea than others.

cheers,
m

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Less Drowsy Dramamine is Meclazine.

This is what I use along with moderate eating the morning of any dive trip. Just a bit of coffee, my normal routine but a little bit less than normal to avoid a sour stomach. Something light to have food on my stomach. Something I know doesn't upset my stomach. Plus the meclizine. You MUST take it early. Don't wait until boarding the boat like I see many doing. That's too late! I take one when I first get up. If it's looking really rough I'll also take one the night before to get it into my system.

This has worked wonders for me. I rarely have issues at all and even when it is REALLY ROUGH, at most I just get a tiny bit queasy.

 

[jadairiii]

on a typical dive boat.....stay near the stern.

Boat location is very important, say in the clean air. Many times what triggers people getting sick is the engine exhaust fumes, the exhaust rolls up from the stern (depending on where the exhaust outlets are) and finds it's way into the cabin areas (lower pressure areas). Sometimes the stern can be the worst area depending on wind and the direction of the boat. If at all possible, and the capt allows it, (and if the boat has one) get up on the flybridge during transport to the dive site.

 

[HKGuns]

Back in the day the US Navy used "Transderm SCOP" for non quals, guests, Marines and Seals to keep them from puking their guts out underway. Not sure if they are still in use, but they seemed effective.

Best advice is to spend more time underway and your body adjusts pretty quickly, except in the roughest conditions. Transiting the English channel can get pretty sketchy at times and then even the saltiest dogs have trouble keeping their food down.

I won't mention what the patches were called by most of the crew.

 

[rick00001967]

Boat location is very important, say in the clean air. Many times what triggers people getting sick is the engine exhaust fumes

absolutely true. some boats are horrible near the stern for fumes.

my comment was meant to point out that there is usually the least amount of movement near the back of the boat.

i would suggest being high on the bridge would be the worst option. but thats just me.

 

[jadairiii]

...i would suggest being high on the bridge would be the worst option. but thats just me.

It would seem counter productive, but I've run boats for years and had larger boats with a big flybirdge. As soon as I would put "green" passengers up there with me, 99% of them would immediately begin to feel better. Lots of fresh air, and their focus changes. Lots to see and people to talk to.

 

[markmud]

Many times what triggers people getting sick is the engine exhaust fumes, the exhaust rolls up from the stern (depending on where the exhaust outlets are) and finds it's way into the cabin areas (lower pressure areas).

This is true. The flybridge works. Especially, if you give the person a small task, like scanning the wake to make sure our jigs are working properly. That usually sparks a conversation that gets that person's mind off of their stomach.

Oh, the odor of diesel exhaust and salt air! God I love that odor! When I smell diesel exhaust on dry land, my mind automatically drifts off to the ocean. I love the ocean and diesel fumes, it smells like, FUN!

For the seasick, diesel exhaust can put them over-the-top.

cheers,
m