Any tips for sea sickness?

[Pressurehead]

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.

I know a Naval Captain with 40+years service who was sick for the first day of sailing no matter what size vessel and number of days at sea he had done.
And a better seaman would be hard to find.
Asked what the cure for sea sickness was he replied : " The only real cure is to stand under a tree".

 

[chillyinCanada]

My gf puked in the pool in her OW class and had to retake it with no one else causing water movement in the pool. She used to regularly puke mid-dive and obviously also safety stop, on surface and boat. We tried dimenhydrinate (dramamine), mezclizine (Bonnie), promethezine (phenergan), and cinnarizine (sturgeron). None of these worked and most made her terribly tired.

She eventually found success with the scopolamine patch, but quickly developed a persistent rash from the adhesive. She now regularly uses hyoscine (kwells) with great success. This is paired with other good strategies- simple carbs, no greasy or acidic food, focus on horizon, sit center of boat and away from fumes.

She will still get sick, but it’s far less frequent…I think her non-puke streak is around 25 boat dives and another dozen boat/ferry rides (Philippines). Prior to patch/kwells, with other meds, puking was around 90% of dives regardless of conditions.

She has amazing fortitude and must have loved diving from her first underwater breaths.

 

[Searcaigh]

Great success with Transdermal Scopalamine.

My daughter uses this with fantastic results.

 

[sabrisi]

paired with other good strategies- simple carbs, no greasy or acidic food, focus on horizon, sit center of boat and away from fumes.

Yep. My combo is dramamine night before and morning of, scopolamine patch, sea bands, bland carby breakfast, ginger chews, minimize surface time, and when all that fails... boot n' rally. Can't read or look at screens, being an "active" rider and paying attention to how the boat is moving helps as well.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

Dove 2 years ago in Aruba and one of the DMs on the boat swears by the peppermint candy discs. He got that from a friend in the coast guard. Never tried it but its worth a shot and it’s something that won’t make you drowsy.

 

[TuckerIdaho]

stay away from scopolamine, it can have nasty psychiatric side effects!

While yes, it can make people batshit (we had to tie a guy down offshore), if you are responsible and test it ON LAND prior to ANY trips then you're fine. It's not something to decide on your first boat trip to slap one on just to see if it works out.

 

[scubadada]

I am grateful that I'm not prone to motion sickness. I have never gotten sick on a day boat. I have used transdermal scopolamine prophylaxis a few times with a long sea crossing on a liveaboard, Cocos, Revillagigedos, Malpelo. The only quite rough crossings I have experienced were on a recent trip to Malpelo Trip Report - The Magic of Malpelo, July 9-18, 2021 on the Ferox . The crossing to Malpelo was very rough, a little less so on the way back. I tolerated both directions without any symptoms. At least half of the diving guests were quite ill on the sail to Malpelo. It seemed that most everyone did a bit better on the way back, perhaps got their sea legs

Transdermal scopolamine appears to be the most effective prevention and is preferred over the oral form. Scopolamine requires a prescription

Sedating antihistamines are effective. Non-sedating antihistamines are ineffective. Promethazine (Phenergan) appears to be the most effective, but requires a prescription. Cyclizine (Merezine), dimenhydramine (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Antivert, Bonine), are also effective.

Prevention and Treatment of Motion Sickness - American Family Physician (aafp.org)

 

[SubSoul]

On top of what everyone else is saying (I use meclizine), I found that "predicting the movement of the vehicle" and then actively balancing yourself; plays a big part in making me avoid motion sickness.

Besides scuba, I also participate in performance driving including off road. I found that when I predict the movement that the vehicle (car/boat/ship/whatever) is going to do, and then minimize my personal movement relative to stable earth, then I don't get nearly motion sick or at all. This is my theory, and it jives with strategies like "look at the horizon" and "find the most stable part of the boat".

So rather than being "along for the ride", one should actively "surf the vehicle" instead.

Hi! I know that this comment was made some time ago, but could you explain how you “actively surf” the boat? I am desperate (nothing has worked to curb my extreme sea sickness) and this suggestion has peaked my interest as it makes the most sense. TIA for any info! Cheers!!

 

[DiverDean59]

Ginger snaps help me. I have even offered them to people on the boat and it seems to have helped them too. It's no fun getting sick on the boat.

 

[Akimbo]

I have never met anyone that has puked their guts out and felt better afterwards with seasickness.

You have now, I'm one of many. That said, I rarely get seasick — maybe 4 times in 60 years. Therefore, I may not be representative of people who often or usually get seasick.

Here is a link to @doctormike's article in ScubaBoard Resources: Seasickness