Best motion/seasick meds for divers...

[The Mighty Thor]

there is a suppository product out there.... just sayin....

Especially effective when performing the war hammer maneuver.

I use Bonine on occasion and it works for me. Ginger and Coca Cola also help. Haven't tried anything else

 

[Mortis65]

I like Ginger Pills. They have no side effects, and they settle my stomach very well. I find them at a local health food store. I know this sounds very much like a recommendation from the 'hippy dippy' side of the world, but I'll point to Mythbusters for putting me on this idea.
MythBusters Episode 43: Sea-sickness – Kill or Cure?
The worst I've ever had is ginger flavoured burps.

 

[Diver0001]

So, what's the best meds to have for this trip? I've heard some can make you drowsy and I obviously want to be fully alert, especially since the Clipper is going to be the first dives and my deepest dives by FAR. Thanks in advance.

In my experience the best protection against becoming seasick is to sleep well, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol for several days before the trip so you can get on board relaxed and feeling good.

I'm sure someone already told you what to take so I won't bother you with that. Personally I've tried some kind of homeopathic thing that helped a lot despite the fact that on the whole I think homeopathic medicines are snake-oil.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

The worst I've ever had is ginger flavoured burps.

.... which usually precedes Ginger flavoured heaving over the leeward railing by a few seconds..... it's a matter of taste but it doesn't work for me.

Strawberries don't work either. Taste great but they make people think you're dying a horrible death when you start to spew....

R..

 

[Diver0001]

I, too, get seasick looking at a ship . . . I used meclizine for two years, starting 36 hours before getting on the boat and taking double the dose (under a doctor's recommendation). Still, I get horribly sick if the seas go about about 3'. However, that is me, and I am horribly sensitive.

If you wish to go the prescription route, try Scopolamine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It is prescription, and I used it on land to discover side effects before trying to dive with it. It works PD well for me, but I still have urped.

YMMV.

PS - go to the pharmacist and ask for the "big bottle" of meclizine. You can get a bottle of 100 tablets for way less than the over-the-counter 24-in-a-pack Bonine.

OMG Jax, how do you even bathe with this problem

R..

 

[Slamfire]

I like Ginger Pills. They have no side effects, and they settle my stomach very well. I find them at a local health food store. I know this sounds very much like a recommendation from the 'hippy dippy' side of the world, but I'll point to Mythbusters for putting me on this idea.
MythBusters Episode 43: Sea-sickness – Kill or Cure?
The worst I've ever had is ginger flavoured burps.

I've only tried ginger pills once, and there was no sickness whatsoever, not even a hint. The ocean was very calm that day, though, so I don't know how effective they are for me in reality. It took place about a month ago on a dive trip we did to Courtenay in Vancouver Island. I forgot to bring my usual meclizine pills. I went to the drug store late in the afternoon and the pharmacist over there told me they didn't have any. She recommended ginger pills, and I replied saying that I believed those where a placebo. She then countered saying that there have been studies proving that it reduced morning sickness in pregnant women. So I gave it a try.

Usually when I don't take anything and the ocean is calm, I'll get hints of motion sickness, not the full blown attack. I was surprised that I didn't even felt the "hints". I'm still a little skeptical, though.

 

[gillies]

I get motion sickness just scrolling through this thread. Tried it all and found the Scop patch works for me - I mean no motion troubles at all, even in Pacific swells. Just heard about the pill.

 

[Paco]

Ginger Snaps, Ginger Pills and Ginger Ale did not work for me. A half of Triptone tablet an hour before the dive helped me.

 

[scopace2013]

If anybody is looking for Scopace 0.4 mg tablets, it is no longer manufactured, however Steven's Pharmacy & Compounding Center in California has the ingredients & can compound an equivalent strength & ship directly to you. Their phone # is 800-352-3784. Steven's Pharmacy is a good compounding resource for any of your custom prescription needs. Visit them at Steven's Pharmacy or call them.

 

[tako-belle]

I'm a total believe in the scopalamine patch. It's prescription but works great. I get seasick just snorkeling if it's rough and it's the one thing that works for me on boats. You can also get meclizine 25mg chewable that is over the counter. The problem I have is keeping the patch on underwater. I even tape them with waterproof tape, but they still tend to fall off after the first dive. I've found that using a cap that has a velcro hitch under the chin helps as it covers the patch.