Dimenhydrenate

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keralucu

Senior Member
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Location
Beijing, China
# of dives
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Can the Docs tell me what the correct dosage for dimenhydrenate should be? I did a search on it, but there are apparently no references to this drug on the boards so far.

On Sunday, four of us were on a small boat on the way to a dive site when the weather turned foul and we were being rather tossed about in strong winds and about 2m waves. We all took a whole dimenhydrenate pill and within about 15 minutes were all so drowsy it was like we'd taken sleeping pills! LUckily we'd already decided to turn back as the boat would not have managed the water conditions while we were diving - there is no way we could have dived under the influence of those pills. The effects lasted almost 24 hours - on arriving back at the dive centre we all had to crash out for a couple of hours, then when we got back to BAngkok after driving for 4 hours, we all had very wierd dreams and still woke up feeling like we'd been hit by a truck.

Dimenhydrenate is a motion sickness med, but not to be recommended for diving.

Gasman - I know you told me to get meclozine hydrochloride but I didn't have time before going down... next time for sure!

That was way too wierd... Any comments?
 
Hi Alison:

Dimenhydrinate has been mentioned many times on the board, but usually not by that name. Most medications have two names- the "trade" name that is used by the manufacturer to market the drug and the "generic" name which is common to virtually everyone who markets the medicine. Dimenhydrinate is the generic name for "Dramamine Original Formula" and "Triptone".

The usual dose for dimenhydrinate for an adult is 50 to 100mg every 4-6 hours not to exceed 400 mg in 24 hours. You're right, many people find it very sedating. That's probably why Pharmacia and Upjohn (the drug maker) came out with "Dramamine Less Drowsy" which goes by the generic name meclizine that you mentioned. It too can be sedating but many people find it less sedating than the original Dramamine formula.

As an aside- I think it's important to read the label of any medication that you take to know what all is in it (the generic names) and its potential side effects before you take it. Trade names for over-the-counter drugs can be too confusing. If you just go to the store and automatically buy "Dramamine" without reading the rest of the label are you getting dimenhydrinate or meclizine? Did you know that there are no less than 14 different kinds of "Sudafed"? There are over 40 medicines that carry the "Tylenol" label. Drug manufacturers like trade names because people get comfortable with a brand name-- it's good for marketing. But it's important to read the label to be sure of just what you're taking so you get what you need and don't take what you don't need. (End of lecture ;-)

HTH,

Bill
 
Dr Bill - thanks for that. Normally I would read the label, but given the conditions on the boat etc and the fact that these particular pills were all that was available, we just popped them. I won't be doing that again... I still have to find out what the dosage was because the rate at which it hit me was incredible - normally I have a high tolerance and it takes me longer than most to digest pills and have them take effect.

Anyway, thanks for the "pep" talk :p. I will definitely be more careful in future.
:)
 
Hi Alison:

Dramamine is one of the few medicines that we actually have a decent study showing that it is actually dangerous at depth.

The psychometric and cardiac effects of dimenhydrinate in the hyperbaric environment.
Pharmacotherapy. 2000 Sep;20(9):1051-4.
Dimenhydrenate Article

Their conclusion was that Dimenhydrinate adversely affects mental flexibility. This effect, when added to the adverse effect of depth on memory, may contribute to the dangers of diving.
 
Hi Scubadoc

I read your page about dimenhydrinate when doing a search for it thru google. If dramamine is risky at depth... what is the best solution for people who get seasick at the surface? I find that generally on board I am fine, although was feeling a little queasy last week during the storm but nothing major... it now seems to hit me when I surface and there is a bit of swell and surge causing waves. Once I'm under, I'm fine. I've been thinking about going for the herbal (i.e. ginger) approach and seeing how that works as it doesn't seem to have any adverse effects at depth.

Oh yes, you mentioned making your own wristbands on your site. How/what material to use etc?

Thanks Doc
 
Scopolamine in the dermal patch is probably the best product. Meclizine has similar anti-cholinergic capacities.

Making your own wrist bands was said somewhat in jest, but certainly can be done with a watch band turned backwards to the under surface of the wrist (pressing on the acupuncture point)over the radial artery. This needs to be done while burning feathers and beating tom-toms (G).

For a world of information, try searching this site for the key words 'motion sickness'. This has been discussed on several other threads.

There is an audio tape that you can get that is approved by the British HSE for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy - it should also be good for seasickness.

 
Scubadoc - thanks for that. Haha to the wristbands - I was wondering how one makes one's own when they are supposed to be magnetised?? :p

Will check out the other threads and all methods of preventing motion sickness...
 
Hi keralucu,

The following is a general orientation on the prevention & treatment of mal de mer, and includes some dicsussion of "the patch." This article appeared in my Jan/Feb 2000 "Ask RSD" column of "Rodale's Scuba Diving" magazine. The following is an edited version from my files:

"Sea sickness, which shows wide variation in susceptibility among individuals, is not yet fully understood. It is believed to occur when portions of the brain tasked with maintaining balance receive input from the eyes, inner ear, muscles and joints that is inconsistent and unexpected over an extended period of time.

Prevention is a first step. Avoid fatigue and get adequate rest. Eat modestly, avoiding greasy, fatty, acidic and spicy foods. Don't skip breakfast, but stick to bland foods like toast, rolls and cereal. Go easy on tea and coffee, and very, very easy on alcoholic beverages. When on the boat, don't get overheated--stay under a sunshade, don't put on your protective suit until necessary, and get in the water as soon as possible. Search out a spot low and in the center where motion is minimized, face forward, focus your eyes on a fixed object on the horizon or elsewhere, avoid unnecessary neck movements and stay out of exhaust fumes. Do not go below, read anything or look through binoculars. If you must vomit, do so freely, but not anywhere on the boat, and especially not in the marine toilet.

There are plenty of medications available, and you may wish to discuss this with your physician. Among those reported to be the most effective are meclizine and scopolamine. Prescription strength meclizine commonly comes as Antivert. Scopolamine can be delivered through a transdermal patch (Transderm Scop), orally (Scopace), and as a gel(Transdermal Scopolamine Gel) applied to the wrists. The gel reportedly works faster, but not as long as the patch. Scopolamine is the US Navy's first line sea sickness drug, including for divers, and DAN approves it with a trial run. Occasionally Phenergan, whose primary indication is as a sedative, is recommended. It can cause very serious drowsiness, however, and is sometimes prescribed in combination with a stimulant to counteract this. The above drugs are prescription only and have reported side effects, most commonly dryness of the mouth and drowsiness. They may also cause blurred vision, dizziness and even confusion in some users, and it is recommended to carefully discuss their use with your physician, give them a trial run prior to use in conjunction with diving, and take them only according to instructions.

Over the counter (OTC) preparations include Bonine & Dramamine II (advertised as a "less drowsy" formula. As this implies, be aware that some individuals still do experience some degree of drowsiness.) and Triptone. A European drug, Stugeron (cinnarizine), has been mentioned by several sources as an effective treatment, but it is not available in the US. Those diving in such places as the British Virgin Islands can find it. Regular formula Dramamine (dimenhydrinate)is best avoided as the very limited study to date suggests decreased performance on a measure of verbal memory & one of cognitive flexibility in those taking the drug.

Many report these OTC medications most effective if taken at bedtime the night prior to diving, with a second dose about an hour before diving, although recommended dosage amounts should of course not be exceeded. These medications often cause significant dryness of the mouth. Stay very well hydrated.

Considering more "natural" remedies, ginger is frequently mentioned, which can be taken in powdered, crystallized or root form, or as ginger snaps, ginger ale, or tea. As heartburn with the use of ginger has been reported, also pack an antacid. Others swear by wrist straps, such as 'Sea Bands,' usually wooden or plastic balls on elastic bands which are placed so as to exert pressure on an acupressure point on the inside of the wrist (I do not believe that magnetization or electrification adds anything to efficacy). There are also 'artificial-horizon' glasses. Even aromatherapy has been tried, with a combination of mandarin, peppermint, spearmint and lavender oil being recomended.

In the final analysis, you will need to discover what works best for you with the least risk, side effect, cost and inconvenience. If you take any medications, you should understand their adverse effects and carefully follow directions for use. And remember, there is one safe, sure cure: 'Sleep under a tree all day.' "

Hope you found this helpful.

DocVikingo
 
DocV (and all the docs) - Thank you for the detailed info. I guess I will just have to try all the methods to find out which one works best for me. I will stay well away from Dramamine... it scares me how sleepy we all were, not to mention the dreams afterwards.

Much appreciate your help.
:)
 
Originally posted by BillP
Hi Alison:

Dimenhydrinate has been mentioned many times on the board, but usually not by that name. Most medications have two names- the "trade" name that is used by the manufacturer to market the drug and the "generic" name which is common to virtually everyone who markets the medicine. Dimenhydrinate is the generic name for "Dramamine Original Formula" and "Triptone".

The usual dose for dimenhydrinate for an adult is 50 to 100mg every 4-6 hours not to exceed 400 mg in 24 hours. You're right, many people find it very sedating.
Bill

I had posted a long while back recomending TripTone as an alternative to Dramamine. One of the regular Docs on this list pointed out that the same ingredient is in both. He was right of course. I can't explain why Dramamine causes my wife and I extreme drowsines and TripTone has no such effect at all. We still recomend it to other divers, just as it was recomended to us by another who also got drowsy from Dramamine but not TripTone. Is there perhaps another chemical in Dramamine that, combined with Dimenhydrinate, causes most folks drowsiness that TripTone doesn't have?
I don't know, but I do know that one makes us drowsy and the other doesn't, same ingredient or not.

Safe diving y'all,
Steve
 

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