Dramamine

[Stryker]

There is a product which pilots use taht is like a watch that emits an electronic pulse to combat motion sickness... it is a little pricy, but it sure beats taking pills if you can avoid it..

http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/reliefband/reliefband.html

 

[Bibendum]

Is it OK to take Dramamine before a dive trip? I hate to admit it but on rare occasion I do get a little seasick. I don't want it to happen on a dive, (especially my first dive) so I am planning to take a Dramamine. I will probably use the 24 hour kind and take it the night before so the sleepyness will be gone. Also, when it starts working, it tends to throw me a little off balance so I want that to be gone before the dive too. Is there any reason I shouldn't take this? Is there anything out there that is better?

THanks for the help.

I used to take Dramamine, but always hated it because it made me feel really weird and kinda tired. I now use Bonine and have had no side effects from it at all. It's also chewable, which I find more convienent.

 

[jokeborn]

I use Bonine and it works great for me.

Dramamine makes me want to die.

I have to agree, Bonine, is my choice. I tried a few different ones, and this seemed the easiest on my, without side affects.

 

[hvulin]

I have been told that this medications may have influence on the speed of nitrogen (and other gasses) being dissolved into your blood so we should minimise the use of them, but without any medical proof.
If it works for you, take it but try to stay safe...

I'm lucky and it has to be a very rough sea to get me seasick...

 

[BlueBlur]

Talked to my SCUBA instructor last night. He said by all means DO take seasick medication if I need it. He said especially on my check out dive. He said it would suck to spend all that money and time on a check out dive just to be puking and not be able to dive.

He also recommended triptone(?). Has anyone heard of that? I think I am going to take Bonine this go 'round because it has worked for me in the past. I had forgotten about Bonine until people mentioned it in this thread. I may look into the triptone though (AFTER my checkout dive) and see what that med is all about.

Thanks everyone for all of our insight.

 

[Ishie]

Just curious if you've tried taking bonine the night before, then again the next morning - at least 2 hours prior to getting on a boat. If you are throwing up a pill, you probably didn't take it soon enough to do any good. It needs to be in your system to work.

We get so many divers who show up to the boat and ask if we have anything that's going to work. All we can do is hope seabands and ginger help, 'cause bonine will work great the following day if taken correctly, not right away.

Yup, that was my point with it, actually. I do take the medication up to three days before and build up a level, but sometimes it helps once I'm already feeling kind of queasy (after using the other methods; I just get very seasick), to melt a chewable under my tongue.

 

[friscuba]

No to triptone... Active ingredient is same as original dramamine.

There was a posting on another board a couple years back about studies done on dimenhydrinate and that the studies showed "acute" loss of mental agility while on this drug.

Steve

Talked to my SCUBA instructor last night. He said by all means DO take seasick medication if I need it. He said especially on my check out dive. He said it would suck to spend all that money and time on a check out dive just to be puking and not be able to dive.

He also recommended triptone(?). Has anyone heard of that? I think I am going to take Bonine this go 'round because it has worked for me in the past. I had forgotten about Bonine until people mentioned it in this thread. I may look into the triptone though (AFTER my checkout dive) and see what that med is all about.

Thanks everyone for all of our insight.

 

[del_mo]

I've heard from other divers that meclizine (Bonine) is better than dramamine because of non-drowsiness and non-weirdness.

I agree.

 

[VaughnBuck]

i've only used dramamine, the non-drowsy kind, and it works fine for me (only
makes me slightly drowsy, but not too much)

i take one the night before, one the morning of, and one at lunch if afternoon diving.

it works for me MOST of the time. unfortunately, i get pretty sick, so nothing really
helps when the seas are 6-8 or so and up

Bonine and ND Dramaine appear to be the same.

Non drowsy Dramaine - Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg

Bonine - Meclizine HCl 25 mg

 

[H2Andy]

i defintely need to try Bonine/non-drowzy Dramamine next

just haven't had a chance yet