Motion Sickness Question

[Clark Fletcher]

Thanks everyone. All good suggestions.

 

[Diver-Drex]

Tegaderm or similar water proof wound dressings. Cut to size and apply over the scop patch.
For me Bonine works. One before bed, one an hour before we get underway. I'll take them every four hours as needed. I don't get drowsy at all.

 

[Nikole]

Question is, how early, or late, are you taking your Dramamine?? Package says to take 1 hour before your activity. During my trial and error, I've found that taking them i2 hours early helps better. In other words, it takes longer than 1 hour to be effective. For me at least.

If I know that it's going to be a rough day on the water, I take 2 tablets instead of 1 before activity, also at 2 hours early. And I prefer Bonine over Dramamine. Because Bonine uses meclizine as the active ingredient, and I prefer this. Some people, will take 1 the night before, just to get it in their system and then take more the morning of the dive.

And I am very sensitive to motion. So sensitive that I get queasy in the wave pool at a water park. And I've never been sick on boat dives, ferries, cruises. Just time your medicine intake with your dive. You don't want to take the medicine too soon that it doesn't work, but then you don't want to take it so early that it wears off in the middle. of your 2-tank dive trip.

And then, don't eat anything heavy before the dive. Sometimes it's the fact that the surge underwater, or the boat rocking, shakes your full stomach around and then you get sick. Because you ate and it's shaking the food around. Eek

 

[Nikole]

Awww, sorry that it did not work for you.
Your 6am pill probably wore off by 1pm?
And depending on conditions the 11am tablet probably wasn't enough to cover you. If the 6am tablet wore off that means you really had 1 in your system.. I guess.

I check the marine forecast. When I know that its going to be anything higher than 2ft waves I go ahead and take two! (Bonine) Especially when diving in the Atlantic coast its almost always rough there.

Actually took the Dramamine at 6 AM the morning of the dive. The boat was supposed to leave at 8 but, all dives got canceled due to high winds. I took another dose at 11 AM and the afternoon boat left the dock at 1 PM. Did not work at all.

I used Dramamine extensively in the Navy (prior to Transderm Scope becoming available) and it never worked for me. I know a lot of folks who have used Dramamine with great success. I'm apparently just one of those folks that it doesn't seem to help.

Fletch

 

[Clark Fletcher]

Awww, sorry that it did not work for you.
Your 6am pill probably wore off by 1pm?
And depending on conditions the 11am tablet probably wasn't enough to cover you. If the 6am tablet wore off that means you really had 1 in your system.. I guess.

I check the marine forecast. When I know that its going to be anything higher than 2ft waves I go ahead and take two! (Bonine) Especially when diving in the Atlantic coast its almost always rough there.

Actually, I feel pretty lucky that at least the Transderm Scop pads have worked for me in the past.

I met a lady (diving instructor) in Florida this past week that uses Transderm Scop pads, Dramamine, and Zofran and still gets sick. However, the combination of the three normally keeps the sickness to a tolerable level where she can still dive.

I think going forward, any time I dive in the ocean, I will use the Transderm Scop pads as a minimum. Like you, I think greater than 2 foot waves are the break point for me or even less than 2 foot waves with a strong surge. Anything beyond that and I'll use the pads AND two pills (Meclizine).

Honestly, I think I just need to experiment with different combinations of medication in different situations.

Fletch