Motion sickness ???

[drrich2]

To follow up what JohnN posted, as I recall many years ago the oral form of Scopolamine, Scopace, was on the U.S. market, then got pulled. But the equivalent could still be custom made by what's called a compounding pharmacy. Not all U.S. pharmacies are compounding pharmacies, but you can probably find one not all that far from you. In a nutshell, they can mix/make scopolamine pills for you, and that way there's room to adjust the dosage strength.

Several years ago when my motion sickness-prone wife was diving, we had some made for her. I don't recall whether she got around to taking any. She had a problem with the patches coming off, so we went to the pill form.

It did require a prescription. You'd probably need to do your home work, figure out what does you wanted, then hit your family doctor or advanced practice registered nurse up to call in a prescription for it for you. Perhaps half the usual dose might give you the efficacy without excessive bad side-effects? Just a thought maybe worth exploring.

Richard.

P.S.: Quick Googling - I have no idea who these people are other than what they say, but it claims to be a California-based Pharmacy that can compound it.

 

[BRT]

To follow up what JohnN posted, as I recall many years ago the oral form of Scopolamine, Scopace, was on the U.S. market, then got pulled. But the equivalent could still be custom made by what's called a compounding pharmacy. Not all U.S. pharmacies are compounding pharmacies, but you can probably find one not all that far from you. In a nutshell, they can mix/make scopolamine pills for you, and that way there's room to adjust the dosage strength.

Several years ago when my motion sickness-prone wife was diving, we had some made for her. I don't recall whether she got around to taking any. She had a problem with the patches coming off, so we went to the pill form.

It did require a prescription. You'd probably need to do your home work, figure out what does you wanted, then hit your family doctor or advanced practice registered nurse up to call in a prescription for it for you. Perhaps half the usual dose might give you the efficacy without excessive bad side-effects? Just a thought maybe worth exploring.

Richard.

P.S.: Quick Googling - I have no idea who these people are other than what they say, but it claims to be a California-based Pharmacy that can compound it.

Just buy it online from Australia.

 

[JohnN]

Just buy it online from Australia.

Like this:
Kwells Adults 12 Pack (Travel Sickness) 9310160821201 | eBay

About $1.60 / dose

 

[BRT]

Like this:
Kwells Adults 12 Pack (Travel Sickness) 9310160821201 | eBay

About $1.60 / dose

And a bargain at $1.60 but I usually get the price down to about a dollar.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Well that is the idea, presumably changes it to less. It would seem to make sense that the same dosage is not right for everyone, and there is plenty of ancedotal evidence to that effect. Always seemed to me like they ought to make these in different sizes/dosages.

Presumably is the operative word. Cutting the patch can actually increase the delivery rate to dangerous levels as the medication can leak out of the reservoir. In an undamaged patch, the medication is released through a rate-controlling membrane. Below is a simplified cross-section, courtesy RxList.com.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Thook]

Ok folks I appreciate the input. I purchased some Bonine yesterday and did a test run.. NO drowsiness... NO cottonmouth.
So next step is to test it at sea in Grand Cayman two weeks.... I'll let you know.

 

[JonG1]

Not read the whole thread but there is some evidence of a link between a PFO and motion sickness, as referred to in a recent article released by TDI.

From personal experience this seems fairly plausible, I was diagnosed with a PFO in the late nineties and was always very sea sick on charters.

I am back diving now after a "bit" of a layoff with a closed PFO and no longer suffer with sea sickness, or haven't up to now despite being out in some heavy swells towards mid Nov in the north sea.

 

[islanddream]

I get seasick, too, if the seas are too rough. Living in SE Florida, I can pick and choose the days I want to dive based on the marine forecast. I won't dive if I see the seas are going to be 4 feet or more. However, even on relatively calm days, I dose myself with one Bonine. I've tried the patch and it worked but they're terribly expensive and the insurance doesn't pay for it. Dramamine absolutely did not work for me. I tried the ginger pills and ginger tea and they didn't work. Here's my routine if I'm doing morning dives:
- eat one banana and one piece of toast with peanut butter; one cup of tea
- before leaving home I take one Bonine, one Claritan D, and two squirts of Afrin in each nostril (Claritan and Afrin are for ears)

I also put my swimsuit, rash guard, and wetsuit on (wetsuit is pulled up halfway so as not to get hot) along with my socks and dive boots. I find getting dressed for diving when on a moving boat is a trigger for seasickness for me. At about ten minutes before splashing, I'll put on a heavier rash guard and hooded vest. If the seas are looking sportier than anticipated, I'll take another Bonine on the boat as we're headed to the dive site. I never feel dizzy or get dry mouth with Bonine.

If we are diving in the afternoon I'll eat a bit more breakfast (maybe a hardboiled egg added to the above) and no lunch. As with morning dives, I do the same protocol with getting dressed at home and putting on the final garments when we are approaching the dive site.

The dive boats we use have covered space and non-covered space. I always sit in the non-covered space to get the fresh air. The boat captains and dive masters know me pretty well and always save my "seat" when they know I'm diving that day. I guess they don't want me throwing up on the boat. Ugh!

I use this same routine even when we are on vacation diving. It works for me. Trust me, before doing what I do now, I fed the fish many times!

I sincerely hope you find something that works for you. Being sick on a dive is just not fun!

 

[WeRtheOcean]

My husband, and several other people I know, cut the patches in half to avoid side effects. (Which the instructions say not to do, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for them and I've never heard an actual reason they say that.)

In some cases, tablets have a coating that regulates the speed at which the medicine is released. Cutting the tablet exposes the inside, negating the effects of the regulatory film.

I would love to find a solution myself -- five years in the Navy, and I never did entirely get over it.

 

[Thook]

Results are in. Took two bonine a day early in the morning. NO side effects and never got as much as a twinge of sea sickness. Bonine it is!