ShoalDiverSA
Contributor
Hi there,
I know this is a tired subject, but I thought it might be worthwhile to share my experiences on this lovely topic.
I have been a blower/chunderer/fish feeder since the very first time I dived. I have taken quite a few of the cinnarizine/anti-histamine based derivatives of seasickness medication.
First I started with Valoid, then moved onto paediatric Valoid - someone suggested that the dosage was too strong in the adult medication. This was not working, so I moved onto Stugeron (active ingredient - cinnarizine). Then I was told that the best thing was Avomine. This was WAY too strong for me. After one dive I passed out and slept for three hours in the middle of a conversation!
Each and every one of these meds knocked me out to some degree or another. Mild to strong nausea accompanied every dive, regardless of the medication I took.
I finally got a wake-up call (excuse the pun) when I fell asleep while driving home after a particular dive. I nearly ended up rear-ending a truck. I know, I know - "don't operate heavy machinery while using this medication". Hindsight is a wonderful thing...
I decided six dives ago (and 50 dives later) that seasickness medication is not for me. I really could not believe that the benefits of these pills outweighed the problems I was having. I have now dived six times in fairly heavy to heavy seas (1-3m swells) without medication.
Unfortunately, I cannot say that I have not thrown up on all these dives, but there is light at the end of this tunnel:
I have thrown up after the dive on two occasions, mild heaves, felt 100% afterwards;
On one dive I had a coughing attack after the dive - thought I was going to leave my lungs in the sea. After the attack passed, I felt 100%;
Three dives - no seasickness or ill effects before, during or after the dives!
That's a 50% hit rate for someone who thought that they cannot dive without medication. If only the hit rate on meds had been that good!
Here's my new regimen:
I watch what I eat the night before. No animal fats or excessive red meat.
On the morning of the dive, I eat two slices of bread with golden syrup (to help get them down), no butter.
I also have a cup of black decaf coffee (avoiding the diuretic).
I drink lots of water the night before, but nothing the morning of the dive - I will rather have a carbonated drink/soda before the dive if I HAVE to. Water tends to slosh around in my stomach and make things a lot worse. However, I take a bottle of water on the boat with me and drink like crazy once the boat is heading home to rehydrate.
I also follow the usual advice of watching the horizon, sitting as close to the water (low down in the boat) as possible, not sucking engine fumes and so on.
This is my experience. Maybe it will encourage you to try doing without, maybe not. Whatever you choose, make sure that it will not jeopardise your safety. Don't stop taking for the sake of some hero who isn't, but don't take meds if you don't need to. Diving plus meds can be a risky affair. You may be the 1 in a million on the warning label. I have also read that the use of seasickness tablets before a deep dive is not recommended.
That's my story. Hope it means something to you. From time to time I will let you know of my progress.
Any other encouraging stories?
Cheers,
Andrew
I know this is a tired subject, but I thought it might be worthwhile to share my experiences on this lovely topic.
I have been a blower/chunderer/fish feeder since the very first time I dived. I have taken quite a few of the cinnarizine/anti-histamine based derivatives of seasickness medication.
First I started with Valoid, then moved onto paediatric Valoid - someone suggested that the dosage was too strong in the adult medication. This was not working, so I moved onto Stugeron (active ingredient - cinnarizine). Then I was told that the best thing was Avomine. This was WAY too strong for me. After one dive I passed out and slept for three hours in the middle of a conversation!
Each and every one of these meds knocked me out to some degree or another. Mild to strong nausea accompanied every dive, regardless of the medication I took.
I finally got a wake-up call (excuse the pun) when I fell asleep while driving home after a particular dive. I nearly ended up rear-ending a truck. I know, I know - "don't operate heavy machinery while using this medication". Hindsight is a wonderful thing...
I decided six dives ago (and 50 dives later) that seasickness medication is not for me. I really could not believe that the benefits of these pills outweighed the problems I was having. I have now dived six times in fairly heavy to heavy seas (1-3m swells) without medication.
Unfortunately, I cannot say that I have not thrown up on all these dives, but there is light at the end of this tunnel:
I have thrown up after the dive on two occasions, mild heaves, felt 100% afterwards;
On one dive I had a coughing attack after the dive - thought I was going to leave my lungs in the sea. After the attack passed, I felt 100%;
Three dives - no seasickness or ill effects before, during or after the dives!
That's a 50% hit rate for someone who thought that they cannot dive without medication. If only the hit rate on meds had been that good!
Here's my new regimen:
I watch what I eat the night before. No animal fats or excessive red meat.
On the morning of the dive, I eat two slices of bread with golden syrup (to help get them down), no butter.
I also have a cup of black decaf coffee (avoiding the diuretic).
I drink lots of water the night before, but nothing the morning of the dive - I will rather have a carbonated drink/soda before the dive if I HAVE to. Water tends to slosh around in my stomach and make things a lot worse. However, I take a bottle of water on the boat with me and drink like crazy once the boat is heading home to rehydrate.
I also follow the usual advice of watching the horizon, sitting as close to the water (low down in the boat) as possible, not sucking engine fumes and so on.
This is my experience. Maybe it will encourage you to try doing without, maybe not. Whatever you choose, make sure that it will not jeopardise your safety. Don't stop taking for the sake of some hero who isn't, but don't take meds if you don't need to. Diving plus meds can be a risky affair. You may be the 1 in a million on the warning label. I have also read that the use of seasickness tablets before a deep dive is not recommended.
That's my story. Hope it means something to you. From time to time I will let you know of my progress.
Any other encouraging stories?
Cheers,
Andrew
.
