possible motionsickness/never been in the ocean

[schnags]

Hi,
Im going to florida in 2 weeks and im kinda worried if i should get some form of motion sickness medication and take it ahead of time to make sure i dont have problems or not. I live in kansas and have never spent much time on a boat , never in anything rough, and have never been on the ocean. I havnt had problems with motion sickness any other time i can handle long car rides and roller coasters all taht stuff, just not spinning. But ive been told its completely different. Id just hate to pay all the money and end up too sick to dive. So should i buy some of it and try it well before i go so i knwo how it affects me? should i not try it? or should i just in case and in that case which kind? thanks

 

[DocVikingo]

This question has been asked and answered, a number times---->

http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=288188

You might find post #12 within the following thread to be informative---->

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=50554&page=2&pp=10

I suspect that you will not have any problems with mal de mer. Relax & have a good time in Florida.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[murphdivers286]

I went to my doctor, and got the magic patch that goes behind your ear. It was the only thing that worked for me. Oh, I live in Florida and have been around boats all of my life. I can get so sick at times that I can even open my eyes. BAD!!!! The first time I used the patch, I put it on the morning of the dive. During the first dive, the patch came off because I put sunblock on my face and it got underneath the patch. Needless to say, I was feeding the fish before I even got back on the boat - (waiting to be picked up). The next time I used the patch, I put it on the night before going diving just before bedtime. The day of the dive, I did not use sunblock on my face. I used a large safari style hat. The patch never came off, and I had an EXCELLANT day diving. I never felt sick at all. Matter of fact, I ended up helping other people with their gear. For me, I found my magic patch. Maybe if you talked to your doctor, it might help you. My doctor told me, the patch was good three days. Good luck!!!!

P.S. - I don't eat anything heavy the morning of my dives. I drink plenty of water at least two days prior to diving and try to stay away from heavy amounts of caffeine.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

hmmm...tried the quick post - didn't seem to take...sorry if this posts twice - as I TRIED to say - I am a fish-feeder from waa-aay back. I finally gave up offshore diving awhile back. tried the patches..got 3 of them (3 days worth). tried the first...blew my cookies all day - next day put one behind each ear...amazing I didn't overdose - but threw up all day. First of April, partner talked me into going to West Palm - wind had been blowing ALL week...iffy about boat even going out. We got there it was ROUGH! I tried a friend's "recipe". I took "trip-tone" (over the counter meds) the night before and that morning - used wristbands and drank lemon - lime power-aid ...IT WORKED! I felt great and never had a problem all day. If it works for me, it'll work for ANYBODY!

 

[DocVikingo]

Since you seem insistent on recommending dimenhydrinate (TripTone), would you be so kind as to read & respond to the conclusions of the following study published in Pharmacotherapy 20(9):1051-1054, 2000:


"The Psychometric and Cardiac Effects of Dimenhydrinate in the Hyperbaric Environment

David McD. Taylor, M.D., Kevin S. O'Toole, M.D., Thomas E. Auble, Ph.D., Christopher M. Ryan, Ph.D., and David R. Sherman, R.N.

Abstract

Study Objectives. To examine the psychometric and cardiac effects of dimenhydrinate at 1 and 3 atmospheres (atm) of pressure (0 and 66 feet of sea water, respectively), and to make recommendations about the drug's safety in the diving environment.

Design. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.
Setting. Monoplace hyperbaric chamber of a university hospital.

Subjects. Thirty active divers (mean age 38 yrs).
Interventions. A bank of seven tests was used to assess cognitive function during four different dive combinations: placebo-1 atm, placebo-3 atm, dimenhydrinate-1 atm, and dimenhydrinate-3 atm.

Measurements and Main Results. Heart rate and cardiac rhythm were recorded during all dives. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the effects of dimenhydrinate, depth, and drug-depth interaction. Dimenhydrinate resulted in a significant decrease in scores of mental flexibility (trail-making, part B, p<0.05) but had no effect on scores in the six other psychometric tests (p>0.05). It had no effect on mean heart rate (p>0.05), although frequent unifocal ventricular ectopic beats occurred in two subjects after ingestion of the drug. Depth resulted in a significant decrease in verbal memory test scores (p=0.001) and mean heart rate (p<0.001).

Conclusion. Dimenhydrinate adversely affects mental flexibility. This effect, when added to the adverse effect of depth on memory, may contribute to the dangers of diving."

It is good that it has not caused you any problems, but that doesn't mean it won't do so for others.

Thank you.

DocVikingo

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

Since you seem insistent on recommending dimenhydrinate (TripTone) despite the cautions presented in post #2 above, I wonder if you would be so kind as to read & respond to the conclusions of the following study published in Pharmacotherapy 20(9):1051-1054, 2000:



It is good that it has not caused you any problems, but that doesn't mean it won't do so for others.

Thank you.

DocVikingo

Hey Doc, jee-eez! .....lighten up - I'm not being "insistent" on anything - man asked a question - I shared my experience. I have a number of friends who use and swear by the stuff. I'm a 50 year old man and not in the best of shape physically, I took it and had NO adverse effects as described. As I was on cert dive for rescue training, we were required to do a number of 80 to 100 ft dives in which we performed some basic tasks that required both mental and physical dexterity....I suffered no mental or physical complications.

 

[DocVikingo]

The safety & well being of divers is not a light matter.

Your experiences do not subsitute for science where it exists. As regards dimenhydrinate (TripTone), we are lucky enough to have some research and it indicates that this drug can be dangerous in some respects.

Your statement, "If it works for me, it'll work for ANYBODY!" is IMHO not a responsible one.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[schnags]

Is there a better kind to take that wont impair anything and is less drowsy? I am trying to be safe but i dont want to not take it and lose out on 5 days of diving.

 

[DocVikingo]

As you report no history of motion sickness except from spinning, I'd again caution against getting too far ahead of yourself. There really is no apparent reason to anticipate that you're going to succumb to mal de mer--creating a self-fulfilling prophecy through excessive worry certainly is not what you want.

The non-drug related preventative measures outlined in the second hot link in post #2 above may well do the job.

Ginger will have no dangerous impact upon scuba, although it is not always effective. Among the OTC medications, one of the "non-drowsy" formulations might be a better choice than those demonstrated, i.e., dimenhydrinate (e.g., Dramamine Original & TripTone), to cause impairment of alertness, mental flexibility & memory under conditions of increased atmospheric pressure.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards,

DocVikingo

 

[JPBECK]

Dont see how that sample size was large enough anyways. 30 divers--is suffient to fill a boat, but not to make a conclusion about anything! Dont see the science of having such a small sample size. I wouldn't call a double blind sample of 30 divers "Research", anyone with a freshman college statstics class under their belt can tell you that. Hey mod you were a little harsh on the new guy. I read the tongue and cheek comment at the end as just that tongue and cheek. He was just giving his 1/2 cent, as am I.