Sea sick?

[bruce2607]

I used this years ago when I was diving a good deal.

I first found it in a market in St. Thomas (no script) and it was the only thing I found very effective as I had problems with sea sickness.

I never had any side effects at that time except for a bit of dry mouth. I would even cut them in half and they would still work.

I am just starting to dive again after several years off and just got a script from my doctor.

One of the things I would do was use a patch or 1/2 which the drug company does not reccomend (cutting them) and then after my dive day I would take it off, then put another on a couple of hours before I would go out again, or late in the evening before I went to sleep if I was diving early.

Hope this helps.

 

[Texas Diver]

Does anyone know the name of a motion sickness medicine that a person with an enlarged prostate can take?

 

[ssra30]

Quick question on patch. I used to use it years ago and recalled that on the label, they did warn about not getting it wet when takinga shower etc. Since many people seemed to use it for diving, I assume that it is not an issue anymore as long as you apply it initially to dry skin area? Also cutting the patch in half, could that somehow cause a leakage? Just curious, thanks..

 

[DocVikingo]

The manufacturer suggests keeping the patch dry to prevent it from falling off, but indicates that limited contact with water, like bathing or swimming, will not affect the system.

For best adherence during scuba, I recommend selecting a hairless area that will not be subject to mechanical forces, shaving that area and finally cleaning it with alcohol before patch application. For extra protection against loss, some divers secure the patch with a piece of water proof/resistant tape. This conceivably could help protect the system from water as well.

Cutting the patch is recommended against by the manufacturer. This seeming might compromise adhesion, but based on multiple anecdotal reports I've seen it does not seem to significantly impair the delivery system.

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

 

[knives]

Hi
I had a great trip to the keys...The patch worked great!!! I did have a bit of dry mouth at first , but that did not last too long. Had no problem with it staying on for 3 days in the ocean and in the shower.
It was much much better than the other choices as they make me very sleepy...Thanks all for your input.

 

[DocVikingo]

Given your apparent situation, I'd start with non-drug approaches to see if they work.

Prevention is a first step. Avoid fatigue and get adequate rest. Eat modestly, avoiding greasy, fatty, acidic and spicy foods. Don't skip breakfast, but stick to bland foods like toast, rolls and cereal. Go easy on tea and coffee, and very, very easy on alcoholic beverages. When on the boat, don't get overheated--stay under a sunshade, don't put on your protective suit until necessary, and get in the water as soon as possible. Search out a spot low and in the center where motion is minimized, face forward, focus your eyes on a fixed object on the horizon or elsewhere, avoid unnecessary neck movements and stay out of exhaust fumes. Do not go below, read anything or look through binoculars. If you must vomit, do so freely, but not anywhere on the boat, and especially not in the marine toilet.

Explore "natural" remedies, ginger is frequently mentioned, which can be taken in powdered, crystallized or root form (recommended preparations), or as ginger snaps, ginger ale, or tea. Just make sure they contain actual ginger and not just artificial flavoring. As heartburn with the use of ginger has been reported, also pack an antacid.

Many of the guidelines for the use of ginger in preventing nausea, vomiting & seasickness come from herbal lore, although one pretty solid study found 1 gram/1,000 mg of powdered ginger to do the trick.

I found sources that variously recommend anywhere from 1/2 gram/500 mg to as much as 4 grams/4,000 mg.

As with any drug or supplement, one is generally better off using the smallest effective dose. This may involve some trial & error.

Ginger in powdered, root or crystallized form is probably the easiest to control in terms of the amount of active ingredient ingested. Eating ginger snaps, or drinking ginger soda or tea makes control more difficult. And be aware that some products contain only ginger flavoring not real ginger--read the labels.

As for timing, estimates range from several hours to 20 minutes prior to departing, depending on the source. The matter really hasn't been studied sufficiently to say with any precision. The same issue pertains to frequency of dosage. The limited studies involving repeated doses used intervals of 4-6 hours.

Others swear by wrist straps, such as Sea Bands, http://www.natlallergy.com/allergy/products/cart/search/view_one_spread.txt/spreadid/1220 usually wooden or plastic balls on elastic bands which are placed so as to exert pressure on an acupressure point on the inside of the wrist. There are also 'artificial-horizon' glasses http://www.optic-tempest.com/textegb.html . Aromatherapy has been tried, with a combination of mandarin, peppermint, spearmint and lavender oil being recommended.

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 of luck.

DocVikingo