Sea sickness and liveaboards

[KevinNM]

Scopolamine patch for me. Be very careful putting in on, use an alcohol swab to clean the skin, let it dry and then put it on. Immediately wash you hands with soap and water. If you touch your eyes after handling scopolamine you won’t like the result.

 

[bqualls]

Another vote for scopolamine.
I battled mal de mer for decades.
I first got seasick when I was 14, on my first ocean dive.
I have been seasick numerous times and to different degrees on the ocean and even our local lakes until I tried the patch.
Since I’ve used the patch, I haven’t been seasick once— including five liveaboards.
One of the liveaboad trips included a Lombok Straits crossing which can be brutal as anyone who has made the crossng can tell you.
Some people are definately more predisposed to get motion sickness and all the positive visualizations in the world aren’t gonna change that predisposition.
(although I agree more time on the ocean will acclimate you if you can stay out there enough)
Even with the patch, stay away from the petrol fumes, book a room in the center of the boat, find something not moving to watch if necessary, eat some ginger, moderate alcohol, keep greasy food to a minimum.
Next week, I’m off to the Galapagos for liveaboard trip number 6.
When I went to my pharmacist last Saturday to get some patches for the trip, he said,” They’ve been recalled- no one in town has them.” I PANICKED!!! Then I got on the phone and found some at a Walgreens about an hour away. I got in the car and drove straight there. I can’t imagine being 600 miles out in the Pacific without the patch.

 

[Dogbowl]

I had issues with the scopolamine patches sliding around on my skin. Upon first application, it’s behind my ear. After a dive or 2, it’s at the bottom of my neck, still stuck to my skin. After another dive or 2, it’s on the other side of my neck!

I guess it’s not supposed to get wet? Any solutions?

 

[scubafanatic]

I had issues with the scopolamine patches sliding around on my skin. Upon first application, it’s behind my ear. After a dive or 2, it’s at the bottom of my neck, still stuck to my skin. After another dive or 2, it’s on the other side of my neck!

I guess it’s not supposed to get wet? Any solutions?

Apply a waterproof band-aid to cover it?

 

[Dogbowl]

Apply a waterproof band-aid to cover it?

Thanks, I’ll definitely try that!

 

[poliver319]

I'm not overly sensitive to sea sickness but I've been on a few bumpy rides on the North Sea that were less than pleasant. What I find works really well is

a) avoid alcohol like it is poison (which it is) and fatty food like it will kill you (which it will). Eat lots of small bits. Some fruit here, some salad there and keep the portions on main meals smaller than you normally would.
b) drink plenty of water
c) stay on deck and watch the horizon

That third thing helps a lot because what I think causes it in my case is when the boat is moving but my eyes can't get a reference point to pin that movement to. Staying on deck as much as I can helps a lot.

I've also heard from people who sail that the sea sickness goes away after a couple of days once your brain gets dialed in to the movement. I don't know if this is true or not but I've been told as much so if anyone can verify or refute that it would be nice.

R..

I don't get seas sick....but coming back across the Atlantic from a jaunt to the Persian Gulf in 1991 at the helm of an aircraft carrier we picked up a few hundred reservists near Rota Spain. A line of wanna be sailors doing their 2 week sea duty stretched from medical down the corridor. I distinctly remember the line being gone a few days after taking on the crew....guessing their nausea went away.

 

[poliver319]

Apply a waterproof band-aid to cover it?

And clean the skin with an alcohol wipe....and maybe use Skin Prep....just know that it creates a barrier and will cause problems with getting the med through it....only apply it where the adhesive is on the patch...or so my Bro in law, the nurse told me.