Sea Sickness Meds for Diving????????

[wjefferis]

I have never scuba dived with sea sickness medicine before, but I am starting to look into to starting. For the longest time I have just sucked it up when I was feeling crappy and have even fell victim to a case of feeding the fish in the past. I have just decided that it is silly to try to hold it back when I could just take something. The problem is I don’t know what the best stuff is and if it works good or not. I have called DAN and spoken with one of their doctors and they said that they have no evidence of sea sickness medication causing DCS or being a factor in any way. The only thing he did say is that some sea sickness medications will make you sleepy so that I should try them on land first to see what they do to me before trying them underwater.

So I just wanted to hear from a bunch a scubaboarders and hear your thoughts on the subject. Are the pills worth it? And if they are what is the best stuff out there? Or should I just keep sucking it up?

 

[scubasaint]

I'm fortunate to not get sea sick (so far at least), but I will still take something if I knew the conditions will be a little rough or that I'll be on a boat for a long time.

When I do take something, it has always been Bonine, and I haven't found myself getting drowsy. That is one of the claims about it and why I use it. I've heard from other that Dramamine makes them quite drowsy though.

 

[BKP]

I've used Bonine as well as Triptone... They both gave me dry-er mouth.

Now we bring along ginger snaps... (my wife swears by 'em -- and she's a natural chummer after 1/2 hour on the boat).

 

[scubamickey]

Bonine is great, Just take 1 every 24 hrs. It makes me a little drowsy but that's only a factor after the dive when I tend to want to nap. I just fight it and it's enough. Dramamine knocks me out.

 

[wjefferis]

Now we bring along ginger snaps...

Man, that sounds like a good idea. I kinds like the "all natural" approach over the medicine. I might try it this Sunday on my trip.

 

[Paco II]

On the prescription front, there is the Scopolamine patch, as well as the Scopace pills. The patch lasts for 3 days, where as the pills last about 8 hours and allow for dosage tweaking. Speaking only for myself, they are fantastic! No drowsiness, maybe a little dry mouth, but when I dive I keep myself very hydrated anyway, so that is a non-issue. Big thumbs up.

 

[wjefferis]

Do you guys/gals get dry mouth while diving or before? Do they make you dehydrated?

 

[Allen Herron]

I also swear by the patch! I routinely get 4 days of diving. No drowsiness and no dry mouth but I dive with a full face AGA mask so I usually breath through my nose so I don't dry out.
If I but it on before I go to sleep when I first wake up it takes a while to get my eyes to focus but if I put in on in the morning no problem!

 

[paulwall]

I use and swear by Triptone. I also hyper-hydrate. I have my own wetsuits... <g>

 

[ronbeau]

I have never scuba dived with sea sickness medicine before, but I am starting to look into to starting. For the longest time I have just sucked it up when I was feeling crappy and have even fell victim to a case of feeding the fish in the past. I have just decided that it is silly to try to hold it back when I could just take something. The problem is I don&#8217;t know what the best stuff is and if it works good or not. I have called DAN and spoken with one of their doctors and they said that they have no evidence of sea sickness medication causing DCS or being a factor in any way. The only thing he did say is that some sea sickness medications will make you sleepy so that I should try them on land first to see what they do to me before trying them underwater.

So I just wanted to hear from a bunch a scubaboarders and hear your thoughts on the subject. Are the pills worth it? And if they are what is the best stuff out there? Or should I just keep sucking it up?

Unfortunately I am one who does get seasick on occasion if I don't take anything in advance.

I use Bonine and ginger tablets. Assuming I am going on a morning dive I take one Bonine the night before the dive and another at least one hour before boarding the boat. I take the ginger tablets in the morning after breakfast but at least one hour before boarding the boat.

Since I started taking the Bonine and Ginger I have net been feeding the fish my breakfast.

Another suggestion would be to avoid greasy breakfast foods for breakfast :no (for example skip the bacon and sausage).