Sea Sickness

[GLENFWB]

I am new to diving and ScubaBoard. I am sure this has been dealt with before but I can't find many threads on this subject. I have a tendency to get sea sick so was wondering what some of you experienced people have found works best? Last thing I want is to be the new guy hanging over the rail of the boat! Is there a product that is specifically designed not to interfere with the rigors of Scuba Diving?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Daylonious]

I am new to diving and ScubaBoard. I am sure this has been dealt with before but I can't find many threads on this subject. I have a tendency to get sea sick so was wondering what some of you experienced people have found works best? Last thing I want is to be the new guy hanging over the rail of the boat! Is there a product that is specifically designed not to interfere with the rigors of Scuba Diving?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Dramamine.. lots and lots of dramamine. And drinks lots and lots of water - being well hydrated is an effective tactic against sea-sickness for some people.

That usually does the trick for me.

I think there's some more serious anti-emetic prescription motion sickness stuff you can get, but you'd have to check with your doctor.

D.

 

[Tom Smedley]

The only cure for seasickness is sitting underneath a tree.

 

[scubamickey]

Bonine works very well. But make sure that you take the initial dose 12 hours before the trip. It doesn't make me sleepy like Dramamine does.

 

[kirwoodd]

I own a boat and deal with sea sickness in my guests more than I want to.

For me personally, I dont get sea sick much, but when I do, it starts as a head ache, at that point if I take dramamine or bonine, then I will be fine, tired, but fine. The trick is to take it BEFORE you get sick. When you start yacking you cant keep the pills down and you are SOL.

I did see a web site online (cant find the link right now) where the guy says that if you are vommitting and cant keep the pill down, chew it, that way it goes right into the blood stream. He does caution that dramamine is very caustic, so keep swishing it in your mouth as you chew. <shrug>

The biggest problem that I have seen is that some people think that taking dramamine is a sign of weakness, not so. Just take it!

as far as the dehydration comment above: too true. But even if you dont get seasick, drink lots of water, boating is dehydrating.

 

[mislav]

But even if you dont get seasick, drink lots of water, boating is dehydrating.

Drinking lots of water also helps decrease the risk of getting DCS.

I also get sea sick if on a rocking boat for longer than 15 minutes. I have made a habit of taking one dramamine an hour before I get on the boat. I don't have problems anymore.

It does make me sleepy a bit but drinking some coke helps me fight it to the point that I don't feel this effect at all.

Dramamine effects wear off in about six hours. I often don't need to take another pill. I guess my body gets used to balancing the waves by then.

 

[scuba41girl]

It's not always the newbies that hurling over the side of the boat. Many veterans get sick also. I have a morning ritual...a sea sickness pill and a bowl of oatmeal. It works like a charm. Stay away from greasy food the night before and in the morning. That includes donuts. Also bring anything with ginger in it...gingersnaps,ginger ale. ginger helps get rid of sea sickness.

And if you do get sick....do it over the rail and not in the head. The crew will throw you overboard.

 

[fishoutawater]

I can remember getting seasick only one time. That was on a fishing charter out of Virginia beach. I'd crawled inside the cabin of the boat and layed down on the floor.
The boat captain came down and found me there. He said, "quit pukin' in my bilge, get out on deck and stare at the lighthouse on shore". He explained to me that what causes seasickness was the fluid sloshing around in my cochlea (http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/cochlea.html). He said staring at something stationary gives your brain a reference point and somehow it stops the nausea.
I don't know the science behind it, but it works. I saw a lady on the Playa Del Carmen ferry, sitting on a bench with her head hanging into a swaying plastic bag. I taught her my old sea captain's trick, and it worked for her too. Her and her husband were very thankful.
Of course, finding something stationary to stare at while out at sea can be a trick in itself.

 

[Pyrofish]

I get it bad, real bad. I was in the keys doing my nitrox cert. We spent alot of time trying to hook up to a ball that was 10' down, and I ended up getting sick before the dive. Then the seas were pretty rough, and the surge from the waves was felt a good 20' down, so during the safety stop I was feeding the fish. Then after I surfaced, and on the way back in.... My dad was in the dive shop afterwards, they didn't know he was standing there, and he heard them say, "he's a great diver, but man, you need a firehose for afterwards.." for some of us, it's a fact of life, and one you'll just have to accept and learn to minimize.

Afterwards, I learned to hydrate for at least a day prior. Many experienced divers I know use Triptone, and that helps me considerably. 2 before bed, and 1 the morning of, or if it's a night dive, 2 befor lunch, and one a couple hours prior to the dive. Stay away from alcohol the night before, if at all possible. Fruit works well, an apple seems to be a pretty good breakfast. Lots of water. Don't zip up your wetsuit till the very last minute possible, the restriction around your neck can trigger the queaziness. Did I say lots of water?

Even doing all of this, sometimes in nasty seas, you still might do the technicolor yodel, but you won't turn green and fall to the deck a limp shadow of a man. You'll bounce back and be able to make the rest of the day. I second the ginger snaps, and ginger ale. If you're doing ok, then sometimes pretzels help soak up some of that sloshing in your gut. The thick pretzels, not the thin ones.

Island Hopper boats.. stay away from Island Hoppers... They are a specific type of boat that is well suited to be a dive boat, except for the round bottom. They roll and pitch in perfect harmony with the long-wet-yawn... Many charters in Florida use them... Stick with deep V hull boats if at all possible, they sway and roll less.

Good luck and pray for science to come up with a vaccine, or an operation, or a procedure, or a shot, or genetic engineering... something for the love of god!!!! hehe

Jason

 

[joe rock]

There are many of us that get sea sick. For me, the smell of diesel fuel pushes me over the edge. I use a scop patch. Works wonders for me and no drowsies! The most important thing to remember, once you start feeling sick, it's too late. So take precautions before you go on the boat.

Just my 2 PSI (stolen from others on the board )

JR