Sea Sickness

[TSandM]

always use rehydration tablets if I show any signs on being dehydrated.

This could be part of the problem, if what you are taking is salt tablets. They can add to the nausea. Unless you have been working very hard in very hot conditions, it is very unlikely that you have incurred sufficient losses of salt to require them, as well.

There's a very good article in this month's Scuba Diving magazine on seasickness, which goes over ways to approach it, starting with where you focus your eyes and ending with a discussion of medications.

 

[ka7]

There's a very good article in this month's Scuba Diving magazine on seasickness, which goes over ways to approach it, starting with where you focus your eyes and ending with a discussion of medications.

Which magazine is this? (I am in the UK so might not be able to get hold of it if its a US one) Is it published on line at all?

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

To keep from being seasick, pick out a feature on land and keep your eyes on it. If you are too far out at sea, find a cloud to focus on. Basically, anything that's relatively stable. After a while, you'll get your sea legs and you won't be affected anymore, but the first couple of times, mal de mer can be thoroughly hellish.

 

[Eastbayfe]

I've had good luck on numerous sport fishing and diving trips with Dramamine Original Formula. The key is to take it an hour before you head out the inlet. If you are not expecting too rough a trip stick with one and go with two in situations with heavier seas. Don't over medicate because it can dehydrate and cause drowsiness.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Another vote for the patch! I went from wanting to literally DIE on a boat to wanting to DIVE on a boat. I suffer badly from sea sickness as well. I get sick on the merry go round for crying out loud.

I have found that wrist bands and ginger do nothing for me. Looking at the horizon or one spot helps but when that boat stops...all hell breaks lose. When I am sea sick I don't need to soothe my stomach, I need to kill myself to stop the madness. I would rather have cyanide than ginger when sea sickness hits. I mean it. First you think you will die then you hope you will die. It's that bad.

I have however experienced side effects after taking the patch off. It seems, after tricking your body all week by wearing the patch on a tossing and turning boat, some people can have a bad reaction when they take it off. No longer under the effects of the drug, one can become sea sick once on land and even have side effects that mirror DCS, like extreme exhaustion.

I have had good results taking daily pills (same drug as the patch) when doing boat dives and not on a live a board. But again, the drugs do have an effect. I feel a little dazed and tired the rest of the day.

So how do I cure sea sickness? Shore dive in Bonaire.

Good luck!

 

[ka7]

I have found that wrist bands and ginger do nothing for me. Looking at the horizon or one spot helps but when that boat stops...all hell breaks lose. When I am sea sick I don't need to soothe my stomach, I need to kill myself to stop the madness. I would rather have cyanide than ginger when sea sickness hits. I mean it. First you think you will die then you hope you will die. It's that bad.

I have however experienced side effects after taking the patch off. It seems, after tricking your body all week by wearing the patch on a tossing and turning boat, some people can have a bad reaction when they take it off. No longer under the effects of the drug, one can become sea sick once on land and even have side effects that mirror DCS, like extreme exhaustion.

Looks like on the whole the patch does get the thumbs up. Interesting to read you can then get sea sick on land after taking it off! Still as long as it doesnt interfere with diving thats the main thing.

My next trip is shark diving for two weeks out in South Africa - how many patches would you advise that I get from the doctor for this length of trip. And also is it recommended to wear them for a full two weeks?

 

[scubadobadoo]

Looks like on the whole the patch does get the thumbs up. Interesting to read you can then get sea sick on land after taking it off! Still as long as it doesnt interfere with diving thats the main thing.

My next trip is shark diving for two weeks out in South Africa - how many patches would you advise that I get from the doctor for this length of trip. And also is it recommended to wear them for a full two weeks?

I don't believe it is recommended to use it for more than one week but really, I just don't recall. That also probably depends on you personally. Perhaps TSandM can answer or a google search can find the web page of the drug company. Your doctor will certainly know but honestly, my doctor isn't a diver and sometimes I am surprised by how little she knows about the sport and it's medical concerns but then again, I know very little about medicine so there you have it.

Usually a single patch is a "three day" patch if I recall from what I had last. Perhaps it has changed or changes depending on what you are prescribed.

Have fun in S. Africa!!!

 

[vladimir]

Thirdly I used wrist bands whilst I was being really sea sick I didn’t think worked at all and therefore took them off, but interestingly they were having some effect as I felt the difference and pretty rapidly put them back on!

Anecdotal evidence notwithstanding, these simply don't work. Whatever anti-emetic effect they may have had was most likely a placebo effect.

 

[MissyP]

I swear by the patches. I am very prone to seasickness and they have been the only thing that works well for me. I don't notice any unwanted effects.

Likewise~ I get nauseous super easily on boats and have tried all of the over the counter pills, the wrist bands, and the electric wrist zapper... None made a difference... except for the patch.. The only side effects I've gotten were a dry mouth and a little drowsy before the dive (once in the water, i'm fine).

 

[MissyP]

I have found that wrist bands and ginger do nothing for me. Looking at the horizon or one spot helps but when that boat stops...all hell breaks lose. When I am sea sick I don't need to soothe my stomach, I need to kill myself to stop the madness. I would rather have cyanide than ginger when sea sickness hits. I mean it. First you think you will die then you hope you will die. It's that bad.

I must be related to the guy who wrote this... Its exactly how I've felt at times (pre-patch)~ wishing for instant death to stop the seasickness... Yup, its THAT bad.