What do you eat before a dive? Queasiness when diving...

[Diving Low]

Hello all

I posted this in the Basic discussion but someone suggested posting it here for more feedback

Just started to dive a few weeks back and just completed my sixth dive... really like it at the moment and just have a question to increase my enjoyment

1. Queasiness - I find that on my first dive for the day in the morning, I am slightly queasy about halfway through the dive (50min dive) and feeling like I could hurl near the end. Is it related to the gases in your stomach expanding and compressing due to depths?

I normally just have a small bowl of cereal for breakfast - is there a "recommended" food to eat for diving e.g. more dry (toast) etc?

After the break I usually feel fine but just that initial dive always makes me think I'm not going to get through the day


2. Also being hygienic conscious, I have bought some of my own gear; mask, snorkel, gloves, fins and boots - last items on my list are wetsuit and regulator (wetsuit question below). I am renting the regs still - I'm not going to take the plunge and purchase a reg until I rack up a few more dives and confirm that I really want to commit to diving. I do have some concerns around mouthpiece hygiene etc - do you have suggestions on the best way to clean them before a dive? Is listerine recommended? Also if you purchase your own mouthpiece, is it hard to swap the existing one out?

Thanks in advance

 

[Mr.X]

Some more data is needed. There are a lot of factors associated with an uneasy stomach during diving. As per queasiness...boat diving may affect the stomach. Also, some folks ingest small amounts of seawater through the reg. which can make them queasy during the dive. The solution for both is easy.

As per meals I tend to eat items like bananas, or easily digested foods. Eating beans, greasy meat, citrus, coffee etc. is not something I would recommend prior to a dive. They are harsh on stomachs...especially for newer divers where excitement is all part of the dive. For me, I don't get much excited about a dive these days and can eat almost anything with the exception of greasy foods, extra strong coffee and orange juice.

As per hygiene...I believe if you check the archives there are probably multiple threads related to this subject. Since I teach diving a lot of adult students ask this. If you are renting I would always make sure to rinse the reg mouthpiece with water. Sometimes I used a little dish detergent. Most microorganisms do not live too long if they are left to die and dry out. Sanitizing reg. bits and pieces helps. Also, the most highly contagious people do not often get around to diving so they are unable to place their highly contagious germs on mouthpieces.

Cheers & best luck with your new found hobby.

X

 

[down4fun]

I try to eat pretty light and stay away from the greasy foods. But more than that I take Bonnine every time I dive. For a 20 cent pill I can guarantee I won't feel ill or be sick and I have been out in some big stuff. A month of two ago some friends and I went out on a 3 tanker solid 6-8's 8 out of 16 puked, and again half got off after the first dive (had to go back to dock due to an injury) me I was good with my little orang pill, even ate lunh on the boat.

So you'll find out what work for you. As for me, no sense being the tough guy, just take something before every dive

 

[DESIGNERDIVER]

I also am new with only 6 dives.................i take dramamine.less drowsey formula9which i find dosent make me drowsey at all) and only eat a banana and a small cup of coffee and I have been fine. reguarding the regulator, i couldnt stand using the rented reg's just because they were breathing so wet................so i did purchase that.............good luck

 

[scubadiver888]

Hi Diving Low,

Regarding what I eat, I avoid things which will increase my need to urinate (diuretics) and dehydrate me, like coffee. Beside that I eat whatever I normally eat. I avoid diuretics just because I believe it will help reduce the chance of DCI and I'm just not cool with urinating in my wetsuit.

Never had an issue with queasiness. Occasionally I'll eat something which makes it a little gassy. At depth I'll get a little burpy but then I just burp into my reg. I'll have eggs, bacon, orange juice, toast, banana, cantalope, etc. before I head for the boat and then have a light snack between dives.

I don't eat cereal. Maybe carbohydrates are the problem. What kind of cereal might have a difference as well. Are you having a whole grain cereal or are we talking about Captain Crunch?

I guess there is also the fact that everyone is different. I'd recommend picking something different each day. Do fruits one day. Do toast another day. Try eggs and bacon the next day. I guess I've been lucky in that I can eat anything and be fine.

I also assume, because you talk about being queasy half way through the first dive, that you aren't getting sicksea on the boat. However, if you are shore diving, maybe it is seasickness. Again, never had to deal with that.

Regarding cleaning regs, Listerine will probably help but you'd have to rinse them fairly well. Depending on where you are renting, the regs have probably seen a number of mouths. I rented for 6 years before I bought my own. The last two dive trips before purchasing my own resulted in a sinus infection. The last sinus infection was really severe and spread to my ears and throat. That is why I bought my own regs. No problems in the last 2 years.

I am also careful about where I rinse them. I read an article about how there was more bacteria in the rinse tanks at many Caribbean resorts than initially expected. If you can take the regs back to your hotel room and rinse them in fresh water you'll probably be a lot better off.

To change the mouth piece is just clipping a zip-tie, putting on a new mouth piece and attaching it with a new zip-tie. Fairly easy to do but if you are going to a resort for diving, you might get in trouble doing this and you need to turn in the regs after each day of diving. You might not get the same regs back the next day. So for a 1 week dive trip you would need to replace the mouth piece 6 times.

Once I was certified I knew I was going to be diving for the rest of my life. Time and money made it hard at first but I now plan on diving a few dozen times a year and by next year hope to be diving even more. The only thing holding me back from buying regs was knowing what I wanted and having the money to get it. Looking back, I could have bought a set of regs with all the money I spent on renting and got a second set with the money I spent on my first set.

 

[mikeyjoe]

The queasyness I felt the first few dives - especially on the interval - went away after a few dives. I chalked mine up to nerves. Once you feel more comfortable, maybe this will be the case for you too?

cereal shouldn't be a problem - easy on the stomach.....

Up until I hit 10 dives, all I could manage to eat during the interval was a bit of fruit or a powerbar......

 

[dk2943]

I used to have the queasiness issue. Now I eat a banana before the first dive and have no problem

 

[paladinsfo]

I have never felt queesiness when diving, probably because I was a pilot in south east asia for several years, and a sailboat nut after. Do avoid orange juice and coffee because the gas will make you uncomfortable, and if you are a vegetarian, too many dark green veggies (spinach, brocolli, romaine lettuce and similar) will overload your body with phosphorous, which is also bad. Try to stay away from greasy foods, carbonated drinks and the like and you should be fine. I keep a package or two of cheese crackers with peanut butter handy for after dives, and iced tea or hot tea with a little honey and cinnamon is good.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Diving Low,

This article may prove beneficial:

Tame the Technicolor Yodel: Managing Mal de Mer (Reprinted from Undercurrent)
Doc Vikingo's Sea Sickness Remedies

Also, make sure you are not swallowing air and that the weight belt and wetsuit are not excessively constricting.

Avoid carbonated beverages, caffeinated beverages, acidic fruit juices and fried and fatty foods. Drink beverages at room temp or only slightly chilled/warmed, not hot or cold. Eat food in multiple, small meals across the day.

Helpful?

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[Diving Low]

Thanks very much guys - I will be more mindful of my diet the night before and the morning.

Hopefully diving this Sat - let you guys know how I go!