What do you use against sea sickness?

[lowlysubaruguy]

My wife has meniers syndrome she gets sea sick on road trips with curves she does Sudafed, bonine on some dives mint gum, ginger, dried ginger candy as a snack on the boat doesn’t eat much on the day of the dives don’t use milk products two or three days before hand eat light healthy simple basic foods two or three days before make sure your hydrated well before the dive she just woke up said sleep is the most important part. She also dresses in layers so she can keep warm but not hot.

Most important part when you get on the boat get in a position where the exhaust and smoke from smokers is down wind hold your breathe when the wind changes direction do mental calming excercises breathing slowly while looking out towards the front of the boat. We ride up top when possible.

My wifes quite the trooper she’s been around the world diving and puking with me, let me buy a boat for diving and we live 3000 miles from where I dive. Part of that is so we can control the boat part to here advantage. Often on a guide boat people who get sea sick can’t control anything captains got some old Diesel engine billowing smoke into the cabin smokers are blowing smoke in her area. Everyone is hurried up just easier to deal with on your own boat. Bonaire is a favorite because she can dive from shore most of her issues are not the sea but the boat.

Most of the time I think she’s mentally retarded I hate puking and would never do anything that might provoke that but she has mastered puking through her regulator and follows me when ever she can take the time off to do so.

 

[ilovecolours]

IIRC Zophran is an anti-emetic. That is, designed to stop the puking, which is a significant part of motion sickness but not enough to make a sick person "functional" again in all cases. I haven't heard of it being used by any government agency for the purpose, but then again, I haven't spoken to the Surgeon General lately.(G)

For glaucoma, scop would be contraindicated. I think the only safe way to even consider it, would be to see your opthamologist first thing in the morning, then take the drug, and have them literally check your eye pressure every couple of hours. And that's still problematic, since you can't "un-dose" after you've taken it, so they'd simply have to give you a med to lower eye pressure if they saw an adverse reaction. IOW, not a really great idea.

The electric relief band has NO complications like that. Can be turned off instantly.


On Amazon it is about $100 now, $175 for a USB-rechargeable model that is more waterproof. And there is another company (Emeterm) apparently selling what they claim to be similar device, USB rechargeable, at the same $100 price as the older Reliefband. Isn't cheap, no. Unless you compare it to five or ten years of buying prescription meds, and all the fun side effects. Mine is on the shot list of "Gear you'll have to pry out of my cold dead hands if you want it."
OK, it isn't as convenient as "just pop a pill". And it needs to be left on the boat, dry-ish. But, no side-effects and an on-off switch sort of balance all that out.(G)

Hi all, I've struggled with A LOT of seasickness (usually from the time on the surface) and have found the best help for me so far is to take Dramamine the night before and then the morning of. To my knowledge, some of the meds mentioned aren't available in Canada. Unless, are they?

I met someone in Cozumel who used a ReliefBand and said it really worked for her but said her husband had stopped using his because of the side effects. Have others experienced the side effects? Also, I noticed it's water-resistant but not water proof or dive safe... I hadn't noticed whether the woman I met took her ReliefBand off for the dives, but I guess she must have. Has anyone used the ReliefBand on a dive? It's true the worst part is on the surface but I'd be nervous that I'd forget to take it off!

Also, has anyone tried both ReliefBand and EmeTerm? I wonder if there's a significant difference between the two because EmeTerm seems to be a lot less expensive. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Bigbella]

Aside from the aforementioned motion-sickness medications, one's physical location on a boat also plays a big role -- and the biggest mistake for anyone who is seasick prone and even slightly nauseous, is to go below deck for a "rest" (read "Technicolor yawn"), rather than remain in the fresh air, near the vessel's more stable midline, with an eye on the horizon; and, yeah, minus the salt pork . . .

 

[Diverspoint]

I noticed that there are several old discussions, some of them specific for the different types of products. In the headings I reported both the chemical names (first) and some common commercial names (always the last). Then there are the links to some discussions

Comparison discussions
Best tablet for sea sickness?

Dimenhydrinate/Dramamine
Dramamine before diving
dramamine and diving?

Hyoscine/Scopolamine/Kwells
Kwells for seasickness - Availability?
Scopolamine Side Effects

Ginger
Ginger works!

White flower oil
NO DISCUSSIONS

Meclizine / Bonine
Using Meclizine

Cinnirazine / Stugeron
Prone to Sea Sickness? Cinnarizine!

Wife seconds cinnarazine. According to friends not available in US an Mexico

 

[happy-diver]

Look straight ahead and manipulate your gear without having to look down at it, like in the shower in the dark

so learn your stuff by feel, helps everywhere, for everything

and if you get stuck watch the diver on the other side of the boat looking down they are doing the same stuff

and the long hose reg will be being trodden on on the deck


so if you're watching the diver on the other side of the boat
you will know when to move

 

[ScubaToneDog]

Dont laugh....but these really work! works even after you start feeling woozy. I keep a pair on my boat.

 

[Belzelbub]

Aside from the aforementioned motion-sickness medications, one's physical location on a boat also plays a big role -- and the biggest mistake for anyone who is seasick prone and even slightly nauseous, is to go below deck for a "rest" (read "Technicolor yawn"), rather than remain in the fresh air, near the vessel's more stable midline, with an eye on the horizon; and, yeah, minus the salt pork . . .

This is quite important. Thankfully, I’m not prone to seasickness. Only a couple times have I been to the point where I was uncomfortable. One was on a dive boat for OW in the Keys. I was on a higher deck, with more rocking. Solved it by jumping in the water and holding on to the tag line for a bit.

Another time was on my Dad’s boat. His helm is on the flybridge, so when it rocks a little in the cockpit, it rocks significantly more at the helm.

Dont laugh....but these really work! works even after you start feeling woozy. I keep a pair on my boat.

I never knew these exist. I guess they are filled with blue liquid to simulate the horizon. I would imagine this is worth a try. I’d guess the key is to catch it early.

 

[Learner Diver]

The same technique I use for car sickness. I open the door and puke.

 

[smashweights]

I get motion sickness quite easily. I cannot do anything in a car except drive. Anything but flat seas will ruin my dive trip. I started with meclizine up to 50mg 1-2 hours beforehand which worked ok but I would pass out on the couch afterwards.

Meclizine works for most of a day and it's max sedating effect is around 6 hours after dosing. So I started taking 25mg before bed. Works great, no sedating effect.

 

[ScubaToneDog]

This is quite important. Thankfully, I’m not prone to seasickness. Only a couple times have I been to the point where I was uncomfortable. One was on a dive boat for OW in the Keys. I was on a higher deck, with more rocking. Solved it by jumping in the water and holding on to the tag line for a bit.

Another time was on my Dad’s boat. His helm is on the flybridge, so when it rocks a little in the cockpit, it rocks significantly more at the helm.

I never knew these exist. I guess they are filled with blue liquid to simulate the horizon. I would imagine this is worth a try. I’d guess the key is to catch it early.

Yup...an artificial horizon to sync up what your ears and eyes are telling your brain. They work even after you are sick which is a huge benefit for those who "never get seasick" and for those who get queasy sitting at the dock. I found out about them on a dive charter. They keep a few pairs onboard for customers.