28 replies to this topic

[lynnlchan]

I'm sure this has been covered out here so sorry for the repetition.

T&C will be my first live aboard experience and I'm prone to seasickness. What recommendations do you have?

[finGrabber]

find out what Wenchie uses...it's great!

I've used this stuff in North Carolina and have never gotten sick

[uwfan]

Meclizine ... ask at the pharmacy for it, you don't need a prescription, it's the active ingredient in Bonine but you can get more of it for about the same price by getting it from the pharmacy. Wenchie switched me to it on my first liveaboard and I went from green to able to function in no time.

[scubaski]

Scopolamine Patch, You need a doctors Rx for it.


http://www.ncbi.nlm....alth/PMH0000697



I use Bonnie, I start chewing 1 the night before travelling and continu with 1 about 2 am every night when on a island based dive trip, when on cruise ships I use the patch.

Edited by scubaski, 21 August 2010 - 09:57 AM.

[ch20diver]

I have serious seasickness..and one of the crew memebers on the live a board (after I spent 3 days very sick) told me to take dromamine (or it's generic type) non drowsy.

He told me take it every 12 hours, starting 3 days prior to trip and continue to take it the whole time on the trip.

I did a live a board in Turks and Caicos several years ago and followed this plan..I was not sick at all and we had some rough seas...I was fine!!! With several others actually sick...

I did not feel drowsy at all, or feel drugged in any way.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

Of course, it depends upon your sensitivity to motion as to which remedy will work best for you. Do you get sick in a car on mountainous roads? Can you ride things at an amusement park? Do high-speed elevators bother you? There are different levels of tolerance for motion.

I am VERY sensitive to motion. Dramamine doesn't work for me at all. Meclizine works for me only for day trips on relatively calm seas....it keeps me from turning green from surge, current, and luffing while moored. I start taking Meclizine the day before I travel, and continue to take it until I'm done with the boats. For liveaboards, I have to use both Meclizine and the trans-derm scopalomine patch. First time I used the patch was on the Red Sea liveaboard, which was quite rough during some of the overnight rides. I never felt queasy at all the entire week.....so I think the patch RULES and has opened up a lot of dive venues to me. You need a prescription for the patch, but for me it is worth every penny!! Each patch is good for 3 days, if you manage to keep it on your skin while diving. I am bringing some sticky tape and sticky bandaids to help hold my patch on.

The bottom line is, if you're sensitive to motion and you're going on a liveaboard, you should bring whatever it will take to keep you from being miserable. Sea sickness is not fun - not for you, and not for those who have to watch you and are unable to make you feel better. Get a couple of scop patches. I will share my Meclizine with anyone who needs it....I always have a full bottle with me!

[ScubaPunk]

One thing I've learned is: Don't wait until you get on the boat to start taking the Meclizine. Start the day before. Take one at night before you go to sleep and the next morning, and then when you get on the boat.

[ch20diver]

One thing I've learned is: Don't wait until you get on the boat to start taking the Meclizine. Start the day before. Take one at night before you go to sleep and the next morning, and then when you get on the boat.

Absolutely!!! Whatever you decide to use...do not wait until you are sick

[lynnlchan]

What a great group of folks on this site! Thanks for all the info.

I've gotten car sick since I was about a year old. Stopping and starting, winding roads, spinning in circles is the worst. I think I'll go to the doc and get a patch. It's cheap insurance.

[ch20diver]

One more thing...if you go with the patch...try it before the trip...make sure you do not have any allgeries to it or it causes skin irratation..Last thing you need is to get out there and find out you cannot use it. Most people do not have any problem with it.

[ArtRunScuba]

Lynn-- I have a different solution. I start taking lots of ginger pills and eat lots of ginger starting a week before liveaboard and throughout the trip, plus I wear the wrist bands until I have my sea legs. Ginger is a natural remedy for motion sickness and was used by ancient Chinese mariners. For me, far better than the drugs which make me drowsy and not feeling well. I have done 18 liveaboards and had some pretty outrageous crossings. Also during such times, I simply lay in bed for shake rattle roll duration and sleep. Usually, they do not happen that often and certainly not on a trip like T&C. Also avoid cabins upstairs. Stay on level below salon or on same level as salon.

[Bubbles]

What a great group of folks on this site! Thanks for all the info.

I've gotten car sick since I was about a year old. Stopping and starting, winding roads, spinning in circles is the worst. I think I'll go to the doc and get a patch. It's cheap insurance.

Lynn - You might not even need to go see your doctor. Just the other day I called my doctor's office and asked if they could call in a prescription for the patches. I was willing to go in if needed but they called it in! After being really sick during my two trips to Key Largo this summer I didn't want to take any chances.

[Starfish Sandy]

What a great group of folks on this site! Thanks for all the info.

I've gotten car sick since I was about a year old. Stopping and starting, winding roads, spinning in circles is the worst. I think I'll go to the doc and get a patch. It's cheap insurance.

Lynn - You might not even need to go see your doctor. Just the other day I called my doctor's office and asked if they could call in a prescription for the patches. I was willing to go in if needed but they called it in! After being really sick during my two trips to Key Largo this summer I didn't want to take any chances.

Lynn - I am the queen of puking. Car sick, boat sick - I can't even snorkel due to the waves. So I feel your pain. Great advise from the others - I start taking precaution the day before I hit the boat - and continue the entire time I'm on the boat - even if I don't think I'm going to need it - better safe than sorry.

I used the patch for years - then my insurance quit covering them - they are pricey if your insurance doesn't cover them - BUT they come in a pill form and my insurance will cover that (go figure??) So that's what I take now - plus I always carry ginger and meclazine as back up. I got my last bottle in Hawaii and I know you can get it online too.


I have done T&C and didn't have any issues - hopefully the water will be pretty calm. My worst trip EVER was Galapagos - I had the "patch" in pill form, I had meclazine, I had ginger in several forms, I had the pressure bands - NOTHING worked - Well worth it for the diving tho!

I have also found that sitting on the boat "geared up" waiting on others is a killer - SO.........make sure your buddy knows your issue - get geared up and get IN - tell your DM you will wait for the group either on the hang line, anchor line or where ever they want you - but UNDER the water. It also helps to yell out "known puker" and watch the group make room for you!!!

good luck -

[secretsea18]

What a great group of folks on this site! Thanks for all the info.

I've gotten car sick since I was about a year old. Stopping and starting, winding roads, spinning in circles is the worst. I think I'll go to the doc and get a patch. It's cheap insurance.

Lynn - You might not even need to go see your doctor. Just the other day I called my doctor's office and asked if they could call in a prescription for the patches. I was willing to go in if needed but they called it in! After being really sick during my two trips to Key Largo this summer I didn't want to take any chances.

Lynn - I am the queen of puking. Car sick, boat sick - I can't even snorkel due to the waves. So I feel your pain. Great advise from the others - I start taking precaution the day before I hit the boat - and continue the entire time I'm on the boat - even if I don't think I'm going to need it - better safe than sorry.

I used the patch for years - then my insurance quit covering them - they are pricey if your insurance doesn't cover them - BUT they come in a pill form and my insurance will cover that (go figure??) So that's what I take now - plus I always carry ginger and meclazine as back up. I got my last bottle in Hawaii and I know you can get it online too.


I have done T&C and didn't have any issues - hopefully the water will be pretty calm. My worst trip EVER was Galapagos - I had the "patch" in pill form, I had meclazine, I had ginger in several forms, I had the pressure bands - NOTHING worked - Well worth it for the diving tho!

I have also found that sitting on the boat "geared up" waiting on others is a killer - SO.........make sure your buddy knows your issue - get geared up and get IN - tell your DM you will wait for the group either on the hang line, anchor line or where ever they want you - but UNDER the water. It also helps to yell out "known puker" and watch the group make room for you!!!

good luck -

Sandy,

The Scop-patch and tablets, while they contain the same medicine are NOT really the same.

The patch is a time release form that will last for 3 days, providing a smaller but near constant amount of medicine in your system (and likely to minimize any side affects), VS., the tablet, which must be taken every 6-8 hours, giving you peaks and troughs in the serum medication levels, and thus increasing side affects.

Each person may experience the side affects differently, and while the patch does cost more, compared to a dive trip cost, is likely to be a very small percentage of extravagance for the overall benefit.

[Jerrymxz]

Scopolamine Patch, You need a doctors Rx for it.


http://www.ncbi.nlm....alth/PMH0000697



I use Bonnie, I start chewing 1 the night before travelling and continu with 1 about 2 am every night when on a island based dive trip, when on cruise ships I use the patch.

This is what I use almost exactly. I do tailor what I take to the conditions. I rarely take anything in Cozumel but on days when the conditions are borderline on an all day offshore trip I’ll take close to the maximum recommended dose.