20 replies to this topic

[Travelnsj]

I get sea sick walking in rain. I have been Marooned on Rock islands in Palau for up to 6 hours! I asked Mike Ball liveaboard last year to drop me off on any land and call American Express Med Vac Services. But i continue to endeavor to persue the Ultimate Dive!

So i have used Ginger, Kwell, the Patch (get sicker with that), those other popular Motion sickness things! I currently use the Relief Band (zapped up to # 5) and Meclizine.

One year ago i was at Heron Island diving and met a Doctor, told him i used Meclizine. He asked how much. I told him that I took three 25 mg this morning. He looked at me and said I should be sleeping! I usually am semi comatose until I hit the water. And then to bed by 8.

So I am headed to the Galapagos in Three weeks. I have about a 14 hour ride from San Cristobal to Darwin. These are not calm waters! HELP!!

So SD group what do i do? Any suggestions would be appreciated

[chinacat46]

I suggest you don't share a room with me!

[SquattingRadishDM]

I personally dont get seasick and cant offer tried and tested methods to help it, but I can try and explain the science behind it. Your brain is constantly getting information from the outside world about whats happening to you, seasickness happens when the brain gets conflicting information about balance and movement and gets confused . Your main sensory organ for balance is the inner ear which basically acts as an organic spirit level (this is why if someone gets a burst eardrum the sudden rush of cold water to the ear can cause dizzyness or vertigo). The second are the eyes, observing how you are moving in relation to other objects and keeping you upright. You will notice it harder to stand on one leg with ur eyes closed (unless ur Karate Kid). Your brian uses the information it gets from both organs and decides how best to keep you upright and in balance.

On a boat or in a car the brain can get confused as the eyes tell it something conpletely different to the inner ear. The inner ear essentially senses which way is down, when on a boat and bouncing around the inner ear tells the brain "Hey we are swinging around and tilting all over the place". Say your are looking inside the boat setting up your gear, the eyes that sense your movement in relation to other objects will interpretted as "My dive gear aint moving much, the other people aint moving much, the floor of the boat aint moving much, I must not be moving much". The brain doesnt like this conflicting information as from an evalutionary stand point its not what our brain expects. Im not sure why the reflex is to vomit, it may be the brain reasons that the conflict is a result of something that was eaten. Looking at the horizon has always helped me with very mild seasickness, but as urs is more serious it may not help.

I'd try taking the seasickness medicine the night before and keep taking it right the way thru the day. Taking it the morning before a dive might mean it hasnt been absorbed and taken effect before you get out on the water.

Im sure there are more tried and trusted remedies out there.

[Walter]

Nothing works for everyone, but there are things you can do to help.

First is diet. Eliminate acids and greese from your meals. That means no butter on your toast, no orange (or any citrus) juice, no tomato juice, no coffee, no bacon and eggs. Eat lightly. Dry toast is an excellent choice.

Jack is correct about watching the horizon. Another thing that can help is to lie down and close your eyes. Do not attempt to read.

Fresh air is important. Stay on the deck (don't go below) and away from exhaust fumes. Stay off the bridge. The higher you go on the boat, the more you'll be moving. That's not good.

Jack is also correct in that most people do better if they take their meds the night before and again the morning of the dive.

Don't drink alcohol. None.

Stay hydrated. Water is excellent. Usually even better if you have a ginger ale chaser.

Between dives, eat the pineapple or water melon, but pass on the orange slices.

Immediately after your dive, rinse your mouth with water to get rid of the salt (spit out the first mouthful) and then pop a hard candy.

The wrist bands that apply pressure help many people.

While you shouldn't combine different meds, the other techniques are more effective if you use them all.

[maninthesea]

So tell us what happened in Palau?

[Dive_Girl]

Don't drink alcohol. None.

I use TripTone with much success! It's 24-hour and hasn't made me drowsy or any other noticeable side effects. But as mentioned above, it does really depend on the person as to what works.

[Travelnsj]

For all the replies.

But, but no alcohol? Walter what is a person to do? Gotta have that glass of good wine after the day is done! I do not drink until i get some type of sea legs. Unfortunately those sea legs come and go. So if that water is not flat i do not touch any alcohol! So i will probally be giving away that good bottle of French White to the Aggressor guests in the Galapagos!

Jim you ask what happened in Palau? About 5 or 6 years ago (first time in Palau) I got sick in flat waters. Pulled up in the surf at the New Dropoff. I'm sick in minutes! There are two more dives to do. I'm in a fetal position. We pull into a small rock island with a small beach. They have an early lunch, I cannot get back on the boat, I'm dead weight. So they tell me they will be back in 2 or 3 hours. Well...... Remember the movie with Tom Hanks "Castway"? About 6 hours pass, sun setting. There is a couple from Palau that were passing by and asked me if i needed anything (My boat captain left me with lunch and water) so i asked for a MATCH! Needless to say the came back as the sun just set.

Triptone never have tried.........but nothing to lose i'll get some!

[Walter]

Of course you can have alcohol, but you're more likely to get sick.

[Latitude Adjustment]

I don't get seasick but my daughter always did untill she used the wrist bands, the ones that apply pressure, not the battery powered ones.

[jextract]

A greasy porkchop served in a dirty ashtray. Works every time!

[WreckWench]

A greasy porkchop served in a dirty ashtray. Works every time!

Jamie you are one sick puppy! Scott I'm sure by now you've learned to avoid the pot stirrers like jextract!

As for fighting the sea sickness...I too have been sea sick for years. In fact I've been named the "Queen of Green" on our boat in NC. All the advice given above has worked for me. Of course that is a relative term. The good news is that after ten years of diving I have finally gotten my sea legs. I still take meds (meclazine) but I don't get sick UNLESS I forget them. Start 24-48 hours before you dive to get them into your system. Take at night and in the am. Get plenty of rest. You are more susceptible to sea sickness if tired then well rested. Keep well hydrated especially if you upchuck. Have gatorade with you and ginger ale. Both work wonders to help qwell the stomach. Eat some dry toast or dry pretzels to absorb stomach acid. No OJ, as has been mentioned and nothing greasy. Keep food simple...think in terms of what goes down may come back up. SOME food is better then none. I live off bananas and pretzels when seasick. They taste the same coming back up as going down. Do not overeat but keep some food in you if at all possible.

And as soon as you feel sick...don't fight it...get it over with as soon as you can cuz you'll feel 100% better.

Hope this helps for you. I have also found the bands help too. -ww

[AliKat]

I have a terrible problem with motion sickness which gets worse I get older (know the feeling of getting sick on flat as glass water). NOTHING works . All the meds do is make me drowsy. I've puked all over the relief band. Looking at the horizon makes it much, much worse. The only thing I can really do is lay completely flat and close my eyes. I recently went to a natualpath who recommended something called Cocculus. Haven't been able to find it yet, so can't say if it works. But I feel your pain. On the bright side for me, it never lasts. The second I get 20 feet down where the water is calm, or get one foot on dry land, I am completely healed and forget how sick I felt.

One thing that did seem to help was pure powdered ginger mixed in hot tea (couldn't take in plain hot water). As long as I kept drinking it while on the boat.

Let me know if you find the perfect cure. I AM doing the live aboard in April. I'm pretty sure I'll also be doing all the optional Island tours

[AliKat]

Oh, and I agree with all the diet suggestions. Lots and lots of water, nothing greasy; I find milk products to work too well for me either. Some type of slightly flavored cracker is something I always carry.

[Dive_Girl]

I've puked all over the relief band.

terrible image, but hilarious none-the-less!

[chinacat46]

On one liveaboard I was on there was a girl who was quite seasick. They searched high and low on the boat for the spot the boat was moving around. It turned out to be the camera table. They put her matress on the camera table and she slept there for two nights and it worked. Might not be the best solution but it worked in this case. Of course the camera table was out of commission for two days.