do sea sickness bands really work?

[Ber Rabbit]

I've used them and had pretty good luck with them when I forgot to take my seasick meds along on a fishing trip and the morning dose was wearing off. Everyone responds differently to different medications. For example: I swear by Meclizine but the chewable tablets don't work as well for me as the non-chewables (hence the sea-sick bands).

I always carry saltines with me in a "Lock-n-Lock" container you can find at Meijer or other places that have plastic containers for food, etc. These containers have an o-ring on the lid that makes a watertight seal so my crackers don't get soggy. One of the sizes is perfect for two sleeves of saltines.

The minute I get on the boat I eat a couple of crackers and offer them to everyone else--it gives your stomach something to do instead of thinking about nausea. Once we start moving I eat a couple more crackers and offer some to the other divers. I keep a close eye on other divers on the boat and as soon as I see someone looking "funny" I offer them crackers to calm their stomach. It only works if you get the crackers before the nausea gets really bad. Surface interval is another time I eat crackers and offer them around--sometimes all I have to do is get them out and I'll notice some of the divers looking at them (some people will take them if offered but will not ask and this look tells me to pass the crackers). I've had everyone from OW divers to Instructors give me the "look."

I've only actually vomited on a boat one time and it's because I was simply too tired to get out of my gear quick enough to get to my crackers in time. Everyone has to find their own cure but the crackers are inexpensive and by the end of the day the people who need them will accept your offer
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Scottri]

I'm lucky in that I never get sea sick but I have 2 friends that do and both of them were really helped by the patch worn behind the ear. Neither got sick wearing them but got very sick when not wearing them.

 

[RumBum]

the ONLY thing that has helped significantly is the Relief Band which is worn like a watch and produces a mild electrical current at your wrist.

The relief band is a gem.
I went to the flower gardens and was so sick I thought I wouldnt even be able to dive (I was vomiting violently every 10-30 minutes for 12 hours, I was getting worried about dehydration). Someone lent me a scop patch, but alas... it was already too late. I managed to get in the water for the first dive, but I was still throwing up too much to keep the reg in. The capt had a relief band that he lent me. I wore it for 2 hours and *poof* all better. I made every dive after that.
I do not believe the relief was in my head, because before that day I thought acupuncture was a bunch of bs. Now, I think, well it HAS been practiced for thousands of years and people are still seeking acupunture relief. Modern science still does not understand alot of things about the human body. Why not relief of seasickness by electric pulses at the wrist?
I think this band is amazing and it is worth every penny.

 

[justleesa]

I think that most of you are talking about the pressure relief bands and you have to really "believe" in them for them to work. I have passed them to people on the boat when they were really sick and they say that it helps....a bit....I guess if you are that sick you believe anything.

Anyway, I am also one of those poor people that get sea sick even after years on the water. One day I heard about the Relief Band, which looks a little like a watch. This little do-hinky sends an electric impuls that is supposed to take care of motion sickness. It has 5 settings and you kick it up to the highest level that you can take that will even out the motion for you. i.e. if there is little motion and you feel sick turn it on to setting one, motion sickness gone? leave it at one. Not gone? go on to the next setting. There is also a gel that you have to apply to your skin under the unit.

Well Roger ordered it for me and I used it when we toured Kauai with the bi-plane. I was doing great until it started getting hot, I turned it up and the electo feeling was very uncomfortable for me and I was still sick. The problem is I don't know how bad it would have been if I hadn't had the band. Since then I have been afraid to use it. Not taking the pills and trying out the band and then not have it work? I love diving, but I hate getting sick - so I didn't want to risk it.

BUT, when I am on the boat, I have lent it to many, many sea sickies. They have all thanked me many times over and said that it did the trick for them and saved the day. Just have to remind them that they have to take it off when they get in the water.

In conclusion, I don't really know what to tell you. If you don't think it is a waste of money, try it.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

I dont get sick on a boat but when i get a ride to the airport in a limo and have to sit on the side seat. man thats it. kiss my food good bye

 

[Dectek]

Myth Busters did that one tonight. They tried several alternatives to OTC or perscription drug methods including the wrist bands. BUSTED. They did find that ginger tablets prevented sea sickness without the narcotic type side affects.

 

[cyklon_300]

Ginger tablets did not prevent me or my friend from power hurling the two times we tried them. Also, ginger-flavored vomit is definitely an aquired taste...

 

[coach_izzy]

You may want to read what the relief band did for me in this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=119170 To summarize it, pretty much nothing, but hey, I tried it

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

I have a friend who gets motion sickness symptoms even traveling in cars, and he swears by the non-electric relief bands for him.

I usually don't have problems but big swells have caught me before, as well as extended periods of cross-wave going - like a Flower Gardens NMS trip this year as someone else mentioned earlier in this thread.

We tried the Relief Bands on the FG trip, for us, all they did was annoy us by zapping us back to awareness including awareness of nausea. Transdermal Scop worked well for us, but we found we need to apply it 12 to 24 hours prior to departure rather than 4 hours prior as listed on the package instruction to be effective for us.

I'm glad to hear the Relief Bands do work well for some folks. I think I'll send mine to my buddy who uses the non-electric versions to see if he can make use of them. He moved to St. Croix this year, so any brownie points earned will pay off when we visit next time.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

As for medication, half of a Scop patch works great for me, I used to get sick all the time, now I'm fine in 7' seas. (Yeah, the directions say not to cut them in half. Whatever....)

As for 'non-medication', ginger snaps work great too, if you like the taste of them. At first the taste itself almost made me sick, but somehow I started liking them, and, although I don't need to eat any thanks to the patch, they are effective. I assume ginger pills would work too.