Sea sick

[Kevrumbo]

There's nothing wrong with quick & easy somatic remedies/medications for sea sickness, but you can break the dependency on them over time with self-hypnosis/visualization only, building up in the process your own "psychosomatic tolerance".

The motivation is to do all means cognitively to help yourself without any over-the-counter drugs (and the side-effects they can produce), but only seek professional help with prescribed medication as necessary when those avenues, methods of self-help are not viable.

Here again is the method and the logic behind using the cognitive visualization technique which I've posted about in few boards including several threads in the past here on Scubaboard:

Most people don't get motion sickness while driving a car or piloting a boat/plane; the reason being because you're directly effecting the action of the vessel, you see what actions you have to take to steer a clear passage, you anticipate and react to the dynamic forces that result from such actions. Your mind/body kinesthetics are synchronized, your vestibular senses unconfounded, and you don't develop the nausea associated with motion sickness.

Here's how to achieve that state as a passenger on a diveboat:

Look not only at the Horizon, but also at the railing of the boat in the foreground --and see how it all moves relative to each other as the boat makes way through the swells. Memorize that movement and close your eyes, feel the boat's rhythm moving through the swells, and "see" that railing/horizon movement in your mind's eye. Anticipate where that railing/horizon orientation will be when you open your eyes . . .and finally open your eyes to see it and confirm it. Convince your mind and inner ear that you are in dynamic motion based on your sense of balance, tactile/kinesthetic feedback, and coordinating-synchronizing it all with the movement pattern of the railing/horizon which you just memorized. . .

In other words . . .don't anticipate being seasick --anticipate being in control, knowing & feeling what the boat's motion is going to be. With practice of this simple visualization, you can even "quell the queasiness" in the roughest sea conditions --all without any medication of any kind.

Again --All you gotta do is look at the horizon, see how it moves relative to the boat's motion and memorize that pattern, and then get a feeling for the rhythm of the swells and synchronize it with horizon's motion. Now when you go down belowdecks, just play it all back in your "mind's eye" as you begin to feel & anticipate the boat's apparent motion --or even imagine the boat belowdecks is transparent and you can actually see the horizon & swells in sync with the boat's apparent motion-- it's all just visualization without medication and it works!

That's the visualization technique you gotta practice, and unfortunately it's difficult to do if you're concentrating on something else like setting up your gear, reading a book, watching a video, worrying about running out of ginger pills/dramamine/bonine etc. But once you get good at it, you can hold the malaise to a reasonable level even in stormy seas --a "four" for instance on a scale from 1 to 10, with "ten" being projectile vomiting, extreme nausea, hugging the rail and begging for someone to shoot you . . . (In my thirty hour passage from mainland Costa Rica to Cocos Island, I was cognitively exhausted performing the technique over an extended period, and just simply fell asleep naturally). . .

Motion sickness is just a nuisance ailment . . .really!!!

The only scenario for a diveboat passneger where it becomes an issue is excessive prolonged vomiting resulting in dehydration & electrolyte imbalance, which requires IV treatment --If you have a trained medic onboard this should not be a problem.

 

[Chocula]

I have found ginger works as well as anything, but nothing "fixes" the problem. Watching the horizon, making sure I am getting fresh air, and finding the part of the boat that moves the least all help. For me, the worst part is when I have to look down or try and read something while the boat is moving. I assemble as much of my gear as practical while the boat is still docked, and only look down for brief intervals when to boat is moving. I am also fine if I can close my eyes. If the boat has bunks, I can usually crawl below and I am fine there as long as I keep my eyes closed, even in rougher seas. Like you, I feel much better once I am off the boat, floating in the water.

-Chocula

 

[RJP]

I took a sea sickness pill 3h prior the trip (non drowsiness one) and it didnt do anything

Meclizine. Take one the night before when you go to bed. Take a half when you wake up, and another half about 1hr before boarding. Ginger is good, especially in the form of Trader Joe's triple ginger ginger snap cookies.

Get your gear completely set up while the boat is at the dock.

Stay away from the stern and diesel fumes.

Stay outside.

If all else fails, eat bananas. They don't do anything fir your stomach, but they are the only food test tastes the same coming up as it did going down.

 

[plot]

Do what kev said. I never get carsick while driving, but it happens to me easily as a passenger unless I'm looking out the front window as if I'm driving. If I'm looking down at a book reading or something, the results aren't good.

Same on the ocean, watch the horizon and the waves as if you were driving the boat and need to know where to go.

 

[SuperMiguel]

Will try that next time, thanks all

 

[TracyN]

You aren't the only one who gets horribly sea sick. I solved my sea sickness issues though, by going cave diving! I'll occasionally go on a boat dive just to change things up but the sea conditions have to be near flat in order for me to get out there. Any waves higher than 2-3 feet will having me heaving no matter how many sea sickness medications I take.

 

[Audsred]

I personally get sea sick just watching the ocean - much less being on it - so I have tried numerous items - what finally worked was the transderm patch - need a RX and very expensive - plus some times it comes off in the water. So I spoke with my pharmacist and he suggested Meclizine - which is about $5 for 100 chewable tabs - I get mine at Target or Sams Club - but you have to ask for it as it is behind the counter. I suggest taking it the day before and day of - I have tried taking the same day but (for me) I need to take it at least a day in advance.

Good luck,
Audrey

 

[FitnessKelly]

Blame your genetics, then take the advice stated in this thread.

 

[Adventure-Ocean]

Since I was the captain of the boat I would ask all the divers to prepare their gear to dive before we left dock. If I knew which one might get sick, I'd let them drive the boat. It helps to concentrate on something besides the motion. As I would be setting the anchor the divers would be dawning their tank or ready to throw them into the water. Many of us found it easier to put on our BC/Tank in the water. As soon as the engines were shut down, they were entering the water. Most people who get sick are OK while underway, so we minimize the stop time. I'd also suggest you try a good dose of the drowsy type pills. If you are in rough water for less than a day they can help. Adventure-Ocean

 

[DocVikingo]

Doc Vikingo's Sea Sickness Remedies

Regards,

DocVikingo
Medical Moderator