Im a Fish Feeder or as they call me CHUMLEY.

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NJDevil

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As much as I love scuba diving I get sea sick very easily. The only thing I can do is take Scopalamine. You need a perscription to get it if you didnt know. This does not stop me from diving. Obviously once in the water I am a fish or as I call myself the great white lobster hunter.

I was wondering if I go to an ear specialist is there something he can possibly do to help this condition?

I dont have wax blockage or a hearing condition except when the wife says she told me something that I dont recall hearing.
 
Hmmm... No answers after more than two days. Odd.

Since you said that the only thing you can do is take Scop I won't speak of how well Bonine has worked for me. My doctor is also a diver, so he would give me a prescription if I needed. If you are looking for a ENT, maybe you should ask/look for one that also dives. (just a thought)

Have you explored the anti-seasick wrist bands? I cannot imagine how they could possibly work, but many people swear by them. If you are having real problems and the OTC meds can't be used, then maybe you should try the bands.

Google might suggest some other remedies. I am surprised that more SBers haven't spoken up. Perhaps it was the title of the thread. Maybe you should post again asking for anti-seasickness alternatives. Somebody out there must know something that would help you.

Best of luck finding a solution that works for you. I know how miserable I was when I was fighting through the Ralphs.


Wristshot.
 
I am in the same boat as you, and have asked my doc the same thing. (about 10 years ago). He told me there was a surgical procedure that is available, but it is not recommended because it can cause severe, permanent vertigo. (what good is that, I say?)

I use Scop, and have to limit my boat rides to an hour to the site or less, and seas of 3' or less.

By all means, talk to a doctor about this though. Perhaps updated information is available.

And those seasick bands don't do dookie-squat for me.
 
I don't have a solution for your problem, but I do have a small request for you and anyone in the need of feeding the fish.

Starting with what should be obvious, adjust your aim to the OUTSIDE of the boat.

Yes, you feel lousy, and you wish you could die but that isn't anyone's fault. I'm talking about the people (and gear) that may be around you. Get your sick behind to the sides and then go at it. Do not use the rinse bucket, or garbage bucket, or anything bucket unless you are ready to clean it yourself.

As I said above, even if you feel like life has no meaning, it is out of line to request to be taken back. To think that a group of divers will cut the dives short or skip a dive for you is WRRRRRONG. It is reasonable for you to ask the person eating smelly pickled sardines to move away from you, but that's about it. Even if you don't managed to develop sea legs (sea stomach?) try to grow some thicker skin. It sounds and probably it is selfish but that's just the way it is.

A handfull of people in a charter boat may have the same feelings about eachother as a handfull of people in a public bus. IMO that is not a bad thing.
 
So. Something you're trying to tell us, Ana?
 
As a fellow fish feeder, my advice is to go see an ENT. My ENT has really helped me with both sea sickness and problems with ear infections.

Good luck,

Mike
 
I suffer from mal de mer as well. :errrr: I've had success with the new scop pill. One pill a day and I was fine for a Channel Islands trip. It is (thus far) the only extended boat dive (2 days) that I have done, and I was fine for the whole trip. The only side effect was an extremely dry mouth. Combine that with the natural drying effect of compressed air, and you can guess the amounts of water I was drinking!

FWIW.
 
Sometimes simple things work well.

1. Don't be the first one on the boat as it rocks for 20 min. while others dink around.

2. Don't stare at your feet while traveling on a boat,lock your eyes on the horizon or shore.

3. Don't eat a greasy breakfast

4. I always carry a pure ginger hard candy called Gin-Gins it's available in many whole foods type markets.It's real effective if you're feeling a little quesy,and works instantly unlike Bonine which I also carry but rarely use.I've made lots of friends handing out Gin-Gins on brutal boat rides they're just nice tasty treats to cut salt mouth also.Ginger has been used for centuries in Asia for motion and upset stomach problems.
 
I usually move away to vomit or sperate myself from others at a good distance. I have that courtesy because I am well aware of when its going to happen.

Vertigo or Sick Hmm. I will take sick. Seasickness is curable and I had vertigo once and well at least I know what to do with vertigo but I cant imagine having it any longer than the minute to two I did.

I didnt know they made a Pill. That might be better because the patch sometimes drops off after the first dive. By then there its usually enough in my system to last me.

Last on boat is a simple thing. I usually lie the same direction as the boat so it feels like I am in bed turning side to side which doesnt make me ill. Good simple tip.

No Mc Donalds? I know that one doesnt taste as good the second time around. Same I avoid coffee as well as I expect to get sick I dont want to dehydrate.

I figure now that I live near charlotte I will be doing shore dives or lake dives so I dont think I will be that bad for a while. But I will see what an ENT can do if anything.

I did read on the boards about those who swallow air while equalizing traps air in the stomach and upon acent can cause regurgitation on the way up. I do travel to the bottom pretty really fast while equing the way down. That is also something that could be adding to it but never happens in rock quarries so maybe Im not swallowing air. But knowing of it may make me aware of it.

I tried bonine on a fishing trip and didnt make it but on that day nearly the entire boat of about 40 people didnt either. So it may have been beyond the realm of bonine. Plus thats on the deck the entire time with no in water time.

No Luck with wristbands.

I actually got sick in Bermuda on a flat surface.

Hard candies. Hmm sounds like a good idea I think someone mentioned pepermint candies but as I recall ginger is supposed to help with sickness so why not. I will give that a try also.

One thing I havent been able to rectify that I am sure would help is the day before the dive I have anxiety that I will not wake in time to catch the boat. I usually double set alarms so that I wake up. So I usually dont get a good nights sleep which makes me a little shaky in the morning and through the day. I stay up checking out my gear and making sure I have everything twice over. You would think after doing it so many times I would be comfortable but Im not. I wake in my sleep several times to see the time. I figure on most occasions I get 4 hours. The problem is I am a night person who usually stays up until 2-3am but on dive mornings I force myself to sleep early or at least try to because I have to get up at 5am to load and get to the boat by 6-6:30.

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I will see an ENT specialist to see what they have to say as well.
 
nj, i wonder if a benadryl the night before wouldn't be beneficial. it would help you get good sleep and might get you started on the road to clear sinuses for the next day. note i'm saying 'night before a dive', while going to bed and having an easy 6-8 hours until you get up and prolly 10 or so before diving... anyone have any opinions? why did i even ask that last question? :wink:
 

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