Puking under water

[Eric Sedletzky]

All of the above^^
Leave the reg in your mouth and puke through the reg.
If it turns out you are a chronic puker then pick a reg that has a large exhaust valve to pass the chunks out.
Also, chew your food really well.
Eat accordingly.
I don’t know the stats on people who have drowned from complications of puking underwater by I’m sure there are people who have.
Just be careful.

 

[tursiops]

As stated above, do not take your regulator out. Puke through it. If you have time when you feel it coming on, switch to your octo and puke through that, then switch back to your primary once you are done puking. FYI, the fish at our local quarry are interested in your vomit if it has hot-dogs in it, but not if it only bananas...

But the advantage of bananas is they taste the same going both directions.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Avoid anything with Jalapeños

 

[JulieM]

I used to have this problem. Now I take a couple of motion sickness pills from CVS and no more problems. In extreme sea sickness I use the scopolamine patch. They run around $10 with insurance so not cheap but better than being sick. They usually stay on about three days with two long dives per day.

 

[boulderjohn]

Good advice above.

As with all events in scuba, it is important not to panic. Sometimes you need to puke. It happens. It is not a big deal.

Once you are done, you can deal with the aftermath. I have not done this often, but what I have done once it is all over is take the regulator out so I can take in a little water, rinse, and spit. (This depends, of course, on the quality of the water.) Waving the regulator around briefly and purging will clean it out. You can put your alternate in while you do that, but it doesn't take long, and you should be comfortable enough with the regulator out of the mouth for that amount of time, like all the people you see smiling for the camera in pictures.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I used to stick with the old high school hangover trick of force eating chocolate cereal if you feel rough. Then the hurl is soft and chocolatey.

‘always keep that reg in with your purge pressed.

 

[scrane]

The fish will love it and put on quite a show for you.

 

[TMHeimer]

This subject has been debated before on SB. Because the majority of instructors and folks with more experience than me recommend it, I would have to say to leave the reg in for safety reasons. I have mimicked puking with the reg out, then putting it back in to inhale after the fake heave. Of course that works. I can't comment on the mentioned possible uncontrolled inhale afterwords, but take the word of those who say it CAN happen. I don't know how much of a factor one's airway control would be in preventing this inhale. I haven't puked in maybe 40 years, so I can't relate, but think I MAY try it with the mouthpiece out should the real thing ever occur. Don't want to advise that though.

 

[Tournesol2000]

I would have thought something this important would be taught in OW class.
I was lucky I heard people talking about it before it happened to me. knowing what to do saved me from what would have been panicky at 60 feet.

 

[AfterDark]

Sea sickness is often "cured" by getting in and under the water. It is like a miracle, ya jump in feeling sick and in a few you realize you feel fine! Surge has got a few buddies sick while diving, but the only time I've been witness to u/w vomiting was when a buddy got reverse squeeze, broke his eardrum and got vertigo. He claimed I saved his life, but I think he would have made on his own.