Electronic Reliefbands

[luvdiving]

The Seasick thread mentioned a new (to me) device called a reliefband .

My wife has a problem with seasickness:upset: . She and I dive together on an infrequent basis only because she doesn't look forward to getting sick. I don't get seasick, but I feel kind of guilty when she goes with me and gets sick. If this reliefband works for her, it would be the answer to my problems.

Has anyone else used and had good luck with these reliefbands

 

[watergal]

What a good idea!

As I brought it up originally, I have nothing to offer other than the previously described experiences of my 4 friends, but I too would love to hear from others, especially people who have tried them and not had any relief.

 

[SubMariner]

I tried the manual version of the relief bands and frankly, they did nothing for me. [shrug]

~SubMariner~

 

[watergal]

Submariner,

When you say "manual", do you mean non-electronic?

I have not been convinced that the cloth pressure point type bands do anything, but the electric shock ones seem quite different (and 15x the price!)

 

[ladycute1]

I use the elastic sea bands, and they work well for me.

However, my hubby is VERY prone to motionsickness... and he is also a private pilot. When flying, he can't take medication... so when he was doing some advanced flight training which required a lot of hood time (forcing him to be unable to look at the horizon) he used the electronic sea band thingy, and felt like it was very effective for him.... He continues to use at times -- and he also let my sister use it when he took her for her first flight... and she also had a good experience with it.

 

[SubMariner]

The ones I am referring to are the Seabands that ladycute talks about in her post.. the ones that are supposed to use "accupressure" to relieve motion sickness.

I tried them for almost a full season one year.... didn't do anything positive for me.

~SubMariner~

 

[ladycute1]

Hey Submariner,

I have read that some studies have shown that the Sea Bands are no better than a placebo... but... even if it is just a placebo effect, I won't leave home without 'em.

When I am going on a boat dive, I put the sea bands on before I leave the house (or hotel room)... and I don't take them off again until I get back on solid soil. I dive with them in place. At this point, about half of my 70 dives are boat dives, and I have never had a problem with sea sickness. I also use them from time to time when the flying gets rough...

So, maybe it is just the placebo effect... but, if it keeps me from barfing... I don't care why it works!!

 

[pjm1128]

I'm a newly certified diver (Dec '01) and am going on my first dive trip (Blackbeard's cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas) in two weeks (July 13th). I get seasick, but don't let that stop me. I bought a ReliefBand to try out and will let you know how it works for me....

 

[k4sdi]

I have a couple of friends that swear by the relief bands. I cant stand the feel of them shocking me. ughhhhhh

Interesting note, my wife has discovered that they work great for morning sickness!!!!!!


Mark

 

[pjm1128]

I also happen to be a Labor & Delivery nurse and know that the LDS sells the ReliefBand to many pregnant women for morning sickness. They apparently are less expensive at a dive shop than thru a medical supply place (which I can easily believe). I guess it works by the same mechanism...interrupting the nerve pathways between brain and stomach, no matter what the cause of the disturbance, be it pregnancy, motion sickness, or even stuff like chemotherapy.

I've tried it on and can stand the tingle. Sure beats feeling nauseated and dizzy! Had a dive instructor who tried it on and screamed, not expecting the shock (altho the sales guy had it on the #3 setting right off the bat). Made the rest of us in the store jump too, which was pretty funny.

Pat