Seasickness

[SheilaRee]

Hi Toxman, I've used everything. I'm the person who gets motion sick in a car, fair rides, snorkeling from the beach...you get the picture. So the Scopolamine patches are the only thing that's worked for me. Be sure to apply the patch a day or so before diving. That works for me.

 

[RonFrank]

There are lots of sea sickness remedies but most people that get seasick take prescription drugs. I know my father does as its the only thing that works well. I went fishing a while back and 50% of the folks on the boat got sick. A drug to prevent that is worth gold! :blinking:

 

[SheilaRee]

The patches are prescription drugs here in the U.S. I'm not sure about other countries but your doc shouldn't mind giving you one.

 

[windapp]

I would avoid shore diving in surge if I was you. Diving should be fun, not miserable. I am personally willing to suffer a little sea sickness to get to a dive site but I wouldn't want to dive sick. Also, remember that you can throw up through your regulator. Just switch to your octo and shake the chunks out when you are done.

 

[PanoramaDivers]

Very funny windapp
I would recommend you to use a tablet called dramenex. very efficient and non drowsy effect. maybe not the easiest to get your hands on but very efficient.

 

[Toxman]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have 5 dives planned for this weekend, so will let you know how I fare.

 

[diverzach]

@toxman

My first dive from a 40 ft boat in 6ft seas was a failure because of sea sickness, and this was my first time. The first problem was that the ocean was way too rough. Only go in calmer conditions with good visibility. Don't fiddle with your equipment at the last minute whether on a boat or not. Don't get hot. Be well hydrated

And be relaxed. Anxiety over the dive will make sea sickness worse. My second trip was successful but I still felt sick under water the first dive and it was because I was so nervous. By dive 4 the same day, my air consumption was halved, I felt calm, and the nausea disappeared.

 

[nimoh]

on your shore dives, you might try swimming along the bottom instead of surface swimming if the dive spot isn't too far away. This might help by reducing the amount of time you spend going up and down in the surge (assuming there is less action at the bottom)

 

[freewillie]

Over Memorial Day my daughter and I took a boat out of Dana Point. We had been on boats before and never had any problems. Well, the seas had some swells and chop and we both got a little queasy by the time we reached the dive site. We tried to get into our gear as quick as possible and hoped the nausea would improve once in the water. It didn't. I actually fed the fishes for the first time ever.

Non-prescription recommendations.
1.) ginger. usually raw root itself. some like to smell the ginger, others like to chew on it. my daughter sipped ginger ale on the boat.
2.) Bonine/Dramamine. over the counter motion sick pills available without a prescription. they are antihistamines and help with the sensation of motion sickness. best taken 30-60 minutes prior to travel. most common side effect is sleepiness and sedation especially with higher doses.
3.) pressure band wrist. they use gentle compression and have a hard plastic area designed to stimulate what is actually an acupuncture site used to treat nausea.

Prescriptions
1.) Scopolamine. is available in both patches and tablets. can cause dry mouth and blurry vision. you should definitely try one before diving to see how the med affects you and what the side effects are.
2.) Promethazine (also know as Phenergan and used in cough meds). in studies not as effective as scopolamine but better than meclizine(Bonine)

Also, fixing your gaze on fixed point like the horizon helps as well. Your eyes are more important to your sense of balance than you think. Ever been in the car and feel like it moves only to discover the car next to you moved? By looking at non-moving point like the horizon helps minimize the sensations.

 

[golfette44]

My partner and also get seasick quite easily and we've learned through the years what works for us. We take one tablet of scopolamine at bedtime and another when we wake up. If you are doing three or more dives and there are waves or strong current then you might take one tablet in the afternoon. I usually only take one at night and one the next morning and I'm fine. It's having the drug in your system at all times that helps us. You know your body better than anyone. Try the tablets and see how you feel with them. If it works then you have a plan for your next dives. Good luck.