Seasickness While Single-Handing

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Hardest thing for the skipper is when every one but one is coping OK. If you don't solve it for the one, which means alternate or 'return to start', then you may loose a crew for future trips. It was the wife for me, she won! And hasn't been bad since.
I have been more careful at weather planning and to keep her at the helm.
Advice seems to fall on deaf ears at the time and I recommend huge doded of sympathy and including sick parties in decision discussions. If they are prepared to continue you still have to make the decision based on more than two days can get to be very serious.
Alternates can be worthwhile if they are worthwhile diversions, especially if shopping opportunities are included, or a night ashore (marina) to recover.
Our trips are convenient to the South Coast rail system so returning for the boat next weekend is always an option.
I have aclimatised myself, but periods below have to be taken in short spells. Kettle on and coffee spooned. Back in two minutes to pour and get back in the cockpit.
'Cat's pitch and roll sharper but at least the cockpit is a pretty smooth ride.
Where is that patch of water with good winds and calm seas?*

*INvariably WhereEver We AREN'T w/a crew member down w/the symptoms! (more than a few times wished we were on a Cat/Tri for further stability & somewhat more calmed environment for the "ill one")

[markmcb]

Has anyone never been sick? Is it just for the unlucky ones, or has everyone been sick at some point?

[imagine2frolic]

My wife was very sick leaving Miami going to Mayport. It wasn't a rough trip, but she wasn't doing well. She went down, and took a nap after taking her medication. She came up on deck sometime later still not feeling too well. Now these are her words.

She was standing several feet from the toe rail, and a large dolphin jumped up. Looked her in the eye, and winked. She was so excited about this flirting dolphin she forgot all about being ill, and was fine from then on during the trip........i2f

[rtbates]

Originally Posted by markmcb

Has anyone never been sick? Is it just for the unlucky ones, or has everyone been sick at some point?

Nope never ,knock wood. The closest I've ever come to being motion sick was doing snap rolls in a T6 Texan trainer....As soon as the rolls stopped so did my ill feelings

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by markmcb

Has anyone never been sick? Is it just for the unlucky ones, or has everyone been sick at some point?

Like a few others posting directly above, And a few who mentioned same throughout the thread..never, ever been sea/motion/car/air sick. Some get it, some don't. Many of the "cures"(both prescription & otherwise) have come from NASA...imagine "inside a spacesuit"?
Closest ever was a deliberate attempt by a T34 Pilotat Vance AFB trying w/all his might to see my stomach contents on the canopy...& his decision to back off when I yelled "uncle"...never been close in this lifetime.
Some folks equilibrium is more sensitive than others, and it ISN'T "in Your Mind".

This is well known among the Merchant Marines & (Ex or current)Navy personnel here. EG: we came back from Hawaii on a Navy LST as a converted civilian/(make that "dependent") transport, ran in to a pretty good storm a day out from San Diego, roll, pitch & yaw all at least 20 degrees...BIG waves. I was 6 and excited as a little hyperactive kid could be, got topside a few times compliments of a highly ranking NCO (my Dad), while a younger brother...6 months old, puked his guts out for 2 days w/a mom trapped below decks w/his little projectile vomiting self. There were over 2 dozen kids (clarifying...INFANTS) that had no CLUE of where they were, the circumstances of their dilemma...just Sick as Little "dog people".

Learned way back then, that it's not in Your head, it's in Your EARS...and fresh air, sight of a horizon of some kind, ginger all work. Caffeine btw, doesn't. It restricts blood flow in the brain, exacerbating the problem. Avoid Coffee, Teas(that contain significant caffeine), and Excedrin, or their "migraine" version...both make matters worse.
HTH,
-mick

[zeehag]

instead of straight water--use gatorade and water mixed to half strength to avoid water intoxication which will make matters worse----the brain needs salt the heart needs potassium, and the entire corpus needs calcium magnesium and manganese in small quantities----sugar in the form provided in gatorade is the easiest form to digest and is readily usable by the brain--we gave the half strength mix to oldsters and babies in emergency rooms i worked with excellent results--pedialyte in juice is also a good measure--much better than plain water--the rehydrating with these electrolytes will aid in the curing of the seasickness, as you get more ill to stomach as you become dehydrated--also with electrolyte imbalances comes stomach upset and nausea---ginger tea made from real ginger in hot water is excellent and cheeper than prepared stuff....drink lots-----make sure plain water is augmented with and by electrolyte solutions of your choice--they ALL taste horrid until you need them then they taste wonderful!!! be safe.......no--i have never been seasick ever in my life----but i HAVE been rn forever and more than one day....LOL-

[captmick39]

(& we should expect no less out of an RN...i'm married to 1), although 1 step that will save a bit of hassle..as in the "half"....
Buy a 6 pack, vary the flavors of the 1L Gatorade "G2's"

It already IS what she suggests...Half of Everything, all the water.
Not so salty tasting for those folks who always had a problem w/the original version. Tastes MUCH better than just plain water, and Does have the items that need replacing from the purging and dehydration. Keep them on board for guests & yourself...much better for everybody than soda.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by captmick39

(& we should expect no less out of an RN...i'm married to 1), although 1 step that will save a bit of hassle..as in the "half"....
Buy a 6 pack, vary the flavors of the 1L Gatorade "G2's"

It already IS what she suggests...Half of Everything, all the water.
Not so salty tasting for those folks who always had a problem w/the original version. Tastes MUCH better than just plain water, and Does have the items that need replacing from the purging and dehydration. Keep them on board for guests & yourself...much better for everybody than soda.

thanks guys--just make sure ye drinks it half strength so ye doesnt get more crampy in the gutzzz.....if half strength still isnt weak enough--try 3 water to 1 part gatorade--yer bod will appreciate ye more!!

[Martinini]

Myth Busters did a show on this. They put people in one of those multi directional gyros after they took differant types of anti nausea meds to see how long they could take it before they barfed. Surprisingly the thing that worked best was OTC Ginger Pills!

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by Martinini

Myth Busters did a show on this. They put people in one of those multi directional gyros after they took differant types of anti nausea meds to see how long they could take it before they barfed. Surprisingly the thing that worked best was OTC Ginger Pills!

(& "Mythbusters" is Never Wrong! )

So buy some ginger pills (which I didn't even know existed!), keep some fresh ginger snaps in an airtight container, and when the urge is first felt, mix up some of that 1/3rd strength powered Gatorade/Powerade in a pitcher/container & start sipping, washing down the ginger snaps!


Adding 1 of those wrist bands probably wouldn't hurt as well.
A behind the ear patch is solely for those who don't get knocked out (sleepy) from them, and whom they actually work for; Seems a combination of some/all of the above as soon after (or before) initial symtoms/conditions (like rough seas) start showing themselves excellent "preventative" medicine/treatment.

The best way to avoid motion sickness is to not get IT in the 1st place!

[Martinini]

[quote=captmick39;318002](& "Mythbusters" is Never Wrong! )

So buy some ginger pills (which I didn't even know existed!), keep some fresh ginger snaps in an airtight container, and when the urge is first felt, mix up some of that 1/3rd strength powered Gatorade/Powerade in a pitcher/container & start sipping, washing down the ginger snaps!

Sounds like a plan to me! I didn't know about Ginger pills either until I saw the Myth Busters show. Health food stores etc have the pills. I keep them onboard because I am one of those people that if I hear someone barfing it gives me twinges!!!

[zeehag]

if you buy real ginger root is less expensive than pills and makes a great tea when boiled in water for a few minuets....ginger snaps are great---useful for any kind of stomach evils...LOL one of my favorite staples...LOL

[Martinini]

The only problem with the root is that it goes bad to fast, the pills just keep longer.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by zeehag

if you buy real ginger root is less expensive than pills and makes a great tea when boiled in water for a few minuets....!

especially with a bit of honey added.

[zeehag]

oops--i keep mine until it is dry and it still works--store it in an open air place--i keep mine in a net hangar in my main saloon-the hangar used to have onions in it !!!! and honey is sooo awesome in it--dried out ginger root is still good--kinda like dried out chiles!!!!-an dis availab;le almost everywhere--i even found it in usvi----