Seasickness

[MarkJ]

Alcohol.....

No one takes me seriously but....

How do I say this and make you think I am not joking?

If you really do get sea sick and want to try something to make you get over it...

go sailing one night with a convivial crowd and get drunk.

Obviously have people sober to control the boat.

Just drink, chat and get drunk and you might find your inner ear the forever thinks seasickness is just drunkenness.

Please don't bag the idea. I said it seriously and it worked for me and may for some others.

[nautical62]

I unfortunately am very prone to seasickness and have tried most everything out there and observed many crew who have too. My observations and experiences are:

1. Getting good rest/sleep, drinking tea, ginger, avoiding time below and obtaining from alcoholic beverages all help, but none of these compare to good meds. Being able to stay upside, focus on the horizon and not work below is the biggest help for me of the non-med options.

2. I've never tried the fancy wrist bands you have mentioned, but have tried and witnessed the pressure point wrist bands. My conclusion is that any positive effect they have is placebo. I've thrown up in mild seas wearing them and have seen many others do the same.

3. Meds: I've tried several times each: Meclazine (Generic, in Bonine and non-drowsy dramimine), Scopolamine patch, (transderm behind he ear patch) Stugeron (hard to get in U.S.) My experience has been that all make me and most people I've sailed with drowsy to a degree. Even Meclazine used in "non-drowsy" dramamine knocks many people out. Other than that, I find the generic form to be very affordable and have few side effects. i find if I take it regularly, the first severe drowsiness soon goes away, but pulling all night watches while on it always difficult for me. The scapolamine patch also makes me drowsy but also had other side effects including dry mouth, dizziness and less focus. Being a patch means you don't have to take oral doses as often, but also means it's easy to forget when it runs it's course. Stugeron is more expensive and harder to obtain for U.S residents than Meclazine. I find the side effects similar. For me, meclazine is easier. However, while I have no personal experience, from accounts I've read, I think Stugeron may be more effective in rougher conditions.

All the best in figuring out what works for you. I know what a difference managing your sea sickness can make to the cruising experience.

[Pacific Jewel]

Stugeron - hands down. I've taken them myself and given them to guest on board. Absolutely brill. I've only been able to find them in the UK. I see posting here stating they are also available in Canada. Wherever you can get them, do so. Highly recommended.

The active ingredient is 15mg cinnarizine.

Good luck!

[Diane Stryker]

I swear by Scopace - oral scopolamine (Hope Pharmaceuticals.) Easier to manage the dose - vs. the patch - and few side effects for me. It's a prescription but very inexpensive. I previously tried wrist bands, Motion Eze (oil behind the ear), OTC meds, and ginger. We do keep candied ginger on the boat for guests.
Diane
(New member!)

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Diane Stryker

I swear by Scopace - oral scopolamine (Hope Pharmaceuticals.) Easier to manage the dose - vs. the patch - and few side effects for me. It's a prescription but very inexpensive. I previously tried wrist bands, Motion Eze (oil behind the ear), OTC meds, and ginger. We do keep candied ginger on the boat for guests.
Diane
(New member!)

Welcome aboard Diane, glad to hear you have managed the seasickness issue.

[Fishmatics]

A cup of hot ginger and honey before I get on the water and then ginger beer/ale during the trip. Snack on savoury biscuits during your trip until you settle down. Try and avoid feeling stressed.

[Curmudgeon]

I know that ginger is excellent for preventing seasickness. My boat is always stocked with ginger candies and ginger tea, although (knock on wood) I don't get seasick very often.

But does anyone know WHY ginger works? I've asked this question before, but no one seems to know.

[Liam Wald]

Actaully, the few times that I have felt seasick, and it doesn't happen often, I just make myself throw-up and then I drink a couple of beers (no matter what time it is) then I eat some saltine crackers and VIOLA... all better.

I have had a few crew look at me like... "Hey, is the skipper really drinking beer at 0500!?"

Works for me.

[paradix]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

Actaully, the few times that I have felt seasick, and it doesn't happen often, I just make myself throw-up and then I drink a couple of beers (no matter what time it is) then I eat some saltine crackers and VIOLA... all better.

I have had a few crew look at me like... "Hey, is the skipper really drinking beer at 0500!?"

Works for me.

I wonder if the alcohol is playing a significant part though? My own solution is to have something carbonated to drink (cola or similar) and something salty to eat (chips or similar), which together seem to settle the digestion and ease stomach cramps. So you're definitely getting both of those with beer and saltines... Maybe the relaxing effect of the alcohol is an additional help?

Conversely, many many years ago I used to take seasickness pills to stop myself vomiting after drinking excess beer at university...

[CarlF]

Thanks to Diane for mentioning Scopace (oral form of scopolamine).

I've stayed away from Scopolamine because of the different stories. Some people love the patches, some say they don't work, some get frightening side effects. It now seems that this may be due to different drug absorption rates due to differences in peoples' skin (oils, sweat, etc). They are getting very different doses varying from too little to too much. The pills can avoid this problem.

It's also easy with the pills to take the lowest dose that works for you. Some people try cutting a patch in half but this is dangerous since you can get the drug on your fingers and then in your eyes.

Like the patches, Scopace is a prescription and neither my doctor nor my local pharmacy had heard of it - but my pharmacy was able to get it in a day --no problem. I've only tried it once so far and it worked great -- glad to hear another positive experience.

Motion Sickness - Prevent It and Enjoy Your Travel with Scopace

Carl

[mrohr]

there are two phases, first you think you are going to die; then you are afraid you won't !

[CharlieJ]

Captain Mike Maurice delivers boats up and down the left coast and has had to deal with seasick crew and Owners. He has hit upon a solution that works and has detailed it on a website: Seasick Cure

Good luck!