Sea Sickness - Best Preventions

[sealubber]

First off anything proprietary or otherwise for seasickness is a scam or has a placebo effect on the person or it's drugging them to the point of feeling sleepy which kinda dampers the fun of being at sea.

So one cure is giving a person a sugar pill and telling them it's some advanced drug for seasickness. For most people it's mind over matter. I've had this work many many many many times.

Another way is keeping people above deck and fixated on the horizon facing forward not facing aft, port or starboard. Also make sure they are standing not sitting.

There are some people that actually have an inner ear problem and there is no such cure for these people. My step mother was one of them. I was born to a liveaboard family and my step mothers seasickness resulted in a divorce. She was fine on the hook or alongside. But as soon as we took off that marriage ended in about 2 months.

I'd now like to say to that my father is 89 and still living aboard and sailing with crew help these days. No seasick pretty women could make him part from his boat. Over 65 years at sea.

[2Wind]

Originally Posted by sealubber

First off anything proprietary or otherwise for seasickness is a scam or has a placebo effect on the person or it's drugging them to the point of feeling sleepy which kinda dampers the fun of being at sea.

Did you mean to say, "In my opinion,......."

[Ded reckoner]

As a general rule, I think staying hydrated is important for preventing seasickness.

I'm not especially prone to seasickness but I like to stay where I can see the horizon. The only time I can recall being quite seasick was on a motorboat going out to a dive site in John Pennekamp State Park. Someone got sick and it seemed contagious. I think only the divemaster skippering the boat never got sick. The contagion eventually spread my way, but the engine had been cut. I jumped overboard into the water and instantly was relieved of any seasickness. I never had the occasion to try this remedy twice and it doesn't seem like it has a lot of general applicability.

My wife often gets queasy when we fly and it's turbulent or when we sail and it's rough. Sometimes just an ibuprofen is enough for her to feel okay. Other times, she takes Zofran (a small sublingual pill typically prescribed for nausea for cancer patients) which doesn't make her sleepy. She is an enthusiastic advocate for its effectiveness.

[ebs001]

I use Gravol and it does the trick. It is not available in the USA but is in Canada and the Bahamas.

[sealubber]

Originally Posted by 2Wind

Did you mean to say, "In my opinion,......."

No, it's not my opinion. It's actually a proven fact. Go to Pubmed or dig through research papers from medical schools.

My fathers profession was actually inorganic chemistry and he worked for 60 years in the pharma industry in drug discovery as a PhD and he had interest in the subject. If you're super interested PM me and I'll be happy to dig up some research. Even recent research. He is also not a anti drug conspiracy theory type of guy and nor am I.

[2Wind]

Originally Posted by sealubber

No, it's not my opinion. It's actually a proven fact. Go to Pubmed or dig through research papers from medical schools.

My fathers profession was actually inorganic chemistry and he worked for 60 years in the pharma industry in drug discovery as a PhD and he had interest in the subject. If you're super interested PM me and I'll be happy to dig up some research. Even recent research. He is also not a anti drug conspiracy theory type of guy and nor am I.

I, and all others with a contrary view, gratefully stand corrected.
Thank you.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by 2Wind

I, and all others with a contrary view, gratefully stand corrected.
Thank you.

Lots peer reviewed work on the subject out there...

http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?...ess+medication

[jackdale]

Almost all seasickness medications are idiosyncratic; they affect everyone differently.

One crew member took Sturgeon was out for 12 hours. Other swear by it.

My wife, a pharmacist, recommends generic Gravol. I use it for a few days. My siide effects include constipation and drowsiness.

According to my wife, the patch can affect cognitive abilities; that may be bad, so some it may be hard to determine. It makes my mouth so dry I cannot stand it. It also has to been placed on clean, dry skin - right . You also have wash your hands in soap and water immediately. Do not touch your eyes and do not touch the patch.


Check your your potential cures on shore to determine how your personal side effects.

I like candied ginger. I buy a good stash of it. I do not know if it helps, I just like it.

I do know that I can live on Canada Dry ginger ale (it actually has ginger) and ginger snaps for up to 4 days. I reverse ginger beer for Dark and Stormies.

Drive the boat. If you have go below lay on the saloon floor right over the keel, and keep you eyes closed; do not try to cook or navigate. Avoid alcohol, greasy food, spicy food. Hydrate. Get lots of rest.

My worst bout was after reviewing student manuals for a couple hours while below mid Pacific, during which time we had a change in sea state. I was incapacitated for 18 hours. Normally I get sick and can get right back to work.

[sealubber]

Originally Posted by 2Wind

Did you mean to say, "In my opinion,......."

Originally Posted by jackdale

Almost all seasickness medications are idiosyncratic; they affect everyone differently.

One crew member took Sturgeon was out for 12 hours. Other swear by it.

My wife, a pharmacist, recommends generic Gravol. I use it for a few days. My siide effects include constipation and drowsiness.

According to my wife, the patch can affect cognitive abilities; that may be bad, so some it may be hard to determine. It makes my mouth so dry I cannot stand it. It also has to been placed on clean, dry skin - right . You also have wash your hands in soap and water immediately. Do not touch your eyes and do not touch the patch.


Check your your potential cures on shore to determine how your personal side effects.

I like candied ginger. I buy a good stash of it. I do not know if it helps, I just like it.

I do know that I can live on Canada Dry ginger ale (it actually has ginger) and ginger snaps for up to 4 days. I reverse ginger beer for Dark and Stormies.

Drive the boat. If you have go below lay on the saloon floor right over the keel, and keep you eyes closed; do not try to cook or navigate. Avoid alcohol, greasy food, spicy food. Hydrate. Get lots of rest.

My worst bout was after reviewing student manuals for a couple hours while below mid Pacific, during which time we had a change in sea state. I was incapacitated for 18 hours. Normally I get sick and can get right back to work.

Does your wife get sea sick as well?

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by sealubber

Does your wife get sea sick as well?

She has only done coastal sailing with me so far. No problem.

She might help with a Caribbean delivery this summer, we may find out then.

She does get a little motion sick in cars.

BTW - just about anyone who can read while a passenger in a moving car, will likely not get sea sick.

[thomm225]

I almost sold my boat over seasickness the first year I had it down here at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where you have the regular bay waves mixed in with ocean swells.

What worked for me was ginger gum and the bracelets together. Also time on the boat probably helped. Then necessity.

For example once I was coming in from crossing the bay and was way seasick but when I tried to roll in the jib a bit the roller furling jammed so I had to go forward and work on it with the bow bashing into the waves. Then return to the cabin for tools. Then repeat while dry heaving during. Good stuff!

Of course, when I hit the creek all was well and it was beer time..............

[sabray]

We usually have ginger snaps which the kids like. Son had sea sick issues for awhile and we used Bonine. Bonine definataley helped. He got so he would ask for the Bonine if he started feeling green. He has grown out of the sea sickness for the most part. It didn't seem to drug him to sleep. I assume that sense he hated pills if he asked for it he knew he was going to get worse and felt like it helped.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by madforboats

Taking the family cruising and for the first time we'll be heading outside of protected waters. My 8yo daughter gets sea sick so I'm looking for opinions on the best ways to handle it...

Cheers

From the responses, it seems there is no reliable cure that works for everyone. In the U.S. Scop patches are legal and Sturgeon isn't... in other countries just the opposite... Seems Dramamine and Bonine effect folks differently. Some say ginger is a placebo, we've always kept ginger ale, snaps, and candied ginger in the larder and I have an assortment of OTC cures in the cupboard for guests ... If you have time before casting off, you might experiment with different over the counter cures and see what side effects your daughter notices. You could have her read in the back seat of the car to test effectiveness... then you can be the expert

[boatman61]

Fly Emirates.... Whheeeeeee..

[Andrew B.]

Originally Posted by jackdale

She has only done coastal sailing with me so far. No problem.

She might help with a Caribbean delivery this summer, we may find out then.

She does get a little motion sick in cars.

BTW - just about anyone who can read while a passenger in a moving car, will likely not get sea sick.

I can read in any format while riding in a plane, or train, but can only read paper
maps while riding as a passenger in a automobile. I get queasy within the
first sentence of a book most times. I do believe that keeping a journal on various factors
can/will be useful because there have been times when I was
able to read myself to sleep while riding in a car. My system seems to be more tolerant if I am
excited, and enjoying a particular car trip.