Seasickness medication recomendations (3 Viewers)

[jmepler]

I am going on my first pelagic trip next week on the Stormy Petrel II out of Hatteras, NC and I am wondering if I should take something for motion sickness.

I have spent a lot of time in small boats with no problems. I just don't want to end up spending the day "chumming" rather than enjoying the birds.

Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, with the over-the-counter medications, or any other advice?

I have heard that a few drinks before the trip is helpful. I wouldn't be opposed to that. B

Thanks,
Mike

 

[SteveClark]

Everyone seems to be different. If you do get sick it will be one of the most miserable days of your life.

I use a product called Travacalm. Not sure if it is available worldwide. Active ingredients are dimenhydinate, hyoscine hydrobromide and caffeine.

Things like ginger tablets and acupressure or homeopathic bracelets (!) usually result in a very sick person.

I take a tablet about an hour before departure and a second a couple of hours later. Possibly placebo these days but not worth the risk to find out.

Good luck
Steve

 

[BirderMJ]

Exactly - different strokes for different folks. Bonine, Dramamine and even ginger are the products to beat. Only Dramamine works for me. Bonine does nothing. For child, it's the opposite.

An ounce of prevention - as said take whichever you do before the trip and keep eyes on the horizon and at a distance. Use your sea legs to absorb the motion.

Different web sites recommend different foods, too. You may get a confirmation from the pelagic company that gives tips on what to eat too. It all matters.

 

[Chosun Juan]

I am possibly the most seasick person on earth! I've even been crook on the Manly ferry - and can often be found lying down under a seat on the lowest deck, in the middle of the ferry !! =(

I've thrown up in calm sunny conditions, when the water is like glass !! |8.|

I've tried everything, NASA tablets /patches, pressure bands etc - and pretty much nothing works once we're stopped. I once spent 4+ hrs throwing my ring up :eek!: while the ol' sea dog next to me, head down tying fishing knots, wolfed down his sandwiches with prawn covered hands, and washed down by copius amounts of B

About the only thing that works half the time (for a while, anyway) is standing in a 14ft tinnie, brisk sea spray on the face from mild chop, and stare steadfastly straight ahead ! |8)| That, or staying firmly on land ..... :t:

For me I've found that avoiding anything with tomatoes, or tomato sauce is essential. I've even thrown up in said "glass" conditions on a light brekkie of dry toast and baked beans - and while you'll be a fantastic hit with your mates 3 - with endless requests to come and 'berley up' over here! left right and centre - not really much fun *queasy* |8|| .....

Also - if yer gonna throw ya ringer up - best to take oodles of fresh water - it's much less painful to hurl 1/2 a litre of water every time instead of ya ring !! :eek!: (besides, you'll be much happier the next day when you can have a laugh, instead of cursing ya mates for trying to make you laugh with cracked ribs by telling jokes for 24 hrs non-stop!) :storm:



Chosun :gh:

 

[Jim M.]

I am going on my first pelagic trip next week on the Stormy Petrel II out of Hatteras, NC and I am wondering if I should take something for motion sickness.

I have spent a lot of time in small boats with no problems. I just don't want to end up spending the day "chumming" rather than enjoying the birds.

Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, with the over-the-counter medications, or any other advice?

I have heard that a few drinks before the trip is helpful. I wouldn't be opposed to that. B

I believe the remedy that is most effective for the greatest number of people is the scopolamine patch. You do need a prescription for these but a prescription is easy to get from a doctor or physician's assistant. They certainly do not work for everyone, however.

Other than that, you might try ginger cookies or ginger pills, but I've used those and do not feel they had any beneficial effect.

I think your other main option is to take your chances. If you have not had problems before, you may well not have any problems on the trip. The usual advice is to avoid alcohol by the way.

In any event, good luck with the trip!

Best,
Jim

 

[ta brandreth]

Ginger biscuits - little and often!

Never been sick - even on the Bridlington pelagic where even the crew threw up.

 

[PhilW]

Big fry up. Doesn't help but the grease means it slide up easily without retching.

 

[Paul Penzance]

Snacking works for me. Salt and vinegar crisps are good and a fizzy drink. If I feel slightly queasy, once I've burped I'm fine. Never been seasick despite hundreds of Scillonian crossings.

 

[rosbifs]

I'm worse in the calm days and fine on the rough!

Ginger works but build up to it i.e. take it for a 2 or 3 days before the trip...

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Keep hydrated, eat food if you can, stay outside in the fresh air, and if all else fails, lie flat on your back. I find that distracting yourself from it can help too - keep looking for birds, or listen to music if you can bear the prospect of missing what others call out....

Hope you enjoy your trip, and good luck!

 

[AlanTh]

Keep up on the decks where you can see the sea. You will know when the boat will roll and pitch. Below decks you cannot see this, and for myself, that is what causes it.

I have never been sea sick since I realised this.

Once the sickness starts - if you can, cream crackers (no butter) and a little cheese. An old sailors trick

 

[jurek]

Eat light and bland and not later that 1,5h before the trip - this works for me.

 

[Phil Carter]

Sit under a tree.

Phil

 

[dan pointon]

Sound advice above, I have to be one the biggest sea-sickness phobics going, and have managed to avoid it thus far despite some rough trips. The absolute best thing I find is to keep your eyes on a fixed point on the horizon (ideally a headland, lighthouse or similar). You get seasickness because the hairs inside your cochlea (associated with balance and orientation) are moving one way whilst your eyes tell you you're moving another. Staring at the horizon helps to marry the two up again.

As far as binocular scanning is concerned, short bursts of scanning should be most effective in reducing disorientation.

Good luck

 

[martin kitching]

On a similar thread, back in 2008, I wrote

I know a few people, previously suffering with crippling motion sickness, who've really benefited from using sea-bands.

Personally, I never bother with anything more complicated than drinking ginger beer and eating pretzels; actually more effective than Stugeron and without any of the possible side-effects. On one trip I took last year, the hardened sea anglers on board were being ill while I was cheerfully spending the best part of 10 hours looking through a camera lens.

Also, remember to keep warm, stay well hydrated and don't consume fatty food or alcohol immediately before sailing.

Enjoy :t:

Haven't had any experience since then that would make me change my mind, and I've now spent over 1000h offshore, surveying/photographing cetaceans and seabirds and leading pelagic trips.

cheers
martin

 

[chris butterworth]

If you haven't had trouble before then you should be all right. I, personally, have never suffered motion sickness ( not even in the southern oceans ) so I can't recommend anything - apart from "Enjoy your trip".

Chris

 

[Jim M.]

If you haven't had trouble before then you should be all right. I, personally, have never suffered motion sickness ( not even in the southern oceans ) so I can't recommend anything - apart from "Enjoy your trip".

Chris

Not having trouble before is a good sign but not a guarantee. I'd been on 10 or so pelagic trips, including some with very rough seas where most of the trip leaders got sick, without incident, but then got seasick for the first time on calm seas on the same trip the OP will be taking. I've been using the scop. patch since and have had no further problems.

Jim

 

[Jos Stratford]

Follow all the advice given - from fry-ups to cream crackers and everything between - and you'll be fat as a pig ... the boat will probably sink, and then you sure won't have any worries with sea sickness :t:

 

[Geoff Brown]

Follow all the advice given - from fry-ups to cream crackers and everything between - and you'll be fat as a pig ... the boat will probably sink, and then you sure won't have any worries with sea sickness :t:

Jos this is the most honest answer yet!!!

 

[Jim M.]

Yes, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence and folk remedies regarding seasickness cures. But for at least two substances mentioned, systematic studies have indicated a beneficial effect: the Scopolamine patch and ginger (the latter working for a smaller percentage of people).

Best,
Jim