# Best seasickness prevention?



## TSOJOURNER

Hi all:

Gearing up for our Dec. sailing charter and wondering what preventative measures to take for seasickness... behind-the-ear patches, wristbands, etc.? We've never been seasick before, but we've also never spent several consecutive days afloat, either. 

Thanks for the advice!


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## TSOJOURNER

*seasick*

As a active duty Coast Guardsman, and having spent a lot of time on patrol boats in less than ideal conditions, I can recommend what works for me.
Instead of medications that often have adverse side effects like drowsiness ect..I use the holistic approach of crystalized ginger. I place a piece 'tween the cheeck and gums and I'm good to go. I use it as soon as I get going and it staves off the mal de mer. Off course there are those times when it doesn't work, but then I'm not sure anything would work. After all, tell me somebody who doesn't get seasick and I'll tell you they haven't been in rough enough seas! Bon Voyage.


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## Giulietta

Dramamine, and the litle wrist bands.

Stay outside as much as possible.

Even old salts get sea sick every now and then.

The only problem with dramamine is it make you sleepy.


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## TrueBlue

My wife and I have never gotten seasick on any of our boats - in all conditions. There was one time in Mexico however, when I was a bit green on a charter dive boat during some rough seas . . . but that was attributed to eating the wrong foods for breakfast.

I do agree with TStein's recommendation of crystalized ginger though and always keep some aboard for guests - it reportedly works with a friend, who has been known to be stricken with mal-de-mer. Those ginger confections tastes good too.


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## Giulietta

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20406


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## soul searcher

sit under a tree. 
most cures don't work once symptoms appear. I can give you list of what things don't work after symptoms appear.
Shock bracelets 
Dramamine 
acupressure bracelets
patches
motion ease
what ever the pill was that starts with a B bromine maybe?
looking at horizon
I do think that ginger or soda crackers may help. ymmv
Grandma Betty swears by mint oil. but she is the only person I hav ever seen use it.
I see about 2000 people get sick a year at work and can deffinatly tell you that half of it is mental.
hope this helps


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## sailingdog

Also, avoid greasy foods the day before going aboard and don't let yourself get cold or dehydrated...both make seasickness more likely.


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## Cruisingdad

I am afraid you will get a lot of answers on this but the truth is that it is not the same for everyone.

THe patch does not make me sleepy but works wonders. I love it! However, it requires preparation (24hrs before departure). However, I cannot read at ALL with it on, which makes some aspects of piloting difficult.

On the other hand, my wife swears by ginger. I hate it and it has little effect for me. 

It seems everyone is different, so time and experience will help. Go get some ginger beer (it is non alcoholic) and some ginger snaps from the health food store and if you really want to be safe, pop a patch 24 hrs before leaving.

- CD


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## Giulietta

OK...another cure, for next time you're sea sick.......peel a carrot, the largest you can find, wash it nice..

Then find the biggest heaviest mean looking guy ion your marina and show him the carrot.

Tell him these words:

"I am going to insert this in your anus..."

You will see your sea sickness disappears...no drowsiness guaranteed...


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## tommyt

I would agree with the ginger cure. My wife, unfortunately, is very succeptible to mal de mer. She feels the boat moving tied to the dock, so you can imagine how she must love 6-8' seas. She uses the patch(scapolomine) and swears by it. It does dry her out, but it does not make her as drowsy as drammamine, which she uses for airline trips. 

You might also try Alex's crew trip. They found out that the seas were not going to scare the hell out of us, so they provided a great Octopus Salad to see if that would help. The second day the salad was even better. Nice try.


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## Giulietta

ahahahahahahahaha

Tom, now that some time is gone....did the "bastard" confess to you?? 

We had that planned since you guys showed up...eheheheheheeh


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## Rockter

I have met one guy who is permanently immune to it.

For me, it takes about 4 days to develop such immunity.

Along that 4 day route, no reading below, eyes shut when moving around below with brief opening when near the vital task area, eyes on horizon when above... etc, etc.

I understand that your body thinks it has been poisoned, hence the nausea.


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## Rockter

I quote from Wikpedia...

Quote...

The most common hypothesis for the cause of motion sickness is that it evolved as a defense mechanism against neurotoxins.[6] The area postrema in the brain is responsible for inducing vomiting when poisons are detected, and for resolving conflicts between vision and balance. When feeling motion but not seeing it (for example, in a ship with no windows), the inner ear transmits to the brain that it senses motion, but the eyes tell the brain that everything is still. As a result of the disconcordance, the brain will come to the conclusion that one of them is hallucinating and further conclude that the hallucination is due to poison ingestion. The brain responds by inducing vomiting, to clear the supposed toxin.

...unquote.


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## tdw

I've only been sicksick once and that was after consuming a packet of chocolate sweets and a strawberry milkshade before setting off on a ferry cruise. There is some conjecture as to whether that was really sea sickness or simply payback. Oh, I was only about seven or eight at the time.

Apart from that nothing except the occasional case of the yawns when first leaving port. Funnily enough its orange juice that sets me off. 

I like the ginger idea. Must try it if I do ever get queasy. Keep dark chocolate coated ginger on board anyway but that's just cos we both love the stuff. Who knows ? Maybe that's why we don't get sea sick.


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## Giulietta

Rockter said:


> I quote from Wikpedia...
> 
> Quote...
> 
> The most common hypothesis for the cause of motion sickness is that it evolved as a defense mechanism against neurotoxins.[6] The area postrema in the brain is responsible for inducing vomiting when poisons are detected, and for resolving conflicts between vision and balance. When feeling motion but not seeing it (for example, in a ship with no windows), the inner ear transmits to the brain that it senses motion, but the eyes tell the brain that everything is still. As a result of the disconcordance, the brain will come to the conclusion that one of them is hallucinating and further conclude that the hallucination is due to poison ingestion. The brain responds by inducing vomiting, to clear the supposed toxin.
> 
> ...unquote.


Interesting...I knew it had to do with inner ear (and static electricity on planes), but that poisoning thing you mention is interesting

Thank you


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## sailingdog

I think the reason most people start to want to vomit after seeing some others nearby do it has to do with the survival mechanism. If the "tribe" all ate the same food, and one started to throw up... the others would too as part of a survival mechanism.


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## TSOJOURNER

I've only been sea sick once. It was after a long day with very little sleep. I felt it was the tiredness that contributed to the nausea.


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## TSOJOURNER

Not really meant for seasickness but does wonders!







​


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## sailingdog

USP-

That's prescription and very difficult to get your hands on...


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## GulfCoastSkimmer

Hey Giu, I went out and did the first part of your carrot trick today, The carrot smells horrible now so i put it in a ziplock bag and i am saving it for this weekends trip. How long after insertion will it save? Is it like some other techniques where i need to eat it 24 hours before heading out or what??


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## Giulietta

GulfCoastSkimmer said:


> Hey Giu, I went out and did the first part of your carrot trick today, The carrot smells horrible now so i put it in a ziplock bag and i am saving it for this weekends trip. How long after insertion will it save? Is it like some other techniques where i need to eat it 24 hours before heading out or what??


GCS..man you made me laugh...I appreciate people that understand a joke and take it from there. Thank you...

I gather then you're the biggest guy in the marina, huh???


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## sailingdog

Nah, he's just the biggest guy he could force the carrot on... 


Giulietta said:


> GCS..man you made me laugh...I appreciate people that understand a joke and take it from there. Thank you...
> 
> I gather then you're the biggest guy in the marina, huh???


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## merttan

*That med...*

Do you think I can get "Fukitol" from Canada for cheaper? 
Really need that nowadays... Daily prozac, twice a day zoloft, pack of cigs, and 6 beers and I still cannot relax! Oh s..t, I forgot to mention my doctor that I'm married!

I don't get seasick but I tell my friends who get seasick that Try to stay outside in the cockpit. The movement is related to seas so it's easire to deal with. Fresh air helps too... 
I think, you'll get used to it...


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## jr438234606

For the first day I use a hefty dose of dramamine and ginger supplements and wash it down with Red Bull. By the second day, I have my sea legs.


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## GulfCoastSkimmer

At 6' tall and just over 270lbs I was the biggest, I didn't know that if I was the biggest I should have carroted myself, never even crossed my mind... not sure I like you technique anymore 

PS. now I feel bad for the guy I carroted, although I showed up this morning at the dock and there he was with a bunch of carrots in his hand and a more on the ground. I got a better look at him before I ran away, ohh ohhh is that SD?


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## Giulietta

Yep...that's him alright...

Soooooooooooo SD...that's why you were walking funny!!!!

Hey I owe you money. Right?


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## pegasus1457

I have found 2 things which work for me:

the patch (scopalomine), which needs to be applied 4 hours before the problem starts. It works well for me, but causes dry throat and sleepiness.
The sleepiness was never so bad that I could not perform my crew duties.
I have used this on several cruises and it has really helped me.
The patch requires a prescription in the US, but can be bought over the counter in Italy.

The second is a chewing gum that is available in Europe, *Trawell*. One time when we had been surfing down big swells for half the day and I was really feeling green and not interested in much, after chewing this gum for 10 minutes I took the helm and was fine.

[Disclosure: I have no financial or other interest in either remedy.]


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## dongreerps

*seasickness prevention*

Agreeing with the serious suggestions, one additonal suggestion is to require whoever is feeling nervouse to take the helm. Two reasons this helps. The first is it distracts them, helps gt pst the psychosomatics. Secondly even the most inexperienced helmsman will soon discover a motion of the boat which is more kindly to his inner ear, and will settle down a bit.


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## TSOJOURNER

Thanks for all the advice! We'll slap on some patches 4 hours before climbing aboard and come armed with crystallized ginger and a carrot (!). My husband did get seasick once before...... on a kayak! (full disclosure: he was wicked hungover)


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## TSOJOURNER

On one of our early sailing adventures out of Charleston, SC, on a friends boat (Beneteau 36), my wife started to get sick when we cleared the jetties and the owner/captain pulled out a set of wrist bands for her to try. Much to our surprise, they worked and we had a great day. We later found out there were small craft warnings out that day (That explained why there were almost no sailboats on the water).

Since that event, we purchased a pair of bands for almost nothing from the local drug store and my wife has had to use them twice on our annual charters on Lake Champlain.

It can't hurt, and may be worth trying along with the other great suggestions on this thread.


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## sailingdog

Charlie-

The guys in your neck of the woods must be pretty wimpy... on small craft warning days, we have almost no powerboats but a fair number of sailboats usually.


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## Livia

Mahina has had some success with prevention on their trips:

http://www.mahina.com/seasick.html

I haven't had a chance to try this on rough waters.


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## NauticalFishwife

Ginger is great in any form. Also Pediatricians suggest sucking on pepermint for kids who are nauseated. If you want to try dramamine then start off with half a tablet and take that every 4 hours. You might be surprised that a small dose makes a huge difference. There is a presecription drug, promethazine, that works great. Make sure you have no side effects before you need it. So give it a try before you sail. Tiny tablets and difficult to break, but again, try half a tablet first. Keep something in your stomach-even if it's a lowfat energy bar. Keep hydrated, ginger ale is a good thing. Try not to leave at night...but you'll also find that if you can close your eyes and get some sleep, when you wake up you might have your sea legs. I've been very fortunate in the barfing department...but last month I experience sea sickness for the first time. Leaving at night, hitting the Gulf Stream quickly, 30 knots on the nose. After my watch and then some sleep I was fine. But I now have a very healthy respect for those that suffer from it...BLESS YOUR HEARTS!


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## Slipkiller2

My first encounter with seasickness was on a trip from West Palm Beach to West End. It was my first trip on the big pond. We left at 8:00PM that evening and half way across the wind picked up and we were in 8 ft seas. I was over the rail calling Ralph for about 6 hrs until we docked at West End.

I am very susceptible to seasickness and have tried everything. Beer works well but I don’t like to drink while operating a boat. The best thing that works for me is the scopolamine patch. Although some friends have told me that they have had adverse effects, I’ve never experienced any. No sleepiness, no dry mouth.

The admiral never gets seasick and thinks it’s all in my head. We were sailing in the BVI several years ago and I was using the patch without any problems. One day I started felling bad and as the day went on I started feeling worse. Finally, I told her that we needed to go in, because I wasn’t feeling well. I thought, too much sun, too much rum. That’s when she told me that my patch had fallen off and she wanted to see if it really worked! I asked her if she had ever heard of keelhauling. I put on another patch and started feeling better.


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## Valiente

Giulietta said:


> Dramamine, and the litle wrist bands.
> 
> Stay outside as much as possible.
> 
> Even old salts get sea sick every now and then.
> 
> The only problem with dramamine is it make you sleepy.


And don't mash your skull on a bulkhead...I swear, the _only_ two times I've been seasick have been less than an hour after giving the top of my head a good whack.

I remember being on the deck of a cross-channel ferry in the early '80s during what I recall was about Force 8...nothing. The deck was better than the lounge, which was slick with duty-free vomit and the groans of the afflicted.

This last August, some heavy weather kicked up while we were visiting another harbour and we had to beat back home under staysail against a rainy NE half gale. We had two to three metre waves with an odd cross swell from right down the lake, and I had the uncomfortable sound of the water tanks flexing to tell me the boat was pitching more than usual. The effect was like riding a corkscrew until we got into the lee of some land.

Me? No puking. I was too busy keeping a course. My wife? No puking. She was too busy handling lines for the many tacks we made. My son? BLAAAARRGGGHH!

Lesson? Don't play with your toys way down in the saloon. Better to be on deck, where scuppers can deal with unfortunate moments.


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## sailingdog

That's not seasickness...that's a concussion. 


Valiente said:


> And don't mash your skull on a bulkhead...I swear, the _only_ two times I've been seasick have been less than an hour after giving the top of my head a good whack.
> 
> I remember being on the deck of a cross-channel ferry in the early '80s during what I recall was about Force 8...nothing. The deck was better than the lounge, which was slick with duty-free vomit and the groans of the afflicted.
> 
> This last August, some heavy weather kicked up while we were visiting another harbour and we had to beat back home under staysail against a rainy NE half gale. We had two to three metre waves with an odd cross swell from right down the lake, and I had the uncomfortable sound of the water tanks flexing to tell me the boat was pitching more than usual. The effect was like riding a corkscrew until we got into the lee of some land.
> 
> Me? No puking. I was too busy keeping a course. My wife? No puking. She was too busy handling lines for the many tacks we made. My son? BLAAAARRGGGHH!
> 
> Lesson? Don't play with your toys way down in the saloon. Better to be on deck, where scuppers can deal with unfortunate moments.


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## Valiente

Yeah, I know that_ now_, just like I know not to pull up my pants when the boat's falling off a wave...ow.


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## dfreer

*Best I've ever found!*

Usually not prone to sea sickness, but this is the best stuff I've found. Even works after you become SS. Dispensed as a prescription. Works in about 20-30 minutes and lasts for 12 hours. Have had no side effects. They give this to ER patients who are wretching so bad that they can't diagnos other problems. Have your doctor write a script. COMPRO (prochlorperazine suppositories 25 mg) As indicated it is a rectal suppository. I carry a supply on board.


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## lbdavis

Once stricken with a mild case of seasickness; I've had luck with seltzer water. Seltzer really makes one burp, a lot, and has brought many people out of their malaise (including me) on several occasions on my boat. It works really quickly, too. 

Cheap, refreshing, and tasty (Pomegranate is my favorite.) 

Though I must admit, I am waiting for the day that one of those burps is the explosive force behind some projectile cookie tossing!


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## Ruskin

*Seasickness*

For moderate conditions, I'm a big fan of MotionEaze. Seems to keep me well and no side effects. Although there is a lot be be said for dramamine and a beer, as along as someone else is steering and you find a good shadey spot to sleep.


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