Sea Sick Medicine?

[Jared]

Hey, I love to go salt water fishing, but I get sea sick fairly easily. So I was just wondering what some of you would recommend using to prevent getting sea sick. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Fisherman57]

Ive posted this a couple times in the past, but I think it contains some good advice......

The best means of preventing seasickness is to take steps prior to even setting foot on a boat. Some well known over the counter medications for preventing seasickness include brand name drugs such as Dramamine, Bonine, Meclizine and Benadryl. Several stronger, more effective seasickness medications, including Promethazine and Ephedrine are also available by prescription only. Both the over-the-counter and prescription drugs generally work well for preventing seasickness, or for helping you recover more quickly once seasickness has begun. Many people are fearful of taking these medications, however, because of the possible negative side effects.

In most cases, however, the side effects (which typically include drowsiness and blurred vision) are nowhere near as unpleasant as seasickness itself. Medications such as those mentioned above also need to be taken at least a half hour ahead of time in order to do the job. Some users simply fail to allow enough time for these drugs to take effect, and consequently write them off as ineffective

There are also natural alternatives to seasickness drugs.

One of the best-known remedies is ginger.

According to MotherNature.com, a natural products/health advice Web site, several studies conducted have shown that taking two 500 milligram ginger capsules to be more effective in combating seasickness than the recommended dosage of Dramamine.

The German researchers that conducted these studies believe that ginger works via the digestive tract, instead of shutting down messages traveling to the brain (as most anti-nausea drugs function). Taking ginger capsules just prior to your planned boating or fishing trip, or at the first signs of nausea, should help prevent or lessen the severity of seasickness. If you don't have access to ginger capsules, try eating some ginger snap cookies or drinking ginger ale. These sources of ginger are not as strong or pure, but they should help a little.

Another popular option for preventing seasickness is what has become known as "the patch".

Worn behind the ear, such patches gradually release the drug Scopolamine into the body (over the course of three days). These patches are available only by prescription, and must be applied at least eight hours before exposure to work as intended.

Like seasickness pills, Scopolamine patches can produce various side effects, including dry mouth, blurry vision, drowsiness and dizziness.

Despite these possible drawbacks, the patch remains an effective option for seasick-proned boaters and anglers.

A drug-free option for preventing seasickness is available in the form of a "wristband" offered by various manufacturers.

This concept was invented by physician and surgeon Dr. Daniel Choy in 1980 during the Newport-Bermuda yacht race, when the seasickness pills he was carrying got wet and melted in his pocket. It was then that Dr. Choy found considerable relief from seasickness by pressing the Nei-kuan pressure point, located just above the crease of the wrist, towards the elbow, midway between the flexor tendons. Medical researchers hypothesize that there are precise neuroanatomical relationships between the Nei-kuan point and the hypothalamus, cerebellum and brain stem. Wristband type solutions for seasickness are available over-the-counter through most drug stores.

You can also purchase them online at BoatersWorld.com (http://www.BoatersWorld.com).

According to the manufacturers, these bands are incredibly safe and effective, and can be used by both children and adults, even expectant mothers, without any problems.

Of course, the best way to prevent seasickness is to take preventative action, but what happens if you find yourself becoming seasick anyway?

The best course to take is to recognize and react to any symptoms as early as possible. What are the early warning signs? Yawning, drowsiness, fatigue and lethargy are the pre-cursors to seasickness. Problem is, these signs can be hard to recognize, especially if you are already tired. Most people don't detect oncoming seasickness until there are more obvious signs, such as stomach discomfort (nausea) and slight sweating, excessive salivating or belching.

As you start to become seasick, you'll find that performing various tasks requiring mental concentration becomes more difficult.

Even simple assignments, such as threading line through the guides of a rod or tying on a hook become seemingly impossible.

Seasickness is obvious in its more advanced stages, when vomiting usually begins.

As mentioned, in order to avoid getting to this point, do something before these serious symptoms occur. Take anti-motion sickness medication. Avoid small, cramped spaces, get out in the fresh air, and take slow, deep breaths. Try going up on deck and looking at the horizon to eliminate visual conflict. Stay around midship or aft, where the pitching and rolling of the ship is less intense. Also be sure to avoid alcohol and smoking as this will only make your condition worse.

The worst thing you can do is to stay in a confined area (such as the galley) where there is typically smoke and various odors, and be sure not to eat any greasy or spicy food being served up.

You can try downing some soda crackers, but that's about it. Don't sit inside and try to read either, thinking the distraction will help. Trying to focus on the print while the boat moves is a sure way to bring on seasickness. While the tendency is to go off by yourself when seasick, don't let your embarrassment discourage you from seeking aid from others onboard, such as the skipper or crew members, that may be able to offer helpful suggestions and/or time-tested remedies.

If you do become seasick, remember to replace the nutrients lost from your system due to repeated vomiting. Even if you don't feel like eating, force yourself to consume small amounts of saltines, broth and fluids that include glucose and electrolytes.

Doing so will help alleviate continued bouts of nausea, strengthen your system, and move you along on the road to recovery.

Good luck out there!



57

[sansou]

A wide open bite usually cures for the true anglers....but absent that, in addition to the foregoing (scop, bonine, ginger pills etc...) either a hot ginger tea or a cool ginger tea. If you're a serious puker (like my landloving father) you will want something to calm your stomache. Simple: cut up a ginger root, seep it for a while in gently boiling water, while warm liberally add honey (or also seep-in a mint tea bag to camo the taste of strong ginger). Either cool it all down or heat it up before putting into thermos. You will not regret having it after you puke a few times....best thing around to calm the stomache (aside from cancer anti-nausea medicine).

[Ricky-Ray]

Yeah what they said. I found also that if you take something like Dramamine or Bonine you might want to consider taking one pill the night before you go and then taking another one just before you get on board, that way the medicine is already in your system and working and your taking another one to extend it's dosage to get you thru till the end of the day. That has worked out well for several of my friends instead of taking it 1/2 and hour before getting on the boat. Plus since you are taking it when you are going to bed you are kind of eliminating the drowsiness side effect as you are going to sleep anyway.

[Jared]

Thank you all very much I will be sure to try those suggestions before I go out next time. That last overnight I went on to SCI wasn’t all that much fun with those rough seas.

[jplee3]

I haven't tried hopping on a fishing boat without taking Dramamine. On the overnighter I went on, I was definitely on the verge of it while sleeping - I kept waking up and feeling weird. But popped Dramamine before the boat left and also in the middle of the night when I was feeling it. Seemed to help.

Thing about Dramamine is that it makes me super sleepy, but I haven't gotten to the point where I'm so tired that I can't fish :)

Haven't heard about the ginger trick - I'll have to try that one out!

[fish_sauce]

A wide open bite usually cures for the true anglers.....

thats so damn true! :D

[hung380]

Scopace works best for me. If you get sea sick easily try taking a pill the night before you go on the boat then take another 1 hour before your departure.

[mrjonez]

i just got a prescription of scopace, and it workedd great last weekend. it's was rough out there too. one at night and one in the morning.

i'm really susceptible to motion sickness, and i fish a lot.
here's some precautions to take that i've learned work for me.

drink lots of water the night before. lots.
force yourself to get enough sleep. even if you need to take a tylenol pm.
dont drink booze the night before.
eat something an hour before you get on the boat.
if taking pills, 8 hours before and 1 hour before fishing.

by the way i stopped using the scolp patch, i was having some of the bad side effects. but the scolp pills treat me fine for some reason.

and… ginger pills just give me heart burn and hot other things.

[DavidE]

The patch ... Thats it. It works. I've been getting sicker than a dog on the salt for 29 years. Take the patch.

[smanx57]

I use something called Motion-eaze. Available at wallmart nowadays. Seems to be the only thing thatworks for me.

[Brian_GSC]

Sleep, sleep, and more sleep.

I usually get excited the night before and find it hard to sleep. I used to drink beers the night before, but then I would have to get up all night long and hit the head. Now I just take some sleeping pills to help me sleep. If I am low on sleep I usually feel a little uneasy the next day. Dramamine works for me, but I have taken Scopace and it worked great too. The good thing about Scopace is that you can take it AFTER you get sick and it will help!

Also, I try to always keep food in my stomach. I bring lots of fruit, chips, and soda.