Seasick & Singlehanding

[scratchee]

I've been seasick many times, and my favorite remedy is to sit under a tree until it passes.

[hellosailor]

"My understanding of OTC drugs for seasickness is you need to take them a day or two before you embark on a trip so you can acclimate & not feel like doing a 24 hour sleep fest."
Not necessarily. Some drugs need only an hour to kick in. Some need longer. 24 hours would be a LONG TIME even for the scop patch, it doesn't need that long ot kick it but in 24 hours you'll certainly have time to find out about adverse reactions and side effects.

Some meds are available by suppository as well, and when all is said and done, if someone is puking and can't hold down any meds, a suppository is a great way to deal with that. The other alternative is to hold a pill under your tongue (again, if you can) and let it dissolve into the rich network of blood vessels in the mouth that way.

Results from NASA, who have tried everything, understand basic science (except for o-rings and metric system), and have some real big problems when their astronauts DO get motion sick (as many do) is that about 1/3 of the drugs/remedies work, abot 1/3 of the time, and there's no way to tell which one works for any one person.

You just have to try 'em and see what works for you. Preferably try them once, in the comfort of home, and if they don't make you howl at the moon, take 'em out and try them on the boat.

[dnf777]

Zofran (ondansetron) is a really good anti-emetic, and as pointed out, comes in sublingual form. This is very handy on a boat when sick. It is also very expensive in this form. It can have extrapyramidal side-effects, especially in older folks, so I would recommend trying it out on land first. Scopolamine patch seems most effective when used ahead of time and would be my first choice. If not prone to seasickness, or don't know and don't want to put a patch on "just in case", zofran is a good one to bring along to use if you find out the hard way.

[TQA]

PUKE

SUCK IT UP

DRINK SOME WATER

Get on with it

[LauderBoy]

Originally Posted by dnf777

Zofran (ondansetron) is a really good anti-emetic, and as pointed out, comes in sublingual form. This is very handy on a boat when sick. It is also very expensive in this form.

Try searching for Emeset MD. This is made by Cipla which does generics very cheaply.

Though it doesn't appear that Ondandetron is supposed to work for seasickness: Ondansetron for the prevention of se... [Aviat Space Environ Med. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

So results may vary?

[daydream sailor]

is there a remedy without meds,sort of natural easer,

[hellosailor]

Natural remedy that works 100% for everyone:

Stay on land.

Other than that, no, there's no remedy of any kind that works for more than about 1/3 of the folks who try it. And no herbal or similar remedy that works as well as the heavy meds, for the folks who really suffer.

[allio]

one is curious... from wiki

"The only, and quite simple way, to re-synchronize the signals is a conduct that will help our eyes to send the proper information of the movement.

First of all, try to sit outside. If inside, stay in a position where you can see through the windows on as many sides of the outside world as possible.

Focus on the horizon, turning the head repeatedly on both sides. Contrast the tendency of the eyes to focus on the objects nearby. Soon you will experience the alternate switching of the reference system from that of the ship, where this is still and the windows show moving pictures, to that of the outside world, in which the horizon is perfectly still and the contours of the ship, out of focus, move much like if you were standing on a huge surfboard.

If you can stabilize on this latter reference system, the disturbance will disappear almost immediately.

There are behavioral methods to help the synchronization of the senses, such as being fully aware of the movements of the boat and anticipating them. It may help to imagine you are actually driving the ship: put you hands on the front seat as if it were a steering wheel, and make the accompanying slight movements of the whole body. Avoid reading, watching TV, and even talking to neighbors. After some time, depending on the individual, the mind will be oriented, and it will be possible to resume all normal activities."

has anyone tried this?
alan

[travlineasy]

When I was in the U.S. Navy aboard a 760-foot heavy cruiser, there were times when nearly everyone onboard was seasick. This was the case in the North Atlantic during Hurricane Hazel. At times there were a couple dozen guys in sick-bay, strapped into their bunks with a trashcan tied to the stanchion to prevent it from moving away. Several had IVs in their arm to keep them hydrated. We didn't have anyone die, but we did have a couple sailors airlifted to a base hospital to recover, which sometimes took a week or more.

As for rupturing anything, it's pretty much impossible. Granted, if you have the dry heaves, it may feel like something is going to burst, but this is the result of esophageal spasms, which causes the person to wretch his or her guts out, while producing little or no stomach contents.

Dehydration is the main concern with seasickness. The best way of avoiding this is to keep yourself hydrated at all times. However, instead of gulping down a bottle of water, just take a few sips every five minutes or so, thus allowing the fluid, preferably water, to be metabolized into the system and not lay in the stomach. Ginger-ale and Coca-cola can provide you with other needed nutrients in the form of carbohydrates from the sugar content, plus has the added benefit of a soothing effect on the stomach. However, the carbonation adds gas to the stomach, which is not what you want to do to a person experiencing motion sickness. It's best to allow the soda to sit in an open container until most of the carbonation evaporates, and drink the contents ice-cold and flat. Far fewer problems, but not quite as tasty.

The vast majority of seasickness remedies are nothing more than potent antihistamines, and they usually work best when taken before motion sickness symptoms begin. Side effects, and they all have them, usually consist of dry mouth and drowsiness, but in some instances, the effects can be more severe. In rare instances, the side effects can be fatal, therefore it's best to consult a physician before taking any medication that you don't normally use.

I've been very fortunate in that I have never been seasick since I got out of the Navy. For some, unexplained reason, while aboard that massive ship, I heaved my guts out for several days, sometimes up to a week, before I got accustomed to the slow, rolling motion. Put me on a smaller boat and I'm fine. The one caveat to that is I cannot stand the smell of diesel. That seems to set things in motion and really makes me feel rotten while at sea. I don't think I'm alone with the diesel fume reaction, because everyone else I know has the same problem with diesel fumes.

Good Luck,

Gary

[smurphny]

Large percentages of crew being sick below decks on a large ship like a naval vessel, seem to add credence to allio's post that suggests that the surroundings and the perception of such determines whether you get a motion sickness reaction. I have always heard that keeping your attention on the horizon is a way to avoid sea sickness. I also know that the smells and sounds of a below deck area, like below decks on a dragger, induces sea sickness in many people. I wonder if individual mental perception of surroundings does not play a large role and whether the affliction is more mental than physical.