Sea Sickness medication

[The Quadfather]

OK... I'm not proud, so I have to ask for people's opinions on what is the best Sea Sickness medication out there? I have heard about, the Transderm Scōp® patch. There are a few other things offered.
I am getting involved in a Neah Bay bottom fish trip this summer and want to be prepared. I went out of Westport for Seabass about 5 years ago. ............. Here I am a guy with a boat, I spend sometimes 8-9 hours on the boat. When I get home I am wobbly for a full 24 hours, but never sick. However when I went out of Westport that past trip, I was puking the entire time. I realize to stay away from booze, and greezy food,, but I just want the right drugs.

[A9]

Sometimes folks get more sea sick on bigger boats than the smaller boats they are used to... I've NEVER felt sick on my boat or any other fishing/pleasure/wakeboarding boat I've ever been on, but I have gotten light nausea at times when I have been on bigger boats (30-60 feet) because they sway/pitch/bob a little different.....

I have never needed any sort of remedy or medication to cure it since it's never been an issue, but I don't think there is an absolute cure all medication out there...

There's the patches behind the ear, the wristband that does something to apply pressure or something, various medications (bonine, dremamine, etc) and if you want to stick to something natural, ginger is supposedly good. Take a few ginger tablets....

I'm not sure how your body will react to the boat nor do any of us know which of these medications will give you the best chance at keeping your breakfast in your stomach, but try a few out on your boat before you board the charter...

[G-Man]

I've not experienced major seasickness in all my times on a boat small or up to aircraft carrier size, but I have seen plenty of people suffer from it. Do you skip breakfast before an early morning fishing expedition? The best remedy that I've seen is simply having some good starchy food in your stomach, fresh air and watching the horizon. If you do end up getting sick, laying down and closing your eyes is probably the worst thing you can do. Keep yourself upright, eat a few Saltines and stay hydrated. For fluids, some people swear by Ginger Ale and others, prefer the Navy cure all, red bug juice (Kool Aid). One other thing to keep in mind, the back of the boat is typically the most stable when you are running to the fishing grounds. Once you are fishing, try and keep away from the exaust, CO poisoning symptoms mimic seasickness. Until boats start using catalytic converters, you can bet that they are puking out plenty of CO. If you can smell the exhaust, move yourself or better yet, move the boat so that the fumes are carried downwind.

http://boatsafetynet.com/boat-safety-ar ... poison.htm

[Gringo Pescador]

I get sicker than a dog on the ocean - as soon as I cannot see land, I start puking. Fish on! Reel-ralph-repeat.
Stay in the fresh air - stay out of exhaust. Some say to watch the horizon (never worked for me). The last couple times I went out I started the day before taking Dramamine. Both times it did the trick - I felt woozy, but didn't actually get sick. I've heard the behind the ear patches work great, but have never tried them.

[Mike Carey]

the above and the following:

yes, you should eat something prior to heading out, as mentioned, a small, strachy meal like toast or crackers. Whichever med you take do so at least 45 minutes before heading out. Most of these meds will make you drowsy so expect that. Ginger Ale - good - but all fluids should be room temp - cold fluids can irritate the stomach and increase your nausea.

Watching the horizon as mentioned... I'm not aware of any other tips but I bet others are.

[Bodofish]

Sea sick is a state of mind. I have not found anything that works and I've seen it all pretty much. Vision, inner ear and the processor. Your eyes tell your brain one thing and your inner ear another and the next thing you know...... urp....
I've been sea sick one day in my life. After three days of non stop thrashing I went below to sleep, bad move. Came upstairs and tried to eat something, reject..... Stay up right and keep your eyes on the horizon and be invovled. I've never seen anyone get sick while they were working hard. Mind over matter. You'll be just fine if you decide you're not going to get sea sick and stick to it. Follow the simple rules.

[zen leecher]

See your family doctor and get a prescription patch. I had those back when I fished out of Westport and had no effects fishing. If I didn't use them I would get sick about the time I lost sight of land and it would last until I got back on land. Nothing else worked for me.

[Racer]

I have tried the patches and they do work ok. I agree with Gringo about the Dramamine. Start it the day before you go out and then on the day of. That way it's in your system. I have never had a problem in anyway doing it like this. I never used to get seasick until years ago after a bad sinus infection that went to my ears. This has been my fix ever since.

[Bodofish]

Mind over matter. You thought the patch was going to work so it did. Follow Bodo's rules and you will never get sick.

[natetreat]

My pops is the same way. He got sea sick one time and threw up the whole trip, and never wants to go back out there. He had been doing the dramamine thing too. I would double up on the cures and do it all. I get cars sick, not sea sick, which is weird. If I'm not driving it does the same thing. But a dramamine before a long drive fixes it for me. I like to think of it as a rollercoaster, going over the bar, and putting myself in the mindset that it's a ride. Works for me. But getting sea sick really sucks. Also, if nothing else works, try acupuncture. Go day before, and they do the needle thing, and leave 'em in over night. My cousin lives in westport and managed one of the charters out there, and that's what she did. I'm not a hippie or anything, but for some reason it works.

[TroutCowboy]

I can't speak to any ocean-going techniques because I've never been, just wanted to toss out there that Dramamine does make a drowsy-free version. It seems every spring I have to get my sea legs back when I pull boat out of storage and boat the rough waters in spring. I used to just accept getting sea-sick because I felt worse being so foggy and drowsy on Dramamine. The non-drowsy works for me, and we keep it on board for friends/guests.

[Gringo Pescador]

try acupuncture. Go day before, and they do the needle thing, and leave 'em in over night.

So, your saying have someone jab me with needles, and leave em in overnight?

[mav186]

try acupuncture. Go day before, and they do the needle thing, and leave 'em in over night.

So, your saying have someone jab me with needles, and leave em in overnight?

Holy Jubeezus Gring....that was one of the funniest things I've read on here in a long time!

[Bodofish]

Once again, mind over matter! If you can take the needles all night, why would you get sea sick?

[geljockey]

Depending upon how rough the seas are, I'll use bonine, ginger candy, or both. The following was taken from another forum that had a thread on motion sickness:

Commander A.M. Steinman, Special Medical Operations Branch, U.S. Coast Guard, wrote a very interesting article on the subject of seasickness for the January 1980 issue of "On Scene-The National Maritime Medical Review". A partially edited reprint is presented here because of it's potential value to all fisherman.

Everyone has experienced seasickness at some time in his life and most agree that little else makes you feel as bad. The pale, cold sweaty, drowsy nausea that accompanies the unrelenting dry heaves can really put a damper on a fishing trip. Although the common remedies such as fresh air, soda crackers, watching the horizon and sucking lemons may work for a while, eventually the seasickness wins out. Modern medicines like Dramamine or Meclizine are only partially effective and both have some side effects that can leave you feeling drowsy. But an end to seasickness may be on the way.

Recent medical research has shown that a combination of two common drugs is by far the most effective treatment available in preventing seasickness and no apparent side effects are observed. Operation trials on Coast Guard air and boat crewman riding a 44 foot vessel in rough seas showed no one taking the medication became sea sick. Similar tests showed Navy and Air Force personnel showed the same results and the medication worked much better than either Dramamine or Meclizine.

The two drugs work together so well (neither of which works by itself) are called Promethazine (an antihistamine, commonly called Phenergan) and Ephedrine (a common decongestant). Coast Guard personnel took the combination of the two drugs as recommended, one to two hours before getting underway. The recommended dosage is 25 mg. each 2 hours prior to departure and then every 6 hours thereafter.

Although taking any medication unnecessarily should be avoided, this may be a case where it is better to take the medicine preventatively rather than be incapacitated by seasickness on the trip. For further information about antimotion sickness medication, contact Dr. Alan Steinman, Commandant (C-COM-1) U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC 20593.

This article reprinted from the University of California Marine Extension Program Newsletter.

[Bodofish]

16 years of going out to sea regularly and another 15 on a casual basis. I've never seen a person get sea sick when they're working. I've also never seen anyone get sick while they're piloting a vessel (or car). Keep busy and keep your head up.

I think I'll skip the Ephedrine, don't really feel like a heart attack while I'm boating. There's a real big reason it's only sold from behind the counter besides being used to make Meth. Every container states not to use more than three days. It's very simple, Ephedrine builds up in your system and you can have extremely toxic levels after taking it for more than three days.

I hate to even think about the things Uncle Sam made our boys and girls take before and during their tours in the middle east.

So if you don't think you can manup and do it with out drugs, go have someone poke you with needles for a while, let me know how it goes.

All these recomendations for drugs on a fishing fishing forum..... Really guys.

[MarkFromSea]

Haven't been pukey seasick ever! I sometimes get drowsy from the prolonged several days, weeks, of ocean motion. I do my darndest to keep my belly full when the ocean is rough. I agree with Bodo to an extent that it is somewhat mind over matter. If you think you're going to get sick, you will. BUT it doesn't necessarily work the other way. I love the heavy greasy breakfasts before a trip or on a boat! Keep your head up even if you take the meds, inner ear.
Find what works for you and use that!

The first preventative for seasickness that I was told about, back when I was in high school, 1980ish, smoking pot and drinking Perrier! If ya got one of those medical marijuana chits, give it a shot, it certainly can't hurt unless you are driving the boat! Maybe it was just the munchies that kept our bellies full back then.. ... I haven't tried it in over 30 years..

[spindog]

Per my wife this is what has worked for her. Take Meclizine HCI(OTC) as directed the night before so that you are not as drowsy from the drug. In the morning about an hour before getting on the water take 3-4 ginger capsules. She only uses this when we are going out on a fishing boat on the ocean. She has tried the patches and that made her feel really drugged and not as functional. She has even just used the ginger capsules when the water is not too rough and been fine.

[The Quadfather]

Hey,, remember me? I am the guy who asked the orig. question/thread.
Wow! People got a little worked up over that one.
I do thank you for the ideas though.

[MarkFromSea]

OK... I'm not proud, so I have to ask for people's opinions on what is the best Sea Sickness medication out there? I have heard about, the Transderm Scōp® patch. There are a few other things offered.
I am getting involved in a Neah Bay bottom fish trip this summer and want to be prepared. I went out of Westport for Seabass about 5 years ago. ............. Here I am a guy with a boat, I spend sometimes 8-9 hours on the boat. When I get home I am wobbly for a full 24 hours, but never sick. However when I went out of Westport that past trip, I was puking the entire time. I realize to stay away from booze, and greezy food,, but I just want the right drugs.

"what is the best Sea Sickness medication out there?"

" I just want the right drugs."

I've got nothing to offer as far as drug recommendations.... The only drug I use today is aspirin........ I