Sea-sickness. (again )

[Martyn Ward]

:confused: Am I going doo bloody lally or what??? I'm sure I posted this about 5 minutes ago!!!

Does anybody out there take crystallised ginger to ward off the liquid laugh?:o

SWMBI has just got me a big bagful, the pieces are about the size of a sugar cube. Should I take them all day before getting on the boat, for an hour or so before, while I'm on the boat or what?

Suggestions gratefully received.

Martyn.

[Nigel Hewitt]

Does anybody out there take crystallised ginger to ward off the liquid laugh?Tried it.
Better than nothing but not as good as tablets.
SWMBI has just got me a big bagful, the pieces are about the size of a sugar cube. Should I take them all day before getting on the boat, for an hour or so before, while I'm on the boat or what?I chomped it for an hour or so before and then some on the boat. I wasn't sick in a sea where I would have been without something but I felt decidedly iffy. I didn't particularly like it so I went back to pills. (Currently the kids 'Joyrides' because they are made to take dry and the adult dose is two so taking three, which is the dose that works well for me, is easier.)

[Roz]

Ginger is an ancient anti emitic that has been used for centuries. Today it is used by divers, pregnant ladies and kemo patients to help nausea, so good for SWMBO getting you some.
Best thing you can do is nibble on one, rather than chomp through them like jelly babies. Eat a fairly blandish diet, so not a good old British Breakfast. Something like porridge is a good bet. Basically try and avoid fats and diary products if you can.

Just gently nibble on a lump before hand, and then during the day.

You might wish to try sea bands which are worn on the wrists and trigger acupunture points.

I have come across an oil, can't remember name of it, if I can find it I will post it up here for you. You put a dab behind your ear and it is meant to keep either your middle or inner ear calm, so preventing sea sickness.

A good mate of mine uses patches behind his ear. Like smoking, but for sickness.

Sea sickness is an odd thing. For those who don't suffer, they can be very cruel, laugh and offer no sympathy. For those experiencing it, thoughts of hiring a chopper to get them off the boat as soon as they possibly can, often occur. Dying can seem quite a positive way out of it as well. Therefore what ever you use, try and keep a positive attitude. The mind can really help/hinder with sea sickness. Stay in the middle of the boat, away from fumes. Watch the horizon or a fixed point. Keep hydrated with plenty of water. Try and think of something lovely. Keep your mind occupied.

[Badders (Dave)]

Martyn

My sincere condolences, Those who have never experienced Motion Sickness can't appreciate how debilitating it is. FOLKS, DON'T be complacent though it can come and go on even the most sea hardy pair of legs:eek:

The problem is caused by conflict between the eye sensors of the brain and the movement sensors (found in your ears) part of the brain.

some good info herehttp://seasickness.co.uk/

Ginger is good and the stuff Roz said about diet is spot on.

I was told to do the following: and I think it works, (well -helps a lot) Nothing actually works in my experience. This is no cure but it really alleviates major symptoms

1st, keep popping your ears, I.E the same as clearing them when diving, then make sure you are able to see the horizon, Don't stare at it, just make sure its somewhere within your peripheral vision. don't look at things like books or watched, then keep your mind occupied with a conversation or something.

one other thing be careful with pills because they suppress part of the brain
IE the motion sensors, and I'm guessing here but I recon they can mess up a dive due to the weightless sensation.

Cheers

Badders

[Ben Panter]

Sea sickness is an odd thing.

Absolutely. I've been on and around boats since I was 12 years old, and I thought I was immune, having faced everything from mill pond conditions right up to swells that seemed higher than the mast without even a hint of nausea. My only experience of sea sickness came at the beginning of a big multi-day offshore race. I was slightly nervous and suffering from lack of sleep, and had had a rough journey down from home as a plane and then a train had been cancelled on me. The conditions weren't perfect, but they certainly weren't overly rough either. I was in a full sailing suit with a weezle underneath, a combination I've worn many times before with no problems.

Suddenly I felt immensely hot and clammy, and very nauseous. An hour of being very ill, then sleeping it off, and I was absolutely fine for the rest of the race.

So - some more anecdotal evidence for the pot. Sickness can be enhanced by tiredness, stress and overheating. If you can do something to avoid these triggers, it may help a little bit.

I'd not appreciated quite how debilitating seasickness is - regular suffers have my sympathy.

Ben

[Tristan Green]

I've also been around boats pretty much since I could walk and don't often suffer from seasickness - but I have been struck down by it on a few occasions and agree that it can make you feel like you are going to die, but unfortunatley it is made worse by the knowledge that this is probably an unlikely outcome so you are just going to have to live on and suffer for the duration.

I've found that tiredness and of all things - hunger can make me feel queasy. I'd suggest that frequent suffers try to get a good nights sleep (and try not to worry about being sick) and eat your regular meals before getting aboard and eat regularly while you are onboard.

Now for the PG bit - I've found the best cure is to actually be sick - usually I feel fine within about an hour after tossing my last meal to feed the fish and can then return to normal activities.

My condolences to those that suffer.

Cheers,
Tristan

[hypertigger]

i find that if i'm active, and doing things ie concentrating on driving (RIB) or briefing someone, then i'm less affected by sea sickness.

[Sarah Kennedy]

If you're on a RIB, I find that it helps to sit facing forwards, rather than towards the middle of the boat.

Not just turning your head to face forwards, but having your whole body orientated towards the front of the boat. You're then dealing with a back-and-forward motion, and you can ride the waves more comfortably, rather than the side-to-side motion if you're facing inwards.

It also means that you can see the horizon, whereas if you're facing in, you're normally focusing on whoever is sitting opposite. (It's the same principle as car-sickness - you feel queasy when sitting in a back seat focusing on the headrest in front, and better sitting in the front seat looking outside the vehicle.)

[Woz]

Sit under a tree. That's the best cure.

(I think that's a Spike Milligan joke IIRC).

[Lou]

I share your misery! I get seasick just looking at boats and regularly donate my breakfast most generously to the fishes, even the seagulls seem to know when I'm on a boat and follow it until they get what they want, my bacon. I'm allergic to a lot of medications so I don't take any "conventional" medicines, I don't want to discover that my body rejects a drug when I'm at 30m! In a desperate attempt to try and reduce the crippling effects of seasickness I take ginger capsules which do seem to help. I prefer them to crystallised ginger as they don't leave a taste in your mouth (although you might like the taste of ginger, personally I don't when I'm feeling a bit iffy) and you don't have to physically put anything into your mouth when all you want to do is let stuff out of it. Some people prefer to make ginger tea out of root ginger but again I have problems with the taste. I take the capsules with food about an hour before we leave and then again with a light lunch. I'm not going to pretend that they make me feel 100% but its a definite improvement on feeling like I want to get off/cry/sleep/curl up and die.

As to your original question about how to take the crystallised ginger it might be an idea to ask in your local health food shop. When I got my bottle of capsules the lady in Holland & Barrett was very helpful and certainly seemed to know what she was talking about (apparently she gets asked it fairly often and I'm not the only one who suffers from seasickness - who'd have thought it eh?!)

I don't know if I've been much help but it took me a good few years to find out that ginger came in capsules and seems to be the best remedy I've found to date, maybe it might work for some others out there

[Martyn Ward]

I'd not appreciated quite how debilitating seasickness is - regular suffers have my sympathy.Ben

The first time I was really bad was on a works fishing trip from Bridlington. For the first hour, I was okay. For the rest of the trip. about 7 hours, I was curled up in the bottom of the boat seriously ill. In those days, before I met SWMBI, I always had my chequebook in my pocket, (and I had money in my account as well :D ). At one point I managed to stagger into the wheelhouse and sign and date a cheque. I offered it to the skipper and told him to fill in the ammount, any ammount was okay, and I'd honour it. "Just take me back to dry land, please!!!" It was a genuine offer and if he had written £5000, it wouldn't have bothered me. (oh to be single and loaded :cool: )

The lousy b*****d stood and laughed at me and said: you've booked 8 hours, that's how long you're getting!" Possibly the subconscious memory of that incident doesn't help.

Thanks all for the advice.

Martyn.

[Nigel Hewitt]

Thanks all for the advice.The only thing you must remember is that when you start feeling like you are going head to the down wind side and just do it. Don't resist.

It isn't fun but it's no where near as bad as the anticipation and once you've grabbed for a bottle of water and washed your mouth out you feel so much better.

OK it doesn't last but get some water down your neck while you can as repeating the whole business 'dry' is ten times worse.

Being seasick used to be bad but, frankly, it's better than not diving so I decided I can live with it. The worse times are when you've nearly made it, your all kitted up and the Skipper is going round dropping people when suddenly it comes over you. You're pinned to the seat with all the kit, lamps, stages and all. So you stay and the skipper gets out the hose when he's put the other divers on the shot and cleans you off and you dekit and go and hide under the bench and sleep it off.

(Unhappy memories of not diving the Lanfranc.)

[hypertigger]

boot's travelcalm has been working a treat for me, since i discovered i get sea sick.

in our shiny new rib, the very aft of the boat is very stable, i've slept quite comfortably there while she's been doing 35knots, then again i've slept in the bow at similar speeds....

anyway back to the point, on hard boats, i sleep on the way there and back, and if i'm lying down with my eyes closed i'm okay too.

[PeteM]

A good mate of mine uses patches behind his ear. Like smoking, but for sickness.

A mate of mine uses these as well and they are fantasic, gives a slow release of a drug as close as possible to the semi circular canals. Only availalble on prescription

[shiney]

Pineapple is the only cure known to man for sea sickness.

It tastes the same on the way up as the way down.;)

Sorry bit of a sick joke that one, but it always makes me smile.

Keep your eyes on the horizon, fresh air and plenty of water (drinking, not lumpy stuff).

[David Walker]

The only time I ever feel seasick (if it is technically that) is on a boat that gets engulfed in its own diesel fumes. Some are definitely worse than others, and I won't use the worst ones again if I can help it. Just really unpleasant to be on, so if you are on a boat like that try to get as far forward as possible (away from the exhaust) and into the fresh air. The other thing i've found, along similar lines, is boats with excessive vibration from the engines. Again, theres a lot of variety, but if its very noisy and the boat is constantly vibrating for an hour long journey out or something, again its just not nice.

Was on a boat with both of these things out of Gosport a few weeks ago, and while the diving and the skipper were good, I wouldn't go back out with them on that boat. Just not worth it, no point going out to do something for fun and then spend the day feeling crap!

David