Motion Sickness a.k.a. sea sickness is certainly no laughing
matter, particularly when it happens to you. Some of the most experienced captains can
succumb to it on occasion and knock on wood, so far I’ve been spared its wrath
through my boating and fishing life. When it strikes, the only thing that can save you if
you’re a chronic sufferer is to set foot on terra firma again. There are
certain things you can do to keep a planned fishing or boating excursion from becoming the
boat ride from hell. If you have suffered from sea sickness, there is help and some might
even consider the prognosis good.
As in life, common sense prevails. There are going to be problems if you stay out all
night boozing it up with friends in the local tavern. Stay away from alcohol, eat sensibly
and get a good night’s sleep. When you wake in the morning, don’t down a half
pound of bacon with greasy eggs and four cups of coffee. Pass on the tea, coffee, caffeine
and greasy foods, but do eat something. Oatmeal, breads, muffins or toast are all decent
substitutes and drink plenty of water. Keep from becoming dehydrated. Another great tip
I’ll pass along to you all is don’t lay awake at night worrying about getting
sick…because you will! Most sea sickness cases are mind induced from worrying about
it!
REMEDIES. My girlfriend Heather always suffered from motion sickness and had
trouble looking at a postcard of sailing or boating. We tried all sorts of prescription
and non-prescription drugs from Dramamine to Promethazine and Scalopamine. Nothing worked
until she tried the acupressure wristbands. These wristbands have a velcro strap with a
small plastic bead that you place over a pressure point on the underside of your wrist.
She tried these and has since had little to no problems on the water, unless we encounter
very rough water on the way home.
Another remedy that is FDA approved is the
Some of the more time-tested fixes for these problems are available over
the counter are taken orally and include Dramamine, Mazerine and Bonine. If these
don’t work the next phase is to try something stronger which means getting a
prescription from your doctor.
In a call to my doctor and pharmacy, I found a pair of prescription drugs that are
quite effective. In this call I was also informed there can be side effects when taking
any drug for any problem and these drugs are no different. I don’t want to scare
anyone, but you should try these remedies out days before your trip to see how these drugs
will effect you. Everyone is different and some will experience no problems while others
will. Pregnant women should also consult a doctor for advice on these drugs.
The first remedy is Meclizine-HCL (hydra-chloride), sold under the brand name Antivert.
This works very well and is the number one recommendation by my personal physician. The
side effect to this can be drowsiness.The second most recommended prescription is
Scopolamine. The brand name is Trans-derm Scope sold by the Ciba Co., which comes as a
patch and is absorbed though the skin via a patch, hence the derm in the name. The
patch was off the market for a while due to a manufacturing problem, but all is okay my
pharmacy told me they are back in stock and working well again. Side effects here can be
blurred vision and/or dry mouth.
GO NATURAL. A well documented natural remedy with the properties to combat
nausea is the common spice ginger. Sprinkling generous amounts on your food the night
before fishing or boating can be all that’s needed to make the next day comfortable
and pleasant for those who are not chronic sufferers.
WHILE AT SEA. If you’re out at sea and the dreaded feeling of sea sickness
is fast approaching, try room temperature lemon-lime soda. I’ve seen this work well
in the past. Try getting to a part of the boat not rocking as much and above all…stay
away from lying down below deck. Going below is the worst thing you can do! Stay topside
in the fresh air and keep an eye on the horizon. No matter how the boat is rocking, the
horizon will always stay steady, sometimes having a calming effect.
The bottom line in avoiding sea sickness all comes down to preparation and a matter of
what you do before you leave the dock. Take your medications the night before, get a good
night’s sleep and don’t spend time worrying about it. But above all…If
you wait…it’s too late!
