Seasickness

[Roger Long]

I heard a lot about motion sickness during my flying decade. Pilots take it quite seriously because.... well, you do the math. A pilot getting secondarily sick can also seriously imperil the aircraft. Small aircraft can be as challenging to the stomach as boats.

The aviation consensus is that the relief band works for almost everyone.

http://www.aeromedix.com/aeromedix_articles/reliefband/

My experience on both aircraft and boats supports this. There are also passive bands that are simply an elastic bracelet with a plastic knob which presses the same spot on the wrist. When combined with ginger, these have worked for almost everyone I've had aboard. I've only had to use the Relief Band for a couple of passengers.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Twenty-seven years a sailing couple; Windward Islands, SW coast of Florida including Dry Tortugas, coast of Southern California & Baja California, California Channel Islands, British Columbia, etc., big waves and small. The 90-95% remedy for my wife is to helm the boat and to dose up with Meclizine HCI (12-25 mg/dose) the night before, and then the day of, departure. Meclinzine is a generic label; and is the active ingredient in the brand labels Bonine, Dramamine, and the other tablet-form "ines." I see someone wearing wrist bands, and I know they're likely in for a tough day or night. But everyone I know who gets seasick, eventually finds his/her own "remedy", if they don't give up on sailing first.

 

[Marc14857]

Scopolamine Caution

Marc, I know this is a damn personal question, but about how old were you when this occurred? For some reason that question just popped in my mind

Chris

I was 56 when this happened and generally in good shape other than having to lose a little weight.

 

[dalefarnham]

Pretty thorough article on Wikipedia for "motion sickness". Covers most of the ground this discussion has, but with studies/clinical trials, etc..
A few years ago (like 13) I crewed on a small boat San Diego to Clarion Island...maybe 900-1000 miles. Spent a few days there watching (and swimming with) the Humpbacks, then Clarion to Puerto Vallarta, another 400 miles or so. We got to PV at 9am and went out to breakfast. As soon as I was seated in this charming outdoor restaurant I started getting seasick. "Guys, I have to get back to the boat now. See you later." As soon as I got back on the boat I was fine. "Mal de debarquement" I think it's called.

 

[dalefarnham]

Oh, wait. I just googled it and it appears that I was suffering from "land sickness" because it was over that day. That other thing sounds much more serious.