motion sickness wristwatch

[C-WEED]

Has anybody used the electronic shocking watch for motion sickness? My wife suffers from both car and boat motion. The pills are ok but must be taken in advance. The worst part is the drowziness. She can't stay awake. Knocks her right out. Any suggestions on the watch or patch or any remedy? Am thinking of running to the Bahamas and I know she would be miserable, thus making me miserable...

[larry7777]

Chris,
all the remedys, (accu-pressure bands) and the watches work well for some folks, even those with some pretty extreme motion sickness succeptibility. However, they don't help some people.
Worth trying though in any case.
Good luck!
(BTW, when we get our CD we will be going to the Bahamas also.)
Regards,
Larry O'Blander
Florida Keys

[rogerbum]

[bcarli]

hello

My wife and I are retired blue water sailors with lots of ocean miles under our belts, the best medicine for fighting sea sickness is called Stugereon. Its made in Europe unfortunatley you cant buy it in the states, but in Canada or mexico it is available. We usually cut each pill in half and it is the only seasick medicine that we have found that works, with no side effects.
not sure why its unavailable here in america
bill & chris carli

[Billy]

Your wife sounds like me! If it moves, I can puke on, or in it. I can feel the first effects of motion sickness on a floating dock or a tall building, and it is almost immediate. I can say without exaggeration, that if I had the strength to roll overboard I would have, preferring death to how I felt.
I've tried all of the aforementioned and I agree, they may work for your wife. What has worked for me has been Scopolamene (the patch). It requires a prescription but I've never been sick on it. The most noticeable side affect for me has been the dry mouth and I've then prescribed beer to cure that.
The zero side affect cure for me though has been to be the operator. I haven't gotten the least bit sick if I get to drive, all the time. I can't explain it.., it's just so for me. Let me re-state the severity of my affliction. I've gotten sick on a teeter-totter so if this describes your wife then that may be a solution for her too.
Lastly, I used to work off-shore on a floating oil rig for weeks at a time. I suffered through the first 2-3 days of my tour on regular dramamine, then quit taking it. Apparently my body had gotten used to the motion by then and there was no sickness after that for the balance of that tour. The drill had to be repeated for each new tour however. If you're planning a trip of any length, this may work for her too.
Best of luck,
Bill

[C-Puffin]

I, too can get motion sickness from airplanes, cars and especially boats. When we had our Grady White I took dramamine every time we went out because anyone who has had a couple of bouts with seasickness will tell you that even that crappy feeling you get from the drugs is better than the seasickness. I have found with the C-Dory we don't get the side to side rocking that really did me in. To be fair, in the Grady we were almost always in the ocean and usually diving, so we spent a lot of time rocking before we would get in the water. We are doing a different type of boating in the C-Dory. I have one of the electronic sea bands, which I've only had to use it once and it worked great. Buy it from a retailer who will give you a 30-day warranty if it doesn't work for you. If it does work, it is well worth the money.

Laurie on C-Puffin

[Aiviq]

I'm fairly prone to seasickness. I've tried the patch, Dramamine and meclizine. All work to a more or less degree, but they all cause side effects.
Last year I tried the electronic watch device (relief band) for the first time. It really worked for me.

Advantages: It helps even if you wait to put it on after you already feel sick (none of the drugs do that very well). Other than a "tingly sensation" in your hand, there were no side effects. Its FDA approved, which tells me that the manufacturer had to do some real clinical trials on it. It's also approved for non-motion sickness nausea and vomiting, such as morning sickness and cancer chemotherapy.

Disadvantage: needs batteries.

This device isn't to be confused with the non-electric devices (i.e. sea-bands), which DO NOT work for most people (including me).

I have to say that I was fairly amazed at how well the relief band worked for me in a really rough crossing of Haro Strait last spring. Like Bill (above), I'm helped by driving the boat (probably has to do with keeping your eyes on the horizon), but I got sick anyway in heavy following seas. When I put on the relief band and fired it up, I felt better almost immediately, and would have been almost enjoying myself if not for my two kids puking in the v-birth, and my wife screaming at me to "stop this boat right now"

Jim

[Pat Anderson]

That's a pretty picture! Stop the boat and do - what?

[C-WEED]

WOW! I got schooled up quick. As I told my wife, there is no corner drug store where we are going. Thanks for all the information and experiences. Searched the HULL truth as well. Interesting how certain things work for different people. I never would have guessed that so many avid boaters get seasick, take a pill and go boating on a regular basis. I will gather a collection of tricks to have handy. My wifes belly health is the key to me keeping my sanity and any future boat trips and road trips. , I have tried to get her to take the wheel on several occasions. Her interest in doing so can be measured in nanoseconds... ...

I will get the relief band and extra batteries. (I'd opt for a cig adapter if they made it) I was suprised to learn from thier website that the band is even FAA approved for flight as no drug is involved. And being able to enjoy a sundowner at the destination is always a plus. The meds say no alcohol as it will guarranty sleep time. The watch jolt overides any other brain receivers so the tingle is a normal indication that the watch is working. (and normal) One guy said to prove the theory is to pinch your arm when you have to sneaze. The brain picks up pain first and overrides the urge to sneaze. I tried it last night and it works. Shortly after I stopped pinching I sneazed. I will gather the wrist bands with the plastic bead just becuase they are cheap and require no batteries. Another guy uses snug rubber bands on his wrists to do the same thing. When he feals a bit queezy he snaps the rubber bands and sends a pain signal to the brain. These are head games I am not used too.

I will get the ginger tablets from a GNC store as well as ginger root, ginger ale and ginger snaps and a picture of Ginger from Gilligans Island. I will get other over the counter stuff such as the less drowzy dramamine which she has tried and still makes her sleepy as a last resort. I will avoid all doctor prescribed stuff if possible. I read on another site that the patch cuases memory loss. I have that comming on naturally, thank you. Some say it even cuases haullucinations. Now if it made my 22 seem like a CD25 it might be worth it I already think it is one of the best boats afloat.

[rogerbum]

[El and Bill]

Chris -- lots of good suggestions above -- only addition we'd have, that helps some folks -- get in the cockpit with lots of fresh air, and keep eyes on the horizon. It's also a good place to be, if all else fails ...

[gljjr]

This seems to be a popular topic around the places I look on the internet. There was a very long thread on this recently on Gamefishin.com that you might also want to read (http://www.gamefishin.com/gfboard/forum_posts.asp?TID=3720&KW=wrist+bands).

I have used the bands with the beads with good success for my family. But after a while they stop working so I take them off after I no longer feel sick. I think with the SeaBands you only want to wear them when you really need to.

[DaveS]

Old Jim,
I just resurrected this thread for you from the past, since you've inquired about seasickness remedies. There are at least a couple of other threads from the past that can be located by activating the "Search" engine and typing in "Sickness".

[thataway]

We seem to have two parallel threads going on motion sickness. Rather than repeating myself--please see my Posts on the "sea Sickness Remedy" thread.

One point I made there--and repeat here is the Stugeron (Cinnarizine) has been withdrawn from the UK market because of serious side effects and there were good reasons to never give FDA approval in the US. Although FDA can make mistakes--we generally have better safeguards than most other areas. Do not use Sturgeron--and you will specifically find people who cruise Mexico who "recommend" using 5 times the normal accepted dose. This is a recipe for diseaster.

I do have motionsickness--but a lot depends on the boat. I find that the C Dory is very good for me. (at least so far). I owned one boat I traveled over 41,000 miles on and never got sea sick. Another racing boat I was watch captain on, I would get sick the first night out almost every time.

Look out for side effects--and be aware of the potential dangers of any of these drugs.

The wrist bands--if they work--and the electro stimulation are more likely to work than the pressure ones---are an excellent methodology.

Again, I am not attempting to practice medicine--and all of the above information is freely available on the internet, with a little research.