Motion Sickness Resource Thread

The success and fun level of the 2010 ORC can't really be argued.  There were a few minor glitches, but overall, it was an awesome event.

BUT

It could have been more fun for 5 or 6 of us (maybe more) had we not gotten whooped by motion sickness to some degree or another.

So, the purpose of this thread, is to gather knowledge on how to prevent, treat, and/or moderate motion sickness to decrease chum levels and increase fishing time.

Rules:  Do not submit any remedy that you haven't tried yourself, or seen someone use.  "I heard from a buddy of mine" or any similar phrase isn't legit.  You need to have actually witnessed the remedy you describe.  


Side note:  prior to Saturday, I hadn't had motion sickness since being drunk in a UH-60 flying NOE through the (Hantan or Imjin - can't remember) river valley in 1999.  I was all good until we re-fueled and I made the mistake of looking from the back of the bird through the front windshield at the other bird in front of us.     I forgot how much that experience sucked.

I have a friend that swears by a dramamine the night before and then another the first thing in the morning when we kayak fish in the ocean.   Evidently he feels it's better to get it in your system as early as possible.  If you're already nauseated it's too late.

Scopace in pill form.  You need to get it from a Doc but it works for me every time.

I took the suggestion to use Non Drowsy Drem for my first trip out.  Yaknitup took me out for my first ocean adventure and I still feel bad that I cut his day short. 

I don't know if the Drem was non functional with me, or the combination of working a 12 hour night shift, driving 2.5 hours to Beverly Beach, staying up all day, tossing and turning all night and then the gueling task of getting the two yaks down to the beach.  Consisted of hauling two kayaks down 60 feet of near vertical steps, and then another trip to get all the gear down.  Polished this off with a failed attempt to get out into the surf zone in a timely manner. Caught my sand shoe lace on my foot brace and completely missed the timing.  Got bucked off, yet managed to get back on and paddle like hell to get out to where Yaknitup was. 

The entire 1.5 hours (if it was even that long), was nothing more than me puking up a storm, trying to stay awake, and not fall out of the yak.  Never even pulled a rod out and tried fishing.  Weak as a bug that just got swatted with a newspaper.

Since then, I tried the Ginger candy.  YUK!  Didn't like the taste of it going down, and certainly didn't like the taste of it coming back up! 

Then I discovered Motion Eaze.  Small little bottle of liquid satisfaction.  Just dab behind the ears and you're good to go in minutes.  If you are already crazy sick, you may not get much relief but if you apply before you get sick, or if you just feel the nausea coming on, it should work for ya.  http://www.motioneaze.com

I have used it exclusively the last 4 times I've been out, and I can manage my day.  I still get nauseous enough to yak a few times, but it is mostly nerves or me not paying attention to what's going on further out. If you tend to look at your lap too long, your screwed!

I think Steelheadr is turned on to Motion Eaze as well.  He used mine on one trip and he seemed pop back to his normal smartass self in short order. 

Does the Scopace or Dramamine make you tired?

Dang I got so motion sick that I couldn't even see straight while I was out there.  I shouldn't of been looking down for so long trying to get my stuff out of the hatch.  I did manage to get the bait to the bottom a couple of times but after that I didn't even want to touch the fish stick.  I wish I would of ate something for breakfast. I think if I had then I would of at least had more energy to go back in.  Good thing that INSAYN talked me into bringing the chum bucket or I may of fallen out of the yak while yakking.

Yes I am still looking forward to the next trip out... I still have the driving desire to get the bendo going on.

As someone who has vomited in or on most vehicles I know a bit about motion sickness.  What works best for me is to take Bonine the night before and again in the morning before I head out.  I will sometimes supplement this by taking 2 ginger pills with my breakfast.
Make sure you try whatever remedy you chose at least once before you really need it as there may be side effects.   I found out I do not handle the scopolamine patch well on a 12 hour flight.  While I was not air sick I did spend several hours hallucinating and generally being crazy, to the point where I was warned they were going to kick me off and have me arrested when we landed. 

I haven't suffered from more than a stomach tingle of motion sickness in well over a decade.

I remember my first ocean charter over 15 years ago.  I spent most of the trip thinking I was going to be sick, unless I had a halibut on my line 300' below me.  I had taken dramamine that morning and I think I tried one or two more through the day.  I don't think I chummed, but I had to have been close.

The second year, by recommendation of someone else also on the charter, I took the dramamine the night before, and planned as near to a full nights sleep as possible.  First thing in the morning it was another dramamine with breakfast.  That trip was rocking and rolling just as much as the previous year, but much more enjoyable for me.

Since that day, however, I've been a "look at the horizon" subscriber.  If I even think I might have the notion of queasiness, I look up, check out the horizon, look for boats in the distance, maybe some bird watching.  Once the feeling goes away, i'm right back to what I was doing.  Its not uncommon for me to spend upwards of 10 minutes playing with gear completely oblivious to the fact that I'm bobbing around on the ocean.  If you're just jigging, don't bother watching your rod, there's nothing to see there.  Keep your eyes up and resist fixating on things immediately around you unless you must.  Same thing works for reading in the car (as a passenger, of course )

I've found that it helps to stay out of the ocean.  Nothing works better.   

Personally, I you all a bit nauseous on the ocean.   

I have been out fishing in Lake Michigan swells countless times, and out in the Pacific O' about 20 times. I always take the non-drowsy formula of Dramamine, and have never been sick, until two weeks ago at Pacific City. I was out of Dramamine, and figured I would be OK without it. It was my first experience with seasickness ever.  Most unplesent I might add. I won't go out without it again.

Personally, I you all a bit nauseous on the ocean.   

hmmm, how many words did you leave out of this sentence...2 or 3?

Just ran across this product online. Wonder how it stands up to others? 

Queasy Pops and Queasy Drops

http://www.threelollies.com/

 Prescription Scopace is the only guaranteed med for me. The various Dramamines only make me tired, nauseous, and make me feel so bad that I'd rather hurl. The behind the ear patch works ok sometimes. The naturopathic & home remedies don't work at all for me. I need meds, or flat water, for the first day and a half of a trip. After that my inner ear gets its sea legs and I'm good to go for the rest of the trip.
 A good nights sleep, no booze, and eating foods that I'm used to all help me adapt quicker to the conditions. 

Just ran across this product online. Wonder how it stands up to others? 

Queasy Pops and Queasy Drops

http://www.threelollies.com/

Someone may want to research what the liquid might do to the eyes if contact is made. I don't recall where I heard that a motion sickness liquid and or patch can be dangerous to the eye or eyes if contact is made say from rubbing the eyes after handling the product.
holt

I was sick all week but feeln a little better Saturday Morning, that was until I got about 100 yards outside of the channel. Starting sweating profusely and couldn't concentrate and became a alarmed after half an hour when I barely could paddle for a minute without getting exhausted. Thanks to Mark for the little bit of Motion Ease, that may have just been enough to get me back in safely. My wife brought me some Dramamine and I just waited about fifteen minutes for the two pills to kick in ( the label said to wait at least 30) Rest of the day was much better.