Alternative Sea Sickness cure

[david_e]

In advance of 2 day passage I have been advised of a treatment patch that goes just behind the ear. It contains Hyoscine and the product is ScopodermTTS made by Novartis Consumer Health. Anyone tried this and how does it compare to Stugeron?

 

[Nig]

Scopoderm is probably the best drug based anti-seasickness regime. Hyoscine is an old but very effective remedy and in the patches enables the dose to be trickled in over a period of time and avoids the major side effects. Do NOT get it near your eyes.

 

[poter]

Although not a direct comment on your thread. My son suffers quite badly with seasickness and seems to be allergic to the Stugeron type of tabs. But after several attempts at various traditional remedies... ginger nuts, etc.etc. An old north sea diver mate recommended Iced water, that is crushed ice and water and chewing on the ice cubes, it anaesthetizes the stomach and works every time.

poter

 

[incognito]

I suffer from s/s (an age thing, never did until 60+) and, so far, the best has been Stugeron - my resistance is definitely higher, but I do still get s/s if I push it (eg. up on foredeck in F6 at night with no moon recently ended up retching).

Last year, in anticipation of a 110m/20hr crossing SNorthSea, I went to my doc and got the patches, thinking that anything requiring a prescription was likely to be more effective than over the counter stuff.

The journey was a bit rolly and the short sea, typical of NSea, gave a rather unpleasant motion. The journey was about 20hrs... I was s/s from 10hrs onwards. Up to 10hrs into the trip, I had no queasy feelings at all, laughing at my wife, who found it a bit uncomfortable.

I learned from reading about other people who have suffered from s/s, that the important thing is that you must not give up entirely - I still continue to be the navigator, or go up to change the foresail, I just have to put up with honking whilst I do it. Some find helming helps, I don't. But, focussing on a distant, fixed, object, like a ship on horizon, moon, a particular star, does help.

I THINK that my s/s begins to pass after about 12hrs.

Stugeron is about as effective as the patches, and has kept me OK for most of the time.

 

[robp]

During another thread in which it was said that "pot" alleviated s/s, a poster mentioned that the patches made him high. You might need to expect that.

 

[david_e]

Thanks all for the replies and tips.

 

[Grehan]

Mal de Mer

In general terms, my understanding of 'received wisdom' runs as follows :

Stugeron - Cinnarizine (least side effects, long lasting)
Valoid - Cyclizone (similar, rare)
Sea Legs - Meclozone hydrochloride (never tried it)

Kwells, Boots' Own - Hyoscine hydrobromide [=Scopolamine] (most sedating) short acting but effective and easily absorbed.

Dramamine - Dimenhydrinate [suggested in Another Place] - not in UK

Ginger - doesn't combat nausea as such, but effective at keeping stomach settled so less likelihood of puking. [We use ginger pills]

Drinks - Flat (not fizzy) Coca-Cola - Bottled Water
Dry biscuits, crispbread, ginger biscuits

And a) keep occupied (helm) for as long as one can, b) keep topside similarly (horizon), c) go below and lie down (with eyes shut, centre line of boat if poss) if you're bad (do as you're told), d) if possible (!) puke where the smell won't permeate through the boat and make everyone else feel worse.

Oh, er, and don't go out into rough conditions unless you have to!


Others views on these?

 

[billmacfarlane]

My wife has found a couple of side effects with Stugeron. One is that it makes her very drowsy to the point that she can't enjoy the sail and the second is that if she takes as much as a sniff of alcohol it knocks her for six.

 

[incognito]

Are you sure that it wasn't an old pack of Rohypnol?

Seriously, we (me, wife, various crew members) have not had the drowsy side-effect, although it is mentioned as a possibility on the pack. We tried it first NOT on passage, ordinary working day.

As to the effects of alcohol, we are a dry ship on passage - and since we want only to crash out on arrival, the slug of 'arrival tincture' plus any residual effects as you suggest can only be welcome!!

 

[jimi]

We've also found stugeron to be sleep inducing & actually doe'snt seem to stop people chucking up ... they just do'nt really seem to care as they're half asleep anyway!

I find a really good fry up before we set off the best medicine ... must include tattie scones though!

 

[Gerry]

I have tried every thing going and really recommend the patches. I find that I need to put them on 24 hours before sailing to totally combat the sickness and dreggy feelings. Any closer to sailing time and they are nowhere near as efficient.The only real side effect is a really dry mouth plus they have to be obtained on prescription in the UK.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Not forgetting proper Scottish black pudding NM

NM

 

[jimi]

.. or sliced sausage ..

nm

 

[snooks]

Tried most things from bands...no good...to patches, by far the best!...even managed to feel sick after taking Stugeron. got some bigger Cinazarine tablets from the doc for day sailing, down sides of patches:

Sometimes they can cause haucillations, which are still not as bad as seasickness, but you do have to keep thinking that what you're seeing and feeling isn't all that real...eg fastnet last year, trying to get to sleep, every time I closed my eyes it felt like I was in the Caribbean, until I opened my eyes again and we were still sloggin to windward. Another time I was sailing past the Eddystone on a dark night, lots of stars in the sky, then it felt like I was sailing in space, very pleasent!

You have one patch, it last three days, not good for daysailing, stick to stem ginger for that one

You can't drink alcohol until at least 6 hours after you've taken the patch off

Stick a piece of surgical tape over the patch, stops it coming off when you sleep.

Go to a doctor who sails, they'll understand what you're going thru

My patches are Scopoderm TTS, from Ciba 1.5mg Scopolomine

Anymore details felt free to contact me

 

[pugwash]

patch dangers

Scopolomine patches are wonderful and you're right to use them at least 12 hrs ahead of time and watch out for double vision (in my case) when you take them off. The downside is that the US Coast Guard bans them on grounds that (a) they are addictive (one captain told me they had cadets with up to five patches behind their ears while in class ashore) and (b) they have inherent dangers when you go aloft and hang over the yardarm. As long as you know these problems, in my opinion, it's worth the risk. You can buy them over the counter in Canda, useful to know if you have friends there. I think Can$5 each. But worth every cent.

 

[Ohdrat]

I use seabands .. few quid from boots.. they use acu pressure and are worn round the wrists, there is a more expensive watch type device that sends electronic pulses and is also worn round the wrist.. these and ginger.. anything.. cake, biscuits, pills, tea etc all work well.

Do not drink caffeine drinks.. I find this will bring on sea sickness.. or anything that is likely to cause even slight indegestion.. so stick to easily digested food prior to a rough passage.

I have also found that drinking lots of non dehydrating liquid helps.. cuppa soups, water, squash etc

 

[david_e]

Think I'll swap the aspirin for stugeron, then see what happens!

 

[chas]

After 20 yrs in the RN - being sick most of the time - but so was Nelson - my remedy was to keep going - and, most important, keep eating and drinking. I was much worse on an empty stomach. Dry biscuits, tea without milk, oxo, cheap lemonade (lots of sugar) all helped. I used to be able to get rid of a stone in a few days - now it just seems to stay on!

 

[ToMo]

I've never tried the smoking dope cure (too big a coward!), but I suppose it can't be so bad as a significant number of our knights of the realm have been caught smoking it at one time or another!
TôMö

 

[Guest]

Re: Mal de Mer

I really find that staring at the horizon DOES work. But you need to do so continually for about 15 minutes before you feel any better.