electro-acupuncture wrist seasick bands

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deep denial

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I saw an advert a few months ago in YM or similar for a new brand of these seasickness wrist gadgets, costing about £50, roughly half the cost of the existing well advertised model. I can't find the advert anywhere, or in google. Anyone know what it was (or whether it works?)
 
didn't work for SWMBO, but does for others ... one thing to note is that you have to be careful operating HH compass !!
 
The position of the "watch like thingy" on the wrist is critical. If you are waring sleeves and heavy weather gear it gets moved easily and becomes useless. It didn't work for me on a night passage, probably for this very reason.
 
There is no physiological basis for these devices, they cant and dont work. Any perceived benefit is psychological, so not worth £50!
 
On the contrary, as part of the cause of sea sickness is more mental than physical, it is rather valuable to have something that overrides the "You are getting sick" messages to the brain with the "you are being stabbed in the wrist" message.

I have used mine up to a shocking electronic force 5 (spasms down the arm) and every time the imminent call to Ruth has been forgotten.

My battery ran out in Lyme Bay last month and I felt awful!!
 
On the last Global Challenge I was a medic on one of the boats, wild conditions were experienced regularly and all known methods of seasickness control were experimented with. These devices were thrown overboard after an interval, along with copper wrist bands etc. Stugeron works to a degree.
 
davidroche said:
There is no physiological basis for these devices, they cant and dont work. Any perceived benefit is psychological, so not worth £50!
Click to expand...

Actually, there is a very sound and well researched physiological basis to such devices.. The difficulty lies (as alluded to in other posts) in the practical application in a heavy weather/foul weather gear scenario.
The positioning of electro acupunture or acupressure points is critical, and I cannot see how an untrained person with the added complications of a dark filthy night and working in foul weather gear could reliably and repeatably achieve and maintain the correct position.
They may be OK for those who are seasick in a flat calm, but for dependability in various nasty weather conditions I have found stugeron,and a good puke followed by a sirlion steak between two slices of unbuttered bread is as good as anything.

I did one trip on a Bavaria 34 across Biscay in nothing less than 7/8 with the most amazing galley hand (well done Rach- damn good sailor too) and she cooked up a sort of porridge concoction from her home made muesli, and a bowlful of this whenever we felt cold and tired seemed to stave off the pangs of nausea.
 
The only 100% sure cure for seasickness that I know is reading a book.... whilst sitting under a tree.



Ginger biscuits just add a nasty yellowy stain to the topsides.....
 
I have tried to find scientific references to any physiological basis for these devices and I can be converted to a new belief system if any exists........but none has turned up yet. All the usual sources tried , but perhaps I am barking up the (wrong) tree that photodog is sitting under.
I once had to examine someone with a bad head injury on a boat, whilst throwing up into the galley sink (that was me, not her) every few minutes, so I am interested in real solutions.
 
Good evening:

"Stugeron works to a degree." Sorry, I disagree - Stugeron works well for me if taken correctly.

One of the UK yachting mags wrote an article on this back in 1977/78 after two pharmacists tried it out on one of their dogs and then tried it themselves. I think it was PBO which conducted a test with something like a thousand people and it worked for a very high percentage. The recommended dosage was one pill 24 hours before sailing, one 12 hours before sailing and a maximum of three per day will sailing for three days after which one should be taken if feeling ill. The reason for taking it so far in advance is because it is so slow acting. Apparently was originally developed for an inner ear problem.

I don't remember the strength and cannot check as I am not on board just now.

I have used Sturgeron since the late 70's and never had a sea sick crew member although several who refused to take it became ill. There is also a Sturgeron Forte which worked after a half hour even if the person was already feeling ill.

Of course, if you search the net you will find lots of conflicting comments such as:

http://www.curingseasickness.com/stugeron.htm

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100002475.html

Cheers

Squeaky
 
thedoc said:
I have tried to find scientific references to any physiological basis for these devices and I can be converted to a new belief system if any exists........but none has turned up yet. All the usual sources tried , but perhaps I am barking up the (wrong) tree that photodog is sitting under.
I once had to examine someone with a bad head injury on a boat, whilst throwing up into the galley sink (that was me, not her) every few minutes, so I am interested in real solutions.
Click to expand...

I have found stugeron very effective if taken far enough in advance, though for me, about 4 hours in advance seems to work.

There is plenty of research material for the effectivness of acupunture, electro acupuncture and acupressure.That's why all three of these treatment modalities are now available on the NHS.

The theory is fine, where these devices fail is the near practical impossibility of reliable application in a heavy weather/ foul weather gear wearing/ working the boat scenario and as such, I would agree that they have little or no practical use except for those who become seasick motoring on a millpond.
 
Well you have read the bullsh it and the answers to numerous questions you did not ask

Perhaps what you saw were THESE

I believe Thesewere much cheaper when first launched as well
 
I use one from time to time when the dreaded mal de mer strikes. As has been said you have to hold them in place, so, if crewing, they are not much use. However, if I get sea sickness, when I come ashore the sickness doesn't go away for about an hour, but using the wrist watch it goes away immediately.
 
I find this to be far more effective than those wrist bands.

snake-oil.jpg


edit: Hmm worked for me
 
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