Seasickness.. When is it too much?

[Nostrodamus]

There was a program I saw some time ago when they put someone in one of those chairs and spun them in every direction to see how long it was before thy got motion sickness.

On each occasion they tried bands, tablets, and all the remedies you can think of. The only thing that stopped them being sick was ginger. I don’t know how i t works or the best way to take it but I have heard others swearing by ginger.

Do you have a cure for seasickness that works for you?

I am lucky in that so far I have not been seasick so it is difficult to understand how others feel. I know once when crossing the channel two crew members who were suffering would quiet happily jumped in the sea if the feeling would have gone away. It was impossible to get them below to lie down or eat and drink.

The other part of my question is a bit more subjective but when someone is sea sick at what point would you consider heading for the nearest land?

Is there a point when you should concider calling for assistance to get them off the boat?

 

[kesh]

ginger does contain something that affects the muscles controlling flow through your digestive tract.

i am after a cure for mal de debarquement. been on dry land since friday and the room is still wobbling.

 

[nauticalnomad]

There was a program I saw some time ago when they put someone in one of those chairs and spun them in every direction to see how long it was before thy got motion sickness.

On each occasion they tried bands, tablets, and all the remedies you can think of. The only thing that stopped them being sick was ginger. I don’t know how i t works or the best way to take it but I have heard others swearing by ginger.

Do you have a cure for seasickness that works for you?

I am lucky in that so far I have not been seasick so it is difficult to understand how others feel. I know once when crossing the channel two crew members who were suffering would quiet happily jumped in the sea if the feeling would have gone away. It was impossible to get them below to lie down or eat and drink.

The other part of my question is a bit more subjective but when someone is sea sick at what point would you consider heading for the nearest land?

Is there a point when you should concider calling for assistance to get them off the boat?

I have always believed seasickness to be a form of depression.
You look at people that get seasick and ask them what they are doing whilst becoming sick
Thinking.....
If you change your thoughpattern you are no longer sick..
This is proven by putting someone on the helm that is feeling sick and they no longer are,
But alos the problem is that once people get seasick they think its the end of the world, And they will always get seasick, But if your sailing for 3 days or more, well after the 1st day your body becomes adjusted and you feel fine, Its only when you get to land you then are reversed and start to wabble with your sealegs etc.
I too believe Ginger to work
I do not agree with seasickness tablets,
Especially since watching people take them and they arent sick, nor are they capable of doing anything as they are zonked out zombies,
we used to mix travacalm tablets and alcohol together as teenages to get a buzz, they make you hallucinate so they cannot be any good for you,
Also blind people do not get seasick, I have sailed with many a blind person and have never had one of them say they get sea sick,
Obviously down to the fact they cant see where they are or are going,
But none the less, they do not get sick,
People that get sea sick need to fight it, realise Yes im going to get seasick, And as soon as they feel the neasuesousness need to find a way around it,
You hit the nail on the head when you said "you are lucky enough to not get seasick"
If you can do it there has to be a way others can too.
But sadly too many people get sick once and they walk round saying
I always get seasick
When they should be walking round saying
I dont get seasick anymore and i love the sea
Frame of mind

 

[kesh]

also, to add to the frame of mind issue, put seasick people on the helm, cover any wind vane indicator, and tell them there are plenty of lobster pots to look out for.

 

[chinita]

I have always believed seasickness to be a form of depression.
You look at people that get seasick and ask them what they are doing whilst becoming sick
Thinking.....
If you change your thoughpattern you are no longer sick..
This is proven by putting someone on the helm that is feeling sick and they no longer are,
But alos the problem is that once people get seasick they think its the end of the world, And they will always get seasick, But if your sailing for 3 days or more, well after the 1st day your body becomes adjusted and you feel fine, Its only when you get to land you then are reversed and start to wabble with your sealegs etc.
I too believe Ginger to work
I do not agree with seasickness tablets,
Especially since watching people take them and they arent sick, nor are they capable of doing anything as they are zonked out zombies,
we used to mix travacalm tablets and alcohol together as teenages to get a buzz, they make you hallucinate so they cannot be any good for you,
Also blind people do not get seasick, I have sailed with many a blind person and have never had one of them say they get sea sick,
Obviously down to the fact they cant see where they are or are going,
But none the less, they do not get sick,
People that get sea sick need to fight it, realise Yes im going to get seasick, And as soon as they feel the neasuesousness need to find a way around it,
You hit the nail on the head when you said "you are lucky enough to not get seasick"
If you can do it there has to be a way others can too.
But sadly too many people get sick once and they walk round saying
I always get seasick
When they should be walking round saying
I dont get seasick anymore and i love the sea
Frame of mind

Hmmm, interesting.

How long have you been on earth?

 

[sarabande]

so, NauticalN, all illness is psychosomatic is it ?


With respect, there are contributory factors from visual inputs, vestibular functionality, and also somatosensory conditions. Susceptibility to seasickness varies according to perceived dangers, wind and sea state, and some research on air- and car-sickness suggests that an acclimatisation period at the start of a journey, especially in the first 30 minutes, is beneficial in motion sickness reduction.

Having conflicting inputs from changing gravity (as on a long swell) or even no gravity (as in space) reduces the natural ability of the mind to orientate itself consistently to the 'normal' horizon, and such items as teatowels swinging from a clip can also destabilise the sense of balance.

There may be a link to 'depression' but just because scopolamine is used to treat motion sickness and depression, that is an inference too far. If there were a link, then anyone who has depression would always be seasick, and I can tell you from observation that this is not the case.

 

[nauticalnomad]

so, NauticalN, all illness is psychosomatic is it ?


With respect, there are contributory factors from visual inputs, vestibular functionality, and also somatosensory conditions. Susceptibility to seasickness varies according to perceived dangers, wind and sea state, and some research on air- and car-sickness suggests that an acclimatisation period at the start of a journey, especially in the first 30 minutes, is beneficial in motion sickness reduction.

Having conflicting inputs from changing gravity (as on a long swell) or even no gravity (as in space) reduces the natural ability of the mind to orientate itself consistently to the 'normal' horizon, and such items as teatowels swinging from a clip can also destabilise the sense of balance.

There may be a link to 'depression' but just because scopolamine is used to treat motion sickness and depression, that is an inference too far. If there were a link, then anyone who has depression would always be seasick, and I can tell you from observation that this is not the case.

It wasnt an argument!
Next time your on a boat with someone that is seasick,
Ask them what they are doing?
Or just look at them,
They will be thinking themselves into a hole
I was not comparing them to full on depression,
I merely stated it was a form.
Depression is thinking yourself into a hole once again without the ability to pull yourself out,
Much like seasickness,
I used to get seasick
But dont anymore, I can feel myself beginning to, yet change my attitude, Thoughts or what im doing and i can say i havent been seasick for a long time,
There is no time for seasickness on a boat
Its hazardous, and the only one that can stop you from being seasick is you, Hence it being a mental obstical to be gotten over

 

[guernseyman]

Agreed, ginger seems to be effective; but other remedies are worth trying as the placebo effect works with some people.

However, there are two stages to seasickness. First there is nausea, the feeling prior to vomiting, which is the real problem. I have it from time to time, and it makes me almost suicidal; it should never be ignored in other people. Then there is vomiting; in nearly all cases the patient recovers after a few minutes.

Inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes can induce seasickness which does not go away. And I believe some people may find it difficult to recover from normal seasickness even after vomiting, but I've never handled anyone with that problem.

Apart from crab/lobster pot bobbers to be spotted, other vessels around and on the horizon can be fascinating - where are they coming from and going to?

 

[nauticalnomad]

Agreed, ginger seems to be effective; but other remedies are worth trying as the placebo effect works with some people.

However, there are two stages to seasickness. First there is nausea, the feeling prior to vomiting, which is the real problem. I have it from time to time, and it makes me almost suicidal; it should never be ignored in other people. Then there is vomiting; in nearly all cases the patient recovers after a few minutes.

Inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes can induce seasickness which does not go away. And I believe some people may find it difficult to recover from normal seasickness even after vomiting, but I've never handled anyone with that problem.

Apart from crab/lobster pot bobbers to be spotted, other vessels around and on the horizon can be fascinating - where are they coming from and going to?

I also have a sure fire way of preventing sea sickness
But it has to be done at a precise determined moment
You start to sway and your body becomes naucious etc,
And at that point where you begin to feel sick and you hiccup and feel horrible, And you can feel your stomach churn and the contents start to creep up your windpipe,
(Now heres the tricky bit to master)
Just as you feel the vom arise up from yoru stomach and you start to hiccup even more and your brain is all Oh NO....
Well as you feel the sick come up and over the back of your throat
You simply just swallow it
This will prevent you from being sick
Staves off dehydration as well,
thanks to no fluid loss
You sit back down and keep sailing
Your happy as you havent been sick!
The crews haoppy as there is no vomit to look at or clean up!
Skippers happy as his boat has not been spewed on

 

[Nostrodamus]

I also have a sure fire way of preventing sea sickness
But it has to be done at a precise determined moment
You start to sway and your body becomes naucious etc,
And at that point where you begin to feel sick and you hiccup and feel horrible, And you can feel your stomach churn and the contents start to creep up your windpipe,
(Now heres the tricky bit to master)
Just as you feel the vom arise up from yoru stomach and you start to hiccup even more and your brain is all Oh NO....
Well as you feel the sick come up and over the back of your throat
You simply just swallow it
This will prevent you from being sick
Staves off dehydration as well,
thanks to no fluid loss
You sit back down and keep sailing
Your happy as you havent been sick!
The crews haoppy as there is no vomit to look at or clean up!
Skippers happy as his boat has not been spewed on

I would have thought this quiet dangerous. Can you choke on your own vomit or do you have to be unconcious. Then again who am I to knock it if it works.

 

[sarabande]

sorry NN, I may have misunderstood you. I do a lot of voluntary work with the NHS Mental Health management team for our area, and tend to be a bit focussed against over-free use of rather precise clinical terms. Apologies if I was harsh.


I do understand your recommendation of 'managed diversion' as a prevention for seasickness, but there comes a time when a person (who may be weak from other illnesses) cannot lift him/herself up enough to overcome the affliction by a change of attitude only. At that point medication may be too late, and then one must start to consider the effects of dehydration and repeated vomiting. Treating those is a very much more technical issue. How many boats, for instance, carry a dextrose/saline drip , and how many sailors can set one up ?


Re-ingestion of vomit is not a good thing, and there are plenty of records of people inhaling their own vomit and in effect drowning.

 

[Nostrodamus]

At that point medication may be too late, and then one must start to consider the effects of dehydration and repeated vomiting. Treating those is a very much more technical issue. How many boats, for instance, carry a dextrose/saline drip , and how many sailors can set one up ?.

I have also heard of enimas being threatened when people refuse to drink and are totally dehydrated.

At what point would you concider calling for assistance when someone is so bad or would you sail on towards land.

 

[chewi]

The OP should be happy he knows himself, but he cannot claim to know others.

I am mostly not troubled with mal de mer, but I am at times. What triggers it for me is visits below in very lumpy weather ( short waves bigger then topsides, not just wobbling a bit), Diesel smells, lack of concentration and fatigue.

All of these I know to avoid if I can, but they do have an influence. As skipper or helm the concentration is mostly enoughto avoid it, so as passive crew in heavy weather I try to predict which waves cause the biggest slam just to keep concentration.

Also I ,find that vomiting clears the nausea.
I have never tried copper bands at al, the scientist in me says they are placebos, but if they work for some, that's great.

 

[nauticalnomad]

I have also heard of enimas being threatened when people refuse to drink and are totally dehydrated.

At what point would you concider calling for assistance when someone is so bad or would you sail on towards land.

An enema at sea to beat dehydration??
I guess if your undersail and looking for a jury type setup of an enema and you dont have a proper kit in your 1st aid station,
You could always use the bilge pump and ram the outlet hose etc, lol
That is if the bilges have water in them.....

Seasickness soon passes after time and adjustment,
You wouldnt get half way and turn back
Youd just keep going

 

[Baggy]

not a cure for seasickness

but was told that a rehydration drink like eg/lemonade or lucozade containing sugar and salt
was good after being sick, also the carbon in the drink settles the stomach..?

 

[sarabande]

Seasickness soon passes after time and adjustment,
You wouldnt get half way and turn back
Youd just keep going

This is precisely the kind of risk mitigation attitude which leads to accidents. You are a danger to your crew and the rescue services if you seriously believe what you are saying.

 

[photodog]

I am getting seasick just reading this thread... I think its all this talk of vomiting....

But I have to say that if someone threatend me with an enema I would be feeling fine pretty quick... (pictures big smelly beardy type bending over me in the saloon with length of rubber hose... "Now you just relax sunshine while I shuv this up yer arse...")

Fortunatley I have yet to really suffer... no doubt my time will come.

 

[catalac08]

Sea sickness is certainly a strange ailment-my history with this is that when I was young twice a year I used to go climbing in the Alps using the cross channel ferries and I was atrociously ill every time and this went on for about 10 years. I used to feel unwell for up to three days afterwards. Many years later when I took up sailing I seemed generally OK unless I had my head down in the engine or similar non-recommended things. Any sort of sea sickness remedies just made me so dozy and lethargic that was a danger to me and others.

I can still feel quesey when I remember cross channel crossings and how ill I was.

A catamaran is one answer for those who suffer from sea sickness, although the motion can sometimes be a little jerky at times you do not get the long sick inducing rolling motion under way or at anchor. Apart from the sea sickness which can be incapacitating, a catamaran is much less hard work than a monohull and therefore the helm and crew get much less tired which is a safety feature that is not often noted in the multi versus monohull debates.

I am obviously biased towards catamarans but I have tried multi and mono hulls whereas many people who decry cats have never sailed one! There is a similar prejudice towards automatic cars by people who have never tried automatics, but like multihulls people rarely switch back.

 

[nauticalnomad]

This is precisely the kind of risk mitigation attitude which leads to accidents. You are a danger to your crew and the rescue services if you seriously believe what you are saying.

Yeah but its ok if your sailing from Harwich to ipswich,
What about Tennerife to Panama 3 weeks in,

It may seem uncaring,
But the people that sail from Harwich to ipswich each month get seasick on every journey it will be like groundhog day, And yes im being unsympathetic
But the only one that can stop them being sick is them!
Caring for them is not going to make them better, Its going to put them in a comfort zone,
If there are people out there that dont get seasick, Well the only reason the ones that do, is because they havent grasped the fact that it is overcomable.
And should take some responsibility for it,
Not sit there saying Oh i always get seasick
The only time they arent going to get seasick is when they have said to themself.
I no longer get seasick, or have worked a way around it.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I can partially understand that sea sickness is in the mind due to the amount of people that say I get seasick on a puddle in an aircraft carrier.

The two people I crossed the channel with were seasoned sailors and had never previously been seasick. Being sailors they knew what was happening but were past caring about anything including their own safety.

It was a f7/8 with seas that were quartering and rolling the boat a lot so it is just not in the mind.

Sea sickness tablets were as I understand it originally developed for Parkinson’s disease and thickens the wax in the ears so slowing the conflicting messages between your ear, eyes and brain.

It is just not in the mind.