The Ocean, and motion sickness! Help!

[Andy Lippert]

What's goin' on?

I just got back to Japan, from Iraq about 3 weeks ago, and am headed out to catch some Tuna this weekend. This will be my first time "deep sea" fishing, and am unaware of the best way to kick motion sickness. I've heard of patches that go behind your ears, or something like that, and of course dramamine. Do any of you gents have any insight as to what'll keep me fishin all day, and not puking? I've never had a problem with motion sickness, not in the helicopters I fly in, not on clear lake on a windy day, or driving in a car, but from what I hear the ocean is a different story.

Anyway, any help would be much appreciated! Thanks gents.

Cpl Lippert, Andrew J. USMC

[Hollywood]

Welcome to the Deep Blue Seas!

Eat a tomatoe. It does wonders for your sea sickness. That is what many of the Marines eat when they get underway on a ship. Keeps them from getting sea sick!

If you feel it coming, lay down and just get in tune with the motion! That should help too!

[bassindon69]

Don't eat apples.
Hmmmmm when it comes to this just keep in mind you are there to have fun. Get it out of your head NOW LOL! If it hits you , you are done till you get off the boat, not much you can do at that point.

Have fun and good luck, DON'T worry about it unless you get it, then worry LOL!

Don.

[Ringer]

Need to get Transderm Scop patches from the doctor. Rx only but not too expensive and guaranteed to work.

[Hollywood]

Im tellin you, the marines on all my ships sure loved tomatoes to help prevent sea sickness....

[tunaman]

Well, you can try Kevin's tomatoes, but I think your best bet is to follow Ringer's advice and get the Scopolomine... it works for 90% of the people's body chemistry and is extremely effective. They are administrated in a little patch that fits on your neck, just under and behind your ear, and they seem to stay on real well. I'm fortunate not to have to worry about it myself, but see them all the time on my offshore trips.

You didn't say whether your susceptible to motion sickness, or just taking preventative measues?

Roger

[Pat]

Ginger works well to settle your stomach. It even works after you have started to feel bad. You can get candied ginger, or ginger root tablets in the vitamin section at the pharmacy. Another thing that helps is watch the horizon if you begin to feel queezy

Pat

[Tony P]

Scopace! This is a pill form of the patch that you doctor needs to prescribe. I like it better than the patch, just take it 1 hour before & you’re good for 8 hours.

Tony

[GITBIT]

Add some sort of acid reducer such as a Pepsid along with the Scopace pill and it works even better. No problems with this combo.

Mike

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Hey Andy, there are times when I have gone out that I got sick, but it never stopped me from fishing, jist slowed me down some..Most of the time it hasn't been a problem..I never could figure out why one time I would get sick and the next six I wouldn't..I never used anything, except the ginger candy and I didn't use that but once..A lot of it is just you thinking you will get sick..Most of the time if you really think you will get sick, you do..The people I have gone with have used dramamine and scopolomine with a lot of success..

mac

[tunaman]

Dramamine usually makes you sleepy... I know guys who took it and ended up sleeping through most of the morning bite.

[Jim Scarlett]

Hey Andy, if you live close to FW on Folsom Blvd, they have the meds on the shelf in the hardware area.
I didn't think Marines got sick, strange.

[ash]

Too funny I was just watching Myth Busters do a show on this very topic. Dremamine was the most effective product, as far as holistic products they tried a bunch A BUNCH including the tomato- sorry kev. They found that Ginger was the only holistic "myth" that was effective against sea sickness..... so there ya go!

[Hollywood]

i just stated what all the marines and booters on my ships used....

Too funny I was just watching Myth Busters do a show on this very topic. Dremamine was the most effective product, as far as holistic products they tried a bunch A BUNCH including the tomato- sorry kev. They found that Ginger was the only holistic "myth" that was effective against sea sickness..... so there ya go!

[Terry Smith]

Ginger works well to settle your stomach. It even works after you have started to feel bad. You can get candied ginger, or ginger root tablets in the vitamin section at the pharmacy. Another thing that helps is watch the horizon if you begin to feel queezy

Pat

This works for me!!!!!

[Bill kizer]

I spent lots of time fishing the ocean when I lived in Eureka. This was taught to me by some old salts up there.

Eat a normal breakfast before you go out. The key is to limit the amout of fluid u take in. The fluid in your stomach sloshes around causing the sea sickness.

The other, since you're tuna fishing you most likely will not be able to do, is focus on a mountain or shore line when you feel sea sickness coming on.

Not sure how it helps but it does.

The other key is don't hype yourself up worrying about getting sick. That just makes you more apt of getting sick.

[Greg_Cornish]

Here's your definitive answer My wife and 3 ladies went on an Alaskan Cruise. They had 35 ft seas on the way. They didn't get sick. The reason is, they asked a woman (commercial fisherwoman) what to do. She said, "Start taking the motion medicine a week before you depart so you can adjust and it builds in your system. You will not get sick."

They did, and no-one got sick.

[Joe W.]

The other, since you're tuna fishing you most likely will not be able to do, is focus on a mountain or shore line when you feel sea sickness coming on.

Focus on the horizon. It doesn't move.

[ash]

True we use to take lil chovies and swallow them whole, or bite the heads off and chew them, this would also start the day going.

I dont get seasick, I get the spins once I get back on land.

[Mark-C]

I fish a fair amount in the salt water including long range multi day trips. I would also highly recommend the Scopace pill over the patch. The patch sometimes falls off when you start to sweat and it is more expensive. You can regulate the dose of scopalimine by taking pills based on how you are feeling. I am 100% convinced that any of the seasick pills are more effective if you get them into your system well before going out on the water. If I am going long range or even overnight I'll start dosing up at least 8 hours before leaving the dock. Lay off the greasy breakfast and coffee as well.
Good Luck

[kopper_bass]

Andy,
I just went tuna fishing last week with my bass buddy and i was sick all dang day. i sucked it up and kept fisihing (we caught 15 good fish) but it sure made a tough day of it.

so, i went and did some research on the net to see what i can do for next time.

You may know that motion sickness is caused by the mixed signals from your inner ear saying "we're rocking and moving" vs. your eyes and brain saying " no we're not". This mixup makes your body produce acid in your stomach and gives your body mixed signals about motion, thus you feel dizzy and get sick.

Taking ginger, or any of those other home remedies are all about calming your stomach and lowering the acid in it. ginger or anti-acid pills work, most others dont. try taking an antacid or eat some candy ginger. dont eat a big, greasy breakfast, dont drink acidic oj, coffee, or other juice. eat light and drink water or gatoraide before.

When on the boat, dont lie down; that will make the effect worse. stay upright or sitting and breathe fresh air. staring at the horizion or land will help too, but since your going tuna fishing, your going to be 40-50 miles out, far from land sight - so dont count on that alone.

Latly, i would recommend trying the drammamine or scopolomine and start taking it the day before. from what i was able to research, this is the best preventative

I intend to go out again soon and try it with the pills next time and see if it helps me be better on the water.

Good luck and good fishing. its a blast.

kopper_bass

[Andy Lippert]

hahaha, thank you fellas for all the help. I don't even know if I'll get sick, I just wanted to prevent it from happening all together just in case I got out there and turned green. Hollywood...don't think I'll be eatin any tomatoes. I've been on a ship before, but I thought that would be a little different then a fishin boat.

We'll see. Anyway, once again, thanks for all the help and ideas. I appreciate it!

Cpl Lippert, Andrew J. USMC

[Popper]

Andy,

I fish the ocean quite often and lately have been catching tuna the last few weeks. Two weeks ago the water on the outside (48 miles out) was rough. This was a mixed swell 6-10foot @ 8ft apart with wind waves 2-5ft. During this messed up sea, I was on the back of the boat with my legs kick up on the deck (enjoying life) waiting for the next reel to scream. Unfortunately, one of my partners was over the side wishing for life to end. The difference in our preparation?
He took Dramamine and I used the patch (Scopolomine).

Here is what I do to avoid motion sickness at sea:

* Place the patch on the side of your inner ear by 9:00pm the night before. (Read the side affects 1st and make sure your doctor prescribe this for you.)
* Get a good nights rest!
* Don't eat or drink anything before you go out. I usually wait an hour after being out on the ocean before eating or drinking. This allows your body to get acclimated to the conditions, and by not having fluids or food in your stomach will eliminate the upset stomach you get during the ride out.
* After the 1st or 2nd hour drink water and eat all you want and enjoy the fantastic saltwater fishing experience.

I have followed these procedures for years and -knock on wood- have not gotten sick. Prior to that, I always got sick deep sea fishing even with the patch, Dramamine, Bodine, etc.........

Another option is to use the wrist band. Yes, it does work as long as you place it as instructed on both wrist. This works by applying pressure to a nerve point on your wrist. If you feel queasy, apply pressure and the nauseating feeling should go away. I would not substitute the wrist band for the patch, but usually carry one as a secondary precaution because there are no side effects. That's the draw back with motion sickness medication like the patch (Scopolomine), but if allows you to fish and catch'em I won't leave home without it.

Tight Lines
Ed

[SHAFT]

Did anyone one see the Lobster Wars episode where the cameraman was so severely dehydrated from motion sickness that they had to air lift him off the boat , he was in bad shape . If ya start puken start drinking plenty of fluids .

[blkdog812]

try meclizine (spelling?) over the counter yellow pill for motion sickness. 100 pills for 5.00......... works great take night before then as u step on boat. no burping quezzyness etc. used long range and ocean fishing all the time. even when u can see the sky from the bottom of the trough.


tight lines kr