Sea sick!

29 April 2015, 18:14

Jason P

Sea sick!

Ok, I have spent very little time at sea!

However, when I have went fishing, I have become really sick.
Last time, I swore I was done chartering anymore fishing trips!

So, fast forward a few years and we have decided to take our graduating
18 year old son to Puerto Vallarta. 1 booked an 8 hour fishing trip
and am now dreading getting sick. Being as my son is so excited, I
want to make it enjoyable.

What do you recommend for sickness? A prescription patch? Our last trip
we avoided eating and took some pills (can't even remember the name)?? It
didn't work!

I'm open to anything and am willing to risk side effects!

Thanks!!

"There are worse memorials to a life well-lived than a pair of elephant tusks." Robert Ruark

03 May 2015, 05:57

DenisB

Different seasickness remedies work for different people.

When you are very prone to seasickness , medication is most effective when taken 12 hrs or so before the trip & then again when you wake up the morning of the trip.

As your body gets used to the motion you can reduce the amount of medication slowly each day.
With repetitive & regular exposure to the motion most people can progressively reduce medication to Nil.

13 May 2015, 02:01

Bill/Oregon

Jason, good luck. I haven't been on the ocean for years because of this. Wretching so hard and so long I would be sore for days. Tried Dramamine and Bonine to no avail -- but they may work great for you. I have the transdermal scopalomine patch and hope to try it one of these days. Have also heard ginger can help. One thing you don't want to do is troll with the wind and a two-stroke engine; the fumes make it much worse.

There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author

17 May 2015, 10:14

Jason P

Thanks Bill! We are off to Mexico next week!

I do not understand it. I used to go out in my small boat, on a rough lake, and never have any sickness. However, the ocean is different!. Plus, I realize the waves are usually bigger!

We reserved a 40' boat. I hope the water is calm.

I am hearing the fishing is good! This trip is for my son's high school graduation. He also was able to graduate with his 2 year associate degree, taking the classes in high school. He has worked really hard and I am more excited to see him enjoy the trip than me getting sick. I will just have to tough it out for a day!

I swore that I would never fish the ocean again, after my last trip! Oh well, so much for promises lol...

27 May 2015, 06:26

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by Jason P:
I have looked at these as well. Do you start them a day before you leave? Did you have any side effects?

Thanks

I'm a constant sea sicker and get sick every trip. That's why I went submarines when I was in the Navy.

The Scopolamine patches make me sleepy and if I allow it I would sleep 20 hours a day with them.
I experimented with cutting the patch in half and it worked a lot better for me, even on the 8-10 day long range trips out of San Diego. I change them every three days and have no problem unless it's a "Victory at Sea" trip.

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
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28 May 2015, 11:54

ForrestB

quote:
Originally posted by DenisB:
Different seasickness remedies work for different people.

When you are very prone to seasickness , medication is most effective when taken 12 hrs or so before the trip & then again when you wake up the morning of the trip.

A big +1.

I've taken a lot of people off-shore over the years. My experience has been that Bonine is more effective and with fewer side effects than Dramamine for most people. One Bonine tablet the night before the trip and another in the morning before you head out. Sip on Ginger Ale and nibble on saltines or vanilla wafers. Take it easy on food and especially beer/booze.

Have fun and give us a fishing report when you get back.

______________________________
"Truth is the daughter of time."
Francis Bacon

31 May 2015, 05:51

Jason P

We just returned.

We upgraded to a 10 hour trip and took
the medication one hour before, as directed
on the box.

It worked! However, we slept about 5 hours of
the trip! It about knocked us out. It said
to take 1-2 pills. Me and my wife took two, my son took 1. He got nauseous for a few minutes and that was it. Me and my wife were not sick at all. However, we were dead tired for the whole day!

Fishing was slow. Caught about 10 bonita's and my son caught an 8 foot sailfish. We did lose a marlin.

Seeng my son catch the sailfish made the whole trip worth it! I'd post the pick if I had more dedication and a higher IQ! I'd be glad to email it, if someone was interested in posting it.

Thanks again for the advice! I've decided I may be able to fish in the future!

01 June 2015, 07:58

analog_peninsula

For the record, about 50% of the guys doing long range trips out of Sand Diego are using the patches. All of them put on the patches some reasonable time before boarding. I'm fortunate enough not to get sea sick except under the very worst conditions, and then I keep to my bunk until the queasiness goes away.

Also, it's helpful to test your sea sickness remedy on a 1/2 or 3/4 day boat before you go on the overnighter or multi-day trip. I can't tell you how many guys I've seen suffer horribly on overnight trips, guys who had obviously never spent the night offshore before.

Do yourself a favor and do your seasickness testing on short trips. The boat isn't going to stop for you on the long trips, and a trip to fishing paradise may well feel like a trip to hell.

There's no shame in medication; truly half of the most hard core fishing guys I know use the patches.

analog_peninsula
-----------------------

It takes character to withstand the rigors of indolence.

______________________________
"Truth is the daughter of time."
Francis Bacon

01 April 2016, 11:31

L. David Keith

What works for me and most of my clients is 24 hours before your trip,take one Bonine and one Zantac 150. The morning of your trip, avoid citrus drinks (acid) or greasy foods. Take another bonine & Zantac before you set foot on the boat. Try to avoid breathing diesel fumes if possible. The patch works for some but as mentioned, put it on at least 24 hours before you go. Congrats on you making the trip and your sons Sail.

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