Posted: 1/11/2012 6:15:58 AM EDT
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So, I seem to be developing motion/car sickness in my advancing age. It's usually not a problem, but the last time I was on some carnival rides, I got pretty ill, and this past fall, I got a bit nauseated riding on our tour bus (converted school bus) on our way to Buffalo. The rest of the tour, I drove the minivan we also brought, and had no problems. The thing is, my band is heading down to Mardi Gras next month, and though I will probably have the opportunity to drive the bus for some of the trip, I will not have any other vehicle to ride in. I'm afraid that I'll be nauseated the whole trip down. This is new to me. I've never had these sort of problems before last year, and I don't know what to do. What can I do to keep an even keel? Just dose up with Dramamine? Does anyone have experience with those pressure point bracelets? Eat some ginger? |
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Dramamine and Bonine work very well but will knock you out. The "less drowsy" Dramamine is not labeled "non-drowsy" for a reason.
There was a Mythbusters episode on the "home" remedies for motion sickness. From memory, the results were that none of them worked with the minor exception of ginger root (?). If your condition is serious I would not recommend relying solely upon ginger ale or other ginger products. There is a prescription drug for motion sickness. It is a small metalized sticker that goes behind your ear. It has serious side effects (including blurred vision) so I would not recommend it if you are driving. Edit for other tips: - Fresh air seems to help me. If I am stuck in a car or plane with someone from the cast of Jersey Shore (i.e. someone who bathes in cologne or perfume) I know I'm in trouble. Same thing with cigarette smoke. So make sure you're sitting near a window in that bus so you can get some fresh air. - Sitting in the front passenger seat of a car (as opposed to being in the back where you cannot see the direction of travel) tends to help matters as well. - Stop and go traffic will make things much worse. Avoid traffic jams if possible. This is one area where the traffic avoidance function on GPSs can help. - Take the Dramamine 30 mins before you start your trip. Once you get sick taking the pills will not help you. Don't want to be knocked out for the entire 4-6 hour effective duration? Take a half pill if you know the road or flight ahead will be relatively smooth. HTH! |
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Ginger and Dramamine are always great for antinausea but you may want to address the actual causes such as vision issues and middle ear related disorders. Have you had any episodes of Vertigo over the past few years, especially increasing frequency over the past few months.
Another trick I have recommended is to always allow some fresh air into the vehicle, stale stagnant air, especially when mixed up with emissions from a vehicle tend to trigger motion sickness much quicker. Bryan |
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I use that metal patch thing during dive trips.
transdermscop by prescription. the only time I got blured vision is when I got some on my hands and rubbed my eyes. but it only made things close up blurry. like I needed reading glasses. Had just turned 35 I think at the time and was freaking out thinking I would need reading glasses early. wife read the package and told me to stfu and I would be fine. lol. anyway, I do all the driving and such on our trips overseas and never had any problems. I basically keep it on the entire time, swap it out after 3 days and put on another. a little sleepy sometimes, but that is usually from the diving, or getting up at odark 30 and staying up till late, so getting 5 or 6 hours of sleep. |
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Another vote for Ginger root.
I like riding on planes as long as I am facing foward. When I ride anywhere with my unit in the back of the C130, sitting sideways on those fucking troop seats plays hell with my inner ear. I take ginger, and select a seat on the middle portion of the floor near the front of the main gear box. (least relative motion in any direction). |
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Quoted: I'll try the dramamine. I tried it this past fall, but I didn't take it until I was already feeling like crap. Like I said, I had no idea that I would be affected in this way until I got on the bus. I make sure to site all the way up front. We're hitting Nashville first, on our way down from Detroit, so I'll take the full dose before we leave, since I'm sure the notoriously rough Michigan roads will be no fun, so I may as well knock myself out B.A. Barackas-Style until we're well into Ohio. I'll pack some Vernor's, as well.Dramamine and Bonine work very well but will knock you out. The "less drowsy" Dramamine is not labeled "non-drowsy" for a reason. There was a Mythbusters episode on the "home" remedies for motion sickness. From memory, the results were that none of them worked with the minor exception of ginger root (?). If your condition is serious I would not recommend relying solely upon ginger ale or other ginger products. There is a prescription drug for motion sickness. It is a small metalized sticker that goes behind your ear. It has serious side effects (including blurred vision) so I would not recommend it if you are driving. Edit for other tips: - Fresh air seems to help me. If I am stuck in a car or plane with someone from the cast of Jersey Shore (i.e. someone who bathes in cologne or perfume) I know I'm in trouble. Same thing with cigarette smoke. So make sure you're sitting near a window in that bus so you can get some fresh air. - Sitting in the front passenger seat of a car (as opposed to being in the back where you cannot see the direction of travel) tends to help matters as well. - Stop and go traffic will make things much worse. Avoid traffic jams if possible. This is one area where the traffic avoidance function on GPSs can help. - Take the Dramamine 30 mins before you start your trip. Once you get sick taking the pills will not help you. Don't want to be knocked out for the entire 4-6 hour effective duration? Take a half pill if you know the road or flight ahead will be relatively smooth. HTH! |
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Quoted: I haven't had any vision issues or Vertigo, that I'm aware of. Just nausea.Ginger and Dramamine are always great for antinausea but you may want to address the actual causes such as vision issues and middle ear related disorders. Have you had any episodes of Vertigo over the past few years, especially increasing frequency over the past few months. Another trick I have recommended is to always allow some fresh air into the vehicle, stale stagnant air, especially when mixed up with emissions from a vehicle tend to trigger motion sickness much quicker. Bryan |
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Rule #1 Keep looking outside. You get motion sick when your inner ear disagrees with what your eyes are telling you. - better yet, volunteer to drive the whole way. Keep your window open a little. Buy a CO detector and bring it. Make sure there is no CO in the cabin. Why not buy an airline ticket for the trip to New Orleans. That is an ungodly long drive in anything, much less a converted school bus. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. If you can talk a Ginger into going, more power to you, but that may interfere with rule number one. |
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Here's a fun time for you. Look up Meniere’s disease aka Hydrops aka Endolymphatic hydrops
Meniere's Disease link Another link As long as you are not exerting yourself into a big time sweat every day, get your Sodium under 1500mg / day and keep it there for a few weeks and see what happens. Be advised that salt is only one source of Sodium. Check out the Sodium in a slice of bread. 
The Sodium intake at < 1500mg / day will help other stuff in your body too. Good luck. |
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I think the responses have covered it well. I can't add much.
Keep your head up and level as much as possible, breathe deeply but don't hyperventilate. Look out at the horizon as much as possible. I had a few bouts with it on my first dive operations. Boats under 30' and waves over 6' can be nasty when your looking down at a surface air panel for hours. It got much better after the first few times, for me anyway. |
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Quoted: The only symptom I'm exhibiting is nausea. My hearing is fine, my vision is fine. I just feel like I'm going to throw up after an hour or so.Here's a fun time for you. Look up Meniere’s disease aka Hydrops aka Endolymphatic hydrops Meniere's Disease link Another link As long as you are not exerting yourself into a big time sweat every day, get your Sodium under 1500mg / day and keep it there for a few weeks and see what happens. Be advised that salt is only one source of Sodium. Check out the Sodium in a slice of bread. The Sodium intake at < 1500mg / day will help other stuff in your body too. Good luck. |
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Try Bonine. For a lot of people, it works much better than dramamine.
Take 1/2 pill the night before, and a whole pill the morning of the trip. If you are not driving, avoid reading! Look out the window. btw - if Bonine works for you, then buy a bottle of Meclizine tablets online (it's the active ingredient in Bonine). It costs about 1/10 of what Bonine costs in the stores, and is exactly the same. |
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These things WORK!! In the Marine Corps we used to tape and aspirin or other pill in the same spot.
http://www.biobands.com/motionsickness/bracelet.htm |
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Quoted:
I'll try the dramamine. I tried it this past fall, but I didn't take it until I was already feeling like crap. Make sure you have some water to slug down the Dramamine. The taste is very bitter. They make chewables in orange flavor but they are more expensive. Being tired can make the condition worse. Get a good night's sleep before your trip. Avoid drinking as well. PS if you end up needing a large quantity then go to your doctor and ask him/her to write you a script for mezcline (sp?) as mentioned by DK Prof. Even with your medical plan's co-pay it will end up being much cheaper than buying OTC Dramamine or Bonine. |
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Quoted: I have no medical plan, but I'll check into it if the Dramamine doesn't work, along with other methods.Quoted: I'll try the dramamine. I tried it this past fall, but I didn't take it until I was already feeling like crap. Make sure you have some water to slug down the Dramamine. The taste is very bitter. They make chewables in orange flavor but they are more expensive. Being tired can make the condition worse. Get a good night's sleep before your trip. Avoid drinking as well. PS if you end up needing a large quantity then go to your doctor and ask him/her to write you a script for mezcline (sp?) as mentioned by DK Prof. Even with your medical plan's co-pay it will end up being much cheaper than buying OTC Dramamine or Bonine. |
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I live under constant suffering from motion sickness. The Dramamine is great, but it tends to lose effectiveness over time with me. I get severe motion sickness from plowing driveways. I spend most of my 5 hour route puking without dramamine. If we have extended snow events, the dramamine eventually stops working and I am completely screwed.
The drowsiness is easy enough to get past, at least for me. I take it and wake up at 1AM to work all night without a problem. Hell, on a bus ride drowsiness is a godsend. Sleep=quick trip. 
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