Thanks for responding, Strike.

David Strike wrote:

> When diving - especially from a live-aboard -  I *try* and avoid taking
> drugs of any type.  Which left a fairly limited field of options.  One of
> the ancient remedies, however, was the use of ginger; ginger-beer; ginger
> biscuits; neat ginger root, etc.

Having lived with a proclivity for motion sickness since childhood, I have come
to love and value certain drugs!   B^)   Dramamine usually works for me, and I
don't experience any drowsiness, so it has been my drug of choice for many
years.  I've tried Bonine and Calm-X, but don't notice any improvement over
Dramamine.  After reading all of the endorsements for Transderm Scop on Scuba-L,
I asked my doctor about it, and he wrote up a prescription without hesitation.
I've been using the Patch -- very occasionally -- for a couple of years and have
never gotten sick while wearing it, although circumstances have yet to give it
what I would consider a "real" test (all airplane rides and boat trips recently
have been relatively calm, although I did survive unscathed on a 2.5 hour boat
trip to dive sites off Cape Hattaras, North Carolina, when a couple of others
got sick.)  The Patch DOES give me a really dry mouth, and I've noticed a
tendency for the patch to fall off after about three dives unless a great deal
of care is taken when attaching it.  And it DOES enhance the effects of
alcoholic beverages!  Other than that, no apparent side effects for me.  So I
limit my boozing to two drinks per night, and down lots of water and juice
during the day.  Small price to pay for avoiding perpetual fish-feeding!    B^)

> (Just as an aside:  If you have suffered/are suffering from sea-sickness,
> then the chances are that you may be de-hydrated.  Should that be the case
> then it's best not to dive until such time as you are again fit and well.)

Always good advice.

> Also you should consider working on the basis that 'prevention is better
> than cure'!  In other words, the on-set of sea-sickness is sometimes the
> result of shore-side over-indulgence the night before sailing.  I know!
> <BWG>

More excellent advice.  As noted above, my drugs of choice tend to keep me on
the straight and narrow path at party time.    B^)

> I hope this helps a little. :-)

A lot, actually.  Thanks!
-Dave


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Dave DeBarger
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"ASSETS make things possible.  PEOPLE make things happen!"
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