Motion Sickness Can Strike Anyone and I Will Never Go on a Cruise Again

Motion sickness is miserable. Motion sickness can be car sickness, airplane sickness or the horrendous sea sickness I experienced.

Several years ago my husband won a 10 day windjammer cruise for the entire family visiting the islands of the Caribbean. I had never experienced motion or seasickness before. I had been deep sea fishing many times, so I never gave sea sickness a thought. So dad, 3 sons and I happily flew from Boston to Freeport in the Bahamas, and boarded our ship.

We spent the first two days docked in the Bahamas having a wonderful time. During the second night while we were asleep in our cabins, the ship set sail.

In the morning when I awoke in my bunk something was very, very wrong. I felt dizzy, had a headache and was nauseous. I was pinned flat against the wall and the ship was tilted at a 25 degree angle. The closet door was open and swinging back and forth along with the clothes inside. Everything else in our cabin had slid down to our bunks. I had to climb uphill to the bathroom to vomit. Never had I felt so awful. For the first time in my life, I was sea sick.

One of my sons also got sick, and we were given trans-derm patches, worn behind the ear. The patches give off a motion sickness medication (scopolamine) which is absorbed by the body. Those patches made our trip bearable. Besides rolling seas and churning water, the ship was tilted most of the time. Trying to eat a meal as our dinnerware and food slid away, was challenging.

Several other passengers got sick. A few of the sickest got off at the nearest island with an airport, and flew back home. Some passengers partied, drank all day and never got sick

.I learned what "sea legs" meant. After several very long days, when I finally was home in Boston, I thanked God for solid ground, and promised I would never go on an overnight cruise again. I have since kept that promise.

Experts say that anyone can get seasick. The captain on the windjammer told me that even he got sick sometimes.

What is Motion Sickness and what causes it?

Motion sickness is the body's reaction to certain movements. It results from a conflict between the eyes and fluid in the inner ear which maintains balance. The inner ear detects you are moving. Your eyes and body send a different signal, and dizziness and nausea occur.

Smoke, gasoline fumes, poor ventilation, visual stimuli plus fear and anxiety, as well as food and alcohol odors while you are moving, will bring on a queasy stomach, as can reading in the car.

Preventing Motion Sickness

* Place yourself where the motion is least....In a car, sit in the front seat. Don't read.... In an airplane choose a seat over the wing.... On a ship, stay in the middle or on deck. .... On a bus, take the seat by the front door.
* Keep your head still and focus on the distant horizon. Avoid looking at fast moving scenery or the waves.
* Avoid alcohol.

If children are in the car

* Let kids sit high enough to see the horizon.
* Stop frequently for rest stops.
* Offer light snacks such as crackers.
* Provide ventilation.

Treating Motion Sickness.

The best way to get "unsick" is to get off and out of the vehicle causing the motion sickness. If you can't, there are some effective treatments. Before taking any medicine consult your doctor, especially if you are treating children.

* Prescription medicine such as Scopolamine is a transderm patch worn behind the ear. It gives off medicine absorbed by the body.
* Over the counter pills such as Dramamine and Bonine can be used. Both may cause drowsiness.
* Pressure point remedies such as Sea Bands worn on the wrist may be effective.
* Ginger...plain old ginger root which you can buy in pill form or candy, is worth a try.

It is best to start these remedies a few days before traveling. Prepare for the worst.

Sources:

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=59876

http://fishinkona.com/seasick.htm