How can I control my motion sickness???

Question

I am going to Six Flags in a couple weeks. I LOVE roller coasters! When I was younger (only a few years ago), I could ride them all day with no problem. Now I get sooooo sick...which I don't understand. Any ideas why all of a sudden I can't handle it? And are there ways to control my motion sickness? I have tried taking Dramamine, and that didn't seem to help. Thanks!! :)

Answer 1

ok u took Dramamine the motion sickness pill. i used it once and it didnt work for me either. i also like to eat something so i am not on empty. i had a doctor  take a look at me for motion sickness he told me to search the web. he said it was a fear or just in my head. there are things you can do to prevent it from happening w/o pills. also it would be in your head if you were sick and went on a roller coster  and u got off not feeling good it will stay in your head and will come back when you go on roller coasters. for me it is car rides but they have to be long.

good luck

have fun at six flags and enjoy yourself

Answer 2

Unfortunately, this can be a problem that people get as they get older, so a good question is How long ago since you were a kid?

Make a list of the drugs you have tried (prescription and non-prescription) and take this to a pharmacist (if you are going the non-prescription route) and/or your physician (if it is strong enough to require prescriptions). Since some brands use the same drugs, most people need help identifying other drugs to try. Not everything works for everyone (e.g. I respond to Gravol but literally throw up Pepto-Bismol, even if I buy generics of either form).

As a regular sufferer, I have a few suggestions. The biggest thing is prepare to go: eat known safe foods to settle your stomach for a day or 2 before, and after (think BRAT diet: banana, rice, applesauce, toast. Clear liquids, anything easy to digest. Search stomach flu for ideas, but do what works for you). 'Recovery" foods also make good preventatives.

Next, identify recovery foods: there are reasons why saltines (a light cracker with some salt, like Premium Plus crackers) are thought of as morning sickness foods. Ginger is great for most people too: in meals, pills (like health food stores, like the other person said) or chews. I keep chewy ginger in my purse, from ginger candy (candied ginger or candies from "The Ginger People" brand) or Gravol's natural ginger chews.

Figure out what works best for you: an empty stomach or a little food in their stomach. Most of the people I know who suffer from this too require some food in their stomach. Easy foods: leave carnaval foods for after!

Lastly, pay attention to where you are looking. The reason motion sickness sufferers want to sit beside windows is because the body can adjust easier if it can see that it is, in fact, moving. Not all bodies have adjusted to the increased speeds and angles of modern society. The disconnect between feeling the moving and seeing the movement can create motion sickness in some people. Look down, look around, especially when going up on the slow climb (so you are not screaming and paying more attention).

And take the time in the line-ups to let your stomach settle. ;-)

Have fun! Scream a little for me.

Answer 3

Have your doctor prescribe you the motion sickness patch. It works great and it doesn't make you sleepy like Dramamine does!

Answer 4

Ginger. It comes in pill form. You can buy them at any health food store. It really works and it's the natural way to fix the problem.

Answer 5

Meclizine works like a charm for me,.

Years ago, I had started out with the Scopalomine patch and had dry mouth and blurry vision.... so I quickly removed that. That's when I tried the meclizine they handed out like candy on a cruise I was taking and it worked great. I now buy it at Meijers. They even have a non-drowsy form that works equally as well without the drowsiness.

I use it whenever I fly, take a boat, canoe, raft or even ride a roller-coaster or a tilt-a-whirl. It really takes care of all my motion sickness no matter what I'm doing. It's been a Godsend.

Answer 6

Treatment

Many cures and preventatives for motion sickness have been proposed.

Natural

One common suggestion is to simply look out of the window of the moving vehicle and to gaze toward the horizon in the direction of travel. This helps to re-orient the inner sense of balance by providing a visual reaffirmation of motion.[citation needed]

In the night, or in a ship without windows, it is helpful to simply close one's eyes, or if possible, take a nap. This resolves the input conflict between the eyes and the inner ear. Napping also helps prevent psychogenic effects (i.e. the effect of sickness being magnified by thinking about it).

Fresh, cool air can also relieve motion sickness slightly, although it is likely this is related to avoiding foul odors which can worsen nausea.

Especially while in a car, if you are the passenger and the vehicle is turning a lot on the road, it is best to stay in the front seat next to the driver and open the window, so that the wind coming from the opened window can make you fall asleep.[13]

Some people can cure it by pressing on a certain acupressure point on either wrist.[14] To find it, the person has to lay the other hand at a right angle to the wrist, with only the index, middle, and ring fingers on the arm. Whichever point is lying under the index finger is that certain acupressure point and by pressing down on it for about 5 minutes, a person can relieve their nausea. It's possible to have both hands pressing on both points.[15]

Chemical

Over-the-counter and prescription medications are readily available, such as Dramamine (dimenhydrinate)[16], Stugeron (cinnarizine) and Bonine/Antivert (meclizine).

Scopolamine is effective[17] and is sometimes used in the form of transdermal patches (1.5mg) or as a newer tablet form (0.4mg). The selection of a transdermal patch or scopolamine tablet is determined by a doctor after consideration of the patient's age, weight, and length of time treatment is required.

Interestingly, many pharmacological treatments which are effective for nausea and vomiting in some medical conditions may not be effective for motion sickness. For example, metoclopramide and prochlorperazine, although widely used for nausea, are ineffective for motion-sickness prevention and treatment. This is due to the physiology of the CNS vomiting centre and its inputs from the chemoreceptor trigger zone versus the inner ear. The sedating anti-histamine medications such as promethazine, work quite well for motion sickness, although they can cause significant drowsiness.

Ginger root is a highly effective anti-emetic and sucking on crystallized ginger or sipping ginger tea can help to relieve the nausea.[18] A teaspoon of ground (powdered) ginger root has been proven to be as effective in preventing motion sickness as popular OTC chemicals, but without the drowsiness and sleepiness that is a common side reaction to dimenhydrinate or diphenhydrinate.

Soft drinks will also help to settle the stomach, and chewing gum or breath mints will help keep saliva from building up in the mouth.

Alternative

There are also alternative treatments for motion sickness that use acupressure points and electrical stimulation of the median nerve.