nessus@nsc.UUCP (Kchula-Rrit) (07/13/85)
[The walls are moving! I wish I had never gotten drunk on this boat!]
Earlier this week I started riding the transit system to work, because
the "rat race" of driving to work in the Silicon Valley got to me. Unfortun-
ately, I am rather susceptible to motion sickness, so I take one-half tablet
of Dramamine(tm) before boarding transit. Are there any long-term effects
of the stuff that I should know about?
Also, are there any types of foods that I can eat to prevent the motion
sickness in the first place? Are there any Dramamine(tm) clones that are
better and/or less expensive?
From the alter ego of--
Kchula-Rrit
!menlo70!nsc!nessussdyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Steve Dyer) (07/13/85)
> I am rather susceptible to motion sickness, so I take one-half tablet > of Dramamine(tm) before boarding transit. Are there any long-term effects > of the stuff that I should know about? Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) is simply a salt of diphenhydramine, an antihistamine also known as Benadryl. If you're not having any immediate side-effects from the drug, you probably don't have anything to worry about. Both products have been in use for almost 30 years without any serious side-effects being reported. Of couse, all things being equal, one prefers not to take ANY drug chronically, no matter how safe it appears. You should at least discuss this with your doctor. Short-term effects would include drowsiness and dry mouth, though 1/2 tablet is small enough that you might be avoiding these. > Also, are there any types of foods that I can eat to prevent the motion > sickness in the first place? Are there any Dramamine(tm) clones that are > better and/or less expensive? I don't know about foods, but it has been shown that drivers are much less likely to suffer from motion sickness than passengers. Something about focusing on the horizon in the direction of travel. Maybe you could gaze out the front of the train? Both Dramamine and Benadryl have been available in generic form for years, though these forms rarely appear on consumer shelves. Ask your pharmacist. If you decide to take Benadryl (or its generic equivalent), it contains approximately twice as much diphenhydramine per milligram of drug as Dramamine, so you'd want to cut your dosage in half. The only other anti-motion sickness drug available OTC in the US is Bonine (meclizine), it has the advantage of a long duration of action (12-24 hours) but has been associated in some studies with birth defects when taken during pregnancy. The label warns about this. If you only need this for a short transit ride, meclizine is probably overkill. I think it is also available in generic form. -- /Steve Dyer {decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer sdyer@bbnccv.ARPA
ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (07/13/85)
I have seen a clinical study reported whose results were that ginger is effective against motion sickness. You might try carrying a bag of crystallized ginger with you and munching on it enroute.
piety@hplabs.UUCP (Bob Piety ) (07/15/85)
> [The walls are moving! I wish I had never gotten drunk on this boat!] > > Also, are there any types of foods that I can eat to prevent the motion > sickness in the first place? Are there any Dramamine(tm) clones that are > better and/or less expensive? > My sympathies. I tried Dramamine for the first time last Friday and it took 3 days for its effects to wear off. I'm not sure the sedative effects are worth it, yet. Anyhow, I've been told that Bonine(tm) is a better alternative since one tablet lasts for 24 hours and it has less sedative effect. Next time I will try it. I find that a full stomach helps prevent motion sickness although others have the opposite experience. I guess you'll have to experiment. A couple of tips: DO NOT READ while in motion. Also, try to focus on distant scenes, so sit by a window. Fresh air helps. On a boat, try to fix your gaze on the horizon or on land. Good luck. From the queasy stomach of Bob
avinash@ubvax.UUCP (Avinash Marathe) (07/16/85)
In article <2972@nsc.UUCP> nessus@nsc.UUCP (Kchula-Rrit) writes: > > Also, are there any types of foods that I can eat to prevent the motion >sickness in the first place? Are there any Dramamine(tm) clones that are >better and/or less expensive? > I have overcome nausea a number of times by holding a clove in my mouth. I'm not sure what motion sickness is, but if it means you have nausea, you might want to try holding a whole clove in your mouth and gently sucking on it while you massage it with your teeth. The idea is that you not chew or eat the clove, but try to hold it in your mouth as long as possible. Eventually the clove will become very soft and bland; at which point you can either spit it out or eat it. This is a home remedy and has no scientific basis. You can buy whole cloves in the spice section of your grocery store. Good Luck! Avinash Marathe {amd,amdcad}!cae780!ubvax!avinash
steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny) (07/16/85)
I have read several time in the newspaper that ginger is good for motion sickness. I read that the military is using it instead of dramamine. I read that in tests ginger is more effective than dramamine. So, have a big chinese dinner before you go traveling. scc!steiny Don Steiny @ Don Steiny Software 109 Torrey Pine Terrace Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 (408) 425-0382
adm@cbneb.UUCP (07/17/85)
Ginger is great for the purpose, I prefer fresh ginger though.
Also controlling the amount of liquids that one drinks can
help. Good deep breathing is an essential in any circumstance,
even the slightest attention to it can do marvels.
...!{ihnp4,cbosgd}!cbneb!csschin@ucbvax.ARPA (David Chin) (07/19/85)
Chinese have traditionally munched on salted sweet preserved ginger strips to avoid motion sickness. Also used are salted preserved plums. I can't say how effective they are, but if you want to try ginger instead of Dramamine, this would be better than eating a heavy Chinese dinner. :-) David Chin ucbvax!chin chin@BERKELEY