Another thread raised a question in my mind. Could someone with diving experience please answer? I do not dive, but my husband does. He also gets seasick (and I don't ) On the other thread someone stated that if the seas are rough, and a person is sick, the best thing to do is get in and down as fast as possible.

The question: What does one do when you get in the water, down a ways, and you have to vomit? This petrifies me.

Kathy

I have seen it many times that a person gets sea sick, some times from a bumpy boat ride or a very slow up and down movement. I have also seen how they feel much better soon after they get in the water just swimming or floating. As far as vomiting under water no problem, just keep the 'reg' in the mouth and everything will be cool. Sometimes large chunks will make the reg freeflow, but with a bit of work you can get it to work properly. Besides a bit of vomit really bring the larger fish around, no worries, be happy...

You can vomit into a regulator. Just don't take it from your mouth because you still need to be able to get a following breath. If it gets clogged because you ate too heavily and didn't chew your food well enough, then you can switch to your octopus (back up/second) and purge your primary. Then once it's cleaned out, switch back.

If your husband gets seasick, he can try a few things. One is ginger, one is the wristbands (my friends have had very good luck with these), another is gravol (make sure you take it 1/2 hour before departure). Make sure he doesn't have a heavy and/or greasy brekkie. Just something light. Remind him that keeping his eyes on the distant horizon should help, along with sitting in the middle-back of the boat (but not near the fumes). Tell him to gear up as quickly as possible and get in and down as soon as he's able.

In your dive training, you should have been taught to handle puking. Take the mouthpiece out of your mouth, hold it close to your mouth while you puke and use the purge button to move the stuff away from your mouth. When you are done, put the mouthpiece back in, hit the purge and go on breathing. You won't go short of air, and you won't aspirate anything which could be a problem. Take a breath, rinse your mouth, and go back to watching all of the pretty fish that are extremely interested in what you have just added to their food chain.

As far as seasickness ( I don't know about really bad bouts, never was exposed to it) if you are just queasy in the swells or on the boat, dropping down below the surface takes care of the problem immediately. We have one of our party that does have a problem on the surface if it is a bit rough, and she gets under as quick as possible.

Also, try some Bonin (Bonine?). Works fine and doesn't seem to have the side affects of dramamine.

Bobber, not that I am an expert or anything, but I have had dive training. I have NEVER heard anybody recommend taking your regulator out of your mouth while vomiting. Someone that is not so experienced could be panicking while this is going on. For those reading, the concern is that your natural reaction will probably be to breath right after that. Of course if your reg is not in your mouth, you could easily forget and take in some water and that will definitely complicate things.
Maybe I missed something in my two month certification, but they were pretty thorough and that's what prompted my post. Obviously you can do it both ways, but I would rather do it the safest way.

Nate

jah, puke thru the regulator. it works great.

and then the fishies all come round cause they LOVE IT!!!!

my wife gets seasick, she takes one half dramamine the night before a dive, and another half the next morning at breakfast before diving.

works wonders for her.

Well Nate I suppose either way would work. I personally would prefer not to puke through my second stage. I go back to the single stage regs, with no purge feature. I suppose some people would panic, I seem to forget that. I would not like to aspirate any of that stuff, could screw up a perfectly good vacation, rather than just pulling a little water. Any of you taking your certs, you might check with your instructor on that point. It was covered in my first cert (67) in the Navy, and my subsequent cert in 91.
What are you doing puking anyway, if you are that hungover you shouldn't be diving.

NAVY 67! That's hardcore. You guys practicly created most of the dive tables. I have much respect for you and those that got certified in the Navy. I got certified long after I got out and missed a lot of great opportunities that I could have taken while I was in. I understand your post much better now :p .

Nate

Hello, I have not had experience with puking while diving, but I found a great product that helps with seasickness and also ear problems. I use the Clear sinus and Ear every time I go diving. A friend used the Clear Motion on a trip she just took and, for the first time ever, she did not get seasick. Here is a link to the web site. I have no connection with them, but believe in promoting a good product.
http://www.clearear.com/

JoAnn