Anyone out there know some quick cures for motion sickness? I have to take the subway to work in Washington D.C. and sometimes the rocking motion of the train makes me queasy. I can’t take Dramamine because it makes me sleepy… Is there anything else I can do?
Some stores (check your local pharmacy) sell a wrist band containing a small “nodule” - for lack of the proper term. It supposedly keeps pressure on a certain spot of the wrist to somehow help “distract” the brain from noticing any effects from the motion. It might be ever so slightly uncomfortable - but not painful, or so I hear.
People claim it works, but I’ve never tried it.
- Jinx
Yep, try ginger.
Ginger tea, crystalised ginger(from Trader Joe’s or the like-NOT from the grocery store or Williams-Sonoma-it’s much too expensive).
Works like a charm for me when on twisty car trips or for seasickness. I’ve tried the motion bands and they work, but not as well as the ginger.
What has worked the best in the past isn’t really that readily available, however. They used to have these little patches, about the size of a round Band-Aid that were transdermal scopolamine doses. Scop’s an anaesthetic, and I think the reasoning was to anesthetise your inner ear so you didn’t get as queasy. Gave you a good buzz, too. That’s probably why they got yanked.
As an aside, I get queasy on Metro sometimes, too and find that when they’re burning the brakes, it gets worse. The brake pads are apparently saturated in peanut oil, and the smell of grime-laden twenty-year old burning peanut oil is just lovely.
The Metro also randomly stops, starts, rolls backwards and shakes during my commute which twists my stomach like you wouldn’t believe. I can’t believe that I’ve never seen anyone throw up on it because I am sure others are feeling as bad as I am.
I recommend Bonine (sold in a small blue box near the Dramamine). One chewable tablet works all day. I had a virus once that made me dizzy and I was prescribed meclizine, which is the same thing as Bonine.
I usually get sick in cars if comeone else is driving, and Bonine does the trick.
I’ve found the only thing that works for me is the scopolomine patch. Unfortunately, it is not very practical for daily, short term use.
Try sniffing a sliced orange or hanky with orange oil on it. I’m not sure why it works, but a lot of people claim it does. Also, you can try massaging the pressure point on the inside of your wrist. I had to massage that point through the entire Blair Witch Project! It seemed to work some. It’s located about two finger widths above the wrist joint. It’s the same as wearing one of those bracelets but I can never find them in the drugstore around here.
I avoid the Metro whenever possible for exactly that reason. (Even though driving is twice as expensive and takes twice as long.) I’ve never thrown up but have come very close.
–Cliffy
This is going to sound kind of hokey, but it really works, for me at least. I read it in a magazine many years ago. I used to suffer from motion sickness a lot - now almost never.
The trick is to knead the fleshy muscle between your index finger and thumb on one hand between the thumb and index finger of the other hand. Do it for a while then reverse and do the other hand. Over the years, I’ve told other people about this trick and they often make a point to tell me that it worked for them too.
Accupressure???
I and those in my immediate family who get motion sick have great success with this:
Listen to music. (Using a headset, preferably those ‘bud’ style ones, not the fit over the ear kind.) Seems to keep everything under control, as long as we start listening to the music before we start feeling sick. You may find that a particular style of music works best. (Personally, as long as it isn’t a self-hyponsis tape, any kind of music works for me. Self-hypnosis/hypnosis in general triggers my motion sickness. :insert green sick-looking smile here: )
Or, suck on some hard candy, even better if it’s a ginger candy.
Worst case: bring along an ‘easter egg hunt baggie’ if everything everyone suggests doesn’t work. 
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