# Motion Sickness



## medichopeful (Aug 5, 2009)

Alright, quick question.

I get motion sickness, and this is a major concern for me.  I want to enter the EMS field, but I realize that it could be problematic if I get sick while attending a patient in the back of an ambulance.

I used to get motion sickness worse than I do now, so it might be something I grow out of (19 years as of now).

But if it is not, is there any way that I could overcome motion sickness, or "train" myself to not get it?  I realize that there are medications, but I would only want to use those as an absolute last resort.  

I did a search, but I don't really recall seeing anything about "training."

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  I am hoping to start training myself (if it is possible) as soon as possible.

Thanks!
Eric


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## Lifeguards For Life (Aug 5, 2009)

ginger is a good home remedy. there are many medications, most of them falling in the Anticholinergic antiemetics class. i used to give the ginger to one of my dogs who got motion sickness. Also I believe being in a bigger vehicle may help. I get car sick if i am riding passenger in friend's cars that are small, but I feel much better in larger cars such as an SUV. I have never had any problem wth motion sickness in an ambulance. the last part is personal experience only.


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## medichopeful (Aug 5, 2009)

Lifeguards For Life said:


> the last part is personal experience only.



So would it be possible to get over motion sickness by just putting myself in situations where I would get it, until I get used to those situations?  Such as trying to read while I am in the car?

_EDIT: Come to think of it, I read the quoted part of your post wrong <_<.  But the question still stands._


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## Lifeguards For Life (Aug 5, 2009)

I don;t think so. Motion sickness comes from your senses getting mixed up. Your eyes see solid objects, but you're moving in a way that doesn't make sense to your brain. What you see and feel as a solid object is moving around unnaturally based on what your other senses are telling you. This confusion makes you feel queasy. So, yes, it's mental, but it's not something you can mentally rewire.


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## TransportJockey (Aug 5, 2009)

The only time I've ever gotten motion sickness while in a bus was during my internship. Riding around being the box troll for 12 hours takes it's toll on my stomach. Didn't bother me when I had a pt, cause then I had something else to concentrate on


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 6, 2009)

I find I sometimes get queasy when writing a PCR in the back of the rig when were on a slightly rolling road. Every now and again it just pops up.

When I feel it coming on I immediately stop writing and start doing something else. Talking to the pt, take another set of vitals...wherever. 

I have never puked in the back of the rig.


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## medichopeful (Aug 6, 2009)

Would it be possible to just take Dramamine (the non-drowsy kind)?  Or would that be frowned upon by management?


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## ResTech (Aug 6, 2009)

You can try to take Dramamine or Benadryl... both are antihistamines and histamine plays a part in nausea and vomiting... take them before hand and learn how they make you feel... some they make tired others not so much.


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## medichopeful (Aug 6, 2009)

ResTech said:


> You can try to take Dramamine or Benadryl... both are antihistamines and histamine plays a part in nausea and vomiting... take them before hand and learn how they make you feel... some they make tired others not so much.



But it won't be a problem with an employer?


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## ResTech (Aug 6, 2009)

I don't see why it would... its an over the counter medication... no different than if you took a cold medicine. As long as it doesnt make you tired  or affect your performance its none of their concern as long as its a legal substance. 

No different than people who take daily prescribed meds for a problem.


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## ResTech (Aug 6, 2009)

Here ya go....

"Motion and body position are sensed through the vestibular apparatus. Motion sickness, such as car sickness and seasickness, are mediated through the vestibular apparatus, as are inner-ear diseases, such as Meniere's disease. The vestibular apparatus may once have served as a sensor for certain neurotoxins (such as alcohol) that can produce disequilibrium. Stimulation of the vestibular apparatus by alcohol may provide a survival advantage in keeping our species from, literally, drinking ourselves to death. Stimulus of the vestibular apparatus is mediated largely through histamine and acetylcholine receptors."


Antihistamines usually work well for motion sickness for this reason... they block histamine. Give it a try.


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## rescue99 (Aug 6, 2009)

Medichopeful, 

This is not medical advice and of course, I am no Doc. My family Physician (an M.D.) is a homeopath. I tried a homeopathic remedy called Nux (nux vomica 30x) to combat a bad case of motion sickness when I first did 3rd rides more than 15 years ago. Nux worked just fine for me. After the first week or so, I seldom needed it. 

 5 x sl globules 4 times the day before a ride. Use it the same number of times on the day you ride and a couple of times a day thereafter for a week...stop for a week and do this again. After that it should be an as needed thing now and then. It is okay to use nux every 15 minutes until symptoms subside for acute motion sickness. My preference is the Hyland brand. Boiron is my second choice.  Good luck.


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## Porky1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Several years ago I had a partner that got motion sickness frequently. If I could keep him from looking out the back it didn't affect him as bad. He stayed busy in the back often such as getting a more thorough history, repeat vital signs, all the right things. Once or twice he shared the emesis basin with the patient but rarely. I rode in the back often and let him drive. He always drove to the scene. Meds like benadryl didn't work for him because it made him sleepy. I don't really have any definitive answers but try some of the things my partner used to do. You can work through any problem if you want it bad enough.


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## medic417 (Aug 6, 2009)

Get some ginger altoids and suck on them.

http://www.altoids.com/products.do


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## wyoskibum (Aug 6, 2009)

I have issues with motion sickness as well.  It doesn't effect me when I'm doing patient care.  I'm too busy thinking about the care that I'm providing to think about it.

I would suggest that you try to find a job where you have short transport times and stay away from IFT services.


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## Hockey (Aug 6, 2009)

A sip of whiskey always does the trick 



In all seriousness, I have only got sick from the rocking in the biggggggg old ambulance we used to have.  And we were going in circles down a hill covered in ice.  Other then that I've been one of the lucky few


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## medichopeful (Aug 6, 2009)

wyoskibum said:


> I would suggest that you try to find a job where you have short transport times and stay away from IFT services.



I am aiming for Boston EMS, so the transport times shouldn't be that long.

I will probably just end up taking non-drowsy Dramamine.  That should solve the problem.


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## Melclin (Aug 8, 2009)

Just shoot yourself up on the Metoclopramide kicking around in the back of the ambulance...course to make it look legit on the books you'd have to take some morphine as well....works for me


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## medic417 (Aug 8, 2009)

medichopeful said:


> I am aiming for Boston EMS, so the transport times shouldn't be that long.
> 
> I will probably just end up taking non-drowsy Dramamine.  That should solve the problem.



Before using a drug try the altoids or other ginger mint.   Some also do good with the atomic jaw breakers which also help kill sense of smell.


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## Hockey (Aug 8, 2009)

Contact your Doctor.  Talked with a buddy of mine and they gave him some medication that he takes.


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## JustMarti (Aug 8, 2009)

They do make wrist bands that help with motion sickness.
When we got our newest rig I had problems getting used to the "new vehicle" smell and the difference in how it rode down the highway.
I used the bands (which had a pressure point on the inside of the wrist) to help ease my stomach.
I can now write reports and all without being sick.


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## medic417 (Aug 8, 2009)

OK OP you are our study subject.  Start with the cheapest which is the candy let us know if it works.  Then get the pressure point bracelet.  Then the prescription.  And whatever else was suggested that allows you to legally and safely work..  Let us know.  Is that scientific testing in practice or what?


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## medic_charli (Aug 8, 2009)

How about a couple hits of a drug you have readily available -- good ole O2??


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## Noctis Lucis Caelum (Aug 9, 2009)

I remember one of my skills instructor told me he had motion sickness and he took meds for about 3 months.  After that, the motion sickness went away when he gets use riding in the back of the ambulance.  Just know your not the only one out there friend


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 9, 2009)

*Urp.*

There was just a great Mythbusters episode on various Motion Sickness remedies. If I recall correctly, the only cures that showed some results were ginger and the OTC drugs.

There's a good article on Motion Sickness and the various cures and their efficacy here.


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## BossyCow (Aug 9, 2009)

Sometimes smelling an alcohol wipe will ease the nausea, at least one of our members swears by it. I am blessed to be able to read while seated in a backwards facing seat in a diesel bus without car sickness. I have a friend who due to a diving accident some years ago suffers from it terribly. She calls shotgun for the ride home on the way to the call. She's had to use the emesis bags more than any patient I've seen.


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## medichopeful (Aug 9, 2009)

JustMarti said:


> They do make wrist bands that help with motion sickness.
> When we got our newest rig I had problems getting used to the "new vehicle" smell and the difference in how it rode down the highway.
> I used the bands (which had a pressure point on the inside of the wrist) to help ease my stomach.
> I can now write reports and all without being sick.



Yeah, I've heard of those.  I will definitely look into them.


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## medichopeful (Aug 9, 2009)

Noctis Lucis Caelum said:


> I remember one of my skills instructor told me he had motion sickness and he took meds for about 3 months.  After that, the motion sickness went away when he gets use riding in the back of the ambulance.  Just know your not the only one out there friend



Don't worry, I know I am not the only one 

Yeah, I was thinking of starting off on the meds (Dramamine, non-drowsy), and then slowly weaning myself off of them until I can do it without help.  I think I will basically use the meds to get myself used to the motion of the ambulance.  After that, I should be good.  If not, I can always go back to the meds, as they are OTC.

Thanks for the info!  Glad to know my plan actually worked for somebody :blush:


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## medichopeful (Aug 9, 2009)

medic417 said:


> OK OP you are our study subject.  Start with the cheapest which is the candy let us know if it works.  Then get the pressure point bracelet.  Then the prescription.  And whatever else was suggested that allows you to legally and safely work..  Let us know.  Is that scientific testing in practice or what?



Sounds good.  I will take copious notes on the process, documenting how I feel on each one.  Of course, if it doesn't work, the paper may be a little soggy and discolored...



I don't think I will need an actual prescription.  I have used Dramamine in the past, and it worked perfectly.  It let me read in the car, something I previously wasn't able to do. B)

OTC medications can not be regulated by an employer, correct?  Clearly, I don't want to abuse them.  I just want to know if I can take them without needing some sort of "waiver."  

Sorry for the triple post!


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## Sizz (Jun 8, 2010)

medichopeful said:


> Yeah, I was thinking of starting off on the meds (Dramamine, non-drowsy), and then slowly weaning myself off of them until I can do it without help.



Since when do they have a "non drowsy formula? They have regular and less drowsy formula which is only have the amount 25mg. I'm asking because I'm having the same issue on many back to back runs and or 30+ transports and I'm concerned with Medic school coming up and my internship I'd like to get it somewhat under control. It's not to bad if I'm not on the long hauls or being paged out with back to back calls. I've taken some generic ginger root supplement which helped a very little bit, what can the doctor prescribe that does not cost a fortune that works any better than Dramamine without drowsiness? Thanks in advance


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## lightsandsirens5 (Jun 8, 2010)

Hey I know this thread is like a year old, but I have to say this......OP, you could go to NAS Whiting Field in Pensacola FL and ask to get put through the spin-and-puke until you were cured. Worked for a friend of mine who joined the Navy to fly helos. He got terribly motion sick. But they put him in the machine several hours a day for like a week and it cured him. 

In all seriousness though, I have found I just have to work through it. I uesd to get motion sick bad in the back. If it is a slow run I'll take a breath or two of O2. On a busy run I'll smell an alcohol pad. I don't know if either thing really works, but it at least makes me think I am doing something. Most of the time now I can fight back actually puking. Doesn't ease the nausea any though. I think it just is taking time. There have been one or two calls way out like 50 miles that I have been able to handle with no nausea so far. Maybe someday I'll be over it.


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