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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
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#12
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
"Jack" None wrote in message u... I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. Motion sickness is partly physical but mostly mental. I think that I am a very typical pilot in that as long as I am the one on the controls, I am unlikely to suffer. But shortly after someone else takes the controls and does a few "whoop-de-doos" all bets are off! Encourage your instructor to keep demonstrations brief, and to "talk you through" maneuvers whenever possible rather than demonstrating, even if that slows your progress a bit. The best medicine for motion sickness is continued exposure to the conditions that cause it. Most likely, you will soon get used to the sensations of flight and your problems will gradually fade away. Until then, do whatever seems to help. Vaughn |
#13
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
On Nov 9, 6:26*am, "Vaughn Simon"
wrote: "Jack" None wrote in message u... I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. * *Motion sickness is partly physical but mostly mental. *I think that I am a very typical pilot in that as long as I am the one on the controls, I am unlikely to suffer. *But shortly after someone else takes the controls and does a few "whoop-de-doos" all bets are off! *Encourage your instructor to keep demonstrations brief, and to "talk you through" maneuvers whenever possible rather than demonstrating, even if that slows your progress a bit. * *The best medicine for motion sickness is continued exposure to the conditions that cause it. *Most likely, you will soon get used to the sensations of flight and your problems will gradually fade away. *Until then, do whatever seems to help. Vaughn Ginger is a proven remedy for many people. Those not responding to tablets have found that chewing ginger root works. Give it a try. Mike |
#14
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
Jack - email me if you are interested in trying that watch.
Colleen |
#15
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
On Nov 9, 7:10*am, "Jack" None wrote:
I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have seen some adds about wristbands that look like a watch, they electrically stimulate the median nerve and are supposed to prevent motion sickness, since they do not have any side effects and the intensity is adjustable it seems to be the ideal solution for me, I can gradually lower the intensity until I am used to it. I would be *very* cautious about using any drugs to combat motion sickness, and personally I would seek advice from a doctor that is qualified to give medical advice on aviation matters. My daughter also suffers from motion sickness, particularly after thermalling for a while or when spinning to lose height She finds that she gets some comfort from some cheap-n-cheerful wristbands ($10) consisting of an elasticated strap with a plastic bobble about 1cm in diameter and 0.5cm thick. That bobble is placed on a specific spot on the wrist. I was (and continue to be) sceptical that it can have any benefit, but I'm not going to tell her that I'm lucky: air sickenss hasn't been a problem for me, but I'm not completely immune. I'm most likely to experience the beginnings of nausea when I'm not flying the aircraft and when I'm looking sidewards in turbulence. Looking straight forward has helped me. They say that many pilots suffer from motion sickness, so don't give up hope too soon. |
#16
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
Jack None wrote:
I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. I really feel for you. I have struggled with motion sickness as well, although from your description it seems that mine is not as much of a problem. When I first started taking lessons it worried me a lot because I had a history of motion sickness. At the time I had even given up on long-distance bus travel because they simply made me feel terrible. But I wanted to fly enough that I decided to give it a shot, and everything was fine. Later on I started flying a 1-26 and for some reason this started making me feel bad again. Fortunately for me it seems that it's *only* the 1-26 that regularly makes me feel sick. I have been sick in other gliders, but it's rare and there's always some reason for it, like being overly tired, or that one exciting time my canopy completely frosted over in rotor. I don't know what it is about the 1-26, but I theorize that it's related to the very upright and squished (I'm pretty tall) posture I have in it, and the very large instrument panel that covers up my view. I decided to simply not fly the 1-26 anymore, because I have lots of other good options. But before I decided that, I spent some time trying to solve the problem in other ways, partly because it took me some time to realize that I was only getting sick in the 1-26, and partly because I really enjoyed flying it. Keep in mind that motion sickness is largely (entirely?) psychological, and so that to an even greater extent than many other medical problems, it varies greatly depending on the individual. Here's what I tried: - Crystallized ginger. Highly recommended. Works pretty well, tastes good, and makes a good snack even if you don't need it in the air. I know you mentioned ginger tablets, but this may have an advantage simply because you get to taste the stuff, and the taste may help. - Drinking more. Getting dehydrated in flight was not helpful! Of course this is bad anyway. I started carrying a camelbak along with me, and that helped. - Eating more/less/differently. I played around with what I ate, and when, and how much, both for lunch around flight time and for breakfast in the morning, and this helped as well. - Contact lenses. I normally wear glasses, and I found that I'd often get distracted by the frame of my glasses and this would make things get worse fast. Wearing contacts gets rid of the frame, and I found a pair of gigantic cheap sunglasses for when it's sunny that keeps the frame safely out of view. This made a big difference. - Sleep more. I found that for me, fatigue was a huge factor. I once got very rapidly sick in a Grob 103 (which was normally just fine for me) after a busy week at a technical conference. - Follow the controls if somebody else is flying. This obviously wasn't a make-or-break for me since I mainly had problems in a single-seater, but it still seems like a good thing to do. If the other guy is flying, keep your hand lightly (lightly!) on the stick and follow what he's doing. Above all else ensure that you never interfere with his flying, but a light touch can help ensure that you keep your brain informed of what movements are coming. And once again, just remember that these were my personal experiences and yours may (probably will) vary. But I hope that might give you some ideas. Lastly, you'll probably simply get better with time, as you acclimate. In the lesson you desrcibe, you say that you were doing fine until the instructor took over and flew some steep thermalling turns. This can be pretty hard on the inner ear! It's no surprise that this caused you to feel bad. Rather than focusing on how you got sick in these pretty trying conditions, think about how well you were doing up to that point. Eventually you should be able to do these more extreme maneuvers without any trouble either, but just work up to it. You asked about the electronic wristbands. I tried one of those as well, it didn't do anything for me. I borrowed one from a club-mate for a try, you may want to ask around and see if anyone in your area has one you could borrow. It actually belonged to his wife, and she absolutely swears by it. From what I've read, they have highly variable success depending on the individual. It's certainly worth a shot if you can borrow one, or buy one from a place with a good return policy. -- Mike Ash Radio Free Earth Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon |
#17
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
Michael Ash wrote:
Jack None wrote: I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. I really feel for you. I have struggled with motion sickness as well, although from your description it seems that mine is not as much of a problem. [snip snip] Forgot to mention: try not to move your head around too much. Slow, smooth motions only if you can. (Obviously if moving your head quickly is required for safe operation, then move your head quickly.) You want to avoid sharp inputs to your vestibular canals. Hold your head steady when you can, and move it slowly and smoothly when you need to. Good luck! -- Mike Ash Radio Free Earth Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon |
#18
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
Scopolamine is very effective but one of the side effects is reduced accommodation. Thus your near vision will be blurred and if you are far sighted (hyperopic) your distance vision will be affected as well. This might be okay on a boat but not when piloting an aircraft. I would suggest avoiding any pharmaceutical if you are PIC. Keep trying. Paul ZZ Willy VINKEN wrote: No Jack, they don't. Or at least, there is no scientific evidence that proves they might. Nevertheless, everything that derives attention can prevent motion sickness. Even having spent a lot of money for a gadget. The worst situation is when you keep thinking motion sickness will happen. Keep trying, and things will improve. Drugs like cinnarazine or domperidone might help in between. NASA even experimented with scopolamine. Those are not trademarks, but international nonproprietary chemical names. Trademarks are different in different countries. The more efficient they are, the more side effects they have... But still, they might be a suitable solution for transition. Your instructor is always behind you, so some lack of concentration isn't dramatic, and you still keep acquiring reflexes. After all, this is what basic learning to fly is all about. Open the window a bit, get some fresh air blowing in your face, and concentrate on flying. And believe me, half an hour in the air, working hard, is more than enough for a beginner to be exhausted. Longer flights simply add 'minutes in the cockpit', but don't improve your skills. Willy VINKEN Medical doctor, diving instructor and glider pilot. And having seen a lot of motion sickness... On Sun, 9 Nov 2008 18:10:01 +1100, "Jack" None wrote: I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. Today in a lesson we had very good conditions, for the first time I was able to really play and experiment with the glider without stress or time constraints, various banks in thermals, near stalls, trim various speeds etc... I was able to get back to thermals to go back to 4-5000ft, I had all these thing I was planning on learning/improving and today was the perfect day for it but after 30 min the instructor tried to show me how to thermal with a high bank and in 2 spins I started to feel bad, I took the controls again but 1 minute later I was sweating, my focus and concentration were gone. We had to waste 5000ft gliding straight down with brakes out. My disapointment was huge, I was upset with myself and questioned if I should have stayed and fought it but with hindsight I feel we did the right thing to land. I understand that I will probably get used to it but from a learning point of view only doing short flights will slow down my progression and from a financial point of view, well a 15min or 1 hour flight cost the same... I have seen some adds about wristbands that look like a watch, they electrically stimulate the median nerve and are supposed to prevent motion sickness, since they do not have any side effects and the intensity is adjustable it seems to be the ideal solution for me, I can gradually lower the intensity until I am used to it. Now the question, "do they really work ?" they are not cheap, about the cost of 4 x 3000ft tow so I would appreciate if someone who used them can comment. Cheers Jack |
#19
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
With so many esteemed people saying otherwise, I'm almost ashamed to tell
you that the "ReliefBand" works quite well for me, on the few occasions I've tried it. I carry one in my power plane for passenger use and it seems to be effective on those who've needed it. One thing for sure, though, is it is necessary to put the thing on *before* the onset of symptoms, then just push the button to turn it on if or when it's needed. The last thing you want to do is be fiddling with getting it on your wrist inside the cockpit when your tummy is feeling queasy. It's also important to read and follow the directions carefully, as precise placement is critical. 38 customer reviews at: http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilots...FQQCagodHnCiOQ bumper |
#20
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wristbands for air sickness, do they work ?
Jack
I started flying (stiff wing) in late 30's and experienced intermittent nausea for many hours. While all of my experience has been in powered aircraft, I can offer some suggestions from my decades of flying. In no particular order: 1. Keep cockpit COLD as possible. 2. Direct as much airstream as possible on face. 3. Dress to stay cool. 4. You fly the aircraft (minimum passenger time). 5. Stay busy flying bird (no time to get sick). 6. Make sweeping gentle maneuvers. You may fall out of a thermal but that is price of getting body acclimated. 7. I don't have the data at hand any more but watch what you eat, no hot spicy, amount and how close to flight time. May find some info on Google? Sucking on some peppermint Life Savers sometimes helps. Chew gum. 8.Have ur ears checked. ENT Doc might determine an anomaly he can fix. Check inner ear on Google for history of nausea. Check NASA for what they do/recommend for nausea. What do they do in their zero"G" trainer aircraft. 9. Sched ur flights in early morning when air is cool and minimum thermals to bump you around. Know this is not best glider time but you are trying to get over ur air sickness problem. Stay out of rough air as aggravates air sickness. 10. Carry a kit with you: Zip Lock bags to catch barf. Will keep you clean and remove smell from cockpit. Use instead of diving back to land. Wet wipes to clean face and lips after barfing. Store in a Zip Lock after using. Possibly small bottle of mouth wash to remove taste from mouth. 11. AND. Years ago, before TV and Internet, we had a game we played. We would take a broom and hold bristles against our chest and spin around as fast as possible looking up handle for 10-20 times in evening on the grass when stars came out. We then would throw broom on ground and try to jump over it. Was impossible to do as you always seemed to jump 90 degrees from direction you wanted to go. You might try this 'game' every day to give ur body the exposure to the inner ear vs eye sight difference which you experience in flight and is the root cause of nausea. All of these recommendations are little or no cost except for the Doc visit. Hope perseverance pays off for you and you can start enjoying your flying. Big John Older than mud ) My list of actions is not all inclusive. Many other things have been suggested to you and can also be tried. ************************************************** ***************** On Sun, 9 Nov 2008 18:10:01 +1100, "Jack" None wrote: I am learning to fly gliders and I struggle with motion sickness. I have tried: - Ginder tablets, it helped but I was still a bit nauseaus. - Motion sickness tablets, they affect my awareness and concentration. - Chewing various things, best was beef jerky (not a joke) it helps but still not good enough. Today in a lesson we had very good conditions, for the first time I was able to really play and experiment with the glider without stress or time constraints, various banks in thermals, near stalls, trim various speeds etc... I was able to get back to thermals to go back to 4-5000ft, I had all these thing I was planning on learning/improving and today was the perfect day for it but after 30 min the instructor tried to show me how to thermal with a high bank and in 2 spins I started to feel bad, I took the controls again but 1 minute later I was sweating, my focus and concentration were gone. We had to waste 5000ft gliding straight down with brakes out. My disapointment was huge, I was upset with myself and questioned if I should have stayed and fought it but with hindsight I feel we did the right thing to land. I understand that I will probably get used to it but from a learning point of view only doing short flights will slow down my progression and from a financial point of view, well a 15min or 1 hour flight cost the same... I have seen some adds about wristbands that look like a watch, they electrically stimulate the median nerve and are supposed to prevent motion sickness, since they do not have any side effects and the intensity is adjustable it seems to be the ideal solution for me, I can gradually lower the intensity until I am used to it. Now the question, "do they really work ?" they are not cheap, about the cost of 4 x 3000ft tow so I would appreciate if someone who used them can comment. Cheers Jack |
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