Queasy Friends and Family.

[aviatoreb]

Anyone here have queasy friends or family?

 

My middle son Loves airplanes and all things aviation - in theory.  This is my son who I mentioned last month qualified to go the intel international science fair for his project in aerospace engineering, which is what he wants to be when he grows up.

 

But he gets nausea every time he flies in a real airplane.  He threw up on the 727 ride on the way to Pheonix for the Intel.  Today he threw up when I flew him home from a bike race in southern NY.  I sometimes don't fly by make the long drive because I know he gets that - but I just didn't have time this time - its a 5 hour drive just to get to the race site and we actually were back home 5.5 hours after leaving the house (including driving the airport, pulling airplane out of the hangar....flying, renting car...driving to race...doing race...then reverse home).  That's hard to resist.

 

He held it together on the way down, but I know a bit of naseau saps your energy to race.  And he was a trooper on the way home as it was unusually bumpy on the way back and what do you know we had gusts to 20 orthogonal the runway up return home and somehow he held it together - well I gave him perhaps my best every strong gusty day smooth landing and on roll out I said to him, not so bad for a bumpy ride landing, and he says to me - barf bag quick! Managed to keep my wits and finish the roll out, but on a quiet rural airport, I did a full stop on the runway and reached back for the bag....and he did his business.

 

Next month I have been telling him I want to take him to KJYO for the short drive to KDIA for the new air-space museum which he would LOVE.  This boy LOVES airplanes and all things aeronautical - except actually flying. 

 

What can I do for him?

[omega708]

There are some physicians on the board that can probably explain things better, but most people notice a significant reduction in motion sickness / nausea if they take an antihistamine prior to the activity that typically causes motion sickness / nausea.

 

I have  few friends that get motion sickness and I always have them take a Zyrtec (or the generic form of it) about an hour before we fly.  Benadryl / Dramamine helps most people, but it makes them lethargic, but Zyrtec seems to do the trick without any of the nasty side effects.  I learned this little trick while on a road trip with a buddy of mine.  He was driving and he had me look up some information in a packet that he'd printed out for the trip.  Normally, I cannot read while on the road without getting nauseous or at least a splitting headache, but I noticed that it didn't seem to bother me that day.  So I pulled out a flying magazine and read it cover to cover with no issues.  That's when I realized that I had taken a Zyrtec earlier in the day due to some seasonal allergies, which only bother me about 2 weeks out of the year.

 

As pilots, we're not supposed to take Zyrtec and fly even though it doesn't cause drowsiness in most people.  However you can take Allegra, which doesn't work quite as well for me, but it does help.

 

I passed this trick on to another friend the historically got severe nausea on even the smoothest commercial flights, now it's smooth sailing for him.

 

Hopefully this will help! Good Luck!

[carusoam]

First try the wrist bands. Some how they work for some people. It's a brain trick I believe.

Second go with the boy solution. Celebrate the ZipLoc barf bag. Look at what went in there like a science project. This minimizes the stress caused by blowing chow in dad's airplane. High fives for getting it all in the bag. The younger they are, the better this works. It's another brain trick.

Otherwise, fly Mooney high for smoothness, steep drop to pattern altitude minimizing time in the bumps, reminding them eyes straight and out the windshield, no matter what... Air blowing on their faces if possible.

Fly often...

This is what worked for me with my family in the C. They forgot the techniques, or didn't need them when we moved to the R.

Best regards,

-a-

[N601RX]

Keep him cool, cold air in his face. Keep him occupied so he doesn't think about it (Let him fly).

Phenergan and Zofran both work well, but requires a perscription and makes some people drowzey.

[DonMuncy]

Exposure will eventually take care of virtually all of it. I got airsick throughout my early training. I occasionally used dramamine which worked, but zonked me out. During instrument training I got sick several times, almost always under the hood, seldom in actual. Some of it may be mental, as I have never been sick when I was solely responsible. (ie. alone or carrying a non-pilot passenger) 

[aviatoreb]

Thanks all.  Zyrtec eh?  Very interesting.  He does seem to respond to dramamine but it does zonk him out.  We will definitely try that!  Thanks.

 

Tried the wrist bands - none in the family report it works.

 

I did and I do climb as quickly as possible and I can climb very quickly in the rocket and I save the descent until the very end like today to stay in the smooth air at 10,000 - so the middle of the flight was very smooth - but it only takes a few minutes of significant bumps to bump his stomach.  Actually I was surprised on the 727 to Pheonix last month - it was silky smooth but about 3 hrs in he got sick.

 

Interestingly he does not seem to have any anxiety.  And he is used to that he gets sick flying so he just takes it in stride.  And he is skilled at the art of the barf bag and keeping my airplane clean!  He does not get sick in cars.

 

Actually, my youngest 12 year old son once in a while gets gets nauseous but rarely sick.  So when I fly with him, I fly high and he always falls asleep.  Like two weeks ago on a 2.5 hour trip I went up to 13500 and he went right to sleep and then I put on my O2.  He woke up 2 hrs later refreshed on descent.

 

So my wife and youngest are prone to air sickness but can usually keep it together.  My middle boy gets it pretty severe every time.  My oldest (16) does not have a hint of it and is every weekend wanting me to take him fishing someplace far away - and I have never had a hint of it.  So I tend to think it has some kind of thing you are born with.  Likewise when we went whale watching a couple of years ago - maybe 100 people were on the boat. With the sea waves, by the time we got to where the whales are 30 or 40 miles out to sea, I bet 80 of those 100 people were down below too sick to move or look at any whales, including the three above in my family.  My oldest son and I were up above enjoying the whales with the 20 other survivors of the sea-sicknes-plague.

 

People ask me how come I have a 4 seater airplane with 5 people in the family....I just don't see all hands on deck trips with the whole family with three of them reluctant travelers.  We live in a remote rural area so sometimes it is just too convenient not to travel with me to drop them off somewhere (my middle son again next month at science camp - 250 miles away - easy in a Mooney).  I would be really afraid of the air-sick-plague attacking my upholstry of an A36 or twin or something if they all started getting each other sick if they are are already 3 of them quesy.  :-O  I can handle one at a time maybe.  :-)

 

I had a lovely anniversary fly-to-dinner with my wife on Wednesday - folding bikes out the airport gate and all.  She has improved dramatically over the years.

[aviatoreb]

Keep him cool, cold air in his face. Keep him occupied so he doesn't think about it (Let him fly).

Phenergan and Zofran both work well, but requires a perscription and makes some people drowzey.

 

Thanks - cool air I know.

Those drugs I do not - I will look into them.

[aviatoreb]

Exposure will eventually take care of virtually all of it. I got airsick throughout my early training. I occasionally used dramamine which worked, but zonked me out. During instrument training I got sick several times, almost always under the hood, seldom in actual. Some of it may be mental, as I have never been sick when I was solely responsible. (ie. alone or carrying a non-pilot passenger) 

 

That's interesting.  I know a certain CEO of a well known aerospace company and a 6,000hr pilot - I shouldn't identify him since it is not my right to do so - but he told me that he dreamed of flying and when he finally got a chance to fly as a teenager he was horrified to find out he got severely airsick.  He said he gutted it out and it was gone by 500 hours or so.

[aviatoreb]

First try the wrist bands. Some how they work for some people. It's a brain trick I believe.

Second go with the boy solution. Celebrate the ZipLoc barf bag. Look at what went in there like a science project. This minimizes the stress caused by blowing chow in dad's airplane. High fives for getting it all in the bag. The younger they are, the better this works. It's another brain trick.

Otherwise, fly Mooney high for smoothness, steep drop to pattern altitude minimizing time in the bumps, reminding them eyes straight and out the windshield, no matter what... Air blowing on their faces if possible.

Fly often...

This is what worked for me with my family in the C. They forgot the techniques, or didn't need them when we moved to the R.

Best regards,

-a-

 

Thanks - yeah thankfully he is a good "shooter" when it comes to barfing in the bag.  I have been using those coffee bags by the way that you get gourmet coffee - they are a good size shape and stiffness, and lined.

 

Eyes out the window is right - that is something I learned of the one and only time I ever got sea sick when out at sea in a navy destroyer - down below deck - I was advised to go up on deck and look at the horizon.  It works - conflict between your inner ear saying you are moving and your visual down below that says the room is standing still.

 

This was the main problem for my youngest I figured out after awhile - he is short that when he sits in the seat he really cannot see out the window to the horizon - not even the side window.  Building him higher up with pillows fixed that and his air sickness significantly.

[JoeSpeed]

I have been a pilot for 25 years and I get a little quezy if I am a passenger. Especially in boats and the back of cars or buses. But if I am in control of the boat car or airplane it's never a problem.

I would guess its because my brain knows what's going to occur before it does.

Maybe let you son take the controls on the cruise portion and see if that helps,

Don't let it discourage him, and take it easy on the controls and weather.

An old airline guy told me " he tries to fly in such a way that the business guy in back never looks up from his paper even on landing"

[rainman]

I recall a physician in Florida that used to prescribe Scopamine patch for airsickness / seasickness / motion sickness. I'd suggest having your son see an experienced flight surgeon (a RAM would be great) and get through the first pile of hours flying without the nausea. At some point he'll be past it without the need for meds. (RAM, Residency in Aerospace Medicine).

[DonMuncy]

Not really off topic, what is the consensus on the battery powered wrist bands. I have one, but have never used it myself. I loaned it to a CFI who had his wife use it on an international trip. He said it helped her. I would like to hear about other's results.

[scottfromiowa]

Not really off topic, what is the consensus on the battery powered wrist bands. I have one, but have never used it myself. I loaned it to a CFI who had his wife use it on an international trip. He said it helped her. I would like to hear about other's results.

They work. Both wife and brother have used with success. Bonine works too. Glad I have never suffered from symptoms. Down low in chop when it is 80 plus degrees is an acquired taste for sure...

[Skywarrior]

Teach him to fly. Knowing you're in control helps a lot.

[Greg]

A friend went into the US Navy, he would get sea sick air sick just sick so they put him in the spin machine ( a huge centrifuge ) after a  week or two of that he was over it, never got sick again.  The wrist bands are called Sea Bands position them so the ball puts pressure on the vagus nerve (between the  two big tendons in the wrist)  sometimes it works.

[aviatoreb]

Teach him to fly. Knowing you're in control helps a lot.

 

Actually - that is what seems to have helped my wife.  She said she was feeling very powerless with no idea what all the stuff I was doing.  2 hours of dual instruction pinch hitter and she has a whole new attitude.  She was having fun and for a moment there I thought she might go the whole way.

 

Hmmmm...I never thought of that for my middle boy....I will broach the topic.

[aviatoreb]

Not really off topic, what is the consensus on the battery powered wrist bands. I have one, but have never used it myself. I loaned it to a CFI who had his wife use it on an international trip. He said it helped her. I would like to hear about other's results.

 

What are you talking about - can you link me to the product you are talking about?

[DonMuncy]

Try Aeromedix Reliefband

[rainman]

Greg, the Vagus nerve is a cranial nerve that runs from brain down your neck into your thorax, not down your arm to your wrist. Just wanted clear that up.

[aviatoreb]

Try Aeromedix Reliefband

 

I put that into google and came up with this review on avweb:

http://www.aeromedix.com/aeromedix_articles/reliefband/

 

Huh - I guess I am buying one!  Seems crazy it would work but the investment is low and the side effects are even lower so with good pireps I'll give it a try.

[RJBrown]

Just got back from a cruise to Alaska. The wife wore the battery powered band the whole time. She thinks it works.

[DonMuncy]

I would appreciate a pirep on the Reliefband. If you know anyone who tends toward airsickness who would be willing to do a test "with and without" the band, I think it would be a great thing to know. As I said, I have had one available for a significant period of time and have not been able to get much of a read on it.

[Bill_Carter]

There is a product called Motion Eaze. It is some sort of essential oils that you rub behind your ears. No drugs involved. I have used it when on the sea and other times. It always worked for me. You can get it at Walmart.

[1964-M20E]

Get him flying the plane.  I was on my long solo cross country getting bumped around and not feeling well.  I kept my head up and flew the plane.  Looking down reading the charts was causing me grief.

[eaglebkh]

I've had lots of success with the little adhesive dots that go behind the ear.  I only get motion sickness on boats or as a back seat passenger.  I even used one deep sea fishing and never had a spell (1 hr boat, 4 hrs of fishing, 1 hr return trip).