Chris,

My immediate thoughts about this motion sickness/fatigue problem made me wonder if any medical researchers ever looked into a cure for the problem, especially in light of the numbers of people who suffer from this disorder.

I can think of a couple of things which could offer fairly rapid results. First, for motion sickness, Meclizine. It’s an antivert product which for most has no side effects, unlike Dramamine which makes one sleepy almost instantly. Combine that with garlic tablets as the pharmacist told me and you will have a good sail. Both of these are available over the counter and are quite inexpensive.

For fatigue B12 and B6 are a tremendous energy booster and should probably be taken for at least a week before a sail and continued during the voyage. B12 like Vitamin C washes out of the body and especially so if you drink a lot of coffee. Those who have adequate in their bodies can literally walk into a room full of fleas and never get bitten. And B12 with B6 also calm the nerves.

And last, but not least, get a prescription for some kind of sleep medicine and that should guarantee more mental acuity.

Petra

GENERIC NAME: meclizine
BRAND NAMES: Antivert, Bonine
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Meclizine is classified as a histamine receptor blocker medication.
PREPARATIONS: tablets: 12.5mg (ANTIVERT), 25mg, 50mg (ANTIVERT).
STORAGE: Meclizine should be stored between 36 and 86 degrees F.
PRESCRIBED FOR: It is used for the treatment of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness associated with motion sickness. Meclizine is also possibly effective in the treatment of vertigo (balance disorder) related to diseases of the body's balance (vestibular) system.