Motion sickness

[chunder]

Hey guys

Was at the Nurburgring at the weekend, and hired a car to run on the track.

It was amazing, but after a few laps I started suffering from motion sickness, you know, nausea, sickness. And I couldnt get shake it, had to give the car back early. Obviously you might expect this as a passenger but not from driving as I was.

I have experienced this before in karts and cant usually last a long time in karts. I put this down to indoor, fumes etc, but I get it with karts every time. Never thought it would happen in a car. with windows open etc/

I think it is an inner ear thing, but I dont get it with normal driving, even hard driving.

I think it might be as I was secured in a seat with harness, in a kart also, not able to move body.

Anyone got any tips, ideas? As it is very frustrating to go all that way and not be able to fully enjoy the experience.

Thanks

[Down F0rce]

There is a brand of motion sickness pills called Stugeron. I've often heard them being used by road rally navigators and drivers. You may need to ask your GP for them though, not sure you get them "over the counter".

[andy97]

Be careful with Stugeron, it also induces sleepiness. That said, my father was prescribed it to help with his vertigo & he still drives.

[chunder]

Hey guys thanks

I was wondering if anyone has tried things like the pressure bracelets? Mum uses them as she gets the problem from being a passenger, it works for her so I might try that!

Not keen on medication, but also hard to test it as I cant keep going back every week!!

Interesting that there is someting near.

[Down F0rce]

I had a go at the pressure bracelets. They didn't do anything for me... not sure if it's a placebo or if it only works on certain people.

[chunder]

What were your symptoms fella?

I did 5 laps, not consecutive. I was nervous yes and hadnt eaten loads, but had drunk water and taken on fluids.

I thought the nerves would go away, but they stayed a but longer! Then when it got drier and I could push more the cornering brought it on and I got that pit of the gut nausea and would be sick if I carried on?

Same as in karting, few races then it comes along, every time I try.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by chunder

What were your symptoms fella?

I did 5 laps, not consecutive. I was nervous yes and hadnt eaten loads, but had drunk water and taken on fluids.

I thought the nerves would go away, but they stayed a but longer! Then when it got drier and I could push more the cornering brought it on and I got that pit of the gut nausea and would be sick if I carried on?

Same as in karting, few races then it comes along, every time I try.

That doesn't sound like motion sickness at all. Sounds more like a you are psyching yourself in to a stress/nervousness based sickness.

[chunder]

Maybe

But it also affects the karting stuff and I never get nerves doing that, quite to opposite.

But I do know what you mean.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by chunder

Maybe

But it also affects the karting stuff and I never get nerves doing that, quite to opposite.

But I do know what you mean.

Have you ever karted outdoors (i.e. no fumes) ?

Edit : When you say quite the opposite, do you get *very* excited prior to karting (more than at other 'exciting' times?), rather than nervous?

[chunder]

Yes mate, I tried them at Clay Pigeon, thought it might be vibrationjs from 4 strokes, and admittedly i HAVE NEVER TRIED A 2 STROKE.

I think it is inner ear, gonna try and see if doctor can recommend something. AS now I ahve the ring bug!!

[Lancsbreaker]

I have suffered "driver's motion sickness" symptoms at the mini-Nurburging (Cadwell) and know of others who have done so - my theory is that its the repeated vertical changes as you jump the Mountain followed by a rapid series of left-right wiggles.......Seems to be less of an effect at each visit, but I've only been there three times, IIRC.......

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by chunder

Yes mate, I tried them at Clay Pigeon, thought it might be vibrationjs from 4 strokes, and admittedly i HAVE NEVER TRIED A 2 STROKE.

I think it is inner ear, gonna try and see if doctor can recommend something. AS now I ahve the ring bug!!

I would. Does sound a bit inner eary (IANAD). Friend had food poisoning a while back, started suffering from balance issues, took over a year to get rid of it. You may have something a bit more low level that only exposes in extreme conditions. Do you get seasick? Or tried sailing on a yacht?

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by andy97

Be careful with Stugeron, it also induces sleepiness. That said, my father was prescribed it to help with his vertigo & he still drives.

Check the documentation on these as I think you are not supposed to drive after taking two of them.

[chunder]

I dont think it is anything to do with a food issue, the first tiem I went karting I had a huge fryup beforehand and put it down to my stupidity that I was sick, then next time was, and again etc.

the Cadwell thing sounds like it might be something to look at, the elevation at the Ring is more than you can imagine and i do remember geting some sort of strange tummy flutters as I was going round, perhaps that might be something, but then karting tracks are always flat!!! Hell why can't I just be able to diagnose something simple!!

[greenamex2]

I suffer motion sickness on certain theme park rides (I can do roller coasters all day long but last about 2 minutes in one of those simulator rides) and sometime on ships.

I find that a pair of those wrist bands helps but not always 100%

[mountainstar]

Here is a good way of explaining motion sickness:

http://www.racer.com/wirth-sim-sickn...rticle/196318/

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Denis Bassom

I suffer motion sickness on certain theme park rides (I can do roller coasters all day long but last about 2 minutes in one of those simulator rides) and sometime on ships.

I find that a pair of those wrist bands helps but not always 100%

There is one ride at Epcot Disney called Mission to Mars, or I guess now, Mission to Space. It puts people in a confined space and subjects them to G without any reference points. One boy has died on it and you can find reviews on line, but it makes people motion sick like crazy. I remember at the end of the ride a guy standing there with a mop and bucket ready to go. I never have much issue with motion sickness but I definitely was queasy after that one.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guide...fw-mission.htm

Personally I call it "Mission to Barf".

[RICHARD.T]

I was going to raise this topic as I suffer but I hopped tio get some more educated answers.
It is similar to sea sickness, brought on by the undulations in the track, so Cadwell is a track I do not race on as I always end up in the field being sick.
I take Stugeron, and they work for me, for Brands, Olton and Donington, and they do not affect me tierdness wise. I would normally take two when I get up, two an hour later, then two an hour later again making about six in total. The wrist bands do not work for me. The more you are in the car, such as racing/testing every day does help a lot and concentration is a key. Thus, racing, is best for concentration, but the slowing down lap or testing is worse.
Last year at Monaco, I had to stop before the end of both the quolifying sessions even though I had taken stugeron, (about 20 by the end of the day) and one anti vomit tablet. In the race I was ok, having taken about 6 stugeron and one anti vomit, until the saftey car came out and I started looking around. I finished 5th.
Has any body tried hipnosis or acupuncture?
Sensible answers please.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by TWRv12

Check the documentation on these as I think you are not supposed to drive after taking two of them.

If it's the same as Dramamine it's like taking a sleeping pill. One place I work we stopped handing them out as students would practically pass out at the wheel. Helps cure your motion sickness but you are in a contented sleep as you launch off the road at 100 mph

They have a non drowsy version of Dramamine, but then that seems to make people animated, nervous and freaky in contrast.

[RICHARD.T]

Nice atrticle on simulaters. I tried one in preperation for Monaco but had to stoped before I had done one lap.
From what I can make out in the article, the more you do it the more your brain gets used to it.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by RICHARD.T

I was going to raise this topic as I suffer but I hopped tio get some more educated answers.
It is similar to sea sickness, brought on by the undulations in the track, so Cadwell is a track I do not race on as I always end up in the field being sick.
I take Stugeron, and they work for me, for Brands, Olton and Donington, and they do not affect me tierdness wise. I would normally take two when I get up, two an hour later, then two an hour later again making about six in total. The wrist bands do not work for me. The more you are in the car, such as racing/testing every day does help a lot and concentration is a key. Thus, racing, is best for concentration, but the slowing down lap or testing is worse.
Last year at Monaco, I had to stop before the end of both the quolifying sessions even though I had taken stugeron, (about 20 by the end of the day) and one anti vomit tablet. In the race I was ok, having taken about 6 stugeron and one anti vomit, until the saftey car came out and I started looking around. I finished 5th.
Has any body tried hipnosis or acupuncture?
Sensible answers please.

When you drive do you ever look down into the car completely with the outside view totally or mostly blocked out.

The only time I ever got motion sickness in all the driving I have done is we were doing reverse 180's and I was watching the pedals, cause the student kept hitting the brakes. And during the 180 degree turn, with my eyes not looking outside, all it took was a few seconds to induce serious nausea.

After I read Nick Wirths explanation and did some more reading up on it, I always make sure that if I have to look down into the car, I try to keep part of my vision looking outside the car. Haven't had a problem since.

[andy97]

There are numerous references to Stugeron being a possible cause of drowsiness on the net. I'm no Doctor, Richard, but I think 20 in a day may be excessive!

http://www.marinechandlery.com/fcked...s/stugeron.pdf

I think my father takes half or one tablet 3 or 4 times a day to help control his vertigo.

[RICHARD.T]

Not just looking down but just not looking or consentrationg on what is ahead and coming next. In a single seater it is dificult to look at the pedles.
20 is excessive.
The only time i feel drowsey is in the eavening, relaxing with a bottle of wine after the race but during the day you are running on adrenalin with no time to feel drowsey.
Quite a few people I have spoken to have felt sick from time to time, and I do work with instructors who have to sit next to drivers on track and they sometimes have problems depending on the track and driver.
Hunt used to get sick.
Appart from stugeron and regular driving, any other suggestions?

ps. excuse the spelling

[chunder]

My issue here is this.

I only get car sick as a passenger (and even then not all the time) in the back seat or in a front seat when a driver is unpredictable and not smooth. This must be a result of jerky movements to the head causing motion sickness. I can eb a passenger for hundreds of miles with a good driver and never feel a thing.

Driving a kart inside or outside I will be OK for a while, then say after 3 or 4 races I will start to feel a sickness in my stomach, not in my throat or anything, and will have to stop. Doesnt mater if I eat, drink lods anything, it always happens.

At the Ring, I was in a Swift, lowered, harsd suspension, semi slick tyres First few laps in the wet, going slowish due to tyres in wet and learning track for real. LAst lap was drying, I was much quicker, then the same thing, a few corners from home the sickness feeling came in.

After this I was so fed up I did a slow lap, it was still there. Went for a break, 2 hours, slow lap again was not as bad but still there. This could have been made worse by nerves and not eating a lot, but a full breakfast would have made things worse, I know this from experience.

Pills sound good, but dangerous on a track. Pressure rings is a cheap way to start.

I play sims a lot, never get the problem, what I would be like ona proper rig with jacks, actuators etc I dont know

[Austinspace75]

Maybe this'll help in some way;

I can relate to alot of what you describe though I've never had motion sickness at the wheel of anything - even at the ring. But I only need to look down to a map for a short period as a passenger and I start to feel woosy. Previous experiences of where this leads force me to look up again quickly!

But, I have noticed that sometimes the classic triggers don't always result in sickness. I remember once being on a choppy ferry crossing and starting to feel ill, but I somehow managed to convince myself that there was nothing wrong and no reason to feel this way. I completely recovered and had no further problem for the rest of the journey even though it got alot choppier.

Similarly, due to a work thing I once had to spend 3 hours trundling over the hills of Salisbury Plain in a Warrior Tank. It was hot, smelly, indescribably noisy and there was no way to see outside at any point - not that it would have made much difference as it was well after dark anyway. I knew as I got in what was likely to happen, but I also felt I might be able to find a way to deal with it. True enough, within minutes of heading off I was in trouble. The grin on the face of the Private sat playing minesweeper on the tank's data terminal whilst texting his mates got larger and larger as my face turned greener and greener! But, by a combination of fixing my attention on something vagualy interesting (his game of minesweeper) and moving with the vehicle rather than against it, I largely overcome the sickness and survived without emptying my guts and felt absolutely fine afterwards.

This has lead me to the view that motion sickness is indeed related to the disparity between what your eyes can see and what your ears detect, but that it can also be overcome - with a combination of psychological approach, determination and an acceptance that although it might make you feel a bit ill you really aren't and there's something better to be doing rather than focussing on the fact you're feeling ill.

Until you've experienced this, it'll be hard to believe. But I suggest deliberately putting yourself in a situation that triggers your sickness (in a safe manner of course), and trying to focus on something other than how you're feeling and just see whether you can start to develop your own control over it rather than the other way round.

Also, it might be worth reviewing where you're looking, how you move your head and how you visualise the road ahead when you're driving. There may be something in it that is exaggerated by particularly wiggly and swooping roads such as those at the ring. The first time I drove at Brands the dropout at the bottom of PH Bend made me feel a bit dizzy and disorientated. I found that by simply switching my focus from what I was feeling to concentrating on the entry to Druids, the symptoms completely disappeared.

Anyway, I don't know if that's any help but best of luck with it. You have my sympathies. I'm sure you'll find a way around it somehow ;-)