Motion sickness anyone?

[FutureFlightMedic]

Yesterday I was riding along with my FD and we got a call for an MVA. It was a long way up a very windy road. (Ended up that the pt was out of our jurisdiction and we were called to return to quarters) I rode in the jump seat facing the back doors of the medic, and got that old "funny" feeling that I know so well from being a young kid riding around in the backseat looking at TIMBER. (my dad is a logger). I don't get the typical vomit type of car sick, instead, I just get that queasy, headachy, I-need-to-lie-flat feeling. Anybody else have this problem? Does it go away? Can I train myself to overcome it? I have, in the past, taken meclazine before a long day of observer ride alongs, and that helps tremendously. But now, as an EMT, I'm not sure I could do something like that, since it states on the label "may cause drowsiness". And, it has made me drowsy before, kind of like a dramamine, but less powerful. Any ideas would sure be appreciated...I should find out any day if I have been accepted into medic school, and I don't want this to ruin my carreer! Thanks again for any help!!

 

[ffemt8978]

We have several members in our department that get this, from the queasy to the projectile vomiters. We have one ambulance that this doesn't happen in though. Coincidentally enough, this is our only ambulance that has a passenger side window in the box area. Is it related? I don't know.

 

[Tincanfireman]

Occasionally I'll get a pt who gets nauseated on our intra-city (50 mi+) transfers. First course is to always get a red bio-bag out, just in case. While doing that, I'll tell them to look out the back windows at a point well behind the unit and take a few deep breaths. I'll also titrate lights and A/C to the person's preference (usually lights on low and A/C on med/high). Talking to them to get their minds off their queasiness helps too. I'll usually busy them with a set of vitals, then transition into conversation. The one time I told them to look out the side windows they blew lunch all over the place, so I'm not going there again...lol

 

[Flight-LP]

Well, I hate to be the one to rain on your parade, but if you get sick on the ground, the air is not going to be any better. If driving up a winding hill causes you to turn green, just imagine what a 40 knot windshear at 3000 feet off the deck is going to do to you. Or the summer density altitude that gives you the occasional "dropping out of the sky feeling" (its not uncommon to lose 100 or so feet when you hit a thermal on a hot summer day). Meclazine works great, but most employers would probably frown on using it oin duty. And you can forget using it in any flight job, the FAA prohibits it. Hopefully this is just a temporary issue, one that will rectify itself. Good luck.

 

[FutureFlightMedic]

Thanks everyone for writing back. I plan to get over this motion sickness thing, because I know I want to fly. Oddly, though, I did a 12hr ride-along with our local LifeFlight helicopter (had never been in a helo before), and never had the slightest bit of this. But that could've been because I was so excited, I didn't even bat an eye through the "if we all crash and burn" speech LOL!! You could have rolled a car over me and I woud have still wanted to go up! (Funny analogy-if I'd been rolled over by a car, I would have gotten a first class ticket to the cot!!) Anyway, the medic I was in had one side window that did seem to help; but I was still curious if I could train my visual/inner ear sense to not be sensitive to it. I have done many ride alongs with my dept, and this feeling never happens at night, and doesn't happen if I'm occupied w/ doing vitals and such. Maybe I just need to get tough!!

 

[rescuecpt]

I get sick on the ground sometimes, but never in the air (helo's are soooo much nicer than bumpy windy roads). The key for me is keeping busy - if I'm concentrating on something else, I don't get sick. Also, if you can, face forward, and sit near a window or air vent. Since I'm crew chief, I usually get to ride up front, where I'm fine. But when I'm in the back, I take a couple steps to make sure I'm ok. If you have a side entrance in your ambulance with the little window, sit on the bench next to it, and turn your torso to face forward. Open the window so you get a nice breeze on your face, and that should help a ton.

Good luck, I feel your pain!

 

[Jon]

One thing to try - twist your body around and try to look out the front...

 

[fyrdog]

I get car sick all time in the back of the ambulance. But only when I have nothing to do. Most of the time if I look out the front through the windshield it will go away. If gets really bad i take a med box or something and sit on it in the opening between the front and the back. Never had any trouble while I had to take care of a patient iin the back except for those long transfers. In Connecticut anything over 1/2 hour is long. On the out of state ones I try to drive unless its ALS.

What ever you do don't try to read a book or the newspaper back there that will really get you sick.

 

[Flight-LP]

I get car sick all time in the back of the ambulance. But only when I have nothing to do. Most of the time if I look out the front through the windshield it will go away. If gets really bad i take a med box or something and sit on it in the opening between the front and the back. Never had any trouble while I had to take care of a patient iin the back except for those long transfers. In Connecticut anything over 1/2 hour is long. On the out of state ones I try to drive unless its ALS.

What ever you do don't try to read a book or the newspaper back there that will really get you sick.

How are you monitoring your patient when you are facing forward sitting on the med box in between the cab and the box???

Reading a newspaper or book while patient loaded?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[rescuecpt]

Frydog stated that he doesn't have trouble when there is a pt in the back... I'm the same way.

 

[Flight-LP]

Frydog stated that he doesn't have trouble when there is a pt in the back... I'm the same way.

Not what he said, read it closely my friend. And if you are not pt. loaded, why on earth would you want to be in the back anyways, just sit up front.

 

[rescuecpt]

Alright, Frydog, please clarify. This is what I read:

Never had any trouble while I had to take care of a patient iin the back except for those long transfers.

 

[Jon]

Well... I spent plenty of time riding as a "third" person, before I was a "Primary" EMT or Crew Chief... I still occasionally jump a call and end up as an extra EMT on the truck, where I'm in back going to the scene.

Mind you, this is at the vollie squad.

At paid jobs, I've only ever been in the back without a patient when I was training myself, or training someone else.

 

[fyrdog]

How are you monitoring your patient when you are facing forward sitting on the med box in between the cab and the box???

Reading a newspaper or book while patient loaded?!?!?!?!?!?

First of all not all my patients are ALS. Second when I am in back with a patient I stay in back. As for monitoring the patient if it's the dialysis run with the hour transport and the patient wants to sleep is there really that much to monitor? So ya I may read the paper. Do they make the nurses stay in the room with a stable patient? No they get to sit at a desk, read a newspaper or even grab a quick snack.

 

[fyrdog]

Oh and BTW when I work in the intercept truck the ambulance crew is friendly enough to give me a ride back to my truck. So I ride in the back of the ambulance unloaded so the crew of the ambulance can ride up front.

 

[islandgal]

It's like being on a boat. If you can look at the horizon and focus on a point, it helps your equilibrium. Looking out the window helps your brain figure out whats going on (i.e. the movement). I know you can't always be looking out the window if you are in the back and attending to patient care, but look into remedies like ginger. Good luck

 

[FF894]

A lot of new people on my squad have this problem. All I can say is stick it out. It will go away. Fixing it is different for everyone. Some people have to loook out window, others you have to stay busy taking BPs or something, one guy has to write the trip sheet, some people just have AC blowing on their face. Just try to find what works for you. The Helo is a different feeling. Usually there is more going on and you dont notice. But you can definetly loose your stomach a time or two... Sharp, high bank turns are the best...

 

[Airwaygoddess]

what did you eat before your call? sometimes if a meal is too heavy or a little greasy it can make you toss your cookies, or too much coffee can also do that number on folks. If you can, try eating a couple of saltine crackers before a long drive/call. It helps!

 

[kevinemt662c]

There is a person on my squad who has exactly the same problem. She tries to sit up front when returning or going to the call. But, I am not sure what else to do. Sorry. Close your eyes help?

 

[BossyCow]

Someone I partnered with for a while had the same issue. No problem when focusing on a pt. but she is known to call "Shotgun" for the ride back on her way to a call. She got some of those armbands with the accupressure points on them. Swears they make a huge difference. Might be worth trying.