First jump - felt sick

[horrorshow 0]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and new to skydiving. I did my first jump (tandem) last weekend, but it didn’t go too well. I felt sick during the fall and actually threw up before even landing (luckily the instructor had a bag handy). I was going to take up AFF course and I am still enthusiastic about the sport, but not sure if I can handle it. I even feel sick when I travel backwards in a car or train. Can I somehow prevent the nausea? Is it something that will go away after a few jumps?

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

[regulator 0]

Try this...

http://www.transdermscop.com/

I had a buddy of mine that had such a weak stomach that every morning when he would take a shit, he'd smell it and barf all over himself. Hopefully your stomach isn't that weak.

[dunesurfer 0]

It might go away, it may not. It may be best to try to condition yourself to disorienting situations another way and see what happens. Spending time on carnival rides would be cheaper than stepping up for AFF only to find out the nausea is with you to stay.
Or, just get used to throwing up a lot.

[councilman24 36]

It's not unusual at all for first jump student to be sick. One, it's often hot in the airplane, two it's a small plane with more motion, three often you can't look out. So it may start with motion sickness. But, the excitment and stress of the first jump often overwhelms a person and they become ill. Sometimes it's because they haven't eaten much in anticipation of the jump.

Every year it's takes me a few plane rides to feel okay in the plane. After I'm out I'm usually fine but sometimes a hot day and no food makes me a little green.

Don't stop now. IF some of the antinausea medication doesn't affect you otherwise that's one option. But you'll most likely get used to it, it won't be so overwhelming.

Go ahead with starting the AFF. Talk to you instructors ahead of time about it. There are things we can do to help.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[indyz 1]

Nausea on tandems is not uncommon. Even after a couple thousand skydives, I avoid doing tandems from the student position because it makes me sick. I have never had even the slightest hint of nausea when I was in the instructor position or jumping solo.

If you are planning on doing another tandem, you can help prevent nausea by staying hydrated and eating something before you jump (don't stuff yourself, but don't jump on an empty stomach either). Dramamine may also help. The instructor can help by making sure the harness is adjusted properly. Some people also find that helping to steer the canopy can keep motion sickness under control (sort of like how the person driving the car never gets carsick).

If you want to do AFF, just go for it. Nausea isn't likely to be a problem for you.

[PhreeZone 14]

A lot of this can be the conditions leading up to the jump. Tandem harness if incorrectly adjusted will actually cut off blood flow to parts of the body and that can lead to sickness. Also what type of plane were you jumping from? I have seen people that get motion sick due to the airplane ride in some of the smaller Cessna 182/206 planes.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Guru312 0]

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Any advice will be highly appreciated.

Not necessarily advice but you may get a chuckle from this:

http://aicommand.com/PukeDuke.htm

As others have written, getting sick isn't uncommon. As a tandem "rider" you had no responsibility for your own safety. In an AFF situation YOU are the responsible person...even with instructors holding your hand, so to speak.

I think your sickness issue will lessen or disappear when you must focus on the issues of body position, ripcord pull and all the other things involved with making a skydive.

Looking at this another way, you have a very good opportunity to break my record which so far, over the last 30+ years, no one has ever attempted. I don't really want to relinquish my world record of parachuting night pukes but you may be that person.

Good luck.

Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

[horrorshow 0]

Thank you everybody for the suggestions! I don’t know what type of plane it was, but it was very small and we were packed in it like sardines. The harness was so tight that I still have red bruises on my shoulders. Add to it a long travel to the drop zone and a long wait on a hot day and you can imagine that it wasn’t the most pleasant experience. But it is encouraging to know that nausea is not uncommon problem and people cope with it. I am thinking of doing a static line jump now to see how my body reacts and will take it from there.

[ChrisL 2]

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Hi All,

I am new to this forum and new to skydiving. I did my first jump (tandem) last weekend, but it didn’t go too well. I felt sick during the fall and actually threw up before even landing (luckily the instructor had a bag handy). I was going to take up AFF course and I am still enthusiastic about the sport, but not sure if I can handle it. I even feel sick when I travel backwards in a car or train. Can I somehow prevent the nausea? Is it something that will go away after a few jumps?

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

I was pretty nauseated after my first tandem. My instructor had a chuckle on the ground and said I looked positively green :)

Never happened again though...

__

My mighty steed

[rehmwa 2]

2nd move (block 18 inter) of round 5 this weekend I started feeling pretty sick

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[airtwardo 6]

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2nd move (block 18 inter) of round 5 this weekend I started feeling pretty sick

Bottle 16 (of case 2) Saturday & I was a little dizzy for a minute...

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[skinnay 0]

I threw up right after 3 of 4 tandem jumps and felt a little sick after aff1, but after that I was fine. just jump, puke, repeat. you'll be fine.

[egloskerry 0]

I felt a touch nauseous after my tandem. Never had any problems since.

[happythoughts 0]

Lack of food sometimes.

I've seen people not eat, but drink a Red Bull.
They are so jittery that it was inevitable.

[horrorshow 0]

Actually I ate a sandwich not long before the take off. Also, I wasn’t really that scared or nervous, the only scary bit was when they opened the door and I realized I would be thrown out of the plane in a few seconds. I think I will take some pills before next jump.

[piisfish 135]

eat a banan before jumping. It's the only food whch has teh same taste going in or out.. Won't save the problem, but at least the taste isn't too bad.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[airtwardo 6]

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I think I will take some pills before next jump.

bring enough for everybody....

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Andy9o8 0]

Add to what everyone else has said:
Keep well-hydrated. Nausea is a common symptom of dehydration.

[jim_32766 0]

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I had a buddy of mine that had such a weak stomach that every morning when he would take a shit, he'd smell it and barf all over himself.

That's one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. I'm surprised Hollywood hasn't used that scenario in some comedy film. Priceless!

The meaning of life . . . is to make life have meaning.

[danielcroft 2]

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I think I will take some pills before next jump.

Try to make sure the pills won't have a negative affect on you *before* you jump.

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Keep well-hydrated. Nausea is a common symptom of dehydration.

And a common cause.

[jumprunner 0]

Hello. I came by your post and have the following solution. I believe that your problem is some form of motion type sickness, and can be readily solved by taking the over-the-counter drug Meclazine.

I would be highly surprised if that didnt stop sickness or nausea during a freefall, but Im almost 100 percent positive it will. I used to use this drug when I was in the Army, just before getting on a Huey (chopper), without it I would turn green and get pretty bad nausea, taking it about 30 minutes before I went up cured the problem and these pilots were really crazy...diving under treetops and shit.

Meclazine can be bought at any pharmacy or drugstore, and is over the counter so does not require a perscription as it did in the past (when I was using it)

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Spending time on carnival rides would be cheaper than stepping up for AFF only to find out the nausea is with you to stay.

5000 jumps, and I once almost puked on a kiddie ride with one of my kids. The name of the ride? The Paratrooper.

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Or, just get used to throwing up a lot.

Most DZ's have great parties where you can practice that.

[stclaire2003 0]

Im no expert but I bet most of it was in your head. Lets face it, your first jump is riddled with fear, anxiety and pressure. The ride is crowded and hot and the smell of jet fuel doesnt help either.

I bet your body just took all it could of the adrenaline rush. GO try another tandem.... I bet it goes MUCH better for you.

[horrorshow 0]

Thank you again guys! I am positive it was caused by motion sickness and something like Meclazine should help me, although obviously I will have to make sure there are no serious side effects before jumping.

[Reno1967 0]

I can sympathize completely. I was sick on my first tandem, in the car on the way home and for 2 days afterward. I went back the following weekend armed with Dramamine (the non-drowsy formula) and it worked like a charm.
I did a "few" more tandems and weaned myself off of the meds. 163 jumps later, it's never been an issue again.....Don't give up!

No regrets.....