Getting sick on coasters....why me?

[outbackjack]

OK. Not sure what is happening......I'm now 40 years old and have ridden coasters my entire life.

 

Just recently, certain metal coasters give me the most unbelievable nausea in my stomach.

 

It's not a headache, but it's almost worse, as it stays with me for hours.

 

Now it's not a gray area, coasters either give it to me or they don't.

 

I could ride wooden coasters ALL DAY LONG.....love them, love them, love them.

 

Metal "speed and airtime" coasters I can ride all day long.

 

But anything that goes upside down....or sometimes even helixes like on Everest just immediately hit my stomach BAD.

 

Just got back from SFOG today, went with the kids so I thought I was invincible, and just LOVED Goliath, GASM and GC. Also DDD was fun and didn't shake me up.

 

Mindbender is just so fun even though the bottom of the second "Loop", the one that doesn't go upside down, begins my descent.

 

Then Batman, Scorcher and Superman......all just tore me to pieces.

 

Painfully so, thought I did them for the kids. Can someone tell me why I can handle the vibrations of any wood coaster, the air and speed of any metal speed coaster, but absolutely get torn to pieces on others that are smooth, like Batman?

 

Is there any hope, anything I can take, as I love all coasters, but this worries me that I won't be able to continue to do all types.

Edited June 16, 2011 by outbackjack

[outbackjack]

And forget Wheelie....there's no way.

[STR8FXXXINEDGE]

I can't help you, but I just want to say that is one of my biggest fears. I used to be able to ride the spin-n-puke rides, now just thinking about riding them makes me sick. I couldn't imagine what a bummer it would be for that to happen to ANY coaster! I'm sorry it's happening to you.

 

P.S. Could it be something with your equilibrium or vertigo? I think that stuff can be treated.

[John Knotts]

I went through something simliar a few years ago. It was so bad that I almost gave up riding...it was very depressing. Well I can honestly say my marathoning days are over, sadly. However I have come up with several ways to make coaster riding not such a problem anymore.

 

1) lots of sleep before a day at the park.

 

2) limit (or completely eliminate) coffee and caffinated drinks. The combination of coffee and extreme forces on the stomach do not mix as you get older. It's unfortunate but true.

 

3) Dramamine. I never set foot in a park without it.

 

4) lose weight, especially around the midsection. A build up of muscle in that area will give you extra stamina. If not, try to tighten your stomach muscles right as you hit those positive g's. Finally...

 

5) Get your inner ear checked. If it's an equilibrium problem. Your doctor can pinpoint the cause, because it might be something that can be treated.

 

It know it sounds very high maintainance to do all this stuff, but trust me it works!

[angryemobeaver]

I could ride anything as many times as I wanted, until an event at Kings Island (Ride Warriors Weekend). I rode Diamondback 19 times in a row. At about the 15th I felt sick, by the end of ERT, I was near throwing up. After that night I had trouble riding Diamondback even once, and marathoning coasters. I took Dramamine for a while and it started to go away. Now not only can I ride Diamondback as much as I want, I can ride ANYTHING, as much as I want! I can do spin and puke rides now too! I reccomemd Dramamine!

[capnkyle1]

I started having this same problem a few years ago as well - I could handle speed, hills, drops, turns, but loops were making me so sick. And I actually started to shy away from looping coasters to avoid ruining my day. Since then I've found that being in better shape has helped me last longer on park days and I echo the getting enough sleep tip. I also find that making sure that my stomach is full and that I'm well hydrated also prevents nausea for me. But I know my limits and if I'm going to a park on a hot day with some intense rides I always take Bonine beforehand. It's similar to Dramamine but without the drowsiness.

[ernierocker]

It is just your body telling you that you are not as young as you used to be! Like others have said, there are ways to limit the discomfort you are experiencing.

 

P.S. You might want to be more desciptive on your title. Because right now, it looks like you are telling everyone you are coming down with a cold. A more descriptive title will probably get you more views and responses.

[outbackjack]

Thanks for the ideas.

 

Ironically, the absolute worst one is Everest...maybe it's backwards, maybe it's the helix, but I have to concentrate BIG TIME to just keep it together after one ride.

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

[Xizor_Racer]

I am 43 and to this point as well. KI and CP are my regular parks. I can handle MF and DB and all the wooden coasters I can handle. Really brought it home for me last year on Invertigo. Got off that and felt like crap the rest of the day. But for some reason Firehawk does NOT have any effect on me. I haven't been able to handle the spinning rides since I was like 5 or 6.... a bad experience on a teacup ride...

 

I have found that getting to a cool spot, especially if it's a hot day, will help and for me the caffine helps as well.

 

Thanks for the other tips... will try them next time out!

[ilrider]

It happens to many of us in adulthood. I have to take Dramamine, as mentioned before, an hour before I start riding, or my day is ruined. Choose the less drowsy formula. It really works well!

[Anything]

I'm 26 and aren't feeling it yet, but on a park visit recently someone in my group that was 38 did say it gets worse as you get older, so this must be a general thing.

[Drachen77]

I haven't gotten to the point of feeling sick on coasters yet. I can even eat a full meal and go right on one. However, my lower back problems are affecting my riding habits big time. B&M's don't bother me too much but older rides, especially Arrows, really cause me a lot of pain.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

OK. Not sure what is happening......I'm now 40 years old and have ridden coasters my entire life.

 

Just recently, certain metal coasters give me the most unbelievable nausea in my stomach.

 

It's not a headache, but it's almost worse, as it stays with me for hours.

 

Now it's not a gray area, coasters either give it to me or they don't.

 

I could ride wooden coasters ALL DAY LONG.....love them, love them, love them.

 

Metal "speed and airtime" coasters I can ride all day long.

 

But anything that goes upside down....or sometimes even helixes like on Everest just immediately hit my stomach BAD.

 

Just got back from SFOG today, went with the kids so I thought I was invincible, and just LOVED Goliath, GASM and GC. Also DDD was fun and didn't shake me up.

 

Mindbender is just so fun even though the bottom of the second "Loop", the one that doesn't go upside down, begins my descent.

 

Then Batman, Scorcher and Superman......all just tore me to pieces.

 

Painfully so, thought I did them for the kids. Can someone tell me why I can handle the vibrations of any wood coaster, the air and speed of any metal speed coaster, but absolutely get torn to pieces on others that are smooth, like Batman?

 

Is there any hope, anything I can take, as I love all coasters, but this worries me that I won't be able to continue to do all types.

 

I've noticed the same sort of problems on rides like Dominator for instance.

 

Last time I rode a couple weeks ago I got off feeling a bit queasy,especially what with the ride's high speed rapid fire turns/final helix but didn't really have a problem on anything else other that triple spin.I think it has something to do with the bal;ance systems in our body not functioning as well with increased age as they did when we were younger as I've never really had this sensation on rides myself till just recently.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Never actually threw up from riding, but I've definitely felt like it before. Marathoning is much tougher for me now than it used to be, just depends on the ride.

 

The only coasters that make me feel nauseous on a regular basis are Boomerangs. The backwards loop KILLS me. For this reason, I try to sit towards the front of the train to avoid the insane backwards g's that occur in the loop. I've also found that, as someone else said, tensing my mid-section up at the entry of the loop coupled with closing my eyes helps with the nausea.

 

As far as spinning flats go, if I ride a ton of them in a row, I'll start feeling nauseous. That happened to me once while I was working at AA and I rode all the flats back to back (and we ran REALLY long programs there), and it also happened to me last year at Knoebels, specifically immediately after riding Downdraft.

[jray21]

I get extremely sick on most coasters. I tried Dramamine, Dramamine less-drowsy, Bonine, Ginger, and a ton of other things and nothing helped. I finally found Trans Derm Scop, a small round patch that you put behind your ear for up to three days straight. It completely solved my problems and I can ride any coaster as much as I want. The main side effect is a dry mouth, and it gets very dry (but it's worth it IMHO). I would definitely try the Dramamine and all the other solutions first, as the Scop patch is only available through a prescription and is pretty expensive. I hope it's just your age telling you it can't do rides like it used to and not something else.

[gisco]

^ I saw that patch behind your ear last week. I assumed correctly that it was a motion sickness patch and you didn't cut yourself shaving!

 

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I have never had motion sickness. I can read a book on a twisty road and not get sick.

[AllenA07]

Right around when I turned 18 I started to have a hard time on rides. I am a big believer that Trans Derm Scop patches are the way to go. I've used them several times over the years and they really get the job done. In a pinch I always bring something like Rolaids or Tums with me to a park, if you take a couple it will help settle your stomach a little bit.

[outbackjack]

Interesting that so many understand and even experience this problem.

 

Going to Dollywood Tuesday, I'll love every second on Thunderhead, and for my kids, I'll concentrate really hard and "survive" TT and MM.

 

I'll also see if I can get some pics from the top of Slidewinder of any new developments.

[RandyV]

I'm almost 41 and have found that coasters get to me now like never before. I don't have stomach issues, but grey-out problems. Similar to others who have commented, I used to be able to hit the rides hard all day long, but in the last year things have definitely changed for the worse for me. And it's odd because I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what the cause is.

 

For example, on a recent trip to Vegas, my daughter and I rode Manhattan Express back to back to back about 10 times. She gave up before I did. Later in the week we rode Speed: The Ride three or four times in a row. Again, no problems what so ever. Then we went over to the Circus Circus Adventuredome and rode Canyon Blaster (no Arrow head bang jokes, please -- CB is pretty smooth IMHO). On the second or third ride I almost passed out on the first drop and it stopped me from riding it or anything else the rest of the day.

 

SFGAm was my home park for years and I've rode the Demon, which is extremely close in layout to Canyon Blaster, hundreds of times and never once had an issue. Speed has a loop (forward and backwards) and Manhattan Express has a few not so smooth upside down moments which I handled fine. I've no idea why Canyon Blaster got to me the way it did.

 

Similarly -- on a trip to IOA last year my daughter and I rode Dragon Challenge (ice side) and the second row ride made me dizzy. However -- riding in the front was perfectly fine so we just waiting to get the front and were able to ride it 5 or 6 times consecutively without a problem.

 

All I can say is that getting old sucks. I definitely approach coasters a lot differently than I used to. I'm honestly not sure I could do hypers like Intimidator 305 for fear of returning to the station unconscious.

[John Knotts]

^ Yeah, certain rides effect me more than others. I can ride B&M hypers or Arrow loopers all day long. Surprisingly, I can ride X2 or Millennium Force all day long with no problems. The worst offenders for me are standups, Giovanola hypertwisters, S&S drop towers, and spinning mice are OUT. The Voyage also gets to me after one or two rides (I suspect I'm not even close to alone on that one).

 

I will try the patch next time out, cause I'd really like to ride Green Lantern next month without any issues.

[Wily J]

To the OP;

 

Any chance you might you have suffered a concussion during the period before the rides started bothering you?

 

 

If it were me, I'd get checked out by a doctor before doing anything could slam by head around: your symptoms could be a number of things but as an ex-boxer I can tell you it could be a concussion.

 

 

Good luck with it.. .

[outbackjack]

No concussion.....thankfully.

 

Just a simple stomach nausea an metal coasters unfortunately.

 

Got some superb ideas from this thread however.