Bonine- Best time to take it??

Hi- Not sure if i'll be sick or not. Do you take this before you leave for a cruise or is it best to wait until you feel sick, then take it. Do you take it at night or in the morning. Thanks so much.

tulilvr, i take meclazine which is Bonine as an Rx generic. Much cheaper to buy this way if your Dr will give a script for it. i usually take one the night before we sail and maybe the night of the first sail day. Thank you big sailor in the sky, I've been okay every time.

If you wait until you already feel ill, the medication won't work as well for you. Best to take it BEFORE the movement starts. I start at the airport the day of the cruise.

I would take it early on 'just in case'. It is very hard to stop nausea once it has already started. You will get a better idea about how you feel once you're moving for a few hours.

I start taking it the night before the cruise and take one every night, just in case. I have never had any side effects and can drink alcohol while taking bonine.

I start taking it the night before the cruise and take one every night, just in case. I have never had any side effects and can drink alcohol while taking bonine.

I totally agree with you, I do not take anything for sea-sickness. But because of my Meneire's Disease I have to take meclizine for the last 3 years or so. When I go fishing with my friends, I have them start taking the Bonine the day before, this way it is already in their system.

I take one as soon as the muster drill is over and I've never gotten sick during a cruise - not even during my first cruise which was so rough that the pool water was sloshing out all over the place.

Hi,

I start taking Bonine the night before I'm going to cruise just to make sure it's in my system. Then, I take it each night before I go to bed. The only time I take it earlier, like at dinner is when the boat is a bit rocky or it's going to be hitting rocky waters at some point that day. I've been lucky so far, it doesn't make me sleepy during the day and I am able to have the "Drink of the Day" quite a few times without having to worry about it.

Stacey

Meclizine starts acting after roughly 1 hour, and one dose (one or two tablets of 25mg) will last 24 hours (with an half-life of about 6 hours ...)

Since there are possible side effects ie fatigue, drowsiness, dry mouth I would wait to see if you're actually starting to get ill before taking them, unless you KNOW you'll be seasick anyways, in which case take them before leaving :rolleyes:

I have no side effects from Bonine. I take it the morning we sail, before I even set foot on the ship! I figure, why take a chance? Like others have said, once you get seasick, it's hard to go back....awful!

All, There is a reason there is 8 in a box. You are supposed to start it the day before.

If you take Bonine at night before bed, can you still drink the next day?

I've only had to take it once- was eating in Johnny Rockets and got a bit of a headache and stomach was tossing and turning. Went back to the room to lay down, took some, and fell asleep a few hours later and was fine the next day.

Shouldn't be a problem with drinking the next day, it won't kill you that's for sure.

One more thing never underestimate the power of the dark side ....err I'm kidding ... the power of placebo effects :D

If somebody's convinced he needs to take Bonamine (that's how we call em in Canada) the day before he leaves , then by all means let him take it then even tho he's likely wasting one tablet (who cares tho, they're cheap!!!).

If you`re not even somebody who's seasick, or never experienced it, and you think Bonamine will make fell well for your cruise, by all means start taking your tabs before you leave too ;)

I take a bpill an hour before our flight which is the day of the cruise, and then first thing when I wake up as my treat. Then giveme massive waves & I am fine!

I also use it for amusement parks which I take if 2 hours before we get there & I have been on every upside down, sideways ride out there.

Hi- Not sure if i'll be sick or not. Do you take this before you leave for a cruise or is it best to wait until you feel sick, then take it. Do you take it at night or in the morning. Thanks so much.

drinking + meclazine = increased drowsiness

it's not a harmful combination if you aren't driving or operating heavy machinery, and on most cruises, we can leave that to the Captain!! LOL

Thanks everyone!

We always take Bonine before cruising, then only if seas are rough. Does not cause drowsiness and always remember to chew the tablet, not just swallow it. Seasickness is the pits and it comes on so suddenly. If you feel quiezy, never go in the cabin bathroom and close the door. Get to fresh air as soon as you can.

Are you prone to seasickness? My family I have been on 8 cruises and have NEVER started taking anti-nauseants prior to boarding. I have only ever had to take two tablets, once in 1991 on the Fantasy and once in 2004 on Jewel of the Seas, both times due to extremely rough seas. I felt nauseous, took the meclizine (which I got for free on the ship by the way) and felt better after about an hour. I also never experienced any drowsiness. Why take something if you're not even sure you're going to need it?

I don't usually advise people to take medications 'if they are not sure they will need it' but nausea is something that is very hard to treat once it's underway. In this case, prevention would be wise.

I don't usually advise people to take medications 'if they are not sure they will need it' but nausea is something that is very hard to treat once it's underway. In this case, prevention would be wise.

I honestly have never had trouble treating it once it's underway (except when I was pregnant:D .)

Can you drink alcohol while taking it?

I've never had any trouble drinking alcohol while taking bonine. Not a hint of drowsiness has been noted by me.

I can take dramamine with no alcohol and it knocks me right out - I can't function at all.

If you are concerned about mothion sickness I would suggest asking your Dr. about the motion sickness "patch". I am extremly prone to motion sickneess and I always put one on before we sail and change it at the recommended times and have never had a problem. I do get two of the side effects of dry mouth and a little blurred vision, but I figure it is a heck of a lot better than nausea! Good luck and happy sailing. :)

That patch made my mouth drier than a cotton field in So Carolina in July.

I generally don't like to take medicine if I don't have to, but in this case, my vote goes to taking it before you need it. In my experience, taking it after I felt sick was quite ineffective! I take one bonine tablet each morning starting starting on day one of the cruise...no side effects. Everyone one is different so you have to see what works for you.