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Patch vs non drousy dramamine


happytovacation
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Bonine starting the night before the cruise and every evening thereafter has allowed us to cruise. It's chewable and we take it before bed so if there was the potential for drowsiness it's at the right time (though I have taken it earlier and never had a problem with that). Note that those taking blood thinners like coumadin need to talk to the Dr first before loading up on ginger.

 

Good luck and happy cruising!

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Here's my experience. On our first cruise more than 20 years ago, we decided to use the patch. Each patch lasts for 3 days so for the person changing it out more frequently you are getting a higher dose. During that cruise, the patch fell off when I was swimming. Not feeling any changes, I decided not to put on a new one. That night I was sick as a dog and swore I would never forget to put on the patch.

 

Fast forward 10 years. Prior to our Alaska cruise I had a long discussion with my dr about the side effects of scopolamine. I had mentioned that it caused pupil dilation and made my vision blurry. He explained that the dilation was caused by not washing my hands after applying the patch. SO we were very careful on our Alaska trip and never had an issue with blurry vision. Still had the dry mouth, though, so for our last 3 cruises we decided to bring patches but use sea bands instead. For 2 of the cruises we never wore the sea bands and didn't get sick at all. On our last cruise (transatlantic) there were a couple rough days so we put on the sea bands and any issues we were having went away immediately.

 

Consider also that the patches are very expensive ($10 per patch). Sea bands cost about $6 at Walmart and work great for us. We still have some patches but they are expiring soon and we won't be using them on any future cruises. We carry the sea bands for primary use and then Bonine as backup. It's worked great for us and we don't have to live with the dry mouth and general uncomfortable feelings the patches caused.

 

So my advice is consult dr for whether patches are needed or not, but bring sea bands. Keep in mind that ginger and Bonine/dramamine are treatments that will help once they are in your system. Sea bands provide immediate relief (if they work for you...they don't work for some).

 

By the way, regardless of whatever we used we always experience some rocking for 2-3 days after leaving the ship.

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Dh is going on his first cruise this week end. He has the scop patches to use but with all the side effects listed - I might pick up bonine and sea bands as well - ginger snaps too. He typically has a low tolerance for meds. Benadryl usually knocks him out.

 

I don't rock side ways now when I get off the ship. Changing my patch every other day made the difference. Dr said I metabolize my meds fast with my illnesses. So keep that in mine as well.

Edited by tbbtravels
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I have always been very sensitive to motion. I can even get sick in the front seat if the driver is swaying too much. I do use the patch and it works wonders for me. I have found that if it degrades due to salt water or something, I will become sick. If that happens I replace the patch and sleep and then I am good to go. The down side is, after the cruise, I will have at least 2 days of nausea. Happens about 24 hours after the patch is removed or runs out of juice. That is a pain, but I could not get on a ship without it. With it I can ride a roller coaster, sit in the back of a car, go in a tender, canoe, surf, and these things would not be possible. I would not use the patch if anything else worked. Bonine helps me if I become nausated as long as I stop the activity causing the nausea and lay down for an hour. My advise, bring all remedies, get a script for the patch just in case, but wait and see. There are even exercises and eye movements that help some people. The patch is last resort, can't function without it time.

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I have found that it takes me about a day for my body to adjust to a ship, regardless of size. I take a Bonine the night before the cruise starts and for a night or 2 after. If you take it at night, any sleepiness has usually worn off by morning.

I carry Ginger capsules with me but I can't say I have had much success with them.

There is a reason you see GREEN apples on ships...they are good for soothing queasiness.

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I have gotten sea sick on small boats (fishing charters) that have gotten into choppy waters, so I was leery on our first cruise (Grand to Hawaii this past October). I picked up a supply of ginger caplets from our local heath food store for under $5, and took 2 every day just in case. Well, on the way back from Hawaii to Vancouver it got a bit rough. My wife, who never gets sea sick - got sea sick. Several others at our dinning table also felt motion sick. In fact, one night, we were the only ones at the table for dinner (table of 7)and all my wife ate was a green apple (which was recommended and provided by our waiter). I felt fine and enjoyed another fine meal. Never felt queasy at all.

 

Will repeat the ginger trick next fall when we go on the Royal for a Caribbean cruise.

 

Don

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First off I would say they should check with their doctors!!

 

As a retired RN, I would be inclined to go with OTC meds, as "the patch" can have some very unpleasant side effects, a few of which I would not wish on anyone, such as blurred vision, confusion, difficulty urinating.

 

Other alternatives that might be considered would be ginger capsules, and/or Sea Bands.

 

I've been told about those side effects. I am extremely susceptible to motion sickness. If I'm not driving I get car sick on winding roads. I love the patch. On the other hand, most drugs don't work well for me. A 10mg hydrocodone will put my wife OUT. It "almost" works for me. If I mix it with 800mg of ibuprofen it "sort of" works for me. The point is that, while I love the patch for cruising, I'm a terrible example of how drugs work.

 

For adults I have no problem recommending the patch unless they are very susceptible to drug actions. For children... Do they even make a children's patch? I would be very (very!) careful with children.

 

As for wrist bands, ginger, etc... There is a good video online where a Princess cruise ship doctor (yes, the actual doctor on a Princess cruise ship) says that, while he doesn't want to disparage the remedies espoused by passengers, his experience is that they don't really work. He has a ton of experience with passengers and crew with sea sickness and he says that he will always recommend a pharmaceutical remedy as the others really don't work. This isn't an attempt to disparage those other remedies, it's just what I heard and saw on the video where the ship's doctor was asked point blank about these other remedies.

 

As others here have stated: ASK YOUR DOCTOR regarding your children. In the USA the patch is a prescription only option. In Canada (and other places) you can buy it over the counter by simply asking the pharmacist (chemist) for it.

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My boys and I are allergic to ginger - it makes us throw up!

 

Sea bands work for us but they have to bet fairly tight and in the right position.

 

I don't think it's a purely psychological condition because little children can get sea sick and they haven't talked themselves into it.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited by paddingtonbear
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On the cruise line I work on as a nurse we do not recommend the patch at all. It has too many side effects especially in the more senior population and should never be used in children. We recommend meclizine or you could go with non drowsy gravel

 

Terry

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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On the cruise line I work on as a nurse we do not recommend the patch at all. It has too many side effects especially in the more senior population and should never be used in children. We recommend meclizine or you could go with non drowsy gravel

 

Terry

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I believe these are the same pharmaceutical remedies recommended by the Princess doctor in the video.

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On the cruise line I work on as a nurse we do not recommend the patch at all. It has too many side effects especially in the more senior population and should never be used in children. We recommend meclizine or you could go with non drowsy gravel

 

Terry

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I have been using the patch for years. No problems or side effects for me. Dh - it made him sleepy. He was so under the spell of the patch - he missed muster.

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A few years ago I started using both Sailors' Secret Premium Ginger (you can get it off of Amazon) as well as the chewable Bonine (which doesn't make me sleepy). Hit a huge storm off of Cape Hatteras and I was fine, but that's just me personally as I heard half the ship was 'down for the count'. That was on Celebrity Mercury out of Baltimore in December of 2010.

 

I used them both on all subsequent cruises (three Caribbean B2B's) and still no issues with motion sickness, though I'd still be aware of the ships motion but it wouldn't affect me physically.

 

As some have said, start taking them the day before your flight down as a minimum, or at the latest the evening before embarkation. This will give them a chance to work through your system.

 

:D

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Anyone who claims that motion sickness or sea sickness is psychological or all in the head, doesn't know what they are talking about!

 

I agree, for the most part. My first ocean voyage I was 12 months old and, according to my mother, I was sick as a dog the whole time. I doubt that, at 12 months, it was in my head (well, except it has to do with the inner ear, so that was in my head).

 

Now, as an adult I've taken 13 cruises, and had no issues. I think it can be somewhat "all in your head" depending on how you handle it, but certainly, some people do have problems resolving the motion, thereby causing the motion sickness.

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Oh my goodness! Just go to Costco and buy Meclizine....it's 100 chewable tablets, non drowsy and you are good to go.....it costs less than $5.00.....

 

I used to buy the non drowsy Bonine which works fine but you get the same with the Costco Meclizine and it's less expensive...........take one every day and you will be fine.:)

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After reading the strong recommendations here for Meclizine, I gave it a try, rather than my proven combination of the patch and ginger capsules. Even though it claims to be "non drowsy" it knocked me out - and I still got sea sick. :rolleyes: There is no 'one size fits all' quick remedy for seasickness. Sadly, each person needs to find out what works for them through trial and error. For me, I need the combination of the patch and ginger. Neither is completely effective alone.

 

The only thing I've heard about that works is 'time' and that isn't something vacationers have to spare. Those who are ships for many weeks will have their body adjust naturally. I don't care to give up my vacation time waiting for that to happen. My motto is "Better cruising through chemistry". ;)

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After reading the strong recommendations here for Meclizine, I gave it a try, rather than my proven combination of the patch and ginger capsules. Even though it claims to be "non drowsy" it knocked me out - and I still got sea sick. :rolleyes: There is no 'one size fits all' quick remedy for seasickness. Sadly, each person needs to find out what works for them through trial and error. For me, I need the combination of the patch and ginger. Neither is completely effective alone.

 

The only thing I've heard about that works is 'time' and that isn't something vacationers have to spare. Those who are ships for many weeks will have their body adjust naturally. I don't care to give up my vacation time waiting for that to happen. My motto is "Better cruising through chemistry". ;)

 

Amen sister~!~

 

Dh slept most of his cruise away,,,,side effects. I do well on the patch and ginger oil.

Edited by tbbtravels
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