Seasickness on Transatlantic?

[Minoushka]

I suffered in the past of Labyrinthitis ..You basically feel like you are falling off the earth . I could not keepy balance nor stop throwing up. The remedy that worked was GRAVOL .There are 2 kinds medicinal and Natural Ginger .I have used both on many cruises They both work very well and QUICKLY...half a tablet is enough a whole tablet will send you to lala-land ...painlessly

I was very sick on our flight back from Buenos Aires to Miami ...I took half a Gravol and My tummy settled down very quickly I swear by this stuff You can get it in CANADA or maybe on line

Here is the SECRET ...the minute you get a LITTLE queazy TAKE SOMETHING.If you wait you will get sickl.Ginger stuff works but I swear by GRAVOL

we have been around the Horn ...nOW there's rough weather and seas .Gravol worked fine

Do not worry ...that will make it worse

From my experience the more you cruise the less you will get sick

Enjoy your transat ...Always keep TUMMY full ...Very important on a ship.Look at the horizon BREATHE deeply

YOU WILL BE FINE

 

Bon Voyage

 

Michele

[miz66]

I have always thought a lot of the sickness people feel while on a ship has do to with eating and drinking like there is no tomorrow. Then about the second or third day it all catches up with them. Many of these seafarers have dieted beforehand and find that all the heavy food and too many drinks hit them like a lead balloon. I have always noticed there are many passengers missing from the dining room on the third day. I really don't believe that is all of it, but I am sure it certainly contributes to what many call sea sickness.

 

 

I didn't diet before I went, I didn't overeat and I don't drink alcohol. I was sick as most people were that day due to the rolling motion, I was even fine with the pitching it was just the cross winds made me feel I was on a rollercoaster. But like I say a couple of hours sleep and I was feeling better and it hasn't put me off at all.

[The Real PM]

I didn't diet before I went, I didn't overeat and I don't drink alcohol. I was sick as most people were that day due to the rolling motion, I was even fine with the pitching it was just the cross winds made me feel I was on a rollercoaster. But like I say a couple of hours sleep and I was feeling better and it hasn't put me off at all.

Oh, I totally agree with you. As I said, the over eating and drinking is not all of it. I am sure there are many people, like you, who are genuinely seasick. But many more, particularly first time cruisers, tend to binge on all the victuals available to them and then blame the rolling of the ship for all their ills. That may account for at least some of the many passengers that avoided the dining room that same evening.

 

I am very happy that it has not put you off. Please enjoy your future voyages.

 

Gail:)

[hickoryhunt]

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions - I'm going to take the plunge (no pun intended) and go transatlantic on the QM2 this August. I'll take the ginger, drink ginger ale, and try all the other remedies you mentioned. Hopefully I won't need them!

[rushmore]

As a person who feels seasick on a rocking chair and loves cruising I must comment, normallyThe first 24 hrs are the worst 'bonine" and ginger help. The QE2 TA was the very worst we did run into a force 12 (many years ago) The QM2 TA last summer was the only ship I have been on NOT one minuet of queasyness we are booked again for next summer. Ann

[southessex-gary]

Apart from The Injection. Or taking Bonnie, what are the other top Seasick Tablets to take? We just want to be prepaired for our firat ever crossing this October. Would hate to be laid up for days on end and miss it all.

 

Gary

[VirginCruiser II]

Apart from The Injection. Or taking Bonnie, what are the other top Seasick Tablets to take? We just want to be prepaired for our firat ever crossing this October. Would hate to be laid up for days on end and miss it all.

 

Gary

 

Gary, Drink ginger ale or eat crystalised ginger. It always works.

[chickie_mite]

I am one of the unfortunate women who suffer residual effects from treatments after a bilateral mastectomy. The treatments were so toxic that my inner ear was severely affected, leaving me with imbalance and vertigo; I must use a "scope patch" every day to maintain balance and to minimize nausea.

 

I was afraid to cruise again, fearing that seasickness would be intensified due to my inner ear problems. But I was surprised to find that the Transderm Scopolamine patch (placed behind one ear) worked like a charm! I didn't experience any nausea/vomitting, vertigo, or imbalance on the cruise!

 

Perhaps the patches would work for you, as well? Happy sailing! :)

[brigittetom]

If there is a fear at all of seasickness, I agree that requesting a cabin midship, lower deck is the best. Way less motion.

 

I'm not prone to sea sickness but I've noticed a few times, during rough seas, staring at the screeen of video slot machines brings on queasy feelings. I would imagine a computer screen would do the same so that might be something to stay away from.

[fredflint]

get a prescription for the patch and bring it along it will make you dry and thirsty so use it if you need to, bonine will work to help prevent but not stop, the shot works great ( Panama canal cruise, we were on an old ship all the doors and drawers on the ship would open and close as the ship rolled) I get carsick in the back of a car. I am also booked on a TA November 13.

[bphman]

My only trans-Atlantic experience was on the S.S. France in 1967. She, like the QM2 were designed as ocean liners to handle the rough weather. The larger the ship, the smoother the sailing. However, the sea is mightier than any vessel and, if you hit a storm, she will pitch and roll. Back then, you sailed as scheduled and had 5 days to cross, turn around, and go back. Turnaround was often overnight. We hit a storm that threw us around. Ropes were set up in the hallways to help you pull your way back. It wasn't fun. Now, you have more time to cross, better weather forecasting and more sophisticated navigating making such experiences a thing of the past. Sorry for digressing but I will never forget that sailing. With that being said, I would love to cross again especially on Cunard.

[billet]

With that being said, I would love to cross again especially on Cunard.

 

I think you will find a considerable improvement in the stabilisation of the QM2 compared to the SS France.

[Dancer Bob]

I did B2B TA's on QM2 and QE in January. One day, the sea was rough enough for there to be some movement on QM2, otherwise, the crossings were very smooth, and I do have a tendency towards motion sickness. But the month previous, there were some videos posted of the rough seas QM2 was encountering. So there's a great deal of luck involved.

[swedish girl]

I really sympathize with you and your seasickness issues! I become seasick very easily and tried everything in the past, including wrist bands, patches behind the ears and numerous oral meds. I was reluctant to go on cruises because of this, but finally found something that worked! A doctor prescribed for me 50mg capsules of Vistaril, which is often used for hospital patients to treat nausea. He knew how easily and horribly I became sick. On my first cruise I took one a day, which made me sleep about two hrs., and then I was fine for the rest of the day until the next day's dose. I would recommend you speak to your physician about this possibility, and if he agrees to try it with you, then try it out a couple of times before you leave, to make sure it's working for you. It's the only thing I have found to work. Good luck! :)

[Thaxted]

I really sympathize with you and your seasickness issues! I become seasick very easily and tried everything in the past, including wrist bands, patches behind the ears and numerous oral meds. I was reluctant to go on cruises because of this, but finally found something that worked! A doctor prescribed for me 50mg capsules of Vistaril, which is often used for hospital patients to treat nausea. He knew how easily and horribly I became sick. On my first cruise I took one a day, which made me sleep about two hrs., and then I was fine for the rest of the day until the next day's dose. I would recommend you speak to your physician about this possibility, and if he agrees to try it with you, then try it out a couple of times before you leave, to make sure it's working for you. It's the only thing I have found to work. Good luck! :)

 

How interesting! As you may know Vistaril—like meclizine (Bonine), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), and the fabled injection that so many people on this board recommend—is an antihistamine and seems to work along the same biological pathways as do they. Like them, it can make you drowsy, but unlike them it can also relieve anxiety. Indeed, it's sometimes prescribed as a mild tranquilizer, which could be especially helpful to some people battling seasickness.

[buckirj1]

I think there's something to "getting one's sea legs." I often feel queasy the first or second day out. I remember having to leave our Meet and Greet, lest I ...ummm...make a very poor impression on folks I'd just met. Sometimes the nausea is so bad the only thing that helps is going to bed. I'm usually fine by the third day or so, unless seas are very rough.

[cl.klink]

I won't say what I do for a living in order to avoid being sued for saying this ... But ...

 

Scopolamine patches are the strongest eat nets available for vertigo, vestibular symptoms in most people.

 

Different people can differ widely in how easily. They get symptoms, and what treats them (if anything). All the things mentioned here can work, in some people.

 

Just keep slugging away. This is usually a very readable problem. But what works, for a given person, can be very different from one person to next. Once you find YOUR solution, stick to it.

 

Scopolamine patches. That's my vote.

[cl.klink]

I won't say what I do for a living in order to avoid being sued for saying this ... But ...

 

Scopolamine patches are the strongest eat nets available for vertigo, vestibular symptoms in most people.

 

Different people can differ widely in how easily. They get symptoms, and what treats them (if anything). All the things mentioned here can work, in some people.

 

Just keep slugging away. This is usually a very readable problem. But what works, for a given person, can be very different from one person to next. Once you find YOUR solution, stick to it.

 

Scopolamine patches. That's my vote.

 

Ugh. I hate this thing on iPads that guesses what you were trying to type and puts in words you did not mean. Shame on me for not catching these. You can fill in OK, though, right?

 

Sheesh.

[vtbobby]

Ugh. I hate this thing on iPads that guesses what you were trying to type and puts in words you did not mean. Shame on me for not catching these. You can fill in OK, though, right?

 

Sheesh.

 

Just go to Settings>General>Keyboard>Auto-Correction>OFF !!

 

Sheesh !:rolleyes:

[cl.klink]

Just go to Settings>General>Keyboard>Auto-Correction>OFF !!

 

Sheesh !:rolleyes:

 

Super!

 

Thanks!

[pmb1]

Just go to Settings>General>Keyboard>Auto-Correction>OFF !!

 

Sheesh !:rolleyes:

I wish that it was as easy to turn off the "AUTO-ERROR" that I often experience.

[Nippy Sweetie]

What is in the fabled "injection"? I`ve tried everything. The scopolamine patches were fine for me until I removed them. They left me with a heart rate abnormality & I ended up in hospital. They are powerful drugs!

I quite like the drowsiness on the first few days out after taking some form of seasick tablet. Its nice to relax into shipboard life. However, for me its not just a matter of getting my sea legs. Even many days into a cruise if its rough I suffer. Very annoying. Interesting that the staff in the dining room sent a handful of ginger to me via DH when I had to miss dinner one time. The fear of mal de mer is also a significant factor

[Thaxted]

What is in the fabled "injection"? I`ve tried everything. The scopolamine patches were fine for me until I removed them. They left me with a heart rate abnormality & I ended up in hospital. They are powerful drugs!

I quite like the drowsiness on the first few days out after taking some form of seasick tablet. Its nice to relax into shipboard life. However, for me its not just a matter of getting my sea legs. Even many days into a cruise if its rough I suffer. Very annoying. Interesting that the staff in the dining room sent a handful of ginger to me via DH when I had to miss dinner one time. The fear of mal de mer is also a significant factor

 

The drug they inject is promethazine (trade name Phenergan). Like the more familiar pills you can buy over the counter, it's an antihistamine, only it's more powerful and acts more quickly. I've never used it (the meclizine I took more than sufficed), but most of the people on this board who have gone for the injection swear by it.

[ricki]

The drug they inject is promethazine (trade name Phenergan). Like the more familiar pills you can buy over the counter, it's an antihistamine, only it's more powerful and acts more quickly. I've never used it (the meclizine I took more than sufficed), but most of the people on this board who have gone for the injection swear by it.

 

I'm with you Thaxted! Meclizine works really well for me, especially if I take it 2 days before the cruise and take it on board for the first 2 days. It is marketed as Bonine, but is available generically and over the counter for $5.99 for 100 pills on an online drugstore. (can I post the name? If not it is drug*****.com). The key is to take them an hour before it gets rough, don't wait! If rough seas are expected around 3 pm, take one at 2 pm. Do ask your physician about interaction with any of your other medications, and be careful with alcohol if you are taking any of these seasickness medications.

 

These two crossings in July and August will be our first on Cunard, but we have done southern crossings on other ships. To give you an idea of how well meclizine works for me, we did an Antarctic cruise on Crystal, and somewhere in the middle of the the Drake Passage we hit hurricane force winds so strong that three passenger cabins on deck 5 (which is rather high on Crystal Symphony) had their windows blown out by the wind and waves. I didn't feel ill at all, even though I am sensitive to movement on a ship or a plane, because I had taken my single meclizine in anticipation of rough seas (Drakes Lake, Drake Shake!) So I swear by it!

 

Ricki

[Thaxted]

I'm with you Thaxted! Meclizine works really well for me, especially if I take it 2 days before the cruise and take it on board for the first 2 days. It is marketed as Bonine, but is available generically and over the counter for $5.99 for 100 pills on an online drugstore. (can I post the name? If not it is drug*****.com). The key is to take them an hour before it gets rough, don't wait! If rough seas are expected around 3 pm, take one at 2 pm. Do ask your physician about interaction with any of your other medications, and be careful with alcohol if you are taking any of these seasickness medications.

 

These two crossings in July and August will be our first on Cunard, but we have done southern crossings on other ships. To give you an idea of how well meclizine works for me, we did an Antarctic cruise on Crystal, and somewhere in the middle of the the Drake Passage we hit hurricane force winds so strong that three passenger cabins on deck 5 (which is rather high on Crystal Symphony) had their windows blown out by the wind and waves. I didn't feel ill at all, even though I am sensitive to movement on a ship or a plane, because I had taken my single meclizine in anticipation of rough seas (Drakes Lake, Drake Shake!) So I swear by it!

 

Ricki

 

Ricki, I'm impressed! We had a night of very rough seas on our last crossing, but nothing as dramatic as what you encountered. All the more reason to come prepared, I suppose.

 

We look forward to meeting you onboard QM2 this summer.