Bonine or Dramamine - best time to start before a cruise?

[bananasforcruises]

I've read about Bonine and Dramamine for seasickness, but when would be the best time to start taking it? Do people that have a tendency of getting seasick take it the morning before boarding the ship or the day before?

 

I've also read some postings about ginger in pill form - where did you buy it and how often did you take it?

 

Some postings mention wristbands - where can you purchase that?

 

Has anyone used a combination of the above? Does Dramamine make you drowsy?

 

Which would you recommend and how often would you take it?

 

Thanks.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

It's best to get into you system before you get on ship. I like Bonine as it kept me from getting sick several years ago when the waters were rough and half the ship was sick. I took it 2 days ahead of time, but for normal water, 1 day is fine.

 

Ginger root any herb/vitamin store and Walmart (Kroger doesn't carry it for some reason) I would only suggest Ginger if you've been on a few cruises and done ok, not for a first timer just in case. Ginger is taken 2 daily usually w/ food. Bonine is once a day.

[bakerintn]

I would recommend Bonine or non-drowsy Dramamine (same ingredient). I would take one the night before boarding and each night of the cruise.

 

Remember that none of the remedies do much if any good if you get to the nausea stage.

 

If when you wake up, the weather is really rough, you can take another Bonine in the morning.

[SeattleCruiselover]

And, most importantly, before you do ANY of the above (even with OTC medications) speak with your primary health care provider to be sure that what you choose will be safe for you (even ginger has some adverse side effects in people that take certain medications, such as anticoagulants).

 

Bonine will make you far less drowsy than Dramamine.

[DAGVBSB]

My mom will take her Bonine about 2 hours before we board our plane this Saturday and then take another before she goes to bed on board the ship some 24 hours later.

 

She swears by Bonine because it does not make you drowsy like Dramanine.

 

Now I may take some Dramanine on Saturday as I plan to sleep during my 8.5 hour plane ride....lol

[GSLMOM]

We just returned from the Dawn yesterday and a few people in my group ended up getting sick. I understand that whatever you take needs to be taken before you board. The Bonine helped on the return to NY. They started taking Bonine on Thursday morning and we sailed away Friday and nobody was sick at all. A big difference from the sailing to Bermuda!

[roger001]

My wife is a bonine believer. She takes one the night before the cruise, then one in the morning and one at night during the cruise. So far, so good.

[pampaul]

I swear by Bonine too. I take it the morning before I leave (which will be this Friday WHOO WHOO) and then each morning of my cruise. I have had no side effects with it and does not make me drowsy at all. I got mine at Walmart for like $5 or something like that.

[swedish weave]

You can get the Rugby brand of meclizine in bottles of 100. It is the same active ingredient as Bonine and Non-drowzy Dramamine. Less costly, also

 

It comes in 25mg (same dosage as Bonine) or 12.5 mg for those who may be sensitive to the 25 mg dose.

[bermudashorts]

I start 2 days before we leave to get it into my system.

I just ordered a bunch of stuff online now so I wont forget about it in Sept.

[pattycake08]

My doctor just gave me a prescryption for a sea sickness patch. He told me the only side effect should be dry mouth. I suffer from extreme motion sickness, cannot due amuzement park rides, or bumpy card rides either, so hoping this helps.

[STARFISH*4]

My doctor just gave me a prescryption for a sea sickness patch. He told me the only side effect should be dry mouth. I suffer from extreme motion sickness, cannot due amuzement park rides, or bumpy card rides either, so hoping this helps.

 

that was probably the only side effect i didnt suffer when i used the patch but it was 8 years ago so many its different now....

after that i went to ginger and had GOOD LUCK with it up until the last cruise in January and i was feelin the motion of the ocean a bit more, i purchased the bands but never had a chance to try as my 'motion' subsided and i was okay!!

 

question can you take Ginger and Bonine at the same time--i just want to be prepared for my 2 week this december in the caribbean???

[Deep Blue Seas]

My DW swears by the patch, but she has to get through one side effect. It makes her vision blury for about 36 hours. ( the kids had to read the first night menu to her). After that she was great, and she sometimes has trouble with the rocker at home (lol).

[tammy531]

I used the patch, as did my mother. We had no side effects from it. We applied it the day before we left and changed it every 3 days. We both get horribly sick (me even driving a car!). The rest in our group used Bonine, which I also use for land travel. I like it better than Dramamine because it does not make me drowsy at all. They started it the day before and took one a day for the trip. No one got sick! (Hint----Bonine generic...Rugby brand....I get 100 tablets for $3.97.....much cheaper and works great!) Happy sailing

[kayhil3]

Bonine works great . Take it 1-2 days before your cruise. I also use the sea bands if it is very rough waters and have no problems.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I usually take Bonine. It works and never causes drowsiness. Yesterday I took a dramamine, for a ferry ride to Nantucket, and felt a bit sleepy. Anyway, no nausea.

 

I never tried ginger or wristbands.

[NMLady]

I've read about Bonine and Dramamine for seasickness, but when would be the best time to start taking it? Do people that have a tendency of getting seasick take it the morning before boarding the ship or the day before?

 

I've also read some postings about ginger in pill form - where did you buy it and how often did you take it?

 

Some postings mention wristbands - where can you purchase that?

 

Has anyone used a combination of the above? Does Dramamine make you drowsy?

 

Which would you recommend and how often would you take it?

 

Thanks.

 

I never start Bonine or Dramamine before the cruise. I usually only take them when the water is actually choppy since they only take about twenty minutes to 'kick in'.

 

Yes, Dramamine makes me drowsy. That is why I usually take Bonine. Actually, what I take is meclizine which is generic bonine and much much cheaper. Ask your pharmacist if you can't find it on the pharmacy shelf.

One usually lasts me several hours.

 

I've used ginger capsules too. I bought them online by googling ginger capsules. They've also helped at home when I've had an upset stomach.

 

Green apples also help, as do saltine soda crackers.

[fayruz]

I would recommend Bonine or non-drowsy Dramamine (same ingredient). I would take one the night before boarding and each night of the cruise.

 

Remember that none of the remedies do much if any good if you get to the nausea stage.

 

If when you wake up, the weather is really rough, you can take another Bonine in the morning.

 

Thank you :)

I will arrive from europe, can I buy Bonine on the ship or around the pier in San Diego?

[moneymike42o]

bonine it is......it did wonders for me even after i took it 24 hrs into our boston to bermuda in april.....sure glad i did =) was fine rest of the trip except for 1 more mild case but 1 bonine helped greatly .....:D:cool:

[melbloch]

I've read about Bonine and Dramamine for seasickness, but when would be the best time to start taking it? Do people that have a tendency of getting seasick take it the morning before boarding the ship or the day before?

 

I've also read some postings about ginger in pill form - where did you buy it and how often did you take it?

 

Some postings mention wristbands - where can you purchase that?

 

Has anyone used a combination of the above? Does Dramamine make you drowsy?

 

Which would you recommend and how often would you take it?

 

Thanks.

As a MAJOR sufferer of seasickness, I have tried everything from ginger, bonine, dramamine, phenergen injections, pills, etc. At one stage I was taking 1500mg ginger every 4 hours, with 2 dramamine every 4 hours - ie, something every 2 hours, and not helping at all. I get sick as soon as the swells go above 1.5 meters.

I bought the wristbands, both the cheap magnetic ones and also the $100 one which a friend uses when he sails around the world - nothing helped.

The ONLY thing that has helped is the Transderm Scopolomine patches, which I have now used for our last 3 cruises, and I was a walking miracle - only side effect was that I could eat on board, whereas usually I am the only person loosing weight on a cruise, due to the sea sickness! If you want to know where I got them, email me at melbloch@gmail.com

[April7901]

I had a mild bout of seasickness on my cruise, and I used ginger at first. It helped, but I'm not a big fan of the taste of ginger. Even taking it in capsule form, I still had the taste for quite a while after. It's probably the least invasive, but I'll probably be trying something else this time because of that.

[swedish weave]

Thank you :)

I will arrive from europe, can I buy Bonine on the ship or around the pier in San Diego?

 

They sell it on the ship, and you can find it in any pharmacy and at most of the bigger grocery stores. Also, they will usually give it to you at the reception desk on the ship if you ask.

[fayruz]

They sell it on the ship, and you can find it in any pharmacy and at most of the bigger grocery stores. Also, they will usually give it to you at the reception desk on the ship if you ask.

thank you, I've tried bracelets, ginger and dramamnine with little help. I will try bonine before sailing this time :)

And a lower cabin :)