Ear patch, Dramamine, Ginger Tablets???

[Guest maddycat]

As others have said, check with your doctor. Ginger capsules interact with other meds.

 

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-961-GINGER.aspx?activeIngredientId=961&activeIngredientName=GINGER

[sweetsixteencruisers]

I too, get motion sickness. I can't even look at the water when the ship is moving. This works for me, may not for you. I take the following (starting the night before sailing):

 

At bed time, I take one bonine.

At every meal, I take a ginger pill.

 

I repeat this everyday of the cruise.. I take no chances! Our last cruise on the Dream we missed two ports because of bad weather. I was perfectly fine.

 

As some have said check with your doctor, especially if taking other medication.

[temple1]

I have horrible motion sickness. The first few cruises I used the patch but it started bothering me and I switched to taking a Bonine or Dramamine before bed. If the seas are rough I have on hand the chewable Dramamine - they work fast!

 

After spending part of a flight and the layover hugging the toilet on the plane, a flight attendant told me that before flying I should consume more carbs. My typical banana and glass of milk is not going to do! :eek: That is why the saltines are a frequent suggestion.

 

I bought a pair of the Sea Bands and couldn't figure out how to place them properly and gave up. :o

 

The ginger capsules cause me to belch but the ginger candy - a piece when a little queasy helps.

[vacation_junkie]

This is precisely why I suggested the OP finds what works for them. This so called "Non-Drowzy" medicine knocked me out. My idea of a good cruise doesn't involve sleeping all day and night - and still getting seasick. :rolleyes: It is awful feeling 'drugged' and having to nap all the time. If I want to sleep all the time I can do that at home for a LOT less money. At least the Meclizine was dirt cheap at Target, but I'll never get that lost vacation time back.

 

 

Your body must be sensitive to the anticholinergic agent thats in it.

[cbr663]

Hey Vaction_Junkie,

 

I noticed that you are from Ontario. Have you ever had any problem bringing Bonine back into Canada, as it isn't sold here?

 

Cheers

[cbr663]

againin13, I am surprised that you doctor would recommend the scopolamine patch for your elderly Mom. It is well known that scopolamine use by the elderly can increase the risk of adverse side effects as the elderly generally take the medications that do not react well with scopolamine.

 

I know how scary the hallucinations can be. My Mom wrenched her back once and was prescribed a very strong pain reliever/muscle relaxer. She also experienced hallucinations that scared her.

[temple1]

againin13, I am surprised that you doctor would recommend the scopolamine patch for your elderly Mom. It is well known that scopolamine use by the elderly can increase the risk of adverse side effects as the elderly generally take the medications that do not react well with scopolamine.

 

I know how scary the hallucinations can be. My Mom wrenched her back once and was prescribed a very strong pain reliever/muscle relaxer. She also experienced hallucinations that scared her.

 

Seriously, with some of the GP's I've had in the past - I asked one office if they were trying to kill me!! Back then my blood pressure was not under control by the meds he was prescribing. I was having a sinus problem and asked the office for a prescription I could take before flying that would not affect my BP. When I read the insert it clearly stated - do not take if you have high BP. :rolleyes:

[retiredgram]

Bonine

[slord12]

Acupuncture!!! Seriously, my boyfriend gets so sick from severe inner ear problems as a child. He was so sick immediately on our FOS cruise I was worried. He had on a patch, tried Bonine, ginger, green apples....everything. We went up to the spa and talked with the acupuncturist and he said it was no problem to cure seasickness. We agreed and by the second needle in his foot he felt instant relief. He went through the treatment and fell into a deep asleep. The guy let him rest then gently woke him up and removed the needles and he was fine for the rest of the trip - even the car ride home. The next time we cruised on the Carnival Sensation he tried sea bands since he knew ahead of time the sensation doesn't offer acupuncture. He had good results with the bands - he said he didn't even know he was on a boat haha!

Good luck!

 

 

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[vacation_junkie]

Hey Vaction_Junkie,

 

I noticed that you are from Ontario. Have you ever had any problem bringing Bonine back into Canada, as it isn't sold here?

 

Cheers

 

No not at all.

 

It used to be sold over the counter under the Bonamine or Antivert name here.

 

We purchase Meclizine all the time in the U.S. and bring it back with no problems what do ever.

 

It's only sold over the counter at Walmart in the U.S. under "brand" names.

 

But you can find it at several other pharmacy counters in a generic bottle usually made by Rugby. Both chewable and Tablet form bottles of 50/100 for under $6 usually.

 

If you do not live close to the border you can also buy it off Amazon.com and sometimes ebay.com ...no problems shipping it into Canada either.

 

I used to be able to prescribe it under the Stemetil name for people with Vertigo and chronic Nausea. Which was usable for Motion / Sea Sickness. Not any more though.

Edited July 27, 2014 by vacation_junkie

[geogran]

Best to ask your physician - mine advised against the patch for me since I'm very sensitive to several drugs. She suggested I use Bonine (meclizine) and ginger capsules.

 

The evening before my first cruise, I took two ginger capsules, and then two ginger capsules twice a day throughout the cruise (it also helps with digestion :)

I took one Bonine the morning of the cruise and one the first evening because I was feeling some motion sensitivity as we sailed away.

I also wore a Sea Band the first day and evening since the sea seemed a little choppy, again the second morning.

I took any more Bonine after the first day and I stopped wearing the Sea Band after the second day.

I followed the same routine on my next cruise and this method worked very well for me.

I never actually got sick, just a little sensitivity/motion the first day and evening.

 

I've heard that it is always better to take something prior to sail away and BEFORE you actually feel sick - otherwise it takes a long time before you start feeling better.

 

Best of luck with whatever you decide to take or use!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Meclizine (Non-Drowzy Dramamine, Bonine)

Non-Drowzy with very minimal side effects.

A common side effect is dry mouth if you do not hydrate properly.

 

Since 9 times out of 10 sea sickness is cause by a disturbance of the inner ear ginger pills do not "prevent" Sea sickness.

 

Ginger pills calm the stomach but does not have any antihistamine , antiemetic or antispasmodic ingredients in it.

 

These are the active ingredients that calm the portion of your brain that controls nausea and vomiting by tricking it into thinking its balanced.

 

Scopalamine patch..I'd never recommend or prescribe it! Too many negative side effects.

 

Most people don't realize that if they are in a pinch they can pop a common over the counter Allergy/Cough Cold pill and since it contains an antihistamine it will help.

 

They key is to prevent rather then treat.

 

Buy generic Meclizine tablets from the pharmacy counter. Cheaper then brand name OTC pills. Start to take them 24 hours before you depart and continue for 24 hours after you return.

 

This is precisely why I suggested the OP finds what works for them. This so called "Non-Drowzy" medicine knocked me out. My idea of a good cruise doesn't involve sleeping all day and night - and still getting seasick. :rolleyes: It is awful feeling 'drugged' and having to nap all the time. If I want to sleep all the time I can do that at home for a LOT less money. At least the Meclizine was dirt cheap at Target, but I'll never get that lost vacation time back.

 

this is why I (and some others) have said what works for another might not work for you. My mother suffers motion sickness at the turn of the key -- drives flight attendants crazy (the last time I flew with her I said never again), but on the one cruise my sister managed to get her on, she got the patch from her doctor and she had no problems at all. She actually had a good time.

 

Many medications that claim not to make one drowsy have knocked me out. And now, I have to look at labels very carefully as I have glaucoma. I've even had my internist tell me I should continue with my allergy spray and I said I've been getting mixed info among my eye doctor, a pharmacist and him. so he did a little research and found out that medicine was contradicted for me. So until an antihistamine comes out that won't affect eye pressure...

[jammen]

Have a tendency for motion sickness (hasn't stopped me from taking 19 cruises ... I'm just careful where and when!). However we want to take the Rhythms of the Night tour in Puerta Vallarta on the next cruise and I'm reading A LOT about the ride over the bay being VERY ROUGH at times and a lot of passengers getting VERY sick. Any experience with different "preventatives" and your advice and recommendations ... I know no-alcohol is one recommendation but I probably wouldn't follow that advice! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Green apples and ginger.

[monitom]

Alright, we did the test yesterday.... Took generic Meclizine (25mg) in the morning (swallowed, not chewed), and tried the merry-go-round, swings, and winding mountain road in the afternoon - all things that would make him throw up within a minute, and make me uncomfortably queasy.

Side effects were a bit of tiredness for him, a bit of drowsiness and dry mouth/ numb lips for me after about 3 hours, nothing that couldn't be helped with a bit of a caffeinated beverage. The numb lips went away as soon as I ate something.

 

Amazing - hubby said he could feel the stomach-lifting sensation, but it didn't make him want to throw up. He actually didn't feel nauseous until he tried reading while I was driving the curvy road... He used to have to throw up after just looking at a map on the freeway.

 

So that was really much better - the reason he did this (I don't really know anybody who would want to read on a road like that...) was to see if he would keep feeling sick until he could step out of the car; many of you probably have experienced that sensation of mal de mer not stopping until you get off the boat on solid ground once it starts - that was one of his biggest concerns if we don't dock for a few days.

Miraculously, he felt better as soon as he stopped reading; still queasy, but definitely not anywhere close to throwing up. A bit of candied ginger once we got home took care of the rest in minutes.

 

He's about 180-ish pounds, I'm about 170, and he wants to try the whole thing again with two tablets to see if it makes a difference. I was very happy with just the one. But we are definitely sold on the Meclizine, and will use it for him for long drives and for flying as well as boating and cruising in the future. And use the pool on the ship on choppy days.

 

I hope this inspires someone else to try things out before boarding... After ruining one vacation, we've definitely learned our lesson! :-)

[CPT Trips]

Consider taking your daily dose at bed time rather than in the morning. If it makes you drowsy, great.

[monitom]

Consider taking your daily dose at bed time rather than in the morning. If it makes you drowsy, great.

 

Great idea, thanks so much! :)

[iluvit!]

Try getting a prescription for phenergan suppositories from your doctor--you can't throw it up and it really works even it it causes a bit of drowsiness.

 

 

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[vacation_junkie]

Try getting a prescription for phenergan suppositories from your doctor--you can't throw it up and it really works even it it causes a bit of drowsiness.

 

 

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Phenergan is commonly used as a sleep aid to help with insomnia.. It knocks most people out cold.

 

 

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