Worried About Sea Sickness

[sunflower1972]

Well with our first cruise fastly approaching I've been doing some thinking about motion sickness. I have had trouble in the past on small boats so want to be ready if it happens. First let me I have trouble with any over the counter motion sickness drug that causes you to be drowsy....for me that means 1/2 tab knocks me out....for like 4 hours:) SO not really an option as I'm looking to enjoy EVERY minute of this cruise. I picked up some Ginger pills made by Gravol as many on the site have recommended that.

Are you able to buy the seabands like at Walmart or anything?

So any one else have any helpfull hints or ideas for me?? I've been on the internet searching but thought you guys may have some real experience with it.

I really hope I'm being overly worried and I'll be fine.....just don't know how I'm going to react:)

Thanks to everyone!

SF

[cjh]

Bonine is no drowsy. Start taking it the day before you board.

[chris2597]

I am also prone to motion sickness....I didnt want to use the patch as I heard it had too many side effects....My dr. recommended Meclazine (sp??). She advised that I start it a couple of days before the cruise so that I was use to it and over the drowsiness....She said that even the non drowsy formulas can cause the sleepies....but once the body adjusts it isnt a problem.....Sure enough....after a couple of days I didnt feel it.....I stopped the pills on day 4 of the cruise and didnt have any problems....However, when I go off of the boat I felt like I was swaying and slightly sick....I started the pills back up and it went away....I will do the same on my next cruise,

[cruzzers]

The ginger capsules are wonderful and no side effects. They also aid in digestion so if you over-eat (not that anyone does that on a cruise) the ginger helps with indigestion too. That's all I ever take and feel wonderful on a cruise. You should also take the ginger a day ahead too. I take one in the morning and one at bedtime. No side effects but check with your pharmacy if you take other meds.

[Charliesmom]

I highly recommend the Sea Bands. You can get them at a chain drug store. I do not know if Wal=Mart has them. I bought mine at Walgreens.

 

I would buy Bonine (non-drowsy) to have as a backup.

 

The large ships are very smooth. You feel like you are in a hotel, not on a ship unless you run into rought weather.

 

Roberta

[CanuckCFAN]

Hi Sunflower1972 (good year :D )...

 

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I spoke to our doctor about this very question earlier in the week... I react EXACTLY as you do .5 a Gravol and its nighty, night for at least 4 hours...

 

I asked about the patch and the Dr. warned me against it... Too many side effects, Shoppers DM has information pamphlets you can pick-up which will list them all for you.

 

I also asked specifically about the "Ginger Gravol" they are advertised to be non drowsy...

 

The Doctor HIGHLY recommended them, she herself vouched for the "non drowsy" claim, which was quite comforting...

 

HOWEVER...

 

She did tell me, I should NOT drink alcohol with ANY of the Gravol products... Especially the ginger tablets... Apparently it will wreck havoc on your stomach and will knock you out (kinda defeating its purpose)!

 

If your going to drink she recommended the "sea-bands"... Although, I tried sea bands last cruise and ended up tossing them out, didn't work worth a "hill of beans"... You can find "sea-bands" at your local CAA!

 

For the record, I had read somewhere that you can get Bonine here in Canada, however when I asked my Doctor about it, she didn't have a clue what I was talking about (neither did the pharmacist:rolleyes: )...

 

I am going to try a few "homeopathic" remedies this time (anything has to be better then the sea-bands) and I will take the Ginger Gravol just in case... Lets face it, if you have seasickness your NOT going to want to drink anyway!

 

Good luck in your quest!

CCFan

[CariBear]

I am very prone to seasickness and I think meclizine works great. Target sells their brand of motion sickness tablets for $3.00 for 36 tablets (and if you check the ingredients: Meclizine). I took two tablets the night before our cruise at 11pm. I then took two tablets every night at 11pm and it worked great! I was never tired in the morning and even though I felt the ship moving and swaying at times, I was never seasick.

[Italy52]

Well with our first cruise fastly approaching I've been doing some thinking about motion sickness. I have had trouble in the past on small boats so want to be ready if it happens. First let me I have trouble with any over the counter motion sickness drug that causes you to be drowsy....for me that means 1/2 tab knocks me out....for like 4 hours:) SO not really an option as I'm looking to enjoy EVERY minute of this cruise. I picked up some Ginger pills made by Gravol as many on the site have recommended that.

Are you able to buy the seabands like at Walmart or anything?

So any one else have any helpfull hints or ideas for me?? I've been on the internet searching but thought you guys may have some real experience with it.

I really hope I'm being overly worried and I'll be fine.....just don't know how I'm going to react:)

Thanks to everyone!

SF

 

 

I get drowsy very easily (cold medication, sinus, etc.) When we go on our cruise I start taking my Bonine the night before and continue taking it every night until the cruise is over. Taking it before bedtime is great. If I get drowsy that's ok because it's "sleepy time" anyway. Doing it at night alleviates any daytime problems for me. :)

[ladysheri]

I too have had my spate of seasickness. On our cruise in September to Alaska on our first day out at sea, we ran into what the Captain referred to as a "system". He instructed all people in wheelchairs to be have someone with them at all times. The waves seemed to be 20 feet high. The ship put up quite a splash (all the way up past the promenade deck) when it came down into a wave. As you can imagine, I was quite concerned...I took some bonine right away as well as some Ginger tablets (I had found this board ahead of time!!!!:) ) and kept taking the Ginger the rest of the trip. I did not have a problem with it reacting with alcohol--nor did the bottle say anything about avoiding the combination. This worked perfectly and I was able to enjoy the entire cruise!

[sayhello]

Just thought I'd throw in that I have a big problem with sea-sickness on smaller boats, and had NO problems on the cruise ship. In fact, I got so lulled by the lack of sea-sickness, that I forgot to take anything before going on my snorkelling trip (small sail boat), and UGH! was reminded very quickly that I haven't "outgrown" it. For what it's worth... (And, of course, we didn't have any 20-foot swells like ladysheri did!!!! )

 

sayhello

[sunflower1972]

Thanks everyone for the wonderful input.....much appreciated!

I'm going to go prepared for the worst, and hope for the best:)

Thanks again!!

SF

[flamomo]

I found Sea Band - like bands at AAA. Being a member, they only cost $6.88 for a pair. MY local Walgreens did not have them.

[chris2597]

I forgot to mention in my previous post is that once seasickness starts it is hard to get under control....That is another reason my dr suggested taking it a couple days a head of time. She said that if you let it go....the meds will not be as effective once you decide to start.

[cjh]

Also, if you do get sea sick the crew will tell you to eat a green apple. They have them at the buffet

[Belle2002]

I have heard of the green apple remedy also. I will try just about anything. Recently I have used the sea bands, these seem to work fine, not very attractive, but neither is being sick. Lately I have used the ginger tables, these also have been very positive. Belle

[crazy4themouse]

I forgot to mention in my previous post is that once seasickness starts it is hard to get under control....That is another reason my dr suggested taking it a couple days a head of time. She said that if you let it go....the meds will not be as effective once you decide to start.

 

This is so true. Pick a med of your choice, and just take it every day of your cruise, regardless of how you're actually feeling. And I'll thrown in another vote for Bonine -- I also start taking it a few days before we fly/sail/ride roller coasters, and it works just great. Even though I usually get store-brands for stuff, I get the actual Bonine because it's chewable and raspberry flavored. I keep a few in my bag I always have with me on the cruise, so if I forget to take them in the stateroom I can just chew up a couple on the spot.

 

-gina-

[Dreamer333]

Here is another vote for GINGER...

I'm a strong believer in using a 'natural' cure over drugs!!!

(No side effects!!)

[fntsysprtswidow]

I not only get seasick, but even get sick while flying. I purchased the seabands at Savon Drugs. Wore them and took Bonine. Worked great! You should be fine. Have a great trip!

[ams cruiser]

Well with our first cruise fastly approaching I've been doing some thinking about motion sickness. I have had trouble in the past on small boats so want to be ready if it happens. First let me I have trouble with any over the counter motion sickness drug that causes you to be drowsy....for me that means 1/2 tab knocks me out....for like 4 hours:) SO not really an option as I'm looking to enjoy EVERY minute of this cruise. I picked up some Ginger pills made by Gravol as many on the site have recommended that.

Are you able to buy the seabands like at Walmart or anything?

So any one else have any helpfull hints or ideas for me?? I've been on the internet searching but thought you guys may have some real experience with it.

I really hope I'm being overly worried and I'll be fine.....just don't know how I'm going to react:)

Thanks to everyone!

SF

 

You may want to check out a website called nomoremotionsickness.com

I had a good experience in ordering Relief Bands for our December trip to the Mexican Riviera on the Sapphire.

 

I, too, was really concerned about getting seasick, as I have actually gotten motion sick standing on a dock watching boats bob up and down! I also am very sensitive to medications; the smallest doses will put me to sleep for hours. I tried the patch, Scopolamine (sp?), on a previous occasion, and had to discontinue it after 3 days due to blurred vision. The Sea Bands have also not worked for me, although many people swear by them. Non-drowsy Dramamine (same as Bonine) also makes me quite drowsy!

 

Here's what worked for me on our cruise. I wore the Relief Band, which sends an electronic impulse into your wrist, most of the trip. (I had researched the bands on these boards and, like most remedies, it had mixed reviews. I ordered one from the above website for about $80 including shipping, and received it within a few days). The band worked really well for me for 6 of the 7 days of the cruise. You can adjust the intensity of the pulses, depending on how you are feeling, and there are no drugs in your system. (I think it follows the same principle as the Sea Bands, in a more intense delivery system.)

 

The only day I started to feel sick was on the 7th day when we were heading against the current and winds through a storm system off the coast of California. Although the Captain's log said the sea was "moderate", which means up to 7.5 ft swells, the water was choppy, and many people on the ship were sick. I think what made it worse for me, was this was the day I was trying to fill out immigration forms, order pictures, pack, etc. I cranked up the level of my Relief Band and tried to go out on the Promenade deck for fresh air, but it was cold and windy, so I retreated to my cabin where I immediately took a non-Drowsy Dramamine tablet.

 

They say it's better to have food in your stomach, but the idea of heading up to the Lido Deck for the buffet, where the ship's movement was even more pronounced was out of the question. (By the way, there was significantly less movement on our Dolphin deck than there was on the higher decks, such as the Lido, where the rest of our group was staying.) What saved me at this point was room service. I ordered soup and a sandwich and since - as I was ordering the room service, the Dramamine started to kick in - caramel flan and a chocolate chip cookie as well! By the time my DH returned with my refill of Coca-cola (which also helps me), I was contentedly working my way through the pile of room service plates! After a brief nap, by dinnertime, I was ready to go to the regular dining room and eat again.:)

 

I had also brought with me an arsenal of other remedies including regular Dramamine and the patch, but didn't have to use them.

 

My advice would be to bring a variety of things with you, so that you feel prepared. Hopefully you won't have to use any of them. Some people ended up going down to the infirmary for a shot, which is supposed to work well.

 

Have fun on your cruise. Be as prepared as you can be in advance, and then, don't worry about it!

[sunflower1972]

WOW....so many great responces from everyone...I really appreciate it!! My neighbour told me about the green apple trick as well.....crazy isn't it.

We booked in November for the SUN Princess sailing Feb 6th...cabins were very limited but I did manage to get us a mid-ship on the Caribe deck so hopefully being midship will help....

Of course this whole post will mean nothing since we will have beautiful calm seas;) LOL.....

Thanks again to everyone.....i think a few of the things mentioned are in the US and not Canada....BUT we are heading down 2 nights early so I can find it at a pharmacy on 17th St Cswy!!

Wishing everyone many happy holidays in the future!!

SF

[Cruiseteach]

We went to Scandinavia in 1999 on the Royal. The second day out, crossing the North Sea, I woke up feeling awful!! Nothing worked and then the vomiting started- not fun. My DF called the Med. Center who recommended I come and get "the shot". (By this time, she was in the same shape as me.) We practically crawled down, found a waiting room full of folks in the same condition, got "the shot" and a box of pills. The dr. said we should go right back to our cabin because we were about to get very sleepy. Took a 2 hr. nap, went for a huge lunch and never had another twinge of nausea again for the whole trip. Pills did not make me sleepy. They are called promethazine and are available from your own dr. (Just got mine). The ship's dr. told me the shot works so well because it works on the inner ear. The only downside is the price- $50 for the trip to the med center, although my insurance paid for it.

I hope you have no such problem, but, if you do, do't hesitate to go to the med. cntr.

[luv2travel2beaches]

I know many people are worried about the side effects of the patch but for me it is a wonder drug. We were in very rough seas on our Hawaii cruise (headed to/from Fanning Island). I felt slightly woozy at times, but I never got sick. ANYTHING can make me motion sick...but I did great with the patch.

[JohnR49er]

Okay,,,,, been boating and fishing since I was a tadpole. Learned from the old salts. I never have been one to get sick luckily. Here is what I have figured out for DW who isn't a nautical person, but has survived many cruises with no adverse effects.

Start your cruise well rested, even it means getting in a day early.

Don't stay up late partying the night before you leave because you're on vacation.

Don't chow down on the morning you leave. There will be plenty the rest of the week.

Don't chow down at the first buffet when you get onboard. Have a little but don't get stuffed.

Don't drink a bunch of those sail away drinks as you are leaving !!!!!!!!!! Get you sea legs first.

Think about it........... all my don'ts combined with not being someone who is a boater would be like combining a wedding, New Years Eve and a day at the amusement park all at once!! Cruises are a great thing, but your body and equalibrium arent always ready for the culture shock.

Even being careful might not be enough for those who will always be prone to being sea sick, for those I have seen the best thing was the sea-bands. Give it a try and see before you resort to all the remedies. Take them with you as a back up. I know some people are just gonna be sick no matter what, but I think I have given a few landlubbers a new lease on cruising by making them take it easy the first day or two.

The sailaway idea also makes it easier for me to refill my drink.........LOL

[2good2b]

I am also prone to motion sickness....I didnt want to use the patch as I heard it had too many side effects....My dr. recommended Meclazine (sp??). She advised that I start it a couple of days before the cruise so that I was use to it and over the drowsiness....She said that even the non drowsy formulas can cause the sleepies....but once the body adjusts it isnt a problem.....Sure enough....after a couple of days I didnt feel it.....I stopped the pills on day 4 of the cruise and didnt have any problems....However, when I go off of the boat I felt like I was swaying and slightly sick....I started the pills back up and it went away....I will do the same on my next cruise,

 

What are the side effects of the patch? I've always used them and never noticed any side effects

[Cruiseteach]

What are the side effects of the patch? I've always used them and never noticed any side effects

The patch can cause many seruious problems, incl. cardiac arrthymia (sp?), shortness of breath, blurred vision and migraine. My dr. refuses to prescribe it for anyone. Says it should be taken off the market.