Reassure me...seasickness

[MicCanberra]

I am not keen on drugs either, that was why I recommended non chemical methods.

[jagsfan]

3 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

I strongly recommend if planning to use the patch ... do a test run b4 your cruise.  Put one on at home and <try to> wear it for the full 3 days and see how you react.  These things can really ZAP some folks.  Same goes for Dramamine, do a test run.  And if you are considering drinking while using either, include this in your test run.

 

My father tried the patch once and had two glasses of wine with dinner and became a person we'd never met b4.  Mother woke up at 2 AM and he was no longer in the room having gone to bed earlier (she did nothing but THAT's a different story) .....  He remembers NOTHING of the night . . .

 

{btw there were a lot of discussions last year about non-availability of the patch in the US.  Has this been resolved now?}

 

best preventive for sea sickness is to keep the brain occupied with something else.  Sea sickness is really "just" vertigo.  The brain gets overloaded with messages from the inner ear about balance.  This gets worse if you sit and let it 'take over'.  If you can stay occupied doing something it helps ..... or give in completely and go to sleep for a few hours.  Either way the brain has a bit of time to adjust and MOST will feel better.  When I first went o sea the way I dealt with this was asking to go aloft.  Hanging on the mast 150 feet above the deck kept the mind occupied

Looking at this photo is sending me to the medicine cabinet for a Bonine. 

Edited January 11, 2019 by jagsfan

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, snowskier said:

I stopped taking drugs to have fun after college in the 60's. I learned years ago that when my body says no way, I listen. There just isn't anything about cruising that justifies putting drugs in my body to be able to do it.

 

You can see Alaska -- in fact you will see much more of Alaska -- without getting on a cruise ship.

 

This will not be a popular response on CC but I thank everyone in advance for respecting my post just as I respect theirs.

Huh? So you are comparing taking illicit drugs recreationally to medications prescribed by a physician?   

[MicCanberra]

I don't think they said they were illicit drugs they were taking. I do think the body is better off drug free whether they are illicit or prescribed if you can help it (BTW, I do not put Sea sickness in the same category as many chronic diseases that require treatment via drugs)

[Elaine5715]

19 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I don't think they said they were illicit drugs they were taking. I do think the body is better off drug free whether they are illicit or prescribed if you can help it (BTW, I do not put Sea sickness in the same category as many chronic diseases that require treatment via drugs)

What other drugs were popular in the 60's with college kids and taken for fun?  Tide pods weren't yet available.  

[MicCanberra]

Depends on what laws were in place at the time, many drugs were taken for fun that were quite legal before they became illicit.

[rgmacm]

As far as tips for the patch....The instructions say to apply it the night before.  While I would NEVER advise anyone to 'not follow medication instructions',  🙂  I will say....  on our first cruise, when we followed the instructions like "good little patients", we found it was messing with our equilibrium (which is how it works) while we were still on land...as in, the middle of the night when we got up to go to the bathroom....or the next morning standing in lines at check-in/embarkation.  That was not fun!!!  

We learned an important lesson from that (FOR US....again, NOT advising anyone else....that's dangerous in a public forum! ) and adjusted what we do. 

Then....based on that, years later when my parents went with us on a cruise, I purposely didn't advise my mother (who was at that time a little unstable/unsure on her feet) to put her patch on until later.  I didn't want her to wake up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and fall...with me in another hotel room...where I would never even know she fell until the next morning!!  😧

So...I just like to tell people that the patch DOES mess with your equilibrium soon after application...

 

Then...the other thing people should know is that the patch lowers one's tolerance for alcohol.  That's something that doctors SHOULD know and advise patients about...but I think most Family practitioners prescribe it so INfrequently that they don't know....so don't caution...  (I would assume that as with anything else, a person's own body chemistry comes into play with this as well....so possibly different for different people...)   We don't drink alcohol so it's never an issue for us, but anytime I tell someone about the patch, I'm careful to give them this information too...  

 

All that being said, we use the patch and LOVE it...but have learned how our bodies react to it...apply it as we need to...and of course, don't drink....so it works well for us...

 

As far as Alaska....the Inside Passage is 'smooth as glass'.  The only time we really had any problems with motion sickness on our Alaskan cruise was across the Gulf of Alaska...and it WAS bad there, just fyi.  Ugh!!!  I think it can be a little rough sailing around Vancouver Island on sailings from Seattle or Cali too - in those open waters...  However, if sailing out of Vancouver you're in protected waters so no problems on that route.

 

 

Edited January 11, 2019 by rgmacm

[K32682]

No one can offer the OP any reassurances. The only question is why after being "terribly sea sick" on one cruise her friend wants to go on another. 

 

There are people who are predisposed to motion sickness. They decorate themselves with bracelets and other magic amulets, munch ginger, pop Dramamine like they M&Ms and dose themselves up with powerful prescription drugs like Scopalamine.  

 

Is a holiday that you need to be doped up to enjoy worth taking?  Is it worth the anxiety and doubt every time the sea becomes a little choppy? 

[briehon]

Answers to many comments..,

 

First, I am an avid cruiser...3 times per year most years. My friend is wanting to travel with me and sees me loving cruising so much that she wants to join me even if it means maybe being motion sick part of the time. So trying to alleviate it as best we can. I too avoid drugs at all costs, I even got my cardiologist to get me off of cholesterol meds. But using a drug for a week at a time to alleviate motion sickness I think is pretty harmless.

 

She does not drink a drop, recovering alcoholic of 25 years, so her avoiding alcohol isn’t an issue.

 

People with limited time and limited funds find cruising a more cost effective and quicker way to maybe see parts of the world they wouldn’t otherwise. She has always wanted to go to Alaska, she’s a cold weather girl. 

 

I think i may may have her try bone instead of the patch...sounds like a better option with less side effects. 

[lizp]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

Is a holiday that you need to be doped up to enjoy worth taking?  Is it worth the anxiety and doubt every time the sea becomes a little choppy? 

 

If I lived my life like this, I would never be able to go on another vacation again, unless it was within walking distance of my home. 

 

Planes, trains and automobiles -- plus any boat larger than a canoe, and also trams, subways, rollercoasters -- all have the potential to make me VERY motion-sick.  VERY.  Pretty much anything that moves, fast or slow, straight or loopy, can and probably will make me green around the gills.  Sometimes I can just deal with it, if it's a short-lived adventure like a water taxi in Stockholm, but if I'm on a long, bumpy plane ride, I'd rather pop one of those M&M Dramamines than enjoy the contents of my stomach a second time.  Knowing that there are drugs I can take to alleviate that discomfort is a WONDERFUL thing, and I am not afraid to rely on modern medicine now and then for my own comfort and well-being. 

 

It has been my experience that people who have never experienced motion-sickness simply can not comprehend just how awful it is.  There are even people out there who think motion-sickness is just a mental thing and not a physical reaction and those of us suffering should just "get over it" and we'll be fine.  If you are not experienced in something, why are you weighing in?  Who are you to judge how someone else lives their lives?  

Edited January 11, 2019 by lizp

[lizp]

9 minutes ago, briehon said:

Answers to many comments..,

 

First, I am an avid cruiser...3 times per year most years. My friend is wanting to travel with me and sees me loving cruising so much that she wants to join me even if it means maybe being motion sick part of the time. So trying to alleviate it as best we can. I too avoid drugs at all costs, I even got my cardiologist to get me off of cholesterol meds. But using a drug for a week at a time to alleviate motion sickness I think is pretty harmless.

 

She does not drink a drop, recovering alcoholic of 25 years, so her avoiding alcohol isn’t an issue.

 

People with limited time and limited funds find cruising a more cost effective and quicker way to maybe see parts of the world they wouldn’t otherwise. She has always wanted to go to Alaska, she’s a cold weather girl. 

 

I think i may may have her try bone instead of the patch...sounds like a better option with less side effects. 

 

I hope you and your friend have a wonderful cruise!  

[jagsfan]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

No one can offer the OP any reassurances. The only question is why after being "terribly sea sick" on one cruise her friend wants to go on another. 

 

There are people who are predisposed to motion sickness. They decorate themselves with bracelets and other magic amulets, munch ginger, pop Dramamine like they M&Ms and dose themselves up with powerful prescription drugs like Scopalamine.  

 

Is a holiday that you need to be doped up to enjoy worth taking?  Is it worth the anxiety and doubt every time the sea becomes a little choppy? 

I could not sail without Bonine. It keeps me from being violently ill when cruising, riding in a car in the mountains, riding on a bus anywhere, or even going on a glass bottom boat in a calm lake. 

Many medication can have side effects, large or small. However, I am not “doped up”. I enjoy activities, including trivia sessions. 

Bonine does not make me sleepy. I don’t drink a lot, so a heavy drinker might have a problem. 

One a day after the first day keeps me from being seasick and keeps me from even worrying about becoming seasick. 

Those of us who are motion sickness prone would have a limited enjoyment of life if we didn’t have the wherewithal to cope with it. 

 

[dreadpirate3]

I also sail comfortably with meclizine, or Bonine. My new bottle arrived this week, I will take it every night starting two nights before the cruise. No worries.

 

The alarmists claiming people are drugging themselves to avoid being seasick must not ever take anything for a headache, cold, or flu. After all, they know best for other people.

[Slugsta]

I take a lot of regular medication and some of that makes me more prone to motion sickness. In addition, I cannot sit comfortably for long, so my capacity for travel is limited. I am lucky that I live a short drive from Southampton and, once I have done that, the world comes to me. 

 

Several bouts of sea-sickness put my future cruising in doubt and that would have meant limiting myself to staying within easy driving distance of home for the rest of my life. Possible but potentially dull. 

 

The patch allows me to continue enjoying cruises without causing significant side effects. As an added bonus, I am still able to enjoy alcohol too.

 

I would never criticise someone who chose to stay drug-free and close to home. I shouldn't have to justify myself to others who live their lives differently.

 

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

The larger the ship the less movement is felt.

[RocketMan275]

On 1/9/2019 at 2:09 PM, Sitzmark said:

it is an antihistamine sold under the brand name Bonine.  It is OTC, you might want to google it.  You can also use Dramamine which is also OTC.  You should be able to get either one at most drug stores.

Tylenol PM also includes Diphenhydramine.  That's the difference between Tylenol and Tylenol PM.

[MicCanberra]

Didn't realise there was the two types - Tylenol and Tylenol for the afternoons.

[K32682]

23 hours ago, lizp said:

It has been my experience that people who have never experienced motion-sickness simply can not comprehend just how awful it is.  There are even people out there who think motion-sickness is just a mental thing and not a physical reaction and those of us suffering should just "get over it" and we'll be fine.  If you are not experienced in something, why are you weighing in?  Who are you to judge how someone else lives their lives?  

 

The OP is asking for reassurances when the fact is there are none and the possible outcomes are not encouraging. 

 

The sea-sickness prone travel companion may be seasick despite the drugs.  She may be dizzy, drowsy or have her personalty altered by the affects of Scopolamine and/or other drugs particularly if she drinks.  Considering how sick she was on he first cruise at best they will both most likely be in a state of mild to moderate trepidation over whether the drugs and magic talisman will have the desired effect should the weather get rough. The OP is already apprehensive otherwise he/she would not be here seeking reassurance. 

 

The only scenario with a positive outcome is a rough first day, confirmation the anti-nausea measures worked and everyone relaxes for the rest of the cruise. 

 

 

[rgmacm]

18 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Tylenol PM also includes Diphenhydramine.  That's the difference between Tylenol and Tylenol PM.

 

While that is the difference between Tylenol and Tylenol PM, that doesn't mean it will treat motion sickness  (and I should have quoted Sitzmark in this too, but don't know how to quote 2 people.  🙂 )  

 

To All: 

Please note the difference in dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine.  They are not the same ingredient.

Dimenhydrinate:  Med used for inner ear disturbances and motion sicknesses....usually only found in motion sickness remedies

Diphenhydramine:  TRUE antihistamine found in Tylenol PM, Benedryl and many other cold medications

 

(and while we're on the subject)  Meclizine:  This is the ingredient in Bonine...another option for treating motion sickness

 

Just note for those seeking information about motion sickness remedies that dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine are NOT interchangeable...totally different medications.  

Happy Cruising All!!!  

[payitforward]

On 1/11/2019 at 7:14 AM, K32682 said:

No one can offer the OP any reassurances. The only question is why after being "terribly sea sick" on one cruise her friend wants to go on another. 

 

There are people who are predisposed to motion sickness. They decorate themselves with bracelets and other magic amulets, munch ginger, pop Dramamine like they M&Ms and dose themselves up with powerful prescription drugs like Scopalamine.  

 

Is a holiday that you need to be doped up to enjoy worth taking?  Is it worth the anxiety and doubt every time the sea becomes a little choppy? 

 

Do you suggest people who are prone to motion sickness never leave their homes? I was "terribly sea sick" on my first cruise, and have thoroughly enjoyed 14 more with the assistance of Meclizine. I am not "doped up." It gives me ZERO side-effects. To answer your question: YES! The holiday is worth taking! Life is for living; not for staying home while allowing fear or anxiety to rule your life.

[K32682]

18 minutes ago, payitforward said:

 

Do you suggest people who are prone to motion sickness never leave their homes? I was "terribly sea sick" on my first cruise, and have thoroughly enjoyed 14 more with the assistance of Meclizine. I am not "doped up." It gives me ZERO side-effects. To answer your question: YES! The holiday is worth taking! Life is for living; not for staying home while allowing fear or anxiety to rule your life.

There are many other vacation options that don't require magic amulets, popping pills, patches or constant fretting that rough seas might leave one incapacitated. 

 

 

 

[payitforward]

11 minutes ago, K32682 said:

There are many other vacation options that don't require magic amulets, popping pills, patches or constant fretting that rough seas might leave one incapacitated. 

 

 

 

Odds are those other vacations require flights, vehicle rides, etc. If one gets motion sick, they are just as likely go get sick on those trips. Then, there's also the fact that cruising provides a better value than most land vacations. Finally, there's the fact that I have a chronic illness. Cruising offers me a vacation where I only have to pack/unpack once, and I get to see multiple destinations while my bedroom travels with me. This allows me the option to rest whenever I need to. While YOU may not see the value in having to take something for motion sickness, it is the perfect option for ME.

[MicCanberra]

I suppose some people just cannot cruise even if they like the concept. Others can cruise but don't like it even though their partners do (which is why they still go). People do all sorts of things due to friends or families that they wouldn't normally choose for themselves.

[briehon]

Thank you all for every comment. After everything we have read and on other posts as well, she has decided bonine the best option to try with ginger tabs as a back up. We are going and I for one will definitely have a good time...I hope she does! And if it doesn’t work, at least on port days she will have an enjoyable time. She said last time as soon as she wasn’t at sea she was fine.

[Capt_BJ]

As a retired Coast Guard Captain who actually commanded a couple of our (CG) largest cutters, I've a lil experience with folks having their first experience on ships/boats.  I've SEEN seasickness!!!!!!

 

There are some folks who will NOT adjust no matter the drug or placebo ..... I had kids report in and could not sleep on the ship while at the pier ... and no prescription drug helped other than knocking them out.  Air Force will classify folks as unable to fly and USCG will classify as 'no sea duty' .... it happens and is real.  

Edited January 12, 2019 by Capt_BJ