scopolamine patch?

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

I've never cruised before and don't know if I'll have seasickness.  I am already planning to bring sea bands, ginger candies, Bonine and dramamine.  I have never needed any of these things before but I brought some of them on the Amtrak train.  Should I also ask my dr for a scopolamine patch?  I would be very wary of using such a thing, as I am cruising solo and don't know how it would affect me.  I know I could use it once on land to try, but I'm running out of time as I leave in 2 weeks.

[lissie]

Have you ever been in a car before? Do you get motion sick driving windy roads? Are you doing a cruise to really rough waters e.g. South Atlantic?  I think you are overthinking this. Ship's have medical centres well stocked with sea sickness meds if the worst comes to the worst.

 

I suffer badly from seasickness - but I knew that before I cruised 

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

 I specifically chose an Alaska cruise on the Inside Passage b/c it is unlikely to have rough seas.  I have never had motion sickness before.  I was mostly thinking about being prepared for any eventuality.

[mom says]

If you've never been affected by motion sickness before, then you should be fine with OTC methods,  whether pharmaceutical or other wise.  The scopolamine patch is pretty much a last resort. Taking it without first trying methods with a lower potential for serious side effects  is akin to using a chain saw on a dandelion.

[Ashland]

Avoid the patch...too many potential side effects !!!

[Silver Sweethearts]

Several manufacturers make seasick relief products, but they leave us drowsy.  The following is a product they do have that works for us and is pure ginger.  No drugs.  Everyone is different though, so be sure to ask your doctor and/or pharmacist about it and see what they say:

 

"Dramamine Non-Drowsy Natural Ginger motion sickness relief, 18 capsules per pack. Contains clinically tested ginger dosage required for preventing and treating motion sickness. Will prevent and treat the symptoms of motion sickness without drowsiness. It is safe for use everyday you travel since it's made with natural ginger. Other sources of ginger, including candies, gums, or ginger ale, may not contain a full clinical dose."

[lissie]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

Avoid the patch...too many potential side effects !!!

Its the only thing that works for me - the side effects are far less than many of the other remedies. That said I don't think the OP needs it with no history of sea sickness. 

 

But the patch allows me to cruise 

[lissie]

5 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

 I specifically chose an Alaska cruise on the Inside Passage b/c it is unlikely to have rough seas.  I have never had motion sickness before.  I was mostly thinking about being prepared for any eventuality.

Even I would be OK in the  Inside Passage - I'd only take precautions if the cruise was extending up to Anchorage 

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

The cruise does start in the Anchorage area, in Whittier.  

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

The cruise does start in the Anchorage area, in Whittier.  

 

Once you clear Prince William Sound, you have a day cruising the Pacific Ocean to either Hubbard Glacier, or the entrance to Icy Strait.

 

Unless you are on a small, luxury ship the ships no longer use the Inside Passage south of Prince Rupert, favouring the non-pilotage waters of Hecate Strait (12 - 15 hrs). You don't re-enter the Inside Passage until Queen Charlotte Strait, at the top end of Vancouver Island.

 

Although the cruise line promotes the "Inside Passage", even Vancouver based ships spend at least 1-day in open waters and/or Hecate Strait, which is rather shallow on the West side and can be a tad rough.

[SuiteTraveler]

20 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

 I specifically chose an Alaska cruise on the Inside Passage b/c it is unlikely to have rough seas.  I have never had motion sickness before.  I was mostly thinking about being prepared for any eventuality.

On both of our Alaska cruises we were in very high seas the first night and second day as we were in open ocean after leaving Seattle in one case and Vancouver in the other.  In both cases, passengers retired to their staterooms after visiting the seasickness table the doctor set up in the atrium.  All shows were cancelled - too dangerous to perform and the second night, there was hardly anyone in the dining room and even crew was sparse - I'm sure many were sick, there were barf bags all over the ship to use in case of emergency. We did use Transderm Scops for the first 48 hours and did not need them after that nor on the way back to Vancouver or Seattle.  It's all luck of the draw.  The Transderm Scops make your mouth dry and vision blurry - kind of like being slightly drunk. Other than that, we didn't have other side effects.  I do know that laying down helps with seasickness a great deal and to put an ice pack or a cold can of soda on the front of your neck to calm the feeling of wanting to vomit.  If your cabin is low and more midship, it will get the least motion.

 

Anyway, when you board the ship, ask your cabin steward or other ship personnel if there were rough seas coming back from Alaska on the previous cruise.  IF they say the seas were rough, go ahead and take the Bonine or use the Scop just in case the trip up will be rough. Never use these medications together, btw.  Bonnie wears off in the shortest time, whereas the scop is for 3 days. 

[SbbquilterUT]

I would be very cautious of the scopolamine patch - potent drugs with some side effects.  Any med you may want to try you might consider trying at home to see how it affects you.  We do travel with Bonnie (meclazine) and ginger candy but have not needed either.  Best help is to go outside and relax, breathe the fresh air and watch the horizon to acclimate your eyes/balance.  Also be cautious of drinking too much alcohol the first day.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Suitetraveler, I have read many times that Seattle cruises encounter rough seas but it's unlikely with Vancouver ones.  But, you had a Vancouver one like that?  I'm starting at Whittier and ending at Vancouver.

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

Suitetraveler, I have read many times that Seattle cruises encounter rough seas but it's unlikely with Vancouver ones.  But, you had a Vancouver one like that?  I'm starting at Whittier and ending at Vancouver.

 

With many years of navigating these waters, in post # 10, I explained where you can encounter rough seas on a 1-way Whittier to Vancouver.

 

The last few hours into Vancouver can also be rough, when navigating Georgia Strait, but SE'ly storms are unusual during the Alaska season. The more common NW'ly provide following seas, which are easier.

Edited May 27, 2022 by Heidi13

[bbwex]

So, let's talk a bit about seasickness.

Most people don't get it, or get just a  little as they get their "sea legs." For most people who do have any kind of problem, this does pass in a day, two at the most.  (Yes, I know, some people have it for longer, but the vast majority get over it fairly quickly.)  There are some things that you can do to minimize the sensation.  First of all, and this is counter-intuitive, you should eat normal meals, i.e. you should eat at normal times.  You want to avoid greasy foods perhaps, but you are better off with something in your stomach.  Secondly, until you get your sea legs, you should try to stay somewhere where you can see the horizon.  The current thought is that seasickness is caused by a conflict between the eyes and the inner ear, so that when you are inside a ship, your eye does not see motion, but your inner ear is trying to say you are moving.  Avoid the conflict by being somewhere outside or by a window where you can see the motion.  Once again, the vast majority of cruisers get their sea legs -- some immediately, some over the course of the first day or two at the most.

As to remedies: there are the over-the-counter pills: dramamine, bromine, and others that work for many people.  You can also use ginger, either in ginger pills, cookies, or ginger ale (if it really has giner in it).  Some people swear by sea-bands, others see not benefit, so they work for some people but not all people.  Then, of course, there is the scopolamine patch --- "the patch."  While this has seemed to become some people's first option, it really is a last option.  It is a powerful drug, some people have adverse reactions including hallucinations, blurred vision, confusion and others.  If you are insistent on using the patch, I would strongly recommend doing it at home for several days to see how you tolerate it.

There are some other things you can do -- minimize the motion by staying towards the center of the ship, though that gets complicated.  If you are trying to minimize the pitching (bow and stern going up and down), then you want a cabin near the center (amidships).  This is best in the real center, which used to have people suggest staying as low as possible, but as ships have changed in design, the center is now somewhat higher than the lowest cabin deck, but pretty complicated to calculate.  Try to stay in what appears to be the center up and down and fore and aft.  As for the ship's rolling (side-to-side) motion, you would want to be in the center going from one side to the other, but that puts you in an inside cabin with no windows, and remember what I started out by saying --- be able to see the horizon.  An inside cabin is not for someone who is seasick.

Part of the issue is anxiety.  People get afraid that they are going to get seasick, and they essentially talk themselves into it.  I often think a prescription for Valium would be more helpful than anything else!   I have seen a sailor get seasick as we were leaving port, and frankly we were on an aircraft carrier in the harbor going maybe 5 knots, and if you did not look out the window you would never have known that we were moving!  He convinced himself that he was going to get seasick, and sure enough he did.  Yes, I know that some people really do suffer from seasickness, but the vast majority, and I mean the vast majority get over it in a day or less.  Millions of people wouldn't cruise if they all got seasick, but a very large number take a little time to get their sea legs.  Large cruise ships do move -- the ocean is really, really big folks -- but they don't move like a car or a small boat.  The motion is usually fairly gentle.  Usually doesn't mean always, the seas can and do get heavy and it can get rough out there, but generally it is not bad.

I hope this helps.

[hancock]

I recommend the generic Meclizine HCL(Bonine or Dramamine non-drowsy formula, they are the same).  Take one the night before your cruise and every night of the cruise.  One a day is usually enough.  It may help you sleep better.  If you feel you are ok, you can stop taking it.  If you do get seasick, they recommend eating green apples.  Taking the meds once you are sick would take a long time to go into affect.  Prevention is the best.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, bbwex said:

So, let's talk a bit about seasickness.

Most people don't get it, or get just a  little as they get their "sea legs." For most people who do have any kind of problem, this does pass in a day, two at the most.  (Yes, I know, some people have it for longer, but the vast majority get over it fairly quickly.)  There are some things that you can do to minimize the sensation.  First of all, and this is counter-intuitive, you should eat normal meals, i.e. you should eat at normal times.  You want to avoid greasy foods perhaps, but you are better off with something in your stomach.  Secondly, until you get your sea legs, you should try to stay somewhere where you can see the horizon.  The current thought is that seasickness is caused by a conflict between the eyes and the inner ear, so that when you are inside a ship, your eye does not see motion, but your inner ear is trying to say you are moving.  Avoid the conflict by being somewhere outside or by a window where you can see the motion.  Once again, the vast majority of cruisers get their sea legs -- some immediately, some over the course of the first day or two at the most.

As to remedies: there are the over-the-counter pills: dramamine, bromine, and others that work for many people.  You can also use ginger, either in ginger pills, cookies, or ginger ale (if it really has giner in it).  Some people swear by sea-bands, others see not benefit, so they work for some people but not all people.  Then, of course, there is the scopolamine patch --- "the patch."  While this has seemed to become some people's first option, it really is a last option.  It is a powerful drug, some people have adverse reactions including hallucinations, blurred vision, confusion and others.  If you are insistent on using the patch, I would strongly recommend doing it at home for several days to see how you tolerate it.

There are some other things you can do -- minimize the motion by staying towards the center of the ship, though that gets complicated.  If you are trying to minimize the pitching (bow and stern going up and down), then you want a cabin near the center (amidships).  This is best in the real center, which used to have people suggest staying as low as possible, but as ships have changed in design, the center is now somewhat higher than the lowest cabin deck, but pretty complicated to calculate.  Try to stay in what appears to be the center up and down and fore and aft.  As for the ship's rolling (side-to-side) motion, you would want to be in the center going from one side to the other, but that puts you in an inside cabin with no windows, and remember what I started out by saying --- be able to see the horizon.  An inside cabin is not for someone who is seasick.

Part of the issue is anxiety.  People get afraid that they are going to get seasick, and they essentially talk themselves into it.  I often think a prescription for Valium would be more helpful than anything else!   I have seen a sailor get seasick as we were leaving port, and frankly we were on an aircraft carrier in the harbor going maybe 5 knots, and if you did not look out the window you would never have known that we were moving!  He convinced himself that he was going to get seasick, and sure enough he did.  Yes, I know that some people really do suffer from seasickness, but the vast majority, and I mean the vast majority get over it in a day or less.  Millions of people wouldn't cruise if they all got seasick, but a very large number take a little time to get their sea legs.  Large cruise ships do move -- the ocean is really, really big folks -- but they don't move like a car or a small boat.  The motion is usually fairly gentle.  Usually doesn't mean always, the seas can and do get heavy and it can get rough out there, but generally it is not bad.

I hope this helps.

 

Sorry, but having spent 40 + yrs at sea, my experience disagrees with your statement that most get over it in a day or 2.

 

While I have never been afflicted, I have seen many experienced seamen with many years at sea get seasick every time we hit some weather. The only reason they normally improve after a couple of days is because the storm was over. They weren't cured, or over it, as when the next storm arrived, they were all just as sick.

 

DW also falls into the same category, as she gets better as the storm eases, but gets just as sick when the next one arrives.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Thanks all for the responses.  Since I've not experienced motion sickness before on things such as the Amtrak sleeper train, I decided not to ask my dr for the patch.  I am bringing OTC bonine, dramamine, sea bands (which I know work for me), and ginger candies, if I can find them.

[hallux]

I had similar anxiety over being seasick before my first cruise.  I bought SeaBands to take with me just in case.  Never had a problem, and it was ROUGH!  Rough enough that they put seasick bags out in the stair wells and kept the pools closed (partially because they couldn't keep enough water in them!).  I think we had 10-20 foot seas at times, maybe higher.  I joked on the first day that we should get 'extra credit' for an elliptical workout if we stayed on the machine.

 

I never put on the SeaBands, I actually think I've now lost them as I couldn't find them for recent trips.

[Shmoo here]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:02 PM, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

Suitetraveler, I have read many times that Seattle cruises encounter rough seas but it's unlikely with Vancouver ones.  But, you had a Vancouver one like that?  I'm starting at Whittier and ending at Vancouver.

We did our first Alaska cruise out of Vancouver.  The overnight trip outside the inside passage was, indeed, rough waters.  They closed the doors to the outside decks, and the Captain made an announcement that the ship was going to be in rough water during dinner and he said,  "Ladies, please, no high heels for dinner."  

[whataboutport]

On 5/30/2022 at 4:20 PM, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

Thanks all for the responses.  Since I've not experienced motion sickness before on things such as the Amtrak sleeper train, I decided not to ask my dr for the patch.  I am bringing OTC bonine, dramamine, sea bands (which I know work for me), and ginger candies, if I can find them.

If you live near an Asian grocery store, try there for ginger candies. It is literally dried ginger coated in sugar. It's not the gummies that are mostly gelatin. I have only been seasick once on a ship but I do get pretty bad motion sickness when I do spin pole (pole dancing) and the sea bands really help for me. Make sure they are tight enough. I have to buy the children's size to get them to fit tight enough.