Scopolamine Patches question

[wants2cruise2]

Scopolamine Patches, has anyone ever heard of cutting them in half to reduce the drowsiness side effects?  I never thought of doing it until i heard a wife of a friend does.  Is this safe, smart?

[smokeybandit]

You shouldn't cut them in half due to how the medication is stored inside.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, wants2cruise2 said:

Scopolamine Patches, has anyone ever heard of cutting them in half to reduce the drowsiness side effects?  I never thought of doing it until i heard a wife of a friend does.  Is this safe, smart?

CC is not the place to ask, call your medical care provider

 

[Thesandman12]

to be safe always ask, doctor, pharmacy, etc. We wore them once on first cruise, whole patch and it was too much, we never wore again. 

many cut in half, some open package a day or 2 before to let it weaken . 

it really was bad after we got off the ship after wearing 7 days.

[Nujdawg]

Would not tear the patch.  

 

what has worked for me, is I put the patch on a few hours prior to sailing.

I then take off that evening of first day..  Enough of the drug has gotten in to help withstand any motion sickness feeling when first on the ship.  Most people's body's equilibrate within that first day.

I then take the patch off and enjoy rest of cruise.

More than the dizziness is the eye dilatation which is weird that first day

 

 

 

 

[KLMB]

I do cut the patch in half.  I get very seasick without it.  However, it makes me so tired, I am looking for an alternative. 

[GTO-Girl]

Tried a patch once and it dried my mouth out so badly I could barely swallow.  I also started having problems with my vision and removed it immediately..

 

Never tried another one…..

[ARandomTraveler]

You're not supposed to cut them in half, but what you can do, is put it on for a day or two, then remove it. Some of the medication will still be floating around in your system. Then after a 1-3 day break, put another one on (or the same one, if there's any sticky left). That's what I do, because if I leave it on longer than that, I get all kinds of terrible side effects. I have perfect eyesight, but by day 3 I can't even read the food menu because my eyes will be so blurry, and my mouth will be dry and my throat will be sore etc. 

[smokeybandit]

If you put another one on, put it on the other side of your neck.

[orville99]

According to my Dr., the patches are dosed for a 165-180 lb male. She prescribed a child dosed patch for my 110 lb DW. You may want to ask your Md for those if the regular patch is too much.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

6 hours ago, KLMB said:

I do cut the patch in half.  I get very seasick without it.  However, it makes me so tired, I am looking for an alternative. 

Ginger either fresh or snaps.  Start about two days before the cruise.  Our TA's spouse got seasick standing on the dock.  She swore by ginger.  

[ReneeFLL]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

If you put another one on, put it on the other side of your neck.

What does that do? It’s still on the same body.

[chill6x6]

So....place the patch on about 3 hours before sailing...take it off when you go to bed and place the backing back on it.  Put it back on when you wake up.....repeat..

[smokeybandit]

6 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

What does that do? It’s still on the same body.

It's not due to the medicine, but just easier on your skin. Keep putting the patch on the same spot, it can irritate the skin.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

And don't blame the sea if you drink to much.  We were on a cruise with people who wore patches, drank to excess every night, and claimed patches didn't work.

[JesseLivermore]

Curious if you can get one on board if/when needed.  (Westerdam AK) 

 

(Packed meclizine just in case)

[brillohead]

54 minutes ago, JesseLivermore said:

Curious if you can get one on board if/when needed.  (Westerdam AK) 

 

(Packed meclizine just in case)

I'm sure you can, if you're willing to pay a couple hundred dollars for it (cost of a doctor visit plus the price of the patch).

[chengkp75]

Cutting the patch in half will allow the medication to leak past the transdermal layer, and tend to put more in your system faster.  Try placing a small, round band aid where the patch goes, and then place the patch partially over the band aid.  This blocks some of the transfer surface, so less medication is delivered.  If you still feel nauseous, move the patch more off the band aid.  If you do not feel nauseous, but have bad side effects, move the patch more onto the band aid.

[JesseLivermore]

9 hours ago, brillohead said:

I'm sure you can, if you're willing to pay a couple hundred dollars for it (cost of a doctor visit plus the price of the patch).

 

thought that was included/billed to insurance 😞

 

How do patches compare to bonine/ dramamine as far as effectiveness/drowsiness.

[CPT Trips]

6 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Cutting the patch in half will allow the medication to leak past the transdermal layer, and tend to put more in your system faster. 

 

True! On the other hand, all the medication could leak out before you put the cut patch on. In that case you’ll get little or none into your system.

 

 

[CPT Trips]

10 hours ago, JesseLivermore said:

Curious if you can get one on board if/when needed.  (Westerdam AK) 

 

(Packed meclizine just in case)

Your much more likely to get a phenergan shot from a ship’s doc than a scopolamine patch. 

[gluecksbaer]

11 hours ago, JesseLivermore said:

How do patches compare to bonine/ dramamine as far as effectiveness/drowsiness.

 

For me, I can barely stay awake on Dramamine.  Bonine doesn't knock me out completely but I can't do anything important because I will be sleepy for 24-36 hours after I take it.  

I knew that wouldn't work on a cruise so I tried the patches. I did not notice any side effects with scopolamine.

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, JesseLivermore said:

 

thought that was included/billed to insurance 😞

 

How do patches compare to bonine/ dramamine as far as effectiveness/drowsiness.

If you have travel insurance that would cover it, you'd have to pay the bill on the ship and send the receipts to your insurance company after you get home.  Regular health insurance would work the same (depending on if you have coverage outside of the USA).  

The patches won't make you drowsy, but some people experience blurred vision with them, and some experience extreme thirst/dry mouth.  (We actually use the patches on patients who have swallowing issues, to reduce their secretions to limit the chance of aspiration.) 

If you think you'll need them, I would recommend talking to your doctor at home and trying one out well in advance, so you'll know if you experience any side effects from them.  You could get your doctor to prescribe enough for your cruise plus an extra week so you'd have spares for a trial run.  That way you could also bill the visit to your insurance company and only be responsible for deductibles/copays.

 

 

[JesseLivermore]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

If you have travel insurance that would cover it, you'd have to pay the bill on the ship and send the receipts to your insurance company after you get home.  Regular health insurance would work the same (depending on if you have coverage outside of the USA).  

The patches won't make you drowsy, but some people experience blurred vision with them, and some experience extreme thirst/dry mouth.  (We actually use the patches on patients who have swallowing issues, to reduce their secretions to limit the chance of aspiration.) 

If you think you'll need them, I would recommend talking to your doctor at home and trying one out well in advance, so you'll know if you experience any side effects from them.  You could get your doctor to prescribe enough for your cruise plus an extra week so you'd have spares for a trial run.  That way you could also bill the visit to your insurance company and only be responsible for deductibles/copays.

 

 

Thanks got the less drowsy meclizine for now. Will take the night before (sleep aid?) , and the night of cruise..  Fingers chopped AK waters aren't too choppy next week.

[JesseLivermore]

On 7/27/2022 at 6:15 PM, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

Ginger either fresh or snaps.  Start about two days before the cruise.  Our TA's spouse got seasick standing on the dock.  She swore by ginger.  

 

will start tomorrow. Love my  ginger tea and  will bring both..