Motion Sickness Meds

[Elaine5715]

9 hours ago, mom says said:

The poster you replied to is from Canada. Meclizine ( generic or by any brand name) is not approved here. It is not available anywhere in the country. In the US it should be available OTC in any pharmacy; just ask the pharmacist. 

 

9 hours ago, mom says said:

For those of you who can't tell the difference between motion sickness and constipation-

According to the Cleveland Clinic:

the symptoms of motion sickness

• Cold sweats.
• Dizziness.
• Fatigue.
• Headache.
• Irritability.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Increased saliva, nausea and vomiting.
• Pale skin.

Symptoms of constipation include:

• You have fewer than three bowel movements a week.
• Your stools are dry, hard and/or lumpy.
• Your stools are difficult or painful to pass.
• You have a stomach ache or cramps.

 

Not a whole lot of similarity that I can see. There shouldn't be a lot of confusion as to which is which.

Stomach ache =nausea

Dehydration includes feeling dizzy or light headed and constipation

When you are motion sick, you avoid food and liquid.

As a theme park attendee, frequent flyer and motion sickness pro,  most people  can't tell the difference.

[Elaine5715]

11 hours ago, sandym718 said:

surprised by the posters insinuating that seasickness is not real, is “in people’s heads” or is really another issue (constipation?).  I assure you that many people truly do get seasick and often have motion sickness in many other areas of life.  It is actually insulting to suggest that people are talking themselves into it.  I have dealt with severe motion sickness my entire life, some of my earliest memories involve getting carsick. Most amusement rides were never possible, even a playground swing makes me dizzy.  As another poster said…floating on a raft in a backyard pool. Lazy rivers I have to have my feet touching the bottom. Cannot ride in the backseat of a car, buses are bad.  I have to look out the windshield of any vehicle at all times.   I also had hyperemesis gravidarum during both my pregnancies and had to be hospitalized/medicated, seemed to be related.  None of this is in my head, it’s a physical ailment and is for so many others as well.   count yourself lucky if you do not suffer from it instead of not-so-subtly degrading those who do.  We know what it is. You clearly do not.  
 

That said, Bonine is wonderful and has allowed me to cruise! 

My point was and is, people are onboard a ship and "feel bad" thus it must be sea sickness.  If we are competing, I can't do water slides even on meds since if I get turned backwards, it hits immediately, wave pools are a no go, small prop planes are a big nope, most amusement park rides are watching only, I look at wave action before water shuttles, and  I need meds to watch car races in person...that's my experience.   Bonine 2x daily keeps mine manageable but isn't strong enough to prevent it completely.  I am allergic to Scopolamine patches which worked until the allergic reaction. Doc thinks motion sickness bouts beats swollen throat so no patches for me.  

[buckeye7]

11 hours ago, sandym718 said:

 I have dealt with severe motion sickness my entire life, some of my earliest memories involve getting carsick

I completely relate to your experiences. I am the same and my daughter is the same. My son doesn’t have problems and can rides roller coasters all day long. I foolishly once in my 40’s thought I had likely outgrown it and rode Space Mountain in Disney World. I was sick the rest of the day. Vomiting and had to lay down on a park bench — so embarrassing!! I have had motion sickness from my earliest memories, like you. I love cruising though so I am thankful there are things we can do to make it possible. My daughter, on the other hand, says she will never cruise again, as the meds just don’t do the trick enough for her. A poster here (MrGabriel) has recently recommended acupuncture which worked for him. I may give it a whirl! 

 

[sandym718]

50 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

My point was and is, people are onboard a ship and "feel bad" thus it must be sea sickness.  If we are competing, I can't do water slides even on meds since if I get turned backwards, it hits immediately, wave pools are a no go, small prop planes are a big nope, most amusement park rides are watching only, I look at wave action before water shuttles, and  I need meds to watch car races in person...that's my experience.   Bonine 2x daily keeps mine manageable but isn't strong enough to prevent it completely.  I am allergic to Scopolamine patches which worked until the allergic reaction. Doc thinks motion sickness bouts beats swollen throat so no patches for me.  

No competition at all.  But I think most motion sickness sufferers know the difference between constipation and being motion sick. Maybe some who are new to it do avoid food and drink, but most who have it lifelong know an empty stomach is the worst!   I think motion sickness on a cruise hits long before constipation would be an issue.  
 

oh and I agree on the water slides- forward is fun- backwards is a disaster!  Sorry the drugs don’t work as well for you! 

[sandym718]

38 minutes ago, buckeye7 said:

I completely relate to your experiences. I am the same and my daughter is the same. My son doesn’t have problems and can rides roller coasters all day long. I foolishly once in my 40’s thought I had likely outgrown it and rode Space Mountain in Disney World. I was sick the rest of the day. Vomiting and had to lay down on a park bench — so embarrassing!! I have had motion sickness from my earliest memories, like you. I love cruising though so I am thankful there are things we can do to make it possible. My daughter, on the other hand, says she will never cruise again, as the meds just don’t do the trick enough for her. A poster here (MrGabriel) has recently recommended acupuncture which worked for him. I may give it a whirl! 

 

Sorry you and your daughter suffer the same!  My kids have it more mildly, mainly my son.  He’ll be taking the Bonine preventatively like me.  My husband is the lucky one who has never experienced it in his life!  

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, sandym718 said:

No competition at all.  But I think most motion sickness sufferers know the difference between constipation and being motion sick. Maybe some who are new to it do avoid food and drink, but most who have it lifelong know an empty stomach is the worst!   I think motion sickness on a cruise hits long before constipation would be an issue.  
 

oh and I agree on the water slides- forward is fun- backwards is a disaster!  Sorry the drugs don’t work as well for you! 

Correct, people who have actual motion sickness know it but those onboard ships who don't but "feel bad" assume it is sea sickness.  A day of travel before your cruise is enough for many to reach for Milk of Magnesium.  There is a reason the Lido breakfast prunes is empty towards the end of a cruise.    

[hancock]

On 2/9/2023 at 8:45 AM, BirdTravels said:

If you look at things like non-drowsy Dramamine, it is really just ginger. 

This is incorrect.  Non-drowsy Dramamine is the same as Bonine.  Compare the list of ingredients.  The active ingredient is the same.

[Hlitner]

When it comes to children and seniors (with no travel/cruise history) I strongly recommend asking your pediatrician and/or family physician for advice/recommendations.  This is especially true for we seniors who are likely on many other medications.   Just as a very simple example, many seniors take Ambien or Xanax which are drugs that can interact with Meclizine (Bonine).   

 

Transderm Scop patches (I thought they had finally disappeared from the market) can cause very serious side effects, especially in seniors.  We are talking hallucinations, sleep walking (heard the story about the elderly lady found wandering a ship late one night....completely nude?)  etc.

 

 

[mom says]

2 hours ago, hancock said:

This is incorrect.  Non-drowsy Dramamine is the same as Bonine.  Compare the list of ingredients.  The active ingredient is the same.

Actually the other poster is correct.  NONdrowsy Dramamine has ginger as the active ingredient. LESS drowsy Dramamine  has meclizine as the active ingredient.

Edited February 10, 2023 by mom says

[hancock]

59 minutes ago, mom says said:

Actually the other poster is correct.  NONdrowsy Dramamine has ginger as the active ingredient. LESS drowsy Dramamine  has meclizine as the active ingredient.

Thank you for the info. I've never seen non drowsy Dramamine.

[CPT Trips]

6 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

Transderm Scop patches (I thought they had finally disappeared from the market) can cause very serious side effects, especially in seniors.  We are talking hallucinations, sleep walking (heard the story about the elderly lady found wandering a ship late one night....completely nude?)  etc.

 

On 2/9/2023 at 8:32 AM, SG65CB said:

A scopolamine patch is the one thing that worked for my wife. At first she was using a whole patch, later she only needed half a patch, but recently she has not been seasick and hasn't used it at all. There are side effects but they mostly disappear after a day or so, and are less apparent with half a patch. 

 

I don't know if kids can use this, maybe it's just for adults. You'll see people with a small round sticker behind their ear. 

Do not cut a scopolamine patch to get half a patch. You’ll cause the reservoir to empty all at once. Not good!

 

Doubt this advice? Check out this explanation: https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/medication-education/cut-medication-transdermal-patches-safe

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by CPT Trips

[Toddcan]

On 2/9/2023 at 11:32 PM, mom says said:

The poster you replied to is from Canada. Meclizine ( generic or by any brand name) is not approved here. It is not available anywhere in the country. In the US it should be available OTC in any pharmacy; just ask the pharmacist. 

 

I live close to the border, so I pick up my Meclizine products in the US before cruising.  Still haven't been seeing Bonine - Only Dramamine. 

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Toddcan said:

 

I live close to the border, so I pick up my Meclizine products in the US before cruising.  Still haven't been seeing Bonine - Only Dramamine. 

In the USA, simply go the pharmacy counter and ask if they sell generic meclizine.  The answer is usually yes, and the cost is a fraction of the cost of Bonine for the same active ingredient.  We used to pay nearly 50 cents per Bonine or Dramamine Non-Drowsy tablet until we discovered we could buy a 100 meclizine tablets for about $6.

 

Hank

[Shmoo here]

My first cruise I had no idea if I would get sea sick, but I'm not a fan of taking medication "just in case".  We did know my husband does get sea sick, so he asked his doctor for the patch.  

 

I didn't take anything before boarding the ship, but I did bring along Dramamine/Bonine, and MotionEze oil.  I didn't need any of it.

 

Since we started cruising regularly, my husband has "outgrown" being sea sick.  That is, his inner ear has learned to adjust and he no longer gets sick.  Took about 4 cruises (about a year) for this to happen.  Now, (very) occasionally, he wears sea bands if the sea are especially bad (like our northern Atlantic cruise).

 

 

[schmoopie17]

On 2/12/2023 at 2:05 PM, Shmoo here said:

 

I didn't take anything before boarding the ship, but I did bring along Dramamine/Bonine, and MotionEze oil.  I didn't need any of it.

 

 

 

 

Funny you would mention Motion Eze. We use it on every cruise. A drip or two behind the ears and you're good to go.