seasick: what's the name of the medicine?

[dhmom99]

I heard the sea could be rough out of Seattle. What kind of medicines do you use that can be effective in dealing with motion sickness? Is there non-drowsy one available? I certainly do not want to spend the whole sleeping through my trip. Any advice?

[australian_girl]

I think I've seen "Dramamine" mentioned here, I believe it can make you drowsy though.

[Gaprofitt]

I highly recommend Bonine, it can be bought at wal-mart, much better

than dramimine.

[silverjoe]

Last year when I was on a sailing excursion in Hawaii, the crew gave out ginger. I have heard that it is a natural answer to seasickness, along with the bracelets that are sold.

[Sprocket Rocket]

I also use Bonine. It is non-drowsy. I have also read alot about taking ginger tablets.

 

There is a prescription drug I believe called Scopalamine(sp).

[Chenega]

I think I've seen "Dramamine" mentioned here, I believe it can make you drowsy though.

 

There is also a non-drowsy version of dramamine available at many drug store. Bonine also works. The trick is to take them before you sail and not wait until the motion affects you. Once you feel queasy, ginger ale does work for some but I've had friends that say it doesn't work at all. Depends on who you ask.

[australian_girl]

There is also a non-drowsy version of dramamine available at many drug store. Bonine also works. The trick is to take them before you sail and not wait until the motion affects you. Once you feel queasy, ginger ale does work for some but I've had friends that say it doesn't work at all. Depends on who you ask.

 

Hubby and I haven't cruised before, except on Harbour cruises etc, do you think we should take a tablet the day we sail, then every day on board?

 

Thanks!!

[cjnky]

YES!! Start the day before. Meclazine is a generic form of Bonine that works good without drowsiness and is very inexpensive. But my doctor recommended the ear patch - the Scopalene (sp?) mentioned before. We also used seabands (the bracelets). Just remember it's better to be SAFE than SORRY!!!

[SeattleCruiselover]

Bonine is the best of the medications. Both Scopalomine and Dramamine have some heavy duty side effects possible.

 

Of the non-medication, both the Sea-Bands and ginger work wonderfully for me (as does the Bonine/meclizine, but I try to avoid medications when at all possible).

 

For any of them to work properly, though, you need to start medicating/usage about 24 hours in advance of sail-away, in order to get a proper blood level up if you are using pharmaceutical management.

 

However (I would be remiss as a health care provider if I did not provide this disclaimer), you absolutely should check with your primary health care provider to see what it is safe for you to take before purchasing any of these.

[bamacrzer]

Just to clarify some things about the over the counter seasick meds.

Bonine and the "less drowsy" Dramamine both contain the same medication--Meclizine. Meclizine is also the active ingredient in prescription Antivert that is used for vertigo. "Regular" Dramamine (original formula- not the less drowsy formula) contains dimenhydrinate which can be more sedating. Please note that meclizine (Bonine or less drowsy Dramamine) can also cause drowsiness as can the Transderm-Scop patch.

As previously posted, the key is to use these products before you start feeling seasick. I have always used Bonine or store brand product which worked well for me, but still caused some drowsiness. As a pharmacist, I just felt compelled to clarify the differences in the meds. Hope this helps.

 

Bruce

[Sprocket Rocket]

As mentioned above, take one the night before the cruise and another the day of the cruise. I do a fair amount of offshore fishing and usually take Bonine.

[Budget Queen]

I suggest you consult a health care professional for advice for you. There are side effects for all these drugs and medical conditions that prohibit their use.

 

 

There are also a variety of dosing factors that can be done with Bonine- taking 1 tab. at night, Spliting the dose with 1/2 in the am and 1/2 at bedtime, etc. See what is recommended for you.

[qiangf2]

The best place with the least amount of motion on the ship is the mid, lower ship. I would go to the first floor of grand atrium even after taking some medicine.

[jeanlyon]

Ginger - it works for me. I take crystallised ginger with me and I start eating little bits of it on the way to the ship.

[OldNavy]

http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/5354

You might want to try these. Not inexpensive, but they really do work.

[msmoger]

http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/5354

You might want to try these. Not inexpensive, but they really do work.

 

Yikes :eek: , $79 seems like a lot, however if it's fairly certain that it works I suppose it's worth it. Has anyone else had any experience with this device? Based on the above link it seems like it's a fairly new device (there's only one customer review and it's not really for this product, but rather for its' predecessor).

 

Thanks,

[dileep]

YES!! Meclazine is a generic form of Bonine that works good without drowsiness and is very inexpensive.

 

Celebrity had Meclizine avaliable on our South America cruise in 2006. You can even find it at Costco.

 

http://www.drugs.com/meclizine.html

[wrp96]

More hints (non medical) for avoiding seasickness:

 

Keep your stomach full at all times. A lot of people make it worse because they think they can't stomach food, but eating actually helps.

 

Eat green apples.

 

Bring ginger in some form with you. I like ginger altoids, but crystallized ginger works as well.

 

I take meclizine myself, a half a pill in the morning and a half a pill in the evening at the recommendation of my doctor. This was not enough for my mother (we had her taking a full pill in the morning and a full pill in the evening) though so we resorted to all of the above options.

[dhmom99]

Thank you all for the great advice.

 

bamacrzer, thank you for the detailed clarification for those different medicines. It helped a lot with my confusion.

 

Silverjoe, jeanlyon, and wrp96, I like the idea of non-medical prevention. I think I will get try the gingers first, with the Dramamine as backup?

[Keith1010]

We find that the Bonine works well for us. The key is to take it before you think you will be getting sea sick.

 

My recommendation is whatever you decide to buy that you first try it at home to see what if any reaction you have to it.

 

Keith

[OldNavy]

Yikes :eek: , $79 seems like a lot, however if it's fairly certain that it works I suppose it's worth it. Has anyone else had any experience with this device? Based on the above link it seems like it's a fairly new device (there's only one customer review and it's not really for this product, but rather for its' predecessor).

 

Thanks,

 

We've been using the older style for several years now and it really works well. I can't imagine the 'new and improved' version wouldn't work as well if not better. Nice thing is, you don't have to use it until if/when you need it. It works very quickly.

[Searching4Sun]

I would recommend using ginger pills. After my first cruise (the other meds listed did NOT help me without making me tired) I watched an episode of MythBusters. They concluded that ginger works, and it did. You just follow the instructions on the bottle and you'll be fine. I forgot to take it once in port and didn't feel great at dinner, but I took some more and felt fine. I have found the pills in the health food aisles at my local grocery store.

[ilinda]

Just to put my two cents in, I always use Meclizine as it is what the divers use for when they go out into choppy waters. Used to need a prescription but not anymore. I get mine at Walgreens, it is chewable.

Ginger is the natural way but I have not found that to work for me. Did work for my niece. Everyone is different.

You could always have another drink and not worry about it (kidding)

[kimcht]

I tried bonine today on a car trip to see how I would do in preparation for my alaska trip (mostly worried about the kenai fjord tour). I just took one of the supposedly less drowsy version and I've been SO sleepy all day. My stomach was ok but I don't think I could have enjoyed a boat tour because the sleepiness. I took it 12 hours ago and I'm still sleepy! does anyone know if you build up to a tolerance to the sleepiness if you take it for a few days? or can you tell me about crystallized ginger? I've taken capsules with some success. thanks for the help!

[azrose]

I always get sleep with the bonine too.....but not sick....think I will try the 1/2 tablet way....I am only 110 pounds anyway!!