Dramamine and blood pressure meds interaction

[robinh1974]

Hi y'all.I'm leaving on Thursday out of Galveston on the Ecstasy.This is my first cruise and I am a little anxious.I have the patches and some dramamnine.Not sure which ones I am going to use yet but when I looked for drug interactions on the internet there was a moderate reaction between them and my blood pressure meds(Toprol).Symtoms like rapid heartbeat and blurred vision.I already have panic attacks and if this occurs it will probably ruin my trip.Any similar stories or suggestions?Thanks ,

Robin

[Sea Hag]

Speaking only for myself here, but I wouldn't use Dramamine if I were in your shoes. Will you have enough time to call your doctor's office and see what they have to say? They might have another suggestion.

 

I don't get seasick, but I do get carsick and ginger helps me a lot with that. Ginger and not letting my stomache get too empty - that'll sure be a problem on a cruise, won't it? :p Ginger tea, ginger cookies, ginger chews. All those help me with the carsickness.

 

Do you have any particular reason to think you'll even have a problem with seasickness?

[Husky61]

Hi y'all.I'm leaving on Thursday out of Galveston on the Ecstasy.This is my first cruise and I am a little anxious.I have the patches and some dramamnine.Not sure which ones I am going to use yet but when I looked for drug interactions on the internet there was a moderate reaction between them and my blood pressure meds(Toprol).Symtoms like rapid heartbeat and blurred vision.I already have panic attacks and if this occurs it will probably ruin my trip.Any similar stories or suggestions?Thanks ,

Robin

 

I really believe that this a question you should ask your physician.:)

[onceagain]

I have high blood pressure and always take Dramamine - but you should definintely talk with your doctor about it.

[CC Help Michell]

I really believe that this a question you should ask your physician.:)

 

Another vote for "this one's for your doctor" -- this really isn't something anonymous posters on an internet message board are remotely qualified to answer for the OP.

[misty57]

You can also call your pharmacist who would ( or should) know about interactions with your particular medication. He or she could suggest something that would not interact.

[SheilaNC]

As a health care provider, I completely agree that this is information that you should get from you primary care provider and not from a suggestion on the boards. The last thing that you want is a serious drug interaction while out at sea. So...call your physician or other health care provider and enjoy a wonderful cruise!

[sailinglisa]

Ask your pharmacist. They KNOW the interactions or can look them up. I take BP meds and have no problem with the dramamine or bonine. The patch can have SEVERE side effects in some people like the side effects you are describing. Dramamine or bonine will not have the same severe side effects......most notable might be drowsiness.

[Keith1010]

I just want to second some of the comments. If this was me I would contact my physicians office. I would not ask a pharmacist but rather the same person who is familiar with my medical history and who is the person who had prescribed the other medicine I was taking.

 

Keith

[misty57]

I just want to second some of the comments. If this was me I would contact my physicians office. I would not ask a pharmacist but rather the same person who is familiar with my medical history and who is the person who had prescribed the other medicine I was taking.

 

Keith

The chances that your MD knows which OTC medications interact with your prescription medicaton is pretty slim unless it is a very frequently prescribed medication and he has had patients ask the question before. The MD would most likely consult the pharmacist also. It would just save a step in the process to go right to the pharmacist that filled the prescription. They are trained to spot interactions when they fill a script. For instance... If you were taking Cisapride for reflux and your doctor prescribed Fluconazole for a yeast infection, the pharmacist would see this and some of their computer software also would flag this as two drugs that were contraindicated to be taken together. In my career I have had to point out these interactions to physicians before, and they count on the pharmacists to notify them if something doesn't go together. So, yes it is reasonable to check with your doctor, but if your doctor is like ours, you will speak to the nurse after she has time to return calls, which may not be until the next day, and then she will have to talk with the physician who will either call the pharmacist himself ( not likely) or his nurse will call, and then she will have to call you back when she has time. If you have the time to wait, that's fine...or you could start with the pharmacist that filled your prescription.

[Keith1010]

The chances that your MD knows which OTC medications interact with your prescription medicaton is pretty slim unless it is a very frequently prescribed medication and he has had patients ask the question before. The MD would most likely consult the pharmacist also. It would just save a step in the process to go right to the pharmacist that filled the prescription. They are trained to spot interactions when they fill a script. For instance... If you were taking Cisapride for reflux and your doctor prescribed Fluconazole for a yeast infection, the pharmacist would see this and some of their computer software also would flag this as two drugs that were contraindicated to be taken together. In my career I have had to point out these interactions to physicians before, and they count on the pharmacists to notify them if something doesn't go together. So, yes it is reasonable to check with your doctor, but if your doctor is like ours, you will speak to the nurse after she has time to return calls, which may not be until the next day, and then she will have to talk with the physician who will either call the pharmacist himself ( not likely) or his nurse will call, and then she will have to call you back when she has time. If you have the time to wait, that's fine...or you could start with the pharmacist that filled your prescription.

 

As I say I would consult my doctor. And I would make sure that I did it with sufficient time.

 

Keith

[misty57]

As I say I would consult my doctor. And I would make sure that I did it with sufficient time.

 

Keith

 

Certainly not the wrong thing to do, just not the only way to go. :)