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Warning about the Scopolamine Patch -- Please Read


Rudydog
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I recently used the Scop patch for the first time. Ironically, the waters were fairly calm, but I used it "just in case." I returned to land last Sunday, a week ago, and removed the patch. I have had vertigo symptoms ever since. It is terrible. I called my doctor and he said this is not an uncommon side affect. Basically, I am going through withdrawal. I feel dizzy, feel like my brain is in a fog, when I look down a certain way, or when I lay down, the room feels like it is spinning. I have not been able to drive in over a week! I think I notice small improvements, but it's still awful. I did a Google search and learned that many people experience this and there really is nothing to be done. I will never use the patch again. I'll go back to using Bonine and will stop experimenting with new remedies. I had no problems with the patch while I was using it, just after I removed it. Please talk to you doctor extensively before using the patch.

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I recently used the Scop patch for the first time. Ironically, the waters were fairly calm, but I used it "just in case." I returned to land last Sunday, a week ago, and removed the patch. I have had vertigo symptoms ever since. It is terrible. I called my doctor and he said this is not an uncommon side affect. Basically, I am going through withdrawal. I feel dizzy, feel like my brain is in a fog, when I look down a certain way, or when I lay down, the room feels like it is spinning. I have not been able to drive in over a week! I think I notice small improvements, but it's still awful. I did a Google search and learned that many people experience this and there really is nothing to be done. I will never use the patch again. I'll go back to using Bonine and will stop experimenting with new remedies. I had no problems with the patch while I was using it, just after I removed it. Please talk to you doctor extensively before using the patch.

 

Thanks for posting your experience. I recently found out that Bonamine (Bonine) is no longer available for sale in Canada. The pharmacist recommended the patch instead. I know everyone reacts differently but I think I won't take chances with the patch and just make sure to pick up Bonine when I'm in the US pre-cruise. Hopefully it's available over the counter...

 

Thanks again for the info!

 

Andrea

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Did you think it was just a coincidence that no cruise line will issue these poison patches on any of their ships?

 

EVERY ship's doctor I have worked with over the past 3 decades has recommended against them.

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Wow Bruce -- I sure wish I had known this two weeks ago! Andrea, Bonine is available over the counter so you should have no problem getting it. I'm still feeling symptomatic but getting a bit better each day (or at least that's what I'm telling myself). Thanks for the support.

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Wow Bruce -- I sure wish I had known this two weeks ago! Andrea, Bonine is available over the counter so you should have no problem getting it. I'm still feeling symptomatic but getting a bit better each day (or at least that's what I'm telling myself). Thanks for the support.

 

Glad to hear Bonine is available OTC and to hear that you're improving with each day.

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Thanks for the warning.

I have found the best motion sickness cure to be ginger root, in capsule form. This is all natural (you can buy organic), and has NO side effects. It also helps aid digestion, a must for all that cruise food. I have never been seasick, and this even helps when riding around with those crazy cab drivers on the islands. I start taking 1 capsule twice a day a few days before the cruise, and continue every day until the end of the cruise.

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Thanks for the warning.

I have found the best motion sickness cure to be ginger root, in capsule form. This is all natural (you can buy organic), and has NO side effects. It also helps aid digestion, a must for all that cruise food. I have never been seasick, and this even helps when riding around with those crazy cab drivers on the islands. I start taking 1 capsule twice a day a few days before the cruise, and continue every day until the end of the cruise.

 

Do you know where I can purchase it in the US? DH used the patch last November. 2 patches for a 7 day cruise. He was fine and ate like horse. When we got back home, he was sick for 3 days, all white and pasty. Even our children's teacher said he didn't look that good. He said, he would rather be well on vacation and have fun and be sick later on the return home. I'm hoping the ginger root capsule you suggested would be better for all of us. I used the patch on the ship and no side effects on the return to land. Thanks.

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I rarely get seasick, but on our Hawaii cruise from BC with 5 days on the Pacific I decided "Better Safe Than Sorry." Our ship was docked in Honolulu for the last day and night and I removed the patch only to be awakened at 3:00am with violent vomiting. It wasn't Noro as there was only the one symptom. My husband virtually carried me to the infirmary in the morning and the nurse gave me a shot to quell my distress. It worked but I was left virtually comatose during our sightseeing tour after disembarking! :eek:

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Do you know where I can purchase it in the US? DH used the patch last November. 2 patches for a 7 day cruise. He was fine and ate like horse. When we got back home, he was sick for 3 days, all white and pasty. Even our children's teacher said he didn't look that good. He said, he would rather be well on vacation and have fun and be sick later on the return home. I'm hoping the ginger root capsule you suggested would be better for all of us. I used the patch on the ship and no side effects on the return to land. Thanks.

 

I buy mine in the health supplement section of my grocery store (by the vitamins), but I imagine you could get it at any health food store or pharmacy (CVS or Walgreens). They are not very expensive either. I paid for a bottle of 500 capsules for about $7.00

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I buy mine in the health supplement section of my grocery store (by the vitamins), but I imagine you could get it at any health food store or pharmacy (CVS or Walgreens). They are not very expensive either. I paid for a bottle of 500 capsules for about $7.00

 

I agree. They are easy to find, reasonable in price and seem to work very well. I don't get motion sickness luckily, but DW does and she swears buy the ginger pills.

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I agree. They are easy to find, reasonable in price and seem to work very well. I don't get motion sickness luckily, but DW does and she swears buy the ginger pills.

 

 

Does it have a taste? After taste when you swallow it? do you chew or just swallow whole? I hate the taste of ginger but will try if I can't taste it. Does it effect your breath? Thanks.

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Does it have a taste? After taste when you swallow it? do you chew or just swallow whole? I hate the taste of ginger but will try if I can't taste it. Does it effect your breath? Thanks.

 

It is in a capsule form, so it does not have taste. I swallow it whole. It does smell, but I have never had it affect my breath. I take them at the same time I take my multi-vitamin, so I just swallow them at the same time.

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A lot of people write about using one or the other, but I never read anything about using both of them.

 

My sister and BIL are joining us in August and they are both very anxious about getting seasick. They were on a 5 day cruise about 12 years ago (don't know what size ship or line) and they were very dizzy, nauseous, etc throughout the trip. They had seabands with them, but I've since learned that they didn't use anything until after they had developed symptoms:eek:

 

Anyway, they're paranoid and I want to arm them with as much stuff as possible (patches aren't an option). Can they start w/the ginger root and Bonine the day before and continue to take throughout, or is it a "one or the other" kind of thing?

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
What is the dosage on the ginger root? Does the Bonine make you sleepy like Dramamine?

 

Thanks!

I tend to get seasick, so I take 2 Ginger pills in the morning and 2 before dinner every day of the cruise. I start taking them the day before we sail. I have found that for me the first and second days are the worst as far as how I feel, so I have started to take Dramamine with the Ginger pills the first day or so and then just the Ginger pills. That seems to work for me. I don't believe that Bonine makes you sleepy.

 

I tried the Scop patch on my first cruise in 1992. I had a terrible reaction to it...blurred vision, dry mouth and a terrible withdrawl from it when I took it off. I have never used it since.

 

I would never go on a cruise without Ginger pills...they work! :)

Edited by Mango Tango
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What is the dosage on the ginger root? Does the Bonine make you sleepy like Dramamine?

 

Thanks!

 

Bonine does not cause drowsiness in most patients although some people do get a little woozy from it (alcohol intensifies this affect)

 

There is no safety issues combining it with Ginger capsules.. although general rule of thumb is ginger is better at relieving nausea whereas Bonine is a more for prevention.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm a physician, Internal Medicine, and am constantly asked to prescribe scope patches. I never, ever write for it. I consider the stuff dangerous, and that dizziness described is part of the side effects. As is the dilated eye pupil and blurred vision on one side, and walking into walls. Please, drink some ginger ale or eat some candied ginger! It is so much safer! I do prescribe Antivert (meclizine) which is the same drug as bonine, for nausea and vertigo. Benadryl will also work just as well. Might not have the exotic allure of a grey patch plastered behind your ear, but they work and are a lot safer.

 

Dr H

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I'm a physician, Internal Medicine, and am constantly asked to prescribe scope patches. I never, ever write for it. I consider the stuff dangerous, and that dizziness described is part of the side effects. As is the dilated eye pupil and blurred vision on one side, and walking into walls. Please, drink some ginger ale or eat some candied ginger! It is so much safer! I do prescribe Antivert (meclizine) which is the same drug as bonine, for nausea and vertigo. Benadryl will also work just as well. Might not have the exotic allure of a grey patch plastered behind your ear, but they work and are a lot safer.

 

Dr H

My wife has used the patch on several cruises. She avoids the side-effects by leaving the last patch on after the cruise until it loses its potency. That way she withdraws gradually. Occasionally she forgets and removes the patch at its peak, and that is when she has the side-effects.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Oh boy..now I'm nervous. I always used to take bonine on a cruise...

but it would make me "foggy" and just a little tired all the time.

So the last cruise I went on I got an rx for the scop patches.

They worked great, and I do not remember having any problem after the cruise was over. In fact, it was the first time I felt like I wasn't "rocking" after disembarking.

Now after reading the problems some have had, I think maybe I shouldn't use them. Don't want to go back to bonine, and not sure ginger would do it for me. Decisions, decisions...

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I've talked to MDs on ships over the past 20 yrs at various times re the scop patch, none of whom even stock it.. as one ship doctor with 10 yrs experience said..

"I don't give golfing advice to the docs who practice on land and they need to be careful what the prescribe for patients at sea..."

Often seems patch either works great or it's a "disaster"...

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Oh boy..now I'm nervous. I always used to take bonine on a cruise...

but it would make me "foggy" and just a little tired all the time.

So the last cruise I went on I got an rx for the scop patches.

They worked great, and I do not remember having any problem after the cruise was over. In fact, it was the first time I felt like I wasn't "rocking" after disembarking.

Now after reading the problems some have had, I think maybe I shouldn't use them. Don't want to go back to bonine, and not sure ginger would do it for me. Decisions, decisions...

No substance affects all people the same. If you don't believe that, work in a bar for a while. If it works for you without negative side effects, don't let what it does to other people scare you off.

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