What is your anti-motion /sea sickness method or medication of choice ?

Uhm... Land?

 

 

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Sit in the sand under a palm tree and drink a cold beer. ;)

Eat green apples aboard ship.

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I take generic Bonine at night, starting two nights before the cruise, and then stop on the last day. It has worked very well for me.

I start taking Bonine ( meclizine) the night before the cruise starts at bedtime so it is in my system. Since I take it at bedtime, if it is making me drowsy, it just adds to a good night's sleep. In really rough seas, I add Sea Bands. The combination worked for me in 35 foot seas near the Falklands.

I tried Dramamine, Meclizine, the bands, ginger candies, ginger ale, and even brought along a little ginger root. None of that worked. The only things that helped a bit were green apple, and getting out on a deck to stare at the horizon. Even those didn't help much, but they helped a little.

So now I use the Scopolamine patch. It worked well. Within an hour of the patch wearing off, I was sick as a dog, so my husband replaced it and by the next day everything was fine again!

I use meclizine, the generic for dramamine.

Actually, meclizine is the generic for dramamine 2. It's also what's in bonine, in case someone's confused. ;)

I do what others have said - Bonine at night starting a couple nights before the cruise. I sleep well (especially since I'm usually in a hotel pre-cruise) and have no lingering side effects the next day. I also bring my SeaBands just in case, but haven't had to use them the last couple cruises.

Bonine and ginger pills I order from Amazon.com

Ginger capsules, one taken in the morning and one in the evening, work for me. I have found that if I take Dramamine and have anything alcoholic during the day, I'm a zombie! I have taken Dramamine when we were going on an excursion that involved driving over bumpy or curvy roads, because I get carsick very easily!

Different things work for different people depending on the severity of their motion sickness and their response to the remedy. I think I've tried them all over the years. I've been afflicted with motion sickness on almost every type of transportation since childhood. If it moves, I've likely barfed in it.

Most didn't work, or only slightly reduced my symptoms: seabands, ginger (in multiple forms), green apples. Looking at the horizon helps in daylight hours when you can get to a window or go outside. Doesn't work if it's dark or you're stuck inside.

Regular Dramamine is great- as a sleep aid for me, but I don't want to be sleepy all day. The Scop patches work, but within 24 hours my mouth is drier than the Sahara and my vision too blurry to read a menu, never mind a book.

The only thing that works for me without side effects is Bonine. And since I often have Mal de Debarquement too, I keep taking it for a few days after the cruise.

Flat Coke and ginger capsules.

I also ensure I focus on the horizon.

Mrs Gut swears by green apples, ginger (mainly ginger tea) and if things get real bad, travelcalm.

Just to clarify…Meclizine is not Dramamine. There is a Dramamine Les Drowsy which is meclizine but true Dramamine is dimenhydramate. Meclizine's trade names are Bonine and Antivert. In the end both drugs are antihistimes and anticholinergenics. So they do a similar job in a similar way.

 

Meclizine is usually used every 24 hours and supposed to be less drowsy whereas Dramamine can be taken every 4-6 hours but can make you vey sleepy.

 

For those of us in Canada, Dramamine is Gravol. I have never seen Meclizine in the pharmacy but it may be available by prescription.

 

I am not usually an alternative medicine believer. But I have seen on multiple occasions the Seabands work tremendously well for both my girls and they are at the top of our packing list for their upcoming first cruise.

We have a pharmacist in Waterloo Ont. who has prepared enough capsules of Meclizine in capsule form for our upcoming cruise.

We use Bonnie and for us that works well.

Keith

We are fortunate that we never get sea sick and we have been in some very rough waters. The seas were so bad on a couple of cruises that second seating dinner was cancelled, all passengers were ordered back to their cabins, the pools were emptied, and the elevators were taken down to the lowest level and tied off to keep them from banking.

Thus I don't pack anything for sea sickness.

I always recommend that people talk to their family doctor about what to take for sea sickness as they know you better than we do here at CC and what medications you take so there won't be an interaction.

I've never been motion sick and sailed in some pretty rough conditions both on cruises and otherwise.

What is perplexing is why people who are predisposed to motion sickness go on cruises in the first place. You see all kinds of them on board with their patches, wristbands and other magic amulets.

Where is the enjoyment in a vacation where you need to be doped up on OTC or even prescription medications before you depart or live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon?

What is perplexing is why people who are predisposed to motion sickness go on cruises in the first place. You see all kinds of them on board with their patches, wristbands and other magic amulets.

 

Where is the enjoyment in a vacation where you need to be doped up on OTC or even prescription medications before you depart or live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon?

Since you don't suffer from motion sickness and are in no need of taking the OTC meds, you might not understand. My motion sickness is usually very slight and I could probably get away with not taking them at all. I realize that the meds make me sleepy, so I counter that by taking them at night so that I get a good night's sleep and am able to function normally during the day. As such, you would never know that I am sometimes prone to motion sickness.

I enjoy cruising, so therefore I will do what I deem necessary to get maximum enjoyment out of my vacation. I assume that others enjoy this form of vacation too, and as such are doing what they deem necessary to enjoy themselves. Just because we take OTC medications or wear a patch does not mean we are "doped up" - done correctly and at the correct dosage, we function as normally as someone not on any medications and we are enjoying our vacation just as much as you are.

I've never been motion sick and sailed in some pretty rough conditions both on cruises and otherwise.

 

What is perplexing is why people who are predisposed to motion sickness go on cruises in the first place. You see all kinds of them on board with their patches, wristbands and other magic amulets.

 

Where is the enjoyment in a vacation where you need to be doped up on OTC or even prescription medications before you depart or live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon?

Well thank your lucky stars you've never been motion sick - imagine having the flu where you're nauseous all the time. That's what motion sickness is for me. I can't begin to tell you how many vehicles I've gotten sick in over the years.

Having said that, I've found that by taking Bonine at night before going to bed - does not leave me feeling "doped up", and allows me to A) travel in a friend's car without the embarrassment of throwing up as they drive us to the airport, B) travel comfortably by plane to the port, and C) enjoy another wonderful cruise.

I don't live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon - I know what works and allows me to travel and see parts of the world that I otherwise would have to watch on television.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I've never been motion sick and sailed in some pretty rough conditions both on cruises and otherwise.

 

What is perplexing is why people who are predisposed to motion sickness go on cruises in the first place. You see all kinds of them on board with their patches, wristbands and other magic amulets.

 

Where is the enjoyment in a vacation where you need to be doped up on OTC or even prescription medications before you depart or live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon?

I bet you're fun at parties. What an incredibly condescending post. Taking anti-motion sickness medications is not being "doped up", and who said anything about a "constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon"? Those of us who are prone to motion sickness go on cruises because we want to. Good grief.

To correct some misinformation in this resurrected thread, motion while driving is NOT the same as motion while at sea, sometimes motion sickness can ONLY be corrected with medication, and dimenhydrinate does NOT break down to diphenhydramine. It CONTAINS diphenhydramine.

To answer the original question, the scopolamine patch works great for me, with no side effects, and no "doping up".

Thanks for the advice and comments, well most of them. We have never cruised before so we are just asking about precautions. Not really anticipating being ill but figured we should be prepared.

Well thank your lucky stars you've never been motion sick - imagine having the flu where you're nauseous all the time. That's what motion sickness is for me. I can't begin to tell you how many vehicles I've gotten sick in over the years.

Having said that, I've found that by taking Bonine at night before going to bed - does not leave me feeling "doped up", and allows me to A) travel in a friend's car without the embarrassment of throwing up as they drive us to the airport, B) travel comfortably by plane to the port, and C) enjoy another wonderful cruise.

I don't live in constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon - I know what works and allows me to travel and see parts of the world that I otherwise would have to watch on television.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Thanks. Saved me having to write mostly the same thing. And the other poster was right, too. It was very condescending. Hopefully his ignorance on the subject has now been reduced.

I bet you're fun at parties. What an incredibly condescending post. Taking anti-motion sickness medications is not being "doped up", and who said anything about a "constant dread of dark clouds on the horizon"? Those of us who are prone to motion sickness go on cruises because we want to. Good grief.

 

To correct some misinformation in this resurrected thread, motion while driving is NOT the same as motion while at sea, sometimes motion sickness can ONLY be corrected with medication, and dimenhydrinate does NOT break down to diphenhydramine. It CONTAINS diphenhydramine.

 

To answer the original question, the scopolamine patch works great for me, with no side effects, and no "doping up".

Scopolamine? A product of the deadly nightshade plant that is addictive even in small doses

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8935644

Transdermal scopolamine patches have been extensively prescribed for nonspecific dizziness and vestibular disorders. Patient response may be favorable and side effects are generally limited to xerostomia and blurred vision. However, subtle dependency and outright addiction may develop.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/scopolamine-transdermal-route/precautions/drg-20072848

Some changes that have occurred in people receiving this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. Other changes might be confusion, delusions, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

Scopolamine? A product of the deadly nightshade plant that is addictive even in small doses

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8935644

 

And even in small doses brings with it a delightful array of side-effects

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/scopolamine-transdermal-route/precautions/drg-20072848

Doped up is not that far fetched a description.

Everyone reacts differently to meds. I’ve used the scopolamine patch with no addition issues or negative side effects. Some people turn to it because they feel ‘doped up’ on bonine. It’s not a one size fits all solution.

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Meclazine beginning two days before travel (not boarding the ship), then one tab in the AM, and another at bedtime. Adjust the timing to your sleep habits.;)

This is one of those topics that is very personal on what works. I'm lucky and rarely have any kind of bad feelings. If I do, I can normally relate it back to a lack of sleep and to much booze.