Best treatment for Sea Sickness

would love to get suggestions on best ways to fight sea sickness!

Hi, I will tell you what works for me.

Anything with ginger in it, ie, gingerale, ginger cookies, ginger gravol (the regular gravol doesnt work for me). I also wear what is called a bioband (from the USA). It is one band worn over the pressure point on my wrist. I know there are others you can buy with elastic in them, but mine is velcro, so it is adjustable, and therefore you only need to wear one. I also know, some people get patches from their doctors, which they wear behind their ears. I have never used these.

would love to get suggestions on best ways to fight sea sickness!

What I tell friends that suffer from seasickness is to begin taking an OTC medication a couple of nights before they board the ship. Many suffer the first day/night until they get their sea legs, and this seems to really prevent this from happening. Then, make sure to take one each night before they go to bed, and if they really are seasickness prone, another in the AM when they wake up. Bonine or equivelant is what seems to work the best for many of them. Those that have suffered in the past, have found this a great preventative measure. Seasickness is one thing easily preventable, but once it grabs ahold of you, it is difficult to get rid of. So preventing it in the first place, has always been my moto. ;)

I think it helps to go outside and look toward the horizon if a little queasy feeling starts. I had a friend who went to bed and shut her eyes and got much worse. I think it is something about the eyes and inner ear needing to get in sync.

Trans-derm Scop is the patch worn behind the ear that helps many people. It's an easy prescription to get from your doctor.

Sea-Bands are the elastic bands worn on the wrists.

Bonine/Dramamine both have non-drowsy formulas.

Ginger capsules, tea, ale, crystals work to settle the stomach.

The skin of an apple also works to settle your stomach.(got that tip many years ago..it's an old seamen's remedy) Fill our the card in your cabin to make sure you have some on hand.

If all else fails, go see the ship's doctor for "the shot." That will cure you, for sure.

Hope you won't need any of them.;)

I have tried the patch behind the ear and it does seem to work. Put it on before ever boarding the ship. The side affect I noticed from it was dry mouth. The other thing is fresh air. Our last cruise we had an inside cabin, first time to try one. I started feeling queasy right before bed and just wished I had a balcony to go out and get some air. We have a balcony booked for our next cruise:D

I was on a ship two years ago during a hurricane and we began taking generic Bonine (25 mg meclyzine) the night before. Once boarded, I took one in the morning and another at bedtime. When seas calmed I dropped back to one when I woke. I began taking it the night before we sailed. Worked great for me and everyone with me.

You can buy the ginger root menionted above and generic for Bonine at Walmart very cheap. Ginger root is found on the vitamin aisle (550mg) but you have to ask for the meclyzine at the pharmacy window. You don't need a prescription for it but they don't stock it on the shelf (you will find Dramamine and Bonine on their shelves for much more). Just bought a new bottle of the meclyzine and it was just over $5.50 for 100 pills. They are tiny tiny pills making them easy to take which always helps!!

All great ideas, but I have to add. The patch has severe side effects for some, that can be even worse than seasickness. If anyone is considering getting an RX for the patch, do not wait to try it out until you board the ship. Although it sounds like an easy 'fix', it isn't for everyone!

I did a little research on the two most popular over the counter formulations; Dramamine Original and Dramamine Less Drowsy, Bonine and Meclizine HCL and offer the following. I am not a doctor or pharmacist. I just looked up the information on the internet.

Dramamine Original

Average cost: $4 for 12 pills

Active ingredient: 50mg Dimenhydrinate

Drug class: Antihistamine

Uses:

Reduces allergic symptoms such as hay fever, hives, rash or itching;

Prevents motion sickness, nausea, vomiting;

Relieves symptoms associated with the common cold;

Induces sleep.

What the drug does:

Blocks action of histamine after an allergic response triggers histamine release in sensitive cells. Histamines cause itching, sneezing, runny nose and eyes and other symptoms.

Appears to work in the vomiting center of the brain to control nausea and vomiting and help prevent motion sickness.

Skin and Sunlight: May cause rash or intensify sunburn in areas exposed to the sun.

Dramamine Less Drowsy, Bonine and Meclizine HCL

Average cost:

Dramamine Less Drowsy: $4 for 8 Pills

Bonine: $7 for 16 pills

Meclizine HCL: $7 for 100 pills

Active Ingredient in all three: 25mg Meclizine Hydrocloride

Drug class: Antiemetic, antihistamine, anti-motion sickness.

Uses: Prevents motion sickness and treatment for Vertigo.

What the drug does:

Reduces sensitivity of nerve endings in inner ear and blocks messages to brain’s vomiting center.

Skin and sunlight: No problems expected.

As you can see, Dramamine Less Drowsy, Bonine and Meclizine HCL are identical. You are paying for the “Brand” name. Buying the generic Meclizine HCL will save you a whole bunch of money.

Gravol with ginger works great for me as I take it before we set sail. My dw has had success using the wrist bands. We had another couple with us a couple of years ago and she was feeling nauseated and as soon as we give her our wrist bands she was fine within 15 minutes.

WOw! Thanks for all great suggestions!!!!!We hope we dont need it!!!!!

and now I get a 100 pill bottle of Meclizine for $5 and take 2 pills a day for all day cure of seasickness, or carsickness, or amusement park ride sickness or airplane sickness. 5 mg of meclizine cure it all & for $5 you cannot be wrong since it is no longer a prescription cure. Discount drugstores have it, so get it & enjoy cruising, flying, amusement park rides & riding in a car too.

I was given this at a pharmacy when I was treated for vertigo. So I take 1 2.5 mg pill & no more spinning rooms. 100 days for $5 is the greatest! and now I take 2 a day when I cruise for a full day relief. I take it an hour before a flight, a car ride that I am not the driver, or when we got to an amusement park & I want to ride roller coasters.

Ginger pills.

The biobands really work for me. I've used patches, Bonine and all flavors of Dramamine. They also all work but have side effects.

My first cruise was in 1978. I swore off cruising until 2007 when a group of friends wanted to cruise to celebrate my retiring and my DH birthday. I went to my doctor and she recommended Trans-derm patches. I get car sick, can't ride amusement park rides. Airplanes and trains make me sick too. BUT make sure you put the patch on the night before you sail, my friend did not and got sick. For my upcoming cruise my doctor prescribed a 3 day patch. My motion sickness prone son uses the patch too with great results. I told my doctor these patches changes my life (travel wise)!

The best cure is good genetics... :p I've never been motion sick in my life! I have heard that the Sea-bands do work... as does the medicine.

and now I get a 100 pill bottle of Meclizine for $5 and take 2 pills a day for all day cure of seasickness, or carsickness, or amusement park ride sickness or airplane sickness. 5 mg of meclizine cure it all & for $5 you cannot be wrong since it is no longer a prescription cure. Discount drugstores have it, so get it & enjoy cruising, flying, amusement park rides & riding in a car too.

 

I was given this at a pharmacy when I was treated for vertigo. So I take 1 2.5 mg pill & no more spinning rooms. 100 days for $5 is the greatest! and now I take 2 a day when I cruise for a full day relief. I take it an hour before a flight, a car ride that I am not the driver, or when we got to an amusement park & I want to ride roller coasters.

Over the counter Meclizine HCL is 25mg not 2.5mg. Costco has the 25mg raspberry flavored chewable for $5.45. You can buy the non-chewable versions most anywhere else.

I never travel without my Bonine. As far as amusement parks, I don't do roller coasters,

but the simulators, like Mission Space at Epcot...those all play tricks on your eyes,

which can make you deathly ill. Bonine works for that, too.

I take one in the morning, and another before the ship sails, or when we get to the

park. Never have gotten sleepy with it, no side effects at least for me.

I can also have a drink, but don't do more than one as long as I'm taking it.

Usually after the first day and night I don't need it, unless we hit really rough seas.

Better be safe than sorry!

I love cruising, but have been plagued by seasickness. I am petite (120 lbs.) and suffer side effects with medications, often because the dose is too big. I did not have much luck with the usual remedies. I was reluctant to use the patch because it comes in only one dosing size; the same patch gets prescribed for me or a 250 lb. person.

I read on the internet that the drug in the patch (Scopalamine) is available in an oral pill, the name of it is "Scopace". I had to tell my doctor the name and drug company that makes it. After looking it up, she prescribed it for me. It is not widely known, and my pharmacy had to order it. My prescription insurance plan covered it.

I tried it on a car trip first, to make sure I wouldn't have a side effect. I actually take 1/2 a pill, and it has solved my problem! I am so grateful that I can plan a cruise without this awful worry! The best part is, I only take this medication when we are actually sailing, I do not have to use it when we are in a port call. Thus, I can control when and how much medicine I'm getting, and have no bad effects like drymouth that commonly comes with the other drugs.

Hope this info can help someone else!

Sherry

I would definatly reccomend drinking alot of Gingerale, I'm a huge fan of it now thanks to cruising!

Also, beware of using the "behind the ear stickers" that contain medicine in them. They work great but silly me, I wore them for too long and ended up getting the strangest side effects from it. The doctor on board knew exactly what was wrong with me :) He said it happens to cruisers all the time.

Good luck with your travels!

The best cure is good genetics... :p

Even that doesn't work LOL...my dad was in the navy and never had a problem, no...he bequethed it all to me!! :D Lovely man :rolleyes:

I find the Ginger Gravol works the best for me. I start it a few days before the cruise and take one a day EVERY day I'm on the cruise just in case the weather acts up. I also find that green apples do work!!

Forgot to mention this. My doctor did not want me to drink (alcohol) while taking the pill, but the patch was ok. Good news for me, I don't have to give up my martini's!

I have always been sick the first 24-36 hours of a cruise, I feel like I am wearing someone else's glasses.

None the less, the best thing I have found is to ask the reception desk for some motion sickness pills.

I always bring the gravel gingers and even regular gravel but find these work best.

I take one as soon as we board, the other right before dinner and have the next package at the ready for the next morning.

Since I started taking it BEFORE the ship began to move I have found it to be very helpful. I used to ALWAYS miss the first nights dinner, but this last two years I have made it down and even been able to watch the welcome show in the theatre.

Good Luck...

I have always been sick the first 24-36 hours of a cruise, I feel like I am wearing someone else's glasses.

None the less, the best thing I have found is to ask the reception desk for some motion sickness pills.

I always bring the gravel gingers and even regular gravel but find these work best.

I take one as soon as we board, the other right before dinner and have the next package at the ready for the next morning.

Since I started taking it BEFORE the ship began to move I have found it to be very helpful. I used to ALWAYS miss the first nights dinner, but this last two years I have made it down and even been able to watch the welcome show in the theatre.

Good Luck...

Princess does not offer motion sickness pills at the reception desk, so I would plan accordingly for your next Princess sailing. They are available for purchase at one of the shops onboard (when they are open) but they are quite costly, and come only in very small doses. ;)

REALLY???????? I have never had that ever before.

We have been on 4 other lines and there has never been a problem.

WOW??? That's very strange to me.

Hmmm I'll see if I have any left over from this past February, the dates are always WAY far in advance so I'm sure they will be fine.

Has there ever been a reason given as to why they wouldn't offer them??