What do you take for seasickness

[katiel53]

I take meclazine, but I take it at night, starting the night before the cruise. That way if it makes me sleepy, then I am going to go to sleep anyway, so it's not a big deal.

 

I also use Altoids ginger tablets if I feel queasy during the day. At times I drink ginger ale. I used to use the patch but I don't like the distorted vision nor the thirst I develop from using it.

[bluehenfan]

I slept through 2/3 of my 1st cruise while using the patch behind the ear (removed it before cruise was over because of my eyes hurting). Also my vision blurred and my eyes felt like they had sand in them. Within hrs. of removing the patch the symptoms disappeared. I get seasick very easily too - on a swing or floating on a mat in the pool. Started taking 1 bonine about an hr. before boarding ship on next cruise just to be safe. Now many cruises later I still take that 1st bonine before boarding but have only had to take them again during 2 cruises when the waves were especially high. Very little motion normally on a cruise ship thanks to modern stabilizers. If you go with the patch, try it before your cruise - wish I had. My adult DD was using patch that 1st cruise too and we laugh now about how we missed a couple dinner and 2 ports because we slept through them. Good luck!!

[redy2cruise]

Myth Busters a couple of years ago did an episode on motion sickness. The one thing that worked on all of the people was ginger pills. You can find at any health food store or pharmacy. They worked for me.

[maldenmusic]

Patches

[halos]

I'm sick. Dizzy, nauseous, sour stomach, something seems to be going around. So my fiance gave me meclizine to take. Well, it helped, only one problem... it knocked me out!

 

I think this is the active ingredient in a lot of motion sickness medications. So, if I get seasick I could take it, but I don't want to be unconscious during my cruise!

 

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what do you take?

 

Bonine.

I swear by it.

[luv2gocruzin]

I also take the Meclizine (whats in Bonine) at night and have never had any problems with being drowsy. It works better than anything else I've tried!

[WAHMto5]

Though I have never had seasickness, I always take Bonine every morning JUST in case! It never make me sleepy;)

[SkyMaster]

I take nothing, but the lovely Mrs. Jones (VIta) also depends on the "over the counter" Bonine,,,or Meclizine. Whe starts taking one a day a couple of days before any cruise, and takes one every day of the cruise, whether she thinks she'll need it or not. NO PROBLEMS!

 

"SKY"

[SMSACE6]

The only times I have been sea sick, have been;

 

1. On a sail boat, while I was confined to the cabin because I could not help on deck with the "sailing".

 

2. On Ferry boats, when it was rainy and windy out on deck, therefore, confined to the inside of the boat.

 

3. On those small gambling boats, that sail out of Florida, the only time that I have to leave the slots in favor of "fresh air".

 

4. On "Pre cruise" transatlantic voyages on cargo ships. ( North Atlantic ).

 

 

On my first cruise, I was queasy first night, took some Bonine, was fine next day. Second cruise, was a bit leary, and took Bonine even though I didnt need it. I have not needed meds since. And most of my cruises, at least one night has been quite active motion wise.

 

I still always take meds/bonine or gravol. I think ginger pills are a good natural choice.

[ASU2USC]

Thanks very much for this thread, I was wondering the same thing. I'm thinking I might do ginger pills plus Bonine at night. I will probably also bring some candied ginger just in case. I was dreading wearing those SeaBands, glad to hear I can avoid it. ;)

[Runaway Parent]

I believe the patch is available as well but you'll need a prescription from your doctor.

 

Yes, it's a prescription. I had a terrible time on our first cruise with Sea Band wrist bands and dramamine. I get motion sick at the drop of a hat. Won't cruise without the patch anymore.

 

Also...took it off night before going into Cozumel because I'm OK at night and port days aren't an issue. Let's just say that parasailing should come with a warning about sea sickness! NOT a pleasant experience that I won't elaborate on!!!

[UATLB]

My DW lives on Bonine during our cruises. She has never been drowsy using this.

[Jdfireman]

Drink More

[tmarie416]

Just picked up my prescription patches yesterday. $30 is a small price to pay for me not to feel sick. Have tried every other thing spoken about here and the patch is the only thing that works for me...

[mckrob1981]

When we went on our first cruise I didn't know if we would get sick or not and had read these boards and decided to give the ginger tablets a try since I did not want to be sleepy or groggy while we were away. Luckily we were okay and didn't have to use them. However, I had a whole bottle of them and one day when I was home and not feeling well, just nauseous, I remembered the ginger tablets that were still in my medicine cabinet. Took them and felt better within a half an hour. I am also a nurse and I work with cancer patients. I have told many patients about my experience with the Ginger tablets and know more than a few of them have told me how much better they felt with taking ginger tablets after their chemo treatments. Works great for women with morning sickness too. Funny thing also, my vet told me to give them to one of my dogs who gets car sick.

[Northwestvp]

So I have always said I get motion sick easily, like riding on a carousel easy (don't even ask me to ride the spinning tea cups!), but I don't get nauseous in the tummy I just get dizzy, headache, and generally wiped out feeling...sometimes for a day or more after the motion! Anyone else like this...what remedy works for this?:p

[goofycruiser]

The sea bands work for me. I just put them on before the ship starts moving and keep them on except for taking a shower. You don' t feel sleepy like with a lot of drugs.

[StingRaysfan]

I get sick easily on small boats and in cars. Haven't been on a cruise in bad enough weather to get motion sick. That said... on dive boats etc I use Triptone. It's basically Dramamine that doesn't knock you out sleepy and it's sold in dive shops.

 

With no experience I wouldn't put all my faith in any one product. For me, Bonine does nothing at all.... I'll still get sick every time on it. I like seabands but I think most of that is mental somehow.

[gelo7]

Bonine...

[Herfnerd]

When we went on our first cruise I didn't know if we would get sick or not and had read these boards and decided to give the ginger tablets a try since I did not want to be sleepy or groggy while we were away. Luckily we were okay and didn't have to use them. However, I had a whole bottle of them and one day when I was home and not feeling well, just nauseous, I remembered the ginger tablets that were still in my medicine cabinet. Took them and felt better within a half an hour. I am also a nurse and I work with cancer patients. I have told many patients about my experience with the Ginger tablets and know more than a few of them have told me how much better they felt with taking ginger tablets after their chemo treatments. Works great for women with morning sickness too. Funny thing also, my vet told me to give them to one of my dogs who gets car sick.

 

With ginger pills, you need to get them into your system before you actually get sea sick

[ADB_BWG]

I don't get motion sick, but my BFF did. To the point that she had to drive the car. IF she couldn't be the driver, she had to sit the front seat. She couldn't ride backwards on trains or take ferries or ... well, you get the point.

 

She did this treatment (http://www.naet.com/Patients/patientshome.aspx) through a local chiropractor. I don't fully understand how it works, but she can now sit in the backseat of a moving car and read. We took a cruise this past January and she was fine -- only a little nauseated on the plane ride home due to some turbulence. I've known her for over 20 years and she is really, truly cured.

 

So -- it might be worth your time to look into this.

[sweetsixteencruisers]

My remedy, which I swear by is: I start taking bonnie and ginger pills 2 days before the cruise so its in my system. I take one bonnie at bedtime and take a ginger pill with every meal. Works like a charm!

 

ps: I get sick just looking at the water!

[hebbynan]

On our last cruise,I had the patch. My fingers, ankles and legs got SO swollen! I couldn't belive it. I was barely able to get my wedding bands off. My fingers also felt like they were asleep the entire trip. Doctor said it was the patch. So this coming October I will be taking Bonine every night and using the SeaBandz. I used a similar band when I was pregnant and it really did ease my sickness.

[ripjerry95]

I wear the seabands..You can buy them at any drugstore. I do use Bonine as well if I need to. I find that Bonine is less drowsiness then Dramamine. My father was a sailor for many years and the old remedy he told me about aside from ginger is sucking on a lemon or orange wedge. The seabands have helped me a lot. Put them on a few minutes before you get on the ship.

[ElvisAndretti]

Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) only lasts up to 4 hours and tends to make most people sleepy. Bonine (meclizine) lasts up to 24 hours and does not make you as sleepy as dimenhydrinate. The Scopolamine patch makes me really dry mouthed and loopy. Of course, everyone reacts differently to meds

 

Ginger pills have been proven to be effective - we take a combination of meclizine and these

 

Sea bands don't do squat for me - they are psychosomatic, anyway.

 

I haven't been out of sight of land on a ship or boat in 20 years. I'm bringing Meclizine, Scopolamine patches and I've already started taking the ginger root (we sail Saturday) because I'm not taking any chances.

:o