Seasickness cures - What works for you?

[Saltz]

On our most recent cruise due to the increasing ship speed or choppy waves (maybe both?) I started to feel horrible! Thankfully, a couple hours later an announcement was made overhead, the ship would be decreasing speed to make the ship sail smoother. Recommendations on something to bring in case this happens again? We are sailing in a few months.

 

 

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[grandjj]

My husband always gets a script for the patch behind your ear. Sometimes he needs it sometimes not.

 

 

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[Aelsantokie]

I get bonnine because it doesn't make me drowsy.

[voss749]

My mother swears by ginger root capsules.

[christyran1228]

My MIL bought me these ginger chews from The Vitamin Shoppe that were amazing. The Bonine actually made me sleepy.

 

I was skeptical of the chews because I can get sick just thinking about the rocking, but they worked immediately.

 

They are really good for just random upset stomachs when you get home, too. :)

 

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Edited March 14, 2014 by christyran1228

[k2excursion]

I bring Bonine. Even though it is non-drowsy, it can make some people drowsy. But I only feel drowsy from it when I take it in the evenings. I had a day like yours back in 2009 on the Holiday. Back then, guest services would give you seasickness pills, as I didn't bring any on that trip. I don't know if it was Bonine or the drowsy version, but it made a world of difference for me within an hour.

Edited March 14, 2014 by k2excursion

[Sarah@Sea]

I use the prescription scopolamine patch that goes behind the ear, thankfully I learned of my seasickness on snorkel trips I went on in the Keys so when it came time to take my first cruise I took no chances and got the patch, my mom's a nurse and knew about it and told me to ask my PCP for it. Very very glad I did, a tropical storm had just "passed" by FL so the seas were very rough our first night. Now I use one (good for 3 days) then take a Bonine for the rest of the cruise, I have a patch just in case, but they are pricey so if I don't have to use 2 I try not too...and by that point in the cruise it's as if my body has adjusted to the movement.

[iconoclast]

Crystallized ginger, available in self-serve bulk containers at many supermarkets (my Safeway has it.) Check Whole Foods if yours doesn't.

[RWolver672]

While in the Marines, our squadron was stationed aboard an aircraft carrier. They recommened eating apples or soda crackers and it worked.

[lissa42886]

i always bring Dramamine.. however it makes me sleep... i usually if only need to take it day 1 to help adjust to the ship.. but really.. sleepin off the seasickness for a few hours just helps me.. it all about your body adjusting to the very slight motion of the ocean.. after day 1 i have never had an issue..

[tutuwahineLV]

SeaBands, and ginger chews. If I start feeling queasy I start with the ginger chews, which more often than not works like magic. In the few times the queasy continues, on go the sea bands, and no more queasy.

The last cruise we did was at Christmas from NOLA. I didn't need either remedy, but Mom wore her seabands almost non stop.

 

I like the seabands because I know that they won't make me drowsy...:o. I have a very low tolerance to most medications, what some take for a headache can knock me right out. Thats why I always look for alternate options.

[maldenmusic]

Transderm patch that you wear behind your ear. Onceyou start noticing, you'll see lotsof people onboard with them.

[Tweedy]

Green apples... don't why but it works.

 

I'll be taking ginger Gravol with my on my upcoming cruise.

[momoftwinteens]

Green apples... don't why but it works.

 

 

This. I tried green apples on my last cruise when weather chopped up the Gulf of Mexico. I had heard that crew members swear by them but, never tried it until this last cruise. For some reason, it really worked. I was very surprised.

[cruzinlisa]

I get bonnine because it doesn't make me drowsy.

 

I will have to try this. I bought some off brand medicine at the drug store before I left that I thought was off brand bonnine but it turned out to be dramamine. That makes me sleepy. Not sure about bonnine.

 

Last cruise we had an inside cabin, which is great for sleeping and I took the meds (which turned out to be dramamine). Everytime I was in the cabin (which was pretty often since we had a two year old with us who needed changing, etc), I would get tired. About 1/2 way through the cruise I noticed what I was taking.

[JSWalk]

I will have to try this. I bought some off brand medicine at the drug store before I left that I thought was off brand bonnine but it turned out to be dramamine. That makes me sleepy. Not sure about bonnine.

 

Last cruise we had an inside cabin, which is great for sleeping and I took the meds (which turned out to be dramamine). Everytime I was in the cabin (which was pretty often since we had a two year old with us who needed changing, etc), I would get tired. About 1/2 way through the cruise I noticed what I was taking.

 

Bonine is the brand name. The active ingredient is Meclazine. It isn't suppose to cause drowsiness but it does on me. However I still take it. I just take one at night starting 2-3 days before the cruise and continue through the cruise. It works great and the bonus is it helps me sleep at night. I have even had several cocktails before taking it and never had an issue.

[mousey]

The DH swears by his Sea Bands.

 

The DS is fine with Ginger Gum (made by the Sea Bands brand) which I buy for him at Rite Aid.

 

I rarely, if ever, get sea sick. But just in case, I take along my own set of Sea Bands and would chew the ginger gum if I had to.

 

On our first European cruise the DH and I (the DS hadn't been born yet) both got the behind the ear patches from our doctor. It got really rock'n and roll'n one night on the cruise so we put them on. Two hours into bedtime the DH and I woke up and realized we were both itching from head to toe...turns out we were probably allergic to the medication in the patches. We immediately took them off and were fine in a while.:eek: Never again!

Edited March 14, 2014 by mousey

[gooch47]

Bonine. But it does make us drowsy. Maybe I could use it instead of Ambien. LOL

 

My husband is just as likely to get sick from vibrations from the engines as from high seas.

 

Our room stewardess told us about the green apples on our next to last cruise. I'd never heard of that one before.

Edited March 14, 2014 by gooch47

[Dayenu]

I start with picking the cabin location, never go for guarantee or upgrade, always mid-ship, lower half, and always a window.

 

I've heard of green apples, but afraid it won't work for me. Something sour feels good, but not for prevention. Different things work for different people. For example, I can't take Dramamine for side effects.

 

I take ginger starting 2 days before he cruise, and continue for 2 days after. On rough days take Bonine (to save money buy generic Meclizine).

[RWolver672]

They don't have to be green apples. Any variety works. As I said in my earlier posting, while shipboard on a Navy aircraft carrier, they always said to eat any kind of apples or soda crackers. And those ole gals didn't have stabilizers like the cruise ships do. They bobbed around like a cork.

Edited March 15, 2014 by RWolver672

[Nebr.cruiser]

My mother swears by ginger root capsules.

 

I use these too, though I haven't needed them for a long time. They do work well for other stomach upsets as well.

[rosiepea]

I have always been seasick on ferries and cruisers but went to the doctor on my first cruise and he gave me the patch for behind the ear. I have used them every cruise and they really work. We are about to have our 6th and 7th cruise which tells you how successful they are!

[Cruisin' Chick]

What works for one person might not for the next. Best to try out different remedies before the cruise and see what doesn't give you side effects (such as drowsiness). Then narrow down to a few and take with you (something might not work in actual practice for you). Also check with your doctor if on any prescriptions to make sure you won't interfere with your medicine (eg. don't take ginger with blood thinners).

 

My mother would get motion sickness at the turn of a key, but on her one cruise, she used the patch and it worked for her. But I've read many people complaining about side effects for them. I use ginger (crystallized, which I can easily find in my grocery store, and chews which I can find at Cost Plus World Markets).

[Bretagne]

I used scopolamine patches on my first cruise. As I recall they are about $10 each and last 3 days. During the cruise they worked well. However, after the cruise I ended up being one of those rare cases where I had withdrawal sickness.

 

About 24 hours after removing the patch I began to feel very sick - like a bad case of motion sickness. I had to put another patch on to get home from Rome then I went through withdrawal at home. It was not fun. I used high doses of Meclizine to blunt it but never want to go through that again.

 

Scopolamine is a powerful drug. It is used by oncologists as an anti nausea medication for chemotherapy patients. In higher doses it was used by the ****s as a "truth drug". When I was changing patches one day on the cruise the new patch made me loopy for about 20 minutes.

 

Scopolamine comes from a plant in Columbia. If you really want to see how powerful it is watch this documentary from VICE on YouTube titled "the scariest drug in the world".

 

My second cruise I just used Meclizine. :)

 

 

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[h_blond2]

I used to wear the patches that you put behind your ear, but on the last few cruises, they have started messing with my vision. Can't go through a whole cruise with dialated pupils!! :eek: I'm going to take dramamine on my next cruise. I plan to take it at night just in case it does make me drowsy.