How do you know if you need to prevent seasickness

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Do you wait until you find out you are susceptible to sea sickness to try and prevent it (patches, ginger, bonine)? Does the age matter (adult vs. kids)?

 

DW & I cruised last year on Oasis. I had some minor cases of vertigo through the week (nothing that knocked me down, just some "light headedness").

 

This year we're taking the kids on Freedom of the Seas. DW & DD(16) have prescriptions for patches ("just in case"). We're also bring ginger pills, bonine tablets, and dramamine (for the younger kids). But should we take some before we get on board or see how we react?

 

WWYD?

[KirkNC]

I would wait until you have some sort of symptoms. Most people do not get seasick. I would especially not use the patch as they have some pretty strong medicine that some react poorly too.

[#1TravelMom]

Chances are - if you get motion sick in vehicles and on amusement park rides - you will have seasickness. I get EXTREMELY motion sick. I have to drive everywhere we go. I use LESS DROWSY DRAMAMINE on every cruise - I need it for flying also. I take one every day. A friend recently traveled with us - she also get severely motion sick. She took a half tablet every day and felt great. I'm going to try 1/2 tablet this cruise(in 2 weeks) - I just get so sick, I've been hesitant to try 1/2. I would be leery of the patches - I tried them and I felt horrible on them. They made me really tired and dizzy-noodly feeling - worse than being seasick.

[Shmoo here]

Do you wait until you find out you are susceptible to sea sickness to try and prevent it (patches, ginger, bonine)? Does the age matter (adult vs. kids)?

 

DW & I cruised last year on Oasis. I had some minor cases of vertigo through the week (nothing that knocked me down, just some "light headedness").

 

This year we're taking the kids on Freedom of the Seas. DW & DD(16) have prescriptions for patches ("just in case"). We're also bring ginger pills, bonine tablets, and dramamine (for the younger kids). But should we take some before we get on board or see how we react?

 

WWYD?

 

I'm going to second (or third) the "be careful with the patches" theme.

 

My husband used the patch on our first cruise as we already knew he has sea sickness issues. They worked great for him. However, by the time we took our 3 cruise, the seas were so calm, he was getting side effects from the patch and had to take it off. These included the blurred vision, extreme dry mouth. He never got to the point of disorientation, but did tell me he felt like he really didn't have a handle on what was going on around him. It's really quite potent medication.

 

And, while quite useful for some cases, not everyone can handle them. You have to be extremely careful about not touching the patch and then touching your face.

[trinaM]

Do you wait until you find out you are susceptible to sea sickness to try and prevent it (patches, ginger, bonine)? Does the age matter (adult vs. kids)? But should we take some before we get on board or see how we react?

 

 

everyone else had great advice. Have a great cruise.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Thanks All!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think it's a good idea to try a few remedies ahead of time on land (or in a moving vehicle). See what doesn't give you a bad reaction (many OTC meds make me drowsy, for example). If you are currently on another meds, do talk to your doctor as sometimes there could be contraindications.

 

Take along a few types with you just in case you start feeling the motion. And remember, what works for one person, might not for you.

[greenmind0428]

Will boats sell dramamine on board? I know they don't sell prescription medicine of course for seasickness, but will they have over the counter stuff?

 

I got vertigo on a ferry between Italy and Montenegro a few years back so I'm worried. But the ferry was a bit more bumpy than I imagine a cruise to be. Right or wrong?

[Shmoo here]

Will boats sell dramamine on board? I know they don't sell prescription medicine of course for seasickness, but will they have over the counter stuff?

 

I got vertigo on a ferry between Italy and Montenegro a few years back so I'm worried. But the ferry was a bit more bumpy than I imagine a cruise to be. Right or wrong?

 

No doubt it will most likely be available onboard, but pretty pricey. I know on at least one of the cruise lines I use they have free generic Bonine at the Guest Services desk and at the med center.

 

If you think you might need it, it would be better to purchase at home before boarding. I've read of some cruises where the meds available for purchase in the shops onboard have run out.

 

And the medical center is likely to have prescription strength meds also, but, again, at a cost.

[SeagoingMom]

"Sea sickness" is the only kind of motion sickness I have ever experienced. I was never really sick-sick, but I felt queasy on board. This was on my first cruise. I did not expect it, because so many people had said on Cruise Critic and in books and articles that "most people don't get seasick on cruises." I started to feel icky just before dinner on our first cruise (which had some choppy seas and a good deal of ship motion), and immediately started to take regular doses of the seasickness pills available at the Purser's desk (they had them out in a bowl on the counter, like candy :)). Even so, I felt queasy all through the first sea day and on into our first 2 port days.

 

Now I routinely take a dose of Dramamine/Bonine the morning of embarkation, and see how I feel. If I need to, I take a second or even third dose, but usually I don't need them. I would rather take the pill(s) as a precaution and discontinue them early than miss out on the fun of the cruise by feeling ill.

 

I have always been astonished at the number of pax I see wearing behind-the-ear patches on cruise ships (even in the Caribbean!). So perhaps if it is true that "most cruise passengers do not experience sea sickness," it is because so many are either wearing patches or are taking precautionary Dramamine/Bonine!

[Keith1010]

For those who are prone to car sickness my experience is that they are more than likely to become sea sick. You just never know though. Best to be prepared as you are.

 

Keith

[aussielozzie18]

As others have said, I would steer clear of the patches for kids.

My teen son has experienced carsickness in the past so he & I started taking over the counter sea sickness tablets from the chemist the night before the cruise (this had been recommended by others on CC) and continued taking them every night before bed during the cruise. We felt good for the entire cruise.

 

A colleague went on her first cruise recently and felt confident she would not get seasick. Unfortunately, she was quite ill as soon as she the ship departed the port and this continued for the first 24hrs. It ruined her short cruise. In hindsight, she would have taken seasick meds as a precaution.

Edited June 13, 2014 by aussielozzie18

[goksucats]

I got the patch for our cruise and put it in a couple of days in advance per my doctor and didn't have a single problem with it. It was wonderful, out of sight, out of mind, didn't have to remember to take anything. And... the one day we had really choppy seas my wife was a little queasy at dinner as I sat there plowing down on my dinner. And.. I get really sick in the back seat of a car, any kind of those 3D rides that make you feel like you are moving when you are not, even IMAX movies sometimes give me problems. So for me.. I vote the patch.

[mickiemac]

On our first cruise, like most folks, I had no idea if I would need anything for motion sickness. I took a Bonine for the flight down and another on the day of sailing. I did not have any symptoms of feeling queasy, but since the second day wa a sea day I took another Bonine then. No symptoms still so I figured I was good to go. Never took another and had no issues.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If you spend your time thinking about seasickness, and there's any motion of the seas, you're three quarters of the way to getting it. It's already in your mind, so you can't get it out, but try not to bring it into the minds of the children by talking about it.

Edited June 13, 2014 by dsrdsrdsr

[HiCSailor]

Having experienced some heavy seas (not on cruise ships), I'm a fan of taking a preemptive doseage. I've found that once the feelings of seasickness has started, the medicines have much less effect. Also, as mentioned earlier, I've found that you can taper off the dose as your body adjusts to being at sea--getting your sea legs.

 

If you find yourself getting queasy, crackers, dry toast, and the like should help keep your contents in their place, but I think an ounce of prevention.... :D

[Traveller20074]

Do you wait until you find out you are susceptible to sea sickness to try and prevent it (patches, ginger, bonine)? Does the age matter (adult vs. kids)?

 

DW & I cruised last year on Oasis. I had some minor cases of vertigo through the week (nothing that knocked me down, just some "light headedness").

 

This year we're taking the kids on Freedom of the Seas. DW & DD(16) have prescriptions for patches ("just in case"). We're also bring ginger pills, bonine tablets, and dramamine (for the younger kids). But should we take some before we get on board or see how we react?

 

WWYD?

 

I took Dramamine before to see how I reacted. I was OUT all afternoon, so that was out lol I didn't take anything else the first cruise I ever did. In the middle of the night, it was rocking really bad and I got ill. I took a non-drowsy Bonine, and felt better quickly. Before the 2nd cruise, I took the Bonine like they said before I got on the ship, and I spent about 3 hours sleeping in the Spinnaker Lounge LOL Before this last cruise, i tried out the Transderm Scop patch. Good thing I did. I felt like my brain wasn't working. I would go into a room and forget what I came in for. It was truly frightening. I brought ginger candy (next time I'll bring gum I think)and Sea Bands. I wore the bands the whole trip, and even though i could tell I was moving a bit, I didn't get dizzy or nauseated. I swear by them. My daughter also got sick a bit this last time, so I bought her Sea Bands on the ship. She says she cleared right up. She did have a small piece of the ginger candy too.

 

Another thing, I took the bands off when i got home, and noticed the ground was still moving, so I put them back on. I've gotten "land sick" before.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Traveller20074

[Traveller20074]

I'm going to second (or third) the "be careful with the patches" theme.My husband used the patch on our first cruise as we already knew he has sea sickness issues. They worked great for him. However, by the time we took our 3 cruise, the seas were so calm, he was getting side effects from the patch and had to take it off. These included the blurred vision, extreme dry mouth. He never got to the point of disorientation, but did tell me he felt like he really didn't have a handle on what was going on around him. It's really quite potent medication. And, while quite useful for some cases, not everyone can handle them. You have to be extremely careful about not touching the patch and then touching your face.

 

I'll echo that. My daughter got quite dizzy and nauseated when she took them off. She used the patch, and i didn't.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Traveller20074

[SeagoingMom]

I took Dramamine before to see how I reacted. I was OUT all afternoon, so that was out lol I didn't take anything else the first cruise I ever did. In the middle of the night, it was rocking really bad and I got ill. I took a non-drowsy Bonine, and felt better quickly. Before the 2nd cruise, I took the Bonine like they said before I got on the ship, and I spent about 3 hours sleeping in the Spinnaker Lounge LOL Before this last cruise, i tried out the Transderm Scop patch. Good thing I did. I felt like my brain wasn't working. I would go into a room and forget what I came in for. It was truly frightening. I brought ginger candy (next time I'll bring gum I think)and Sea Bands. I wore the bands the whole trip, and even though i could tell I was moving a bit, I didn't get dizzy or nauseated. I swear by them. My daughter also got sick a bit this last time, so I bought her Sea Bands on the ship. She says she cleared right up. She did have a small piece of the ginger candy too.

 

Another thing, I took the bands off when i got home, and noticed the ground was still moving, so I put them back on. I've gotten "land sick" before.

Yes, I remember seeing pax wearing bands, too. To be frank, I didn't think they could possibly work! It is good to hear a testimonial to the contrary. However, the idea that one would get dizzy on land when trying to take the band off is a little scary. Does one end up having to wear them all the time? (I don't want to end up being Mrs. Tishell with a sea band instead of a neck brace. :)) When can one remove them without a problem?

 

I cannot imagine myself ever going with bands (or patches , either) because I am just too vain -- I think they are ugly. :rolleyes: And right now, the pills work for me. Who knows -- maybe someday my body will no longer tolerate the pills and I will have to go with the bands. In which case, maybe I'll try to develop a line of pretty ones! :)

[iHeartGlaciers]

I will say that car motion sickness and sea sickness aren't necessarily linked. My sister doesn't get car motion sickness at all, but does get sea sick on boats.

 

I wouldn't take the meds immediately (if you don't know whether you'll need it yet) but bring the meds plus something like sea bands and use them at the first sign of a symptom. Don't wait for the sea sickness to get bad or it's harder to treat.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited June 14, 2014 by iHeartGlaciers
left out something

[Dixe Lee]

The medication in the transdermal patch can cause amnesia. Of course one would probably not realize it until after the cruise is over, but scopalomine is an amnesiac. That is not to say that the patches don't work, they do and for some they are the only effective measure with which to deal with motion sickness, but keep this in mind. My sister-in-law went on her first cruise with us, wore the patch as she is very susceptible to motion sickness and she did not experience any nausea during the 5 days we sailed. But, later when we would talk about the cruise, she realized that there were segments that she could not remember. Also, be careful mixing the patch and alcohol; doing so can cause extreme nausea and vomiting for someone who is susceptible to motion sickness.

[SeaSuz]

 

With a huge history of getting sea sick on ferries, deep sea fishing and even a little tourist boat around a bay, I swear by the SeaBands/ wrist bands. My cousin wore them and my aunt told me they worked for her... Nothing to lose, I tried them. No dizziness, vertigo, or feeling sleepy or drugged. Just normal, even on that one night when the ship was rolling... :)

 

SuZ

[jcjrsmith]

Ex-Navy here. My first few times at sea I got sea sick and there are very few worse feelings in the world. If you find yourself feeling queasy, go up on deck - get out in the fresh air - and look at the horizon. Once I got my sea legs, my favorite time to be at sea was in a storm. :) The bigger the storm, the better.

[donaldsc]

I do not want to seem flippant but the only way to know if you will get seasick is if you have already been seasick before.

 

DON

[cairokid]

I will say that car motion sickness and sea sickness aren't necessarily linked. My sister doesn't get car motion sickness at all, but does get sea sick on boats.

 

I suffer from car-sickness, if I'm not driving, but have never so far suffered from sea-sickness so they aren't always linked.

 

Haven't cruised yet (first time in a couple of weeks) but I've lived on a boat for a couple of years and have taken regular long ferry journeys.

 

I run a sailing business so I often get asked about seasickness prevention.

 

My advice is not to use patches, for the reasons others have cited. I would suggest taking a non-drowsy pill for the first couple of days and/or on any days when very rough weather is forecast. It's a sensible precaution but stop after two days if you feel okay. Don't assume you will get seasick - the majority of people don't.

 

You won't suffer as much if you can stay in tune with the motion (drivers don't get carsick; only passengers) so look at the horizon regularly - all the time if you are feeling ill. Make sure you stay warm and avoid alcohol (especially alcohol and sun!) Ginger helps.

 

It's very common to feel motion when you go ashore after being at sea for a few days. It isn't motion sickness - just your inner ear adjusting I think. It doesn't need treatment and wears off after a day or two at most. You stop getting the sensation once you have been at sea for several weeks.