Seasick Meds

[muddsmom]

I would like to ask everyone for their opinions on the best meds for seasickness. I have cruised before and only once became seasick during very rough seas. I am, however, very prone to this problem. I went to the main desk on the ship and they gave me some excellent medicine, which helped immediately. I usually use non drowsey Dramamine when flying. I'm afraid this might not be strong enough for me on the cruise. Since these ships are smaller than we have sailed before, I want to take something before leaving port and continue the entire time. I wish I could remember what the ship gave me because it was wonderful. We have reserved a cabin in the middle of the ship, hoping this will help. All advice is welcome, including a prescription. I did try the wrist bands on that cruise, which didn't help at all and, actually became quite irritating after several days.:(

 

Sharon

[shmabbies]

We were on a small Russian ship last year in Antarctica & had been advised that no matter how seaworthy we thought we were, we should obtain prescription medication. I've never ever been even remotely seasick in my life & neither has DH - though admittedly he doesn't get as excited about big nasty seas as I do (OK so I'm weird). Anyway, the medication we were recommended to bring is a prescription called Phenergan. We did get it & were very glad we did. I toughed it out (which I probably should not have) by not eating etc. but DH ended up taking the Phenergan, which worked wonderfully, he said. I don't know its generic name but as I said, it is a prescription medication. I would think you could take it for the entire cruise if you wanted to; he only took it on the two worst days! :D

[Andee]

My husband hs had good luck with meclizine, which is the generic version of Bonine. He takes it once a day, at night, in case it might make him sleepy.

[muddsmom]

I believe Meclizine was the medicine the ship gave me. I know it started with an "M". Can you purchase this over the counter under that name? Thanks.

 

Sharon

[Andee]

Yes, meclizine is OTC.

[twscott1961]

Please be advised that I'm very proned to being sick in a car, plane or cruise ship. I use Bonine that doesn't make me sleepy, and can be taken if you want to drink. Phenergan can make you hallucinate, which happen to my daughter when she was young. This was very scary, but does not apply to everyone. We cruise a lot , and Bonine works for me, and we have been in rough seas and I had the time of my life, thanks to medication.

[lcand1923]

If you are concerned about side effects, you may want to consider buying a "Relief Band". It is worn like a wrist watch and gives a small electric charge to counteract the effects of motion sickness. It is the only thing I know that can be used AFTER you get that queezy feeling and it will normally give relief.

 

I suffer from motion sickness on everything. I too get very irritated from the wrist bands (Sea Bands). The Relief Band does not bother me and I find that I can use it for most short journeys.

 

I DO need the Scolpomine (sp?) Patch for cruises, but do not like advising anyone else to take it because so many people have bad side effects from it. Meclazine, Bonine, Ginger, etc. do not work for me.

[2dogcarol]

I can't even swing without getting motion sickness. Bonine has never let me down and doesn't make me sleepy. I start taking it the day prior to the cruise and faithfully take it every morning even if the seas are calm.

[OBX Cruisers]

I've used the relief bands that have the small electrical charge twice and they really did the trick. I was on a liveaboard dive boat crossing between Grand Cayman and Little Cayman in VERY rough seas and even managed to eat dinner:) It's also approved by the FDA for use during pregnancy to help with morning sickness.

[muddsmom]

If you are concerned about side effects, you may want to consider buying a "Relief Band". It is worn like a wrist watch and gives a small electric charge to counteract the effects of motion sickness.

 

 

 

Perhaps, I could use both the "Relief Band" and Meclizine/Bonine? Can you buy the "Relief Bands" over the counter? I can't even look down to read a map for 20 seconds in a car without getting sick, so this is a serious issue for me. When we sailed on the Grand Princess, it was so big, you couldn't feel any movement and I think the seas were very calm as well. However, on a cruise from New York to Burmuda, I thought I was going to die because of a storm we sailed through.

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

 

Sharon

[Benita]

On the cruise to Antarctica, I used three things - Bonine, a Scopolomine patch, and the wrist bands - still got sick going over. Going back, I doubled up on the Bonine and skipped the patch and wrist bands - slept the whole way back.

[nearly there]

For those in the UK searching unsuccessfully for Bonine, meclazine is sold as SeaLegs.

[lcand1923]

I bought my Relief Band on "drugstore.com" after googling for them. (I had read a magazine article about them when they first came out - it must be close to 10 years ago, now.)

 

I have not found them at any of the chain drugstores in my area, but some posters on a previous message string did say that they found them in their area.

 

I don't see why you would be unable to combine a Relief Band with some other medication, but I can say that I have used the Relief Band WITHOUT anything else on several flights, long car journeys, train rides and ferry trips. I've been afraid to try a Relief Band without my Scop Patch on a cruise.

 

Enjoy Your Cruise!

[sterling9]

Hi,

 

I have horrible motion sickness and have found that scopolimine (sp?) patches are the only thing that work for me. My husband wrote me a prescription for several boxes and everyone else in my family gave up on their pills and were begging me for the patches.......but I know some people have alot of success with bonine - but my group found the scop patches were the only thing that worked for them. They do not make me drowsy, but you have to be VERY VERY careful that you don't touch your eyes after applying them, or your pupils will dilate. This happened to me and I couldn't read the menu or my book for two days!

[IrishKathy]

You can buy the Relief Band through http://www.magellans.com.

It costs $89.00 and $4.85 for the tube of gel you apply before putting on the band. The reason I LOVE and highly recommend it is because, as stated above, you don't have to put it on UNTIL you feel symptoms. With most pills and/or patches, you usually have to take/apply before boarding the ship.

 

Kathy