Seasickness medication. Question

[mondas42]

Hi, in August we are going on our first cruise with P&O after four previous cruises with RCI. All our previous cruises have been fly cruise ones where we flew to the departure point somewhere in the med. However our cruise this year is from Southampton to the Canaries and therefore we are going to experience for the first time the dreaded Bay of Biscay. Not dreaded by myself or my daughter but by my wife who is prone to sea sickness. Whilst on our other cruises we have been very lucky with the sea states and she has not had any problems. This time she is more nervous. Now hopefully in August the Bay will be a millpond but just in case it's more lively; she want to make sure she has the correct medication. Most of the over the counter stuff doesn't work too well and I seem to remember hearing about a more powerful type that consist of a stick-on patch that I think goes behind the ear. Now I may have totally made this up but just in case I'm right, can anyone tell me more about it; what's it called, how do you get hold of it - over the counter, pharmacist or a visit to the Doctors. If I have made the entire thing up, what other types do people recommend?

 

Many thanks

 

Martin

[kruzseeka]

Stugeron works well for me but you have to take it 2 hours ahead of anticipated rough seas. I listen carefully to the Capt if he gives a report of forthcoming sea conditions but also look out to see if there are a lot of white horses out at sea before we sail too!

[Thejuggler]

After being on the Guernsey fast ferry at 40knots with 5m swells for a couple of hours I can vouch for Stugeron. All four of us took it and no problems for any of us, unlike the majority of the other passengers.

[fair weather golfer]

I am not a good traveller anywhere. For sea voyages I get Scopoderm patches 1.5mg. Change every three days. I find they have worked well for me with no side affects. They can only be got on prescription but I had no trouble in getting them. Have a lovely trip, we will be going on the the Caneries for Christmas on the Orina so difinitely keeping my fingers crossed for calmish seas.

[the english lady]

I 3rd. Sturgeon. I tend to take it the first night when I go to bed. Helps me sleep the first night, and when you wake the following morning you already have it in the system ,if more are required.

I have heard about the patches. However I have also read about bad side effects with it, so no you did not dream that.

Take dried/candied ginger with you..comes in a bag. That is good to chew to help settle things.

As a final last resort the doctor onboard can give an injection that works instantly. Down side you are charged as a private patient so that can cost £60!!!!!

The captain will always try and avoid bad weather. If he can't he will always make announcements.

Finally the BOB could be like a millpond. It is not always bad/rough.

[Wiz201]

I had no sea sickness on Ventura through the bay of biscay and it was quite rough but we were all fine.

[Pink-belle]

I also use stugeron, I take two just before muster drill another before bed, which always guarantees a good nights sleep and don't get caught out by rough seas. The next day I listen for the forecast and decide whether I need to continue with them or not.

 

I have heard good and bad things about the patches, some people find they feel very drowsy, I think I would want to see how sensitive I was to them before embarking on my cruise.

[Scorpio41]

4th vote for sturgeon. I have spoken to people on board who like the sea sickness pressure wristbands. ( Check out Boots web site.)

I take a tablet whe I get on board so it's in my system and often never take another one.

The Captain will warn about potential bad weather and sometimes will suggest those needing to, take precautions.

 

The BOB is unpredictable we've sailed through in very rough seas and then others times is been as calm as could be.

[jeanlyon]

A friend of mine used the patches and she ended up with one eye totally dilated. It looked awful and she felt awful. Very nasty. We rely on crystallised ginger. Works for me and I have been very seasick. We eat it on the way down to the ship and then a couple of pieces each day. have never felt sick yet.

[Mysticalmother]

I can't vouch for stugeron or the patches I'm afraid. But I have a husband who suffers from seasickness ...until he tried the wristbands which have worked an absolute treat for him. No side effects at all. He puts them on the morning we board and apart from when he showers he never takes them off until we get to debarkation! And despite the most atrocious weather recently in the Med ( forget the bay of Biscay - that was calm) - we had force 11, gusting 12 hurricane force, with a heavy swell........ and he was absolutely fine. Just need to get those buttons in the right place on your wrist he says.

 

Worth a try?they sell them in Boots, and in the shop on board.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Mysticalmother

[heathcharnock]

As a natural cynic I didn't believe my wife when she wore her wristbands, that is yntil I tried some myself. Worked a treat:)

[shot2bits]

We have sailed over the Bay of Biscay several times and not once has it been rough, in fact, on one cruise it was literally flat cam, like a pond. By all means be prepared, but don't think it is a foregone conclusion that it will be rough, it probably won't be!

[Mewat]

Another vote for Stugeron here. We had a fairly bouncy crossing of the BOB once before I discovered them and I was quite ill. Since then, if the forecast is a bit dodgy, I take one on the first evening and then like others, check the forecast to see if more are required.

 

Michele

[scarlet o'hara]

Hi

I use the patches as they are the only thing that works for me and I don't want to stop cruising. Unfortunately I can feel sick on a millpond! The patches are now available over the counter by speaking to the pharmacist- they aren't on the shelf. They come in packs of 2, each one should last 72 hours. They are sold as Scopoderm. The active ingredient is hyoscine.

 

There are side effects which I find quite mild and not a problem- certainly better than vomiting! You can get a dry mouth and some visual upset- slight blurring. I always read a lot on holiday and my eyes get more tired. I tend to be more sleepy but I'm never sure whether that's due to the patch, or the fact that by the time I get on holiday I'm usually exhausted and needing to catch up on sleep. I usually put the first patch on when I go to bed the evening before the cruise starts to ensure its working as it seems to take that time to take effect.

 

I've been through the BOB several times during storms, with decks closed to passengers, with no problems and across the Atlantic on the QM2 in November. I would recommend them. Its amazing how many people you see on cruises with what looks like a small plaster behind their ear.

 

One other thing to bear in mind is to choose a cabin midship rather than front or aft and as low down as you can get for your cabin type. I hope they help for your wife

[Host Sharon]

I looked at the patches once - but then read the potential side effects :eek: I liked Boots Travel Calm but they have changed the formula so now rely on Kwells as they don't make me sleepy unlike Stugeron.

 

Whatever your wife decides on it is worth checking with a pharmacist that they will be OK for her, especially if she is on any other medication.

[fue-fue]

Sturgeon & wristbands work for me. I Only take the tablets if the sea becomes rough don't take them just in case.

 

Buy the wristbands before your holiday. Much cheaper than on board.

 

On our last cruise you could buy sea sickness tablets from the reception desk. Don't know what brand they were.

Edited June 5, 2015 by fue-fue

[Selbourne]

Without any shadow of doubt, the sure fire winner is Stugeron.

 

On our first cruise we took Qwells (not sure if that's how you spell them) - complete waste of time. Felt sick as a dog on a rough Bay of Biscay crossing and it ruined a day and left me anxious about the return.

 

Discovered Stugeron on advice from a chemist and haven't looked back since. Take 2 as soon as you board the ship and then I just take one each morning and evening for the first 2 days. I now really enjoy rough seas as you can enjoy the spectacle without feeling even the remotest bit queasy.

 

On one run back from the Canaries we had such huge rough seas it was almost impossible to stand up. People felt sick everywhere and I was 100% fine.

 

There are no side effects (other than very slight tiredness, but I find that quite a nice 'chilled' feeling), but the best thing of all is that you can drink alcohol whilst taking them with no problems.

 

Personally, I think that wrist bands etc are more a placebo effect that reassure those who are effectively 'anxious' about the prospect of sea sickness (and as a result can induce it as a result of even mild swells) relax more in the belief that they will be ok with them on, which they then are. When you get really rough weather (and we've been in a force 9 on one cruise ship and I thought the ship was going to break apart), the wrist band and patch brigade will be green whilst those armed with Stugeron will just be terrified!

 

The only problem is that my wife seems to think that you can no longer get Stugeron, something that I need to investigate before our next cruise in a few months time.

[spideygirl]

Yes u can get them, I just bought a few packs a couple of weeks ago for our cruise. They are the only ones that work for us. Really hope they are not being removed [emoji17]

[kruzseeka]

Boots are advertising it to buy on-line so it looks to be available OK. (That's a relief me with a TA ahead!) It does come with the usual riders with respect to other medications though so as Sharon suggests it's worth just checking that out with the Pharmacist.

[Mewat]

Whenever we do a med cruise and call in Gibraltar, I always stock up with Stugeron there. They are much cheaper!!

 

Michele

[Lottie A]

Stugeron does work well but also consider ginger sweets sold by Lakeland, ginger biscuits, drinking ginger beer and eating green apples. The crew swear by green apples and they will disappear fast if there are rough seas forecast.

[ParCan]

Just got off Oriana.

The Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal as we sailed in to Lisbon and up to the BoB was far worst than the BoB Itself.

[Mysticalmother]

Just got off Oriana.

The Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal as we sailed in to Lisbon and up to the BoB was far worst than the BoB Itself.

 

Exactly the same as we had on Azura the other week.

[Eglesbrech]

My husband and I both have electronic relief bands which never fail us even in the worst the Bay can throw at us (though we have been through it many times when it was calm as a mill pond).

 

They are drug free so don't interfere with any other medications or have any side effects if that is an important factor to you They look like a watch and have 5 settings depending on how you are reacting to the motion. The only thing you feel is a small pulse in your wrist. They were about £100 each when we bought them but have been worth every penny over the years. You can google as there a few online suppliers? The kit comes with one band, a cell and contact gel.

 

Just another option.

[Tangoqueen]

My daughter worked for Disney Cruise for a few years and when she started everyone recommended the wrist bands. She wore them whenever the seas were bad and was happy they worked. I pack them now, but not sure whether I bought children's size because they are so tight I feel sick looking at them lol