Patch for Seasickness

[Rizzorp]

In the past my wife and I used to seabands during the day and Dramamine at night, but on our last cruise we opted to try the patch... both of us had great success and absolutely no side effects. I would recommend what my wife and I did... Bring the sea bands and Dramamine or ginger root as back up, but start with trying the patch. If you start feeling really weird with the side effects, then stop and use the sea bands and Dramamine.

 

 

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[Floridiana]

So I asked my doctor for a behind the ear patch for seasickness that a friend told me about just in case.

 

Just in case? You don't know if you get motion sickness? Why don't you find out before you take a medication with side effects. Try ginger pills, Dramamine, Bonine or something that you can take when the need arises.

[Bizmark'sMom]

The scopolamine patch makes me hallucinate. I can't use it.

What does work well for me are Seabands, and Bonine when it's particularly rough.

[mom says]

So I asked my doctor for a behind the ear patch for seasickness that a friend told me about just in case.

 

Did you do any online research about the scopolomine patch before you talked to your doctor? Do you know about the other serious side effects of this drug? I don't want to sound melodramatic, but using the patch, without knowing if you'll even get sea sick, or whether the usual holistic or OTC remedies will work for you, is like using Fenanyl for a stubbed toe. The patch is usually only recommended when all else fails.

 

I've suffered from motion sickness since I was a small child. Sea bands and ginger were useless for me. Dramamine worked, but caused drowsiness in higher doses. And the patch caused the dry mouth, dizziness, and confusion that others have mentioned. What has worked for me was Bonine, taken the night before boarding, and then every night for the duration of the cruise.

 

If you still want to use the patch, I'd strongly recommend that you try it at home for a couple of days to make sure that you don't develop any of the more serious side effects.

[CPT Trips]

The first time I used the patch, my doc told me to cut them in half because they can give you blurry vision. I did and was okay. When I wore the whole patch I did have blurry vision and dizziness. Several cruises later, I am now using Bonine and love that. It is a tablet that you chew before your cruise or flight if that makes you nauseous. It works for around 24 hours for me. It's sold in just about every drug store OTC and is the same thing as dramamine. It's very good if you have any kind of motion sickness.

 

I also have a prescription level of Bonine for my vertigo.

 

The physician gave you terrible advice. The manufacturer, in the package insert, says not to cut the patch. That's because the medication is inside a pouch and cutting the patch results in all the medication leaking out.

[Hlitner]

There are very good reasons why cruise ship physicians will never dispense (or recommend) the Transderm Scop patch. Many have first hand experience in dealing with some of the potentially serious side effects (and we are not talking about simply blurred vision). So folks would be well advised to check with their own physician (you do need a script for this product) before using the patch. Personally, having spent far more than 1000 days on ships (as a passenger) we feel much more comfortable using Bonine (Meclizine Hcl) which also happens to be the same drug sold (or given away at Guest Relations) on many ships.

 

Hank

[seb95667]

I've used them for deep sea fishing for day trips. I would not use them for a cruise because of the possible side effects. Once after fishing, I removed the patch and didn't wash my hands because we were at the dock, I rubbed my eye and it dilated and made my vision blurry. I called the advise nurse then read the precautions on the information sheet. Try using the ginger chews available at world market (Cost Plus) there are several kinds, I use the tapioca base not the potato based.

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

The first time I used the patch, my doc told me to cut them in half because they can give you blurry vision. I did and was okay. ....

 

... I was 20 and tiny back then and it did help to cut them in half. ...

 

Just a note - it's not recommended to cut the scopolamine patch. The reservoir of medication just doses faster that way.

 

From the patch info website:

Each Transderm Scop® patch is formulated to deliver in-vivo approximately 1 mg of scopolamine over 3 days. Only one patch should be worn at any time.

Do not cut the patch.

http://www.transdermscop.com/prescribing-information.htm

What some people do is to put on one of those small, round bandaids, and the place the patch 1/2 on the bandaid.

[tracyval]

I have a sailboat and we took it to Mexico and back to Oregon and we go to Canada every summer. I get terribly seasick. One scopolamine patch lasts for 3 days. I have never suffered side effects. They do have to be put on at least 6 hours before. Bonnie is a little less effective for me but works almost immediately. Usually after 3 days with the medication your body adjusts and no further medication is needed

 

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[h_blond2]

I used the patches for several cruises and loved them...never experienced any issues until about 4 years ago when they began to dilate eyes. The also cause some weird side effects for my mom.

[catty]

I always use the patches, usually one works for most of the cruise (7 days). I have taken bonine along with the wrist bands and got sick as soon as we passed the breakers. I won't take that chance again. I put it on the night before cruise, helps me sleep and I keep it on for about 5 days. I then put a new one on and it lasts until I get home. Hope this helps. I get sick in car, carnival rides, boats, etc....

[catty]

Just in case? You don't know if you get motion sickness? Why don't you find out before you take a medication with side effects. Try ginger pills, Dramamine, Bonine or something that you can take when the need arises.

 

If she does get deathly sick, she will be miserable the rest of the cruise. Better be safe than sorry. I know by experience. :(

[GeekSquad4]

DH uses the patch when we cruise. He puts one on the day before we board so that his body gets used to it a bit. The kids and I have done the same with bonine. Bonine works great for us. DH, not so much. He's tried everything else - from essential oils to bonine and dramamine, even ginger and green apples (the crew swears by them). The patch is the only thing that works for him.

[Guest Nellsmom58]

Not to scare anyone unnecessarily, but my doctor won't recommend the patch because it is linked to stroke, and all the other side effects listed below. Once I was in the ship ER due to serious seasickness, and I was told the same thing by the ship doc, who prescribed meclazine, which is basically the same as Bonnie in prescription strength.

I had tried and used the patch prior to that information about stroke, but had serious side effects as others noted. Now I use Seabands, but they must be worn at your pressure points to be effective. No side effects, and if put on properly and before you need them, they are remarkably effective. If you don't put them at the right spot on your wrist, they do nothing, so placement is critical.

 

 

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[widallas]

My son and FIL both get very motion sick. FIL has cruised for years, and once when he tried the patch spent most of the cruise sick. The next cruise he forgot it and just used Bonine, and said it made him a little tired but worked well. He won't touch the patches.

 

For my son, I gave him some Bonine on a cruise with rough seas, and it knocked him out but worked well. Last cruise we tried MotionEase -- worked well and no side effects. (And FIL use that now, too!) I even used it, because I wanted to have some drinks and don't mix alcohol and meds. Worked great. Look for MotionEase in your local grocery, WalMart or pharmacy first; we only paid $5 at HEB and it was $10-14 on Amazon. Also, Costco sells meclizine (generic Bonine) for like $4, which was much cheaper than the brand name for a bottle of 50 pills vs. a foil pack with a few.

 

P.S. Be sure to ask for meclizine, NOT mezcaline....the look the pharmacist gave my husband was priceless.

Edited March 24, 2017 by widallas
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