Seasick Patch

[loving2cruise]

I will be traveling with someone who gets motion sickness in the car.

 

It will be her 1st cruise, and she would like to know if the little bandaid looking patch (that I have seen some others wear behind their ear..on a cruise) really works.

 

I am fortunate that I don't get seasick, and don' need Bonine, or the patch, so I could not answer her question.

 

Has anyone here used that patch to prevent sea sickness?  Does it really work?

 

Thanks in advance

[island lady]

Many years ago, being prone to motion sickness...I elected to use the patch just before boarding my very first cruise.   

 

Within hours I had dry mouth, was dizzy, nauseous, and felt all over weird.  Took the patch off and was fine in a couple of hours.  

 

40+ years of cruising later, have never used it again....and am fine on each cruise.  

 

FYI for your friend.  

[SimplyAlbert]

I get motion sick easily and the patch did not work well for me.  I take Bonine which works great.  I start taking it the one to two nights before the cruise.  I only take one pill at night before I go to bed.   Depending on the seas and how many ports we go to I don't always have to take it throughout the cruise.

[JimVB]

I've used the patch many times and have found it to be very helpful with no side affects.  My wife on the other hand tried it once and got double vision.

[hotsauce126]

I’m an anesthetist and we use scopolamine patches (the patch you’re talking about) on patients with severe postoperative nausea and vomiting. They work but for some the side effects are significant (drowsiness, dry mouth, dilated pupils if you touch it then touch your eyes). They can also cause confusion in the elderly. I’d say the majority of people do fine with them but it wouldn’t hurt to do a test run

[BND]

I use meclizine.  Works great, no side effects for me.

 

I have had the patch for two different surgeries as I told the anesthesiologist that I get sea sick.  I didn't have any side effect from the patch other than dry mouth, but some people have more issues.  I know someone who had to remove it because her vision got so blurry she couldn't see to walk around.  

[BND]

1 minute ago, hotsauce126 said:

I’m an anesthetist and we use scopolamine patches (the patch you’re talking about) on patients with severe postoperative nausea and vomiting. They work but for some the side effects are significant (drowsiness, dry mouth, dilated pupils if you touch it then touch your eyes). They can also cause confusion in the elderly. I’d say the majority of people do fine with them but it wouldn’t hurt to do a test run

Or as my anesthesiologist did just because I told them I get sea sick.  I wake up feeling great from anesthesia.

[hotsauce126]

1 minute ago, BND said:

Or as my anesthesiologist did just because I told them I get sea sick.  I wake up feeling great from anesthesia.

A history of motion sickness is an indicator that you’re also prone to ponv so it sounds like the scop patch (or the other iv antiemetics that we give) did the trick

[BND]

2 minutes ago, hotsauce126 said:

A history of motion sickness is an indicator that you’re also prone to ponv so it sounds like the scop patch (or the other iv antiemetics that we give) did the trick

I've had two oral surgeries without the patch and woke up feeling fine.  I just think while I'm prone to sea sickness, I do fine with anesthesia.   I am immediately alert after surgery.  I also had profolol in the er when I disloated my kneecap, ankle and fractured my fibula so they could put everything back in place and had no issues with it either.  

Edited July 13, 2022 by BND

[BusyFLmom]

1 hour ago, SimplyAlbert said:

I get motion sick easily and the patch did not work well for me.  I take Bonine which works great.  I start taking it the one to two nights before the cruise.  I only take one pill at night before I go to bed.   Depending on the seas and how many ports we go to I don't always have to take it throughout the cruise.

This is what I do also!!  Works great

[rudeney]

My wife is very prone to motion sickness and on our first cruise, brought a bag full of meds.  She never used them.  She still takes some along just in case, but even when we've been in some rough seas, she was fine.  I think with her, a lot of it is visual - she can't read text in the car, but she scroll through FB while riding.  

[Sunshine3601]

I have heard that sea bands work great too!    

[Jerseygirl1416]

When I started cruising I assumed I would get motion sickness so I wore the patch. I had terrible side effects from it including brain zaps. I don’t think you’re supposed to drink alcohol while using but I did. One cruise I decided I’d just bring them and see if I needed them. I didn’t get any sea sickness without them and have continued to cruise without any motion sickness and using no medication. I’d tell your friend to bring the patches but start with the Bonine to see if it’s enough.

[OnTheJourney]

I hate meclizine. All that stuff makes me drowsy despite what it might say on the label indicating otherwise. I use and am a firm believer in wrist ("sea") bands that use acupuncture to avoid the most unpleasant sensations associated with motion sickness. Easy to take on and off, NO side effects whatsoever. No Rx needed. They work for me. The last cruise we did was the only time I hardly needed them - that was in the Med. Sailing was smooth as glass except for one night. I've even worn them in the house anytime I might feel a bit nauseous. Perhaps worth researching. From some of what was mentioned in this thread about patches, I'm sort of glad I never experimented with them. What works for one might not for everybody - same as anything else.

 

Best of luck and wishing you SMOOTH seas. 

Edited July 13, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[FLConnie]

Wrist bands work great!

 

[SimplyAlbert]

1 hour ago, hotsauce126 said:

I’m an anesthetist and we use scopolamine patches (the patch you’re talking about) on patients with severe postoperative nausea and vomiting. They work but for some the side effects are significant (drowsiness, dry mouth, dilated pupils if you touch it then touch your eyes). They can also cause confusion in the elderly. I’d say the majority of people do fine with them but it wouldn’t hurt to do a test run

I always ask for Zofran because any kind of sedation/anesthesia makes me sick.  Works like a charm every time.

[Bound4Bermuda]

Is it better to take meclizine in the morning or at night? I was thinking the morning simply because I may have some wine at night so better to avoid taking soon after ingesting alcohol. 

[Surfguyxxx]

I've been lucky in that I've never needed one on any of my sailings.  My first cruise in 2003, I brought some but never used them.  45 cruises later, I'm still going strong.  

[HicksRA]

Has anyone bought the patches lately?  We used to get them for my wife, but after a hurricane hit PR a few years ago, we couldn’t get the generics because the manufacturing plant got wiped out. Name brand price was ridiculous and she quit using it. 

Is generic scopolamine available now?  

[Cigar King]

Been prone to motion sickness all my life.  I use the patch.  For me it works and I have few if any side effects.

 

 

[cherylnj]

I'm also very prone to motion sickness. The patch works great for me. The only side effect I get is some dry mouth. I'm also one of the lucky one's who suffers from land sickness after the cruise. I keep a patch on for 2 weeks after to combat that. The things we do to be able to cruise 😂

[ARandomTraveler]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I have heard that sea bands work great too!    

 

1 hour ago, FLConnie said:

Wrist bands work great!

 

I threw up all over my sea bands 😂

[ARandomTraveler]

The patch works but I learned that I need to take it off after wearing it for a day. The medicine seems to stick with me and keep me from getting sick, but if I leave it on longer than a day, my vision gets blurry and I get a dry mouth and a sore throat, the whole works.
 

My doctor prescribes me 3 at a time, that way I can put one on before I get on the ship, then re-up in the middle of the cruise if need be. The 3rd is a backup in case one falls off or something. 
 

My last couple cruises have been the southern route out of Puerto Rico and the seas down there are much more calm, no need for the patch at all.  

[nonnie&dgd]

I always use the patch. The pills don’t work for me. Just make sure you wash your hands after you put the patch on and don’t touch your eyes. It will make your eyesight blurry if you have any residue on your fingers.

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

Many years ago, being prone to motion sickness...I elected to use the patch just before boarding my very first cruise.   

 

Within hours I had dry mouth, was dizzy, nauseous, and felt all over weird.  Took the patch off and was fine in a couple of hours.  

 

40+ years of cruising later, have never used it again....and am fine on each cruise.  

 

FYI for your friend.  

 

We STRONGLY suggest that anyone planning to use (or possibly use) any new medicine while traveling TRY IT AT HOME FIRST.

If you are going to have any kind of reaction, find that out while you are in the comfort of your own home and also near your regular medical care.

 

It doesn't matter if "most people don't have a reaction" or not.  You are just one person, with your own biology/etc., plus whatever types of meds (or even foods) that you take.  No one else is exactly the same.

 

Hopefully this will also save you from wasting some time during your trip finding out what you could have found out at home in advance.  Or something worse...

 

GC