sea sick

[pooh94]

Ok, this is a question for the ones who have cruised before. I may have some problem with becoming sea sick on the ship. Is meclazine (sp?) okay to use or do I need something stronger? Thanks

[6inptc]

We are going on our first one this weekend. I just picked up a bottle of motion eaze. It's an oil that you rub behind your ears. A lot of pilots and boaters swear by it.

[Tmeister]

I have gotten sick on anything that moves ever since I was a child, a long time ago. I used the scopolamine patch that you wear behind your ear for my first cruise, with excellent results. Then I discovered Bonine (meclazine), which is far less expensive and sold over-the-counter. It works very well for me. You may read of some side effects on these boards, such as fatigue, dizziness and thirst. The only way to see whether you will have some side effects is to give it a try before you cruise. Take one tablet a day for a few days and see whether you're affected. If it makes you drowsy, take it at bedtime--you'll sleep well and should feel fine in the morning.

 

If you have any other concerns, talk to your doctor or pharmacist (I am neither one). There are several other good motion sickness remedies available if Bonine won't work well for you.

[Bstein493]

I also get very motion sick and I find that Bonine and ginger pills that you get from a health food store really do the trick one of each every day is what I take weather the seas are calm or not

[EggDropErin]

Another vote for Bonine here. It's been a real cruise-saver! :)

[jeffsg]

We have 8 cruises and on our last one we used Ginger pills. I have tried everything. The patch makes me sleepy and makes my throat hurt. Pills make me sleepy and the accupressure doesn't work well. Take two ginger pills about three hours before you set sail and again maybe before you eat, the first night. We have found that the first few days of getting your sea legs are tough. The ginger pills have no side effects, that we've found, and will help other stomach problems. We also ordered ginger ale several times a day. We did have dramamine if the waves got too bad, we would take both. Hope this helps

 

Jeff Greenway

[tinykygal]

Meclazine works great for our family and very economical. We do not become sleepy or lethargic. Although not chewable, we choose it over Bonine for the $$$.

[bakechef]

meclazine, the bonine generic worked very well on our recent cruise. We bought the Target brand off the shelf ($2.89 for 32 pills) it was near the dramamine and the pamprin:p. We had some really rough seas on a small ship, and never felt the least bit queasy.

 

MAC

[sept10dsm]

We have 8 cruises and on our last one we used Ginger pills. I have tried everything. The patch makes me sleepy and makes my throat hurt. Pills make me sleepy and the accupressure doesn't work well. Take two ginger pills about three hours before you set sail and again maybe before you eat, the first night. We have found that the first few days of getting your sea legs are tough. The ginger pills have no side effects, that we've found, and will help other stomach problems. We also ordered ginger ale several times a day. We did have dramamine if the waves got too bad, we would take both. Hope this helps

 

Jeff Greenway

 

This is so true. Ginger works very quickly and also with NO side effects.

[Guest BeckyThane]

I have also used Sea-Bands, in addition to ginger pills and Bonine. The trick with those is to make sure you get the proper pressure point. A friend of mind has a similar device which delivers an electrical pulse to the pressure point; she swears by it.

 

With Bonine, take it for several days before you cruise and several days after -- this helps with the re-adjustment to land. I usually take it only at night aboard ship, but will also take it if the seas get high (12'+). Pop a couple or several ginger pills whenever you start to feel queasy. If you're still feeling queasy, pull out the Sea-Bands.

 

Can you tell I don't plan to allow seasickness to ruin my cruise? :p

[tinkerbell1951]

Meclazine works great for our family and very economical. We do not become sleepy or lethargic. Although not chewable, we choose it over Bonine for the $$$.

 

Ditto on Meclizine 25 mg.

I get sick on anything that moves and have to take it 4 times a day ... Have always gotten an Rx but Target for 2.99 sounds mighty tempting :)

[ddonalds]

Unfortunately, the answer is "different things work for different people". The only thing that has ever worked for me is the patch (and trying the others - with them not working - is painful). For many people, other alternatives work great... I think alot probably depends on why you get seasick (I have inner ear issues), but good luck whichever way you go.... I have had a problem since I was a child, but coming across the Atlantic while Hurricane Camille was coming up the coast in 1969 made my problem a while lot worse...:eek: There is NOTHING worse than being seasick, so I'm very, very prepared if I get on a ship....

[WELSH WIZARDS]

I will be brief. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SEA SICK. I read up about it on cc. boards and decided to try ginger , as there were lots of good reports on boards. Just done Transatlantic and Caribbean ..no sickness. Cost about $25 for huge bottle, just take one or two capsules. No chemicals , no after effects. I also asked a few crew members what the crew did,,,and they said ..take ginger !! :)

[candelle]

I will be brief. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SEA SICK. I read up about it on cc. boards and decided to try ginger , as there were lots of good reports on boards. Just done Transatlantic and Caribbean ..no sickness. Cost about $25 for huge bottle, just take one or two capsules. No chemicals , no after effects. I also asked a few crew members what the crew did,,,and they said ..take ginger !! :)

 

Hello Welsh Wizards

 

I am a poor sailor and both the medication recommended by my GP and from the ship failed me on our December transatlantic voyage. I resorted to an expensive visit to the ship's quack for a 'shot'.

 

Would you be kind enough to advise which ginger capsules you buy and where you buy them? You price them in dollars, so perhaps you bought them on the other side of the pond?

 

I have a relative visiting the States next month and could ask them to make the purchase for me, if indeed, you bought them there.

 

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[sept10dsm]

You can purchase in any drug store, most larger grocery stores, GNC. I personnaly purchase them mail order from either Puritan Pride or Swanson. They are both vitamin/herb mail order companies and their prices are great especially when running a sale. The regular price per 100 in a bottle is about $7-$10. I have used Ginger for motion sickness/nausea for years. It is very soothing to the stomach.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

Hello Welsh Wizards

 

I am a poor sailor and both the medication recommended by my GP and from the ship failed me on our December transatlantic voyage. I resorted to an expensive visit to the ship's quack for a 'shot'.

 

Would you be kind enough to advise which ginger capsules you buy and where you buy them? You price them in dollars, so perhaps you bought them on the other side of the pond?

 

I have a relative visiting the States next month and could ask them to make the purchase for me, if indeed, you bought them there.

 

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Happy to. :) You will be glad to know my hubbie got mine for me, in the Uk. He purchased them from Holland and Barratt, 15O MG 4% VOLATILE OIL { 6MGRAM ]maker HERB TECH..but I think most good chemists, Boots, Herbal shops , etc all sell GINGER, ask for High Concentrate. Hope they work. I took teh tablets my doctor prescrises for two days before I sailed. and Ginger while i was on board. Worked for me, and many others on these boards, and dont forget the crew !!

[on board]

I tried the Ginger tablets 2 months before I left. They were very hard on my stomach and made me feel sick to my stomach plus they gave me bad heart burn as my Dr. told me they may.

I take Bonine and had my DR. prescribe Phenergan which is given for nausea. You can take both together, I started off with Bonine 2 days before and then both one day before. One in the morning, 2 hours later the other, then again in the evening. I was a little icky the first night then there after I was fine. The third day I cut the Phenergan in half and only took 1/2 does 2 times a day at the same intervals through out the cruise.

Good luck

[lori_b]

aaagh, i'm confused.

i have been seasick in the past and this is my first cruise.

dramamine knocks me out. even the non-drowsy stuff makes me spacy.

I've used the patch for quick ferry rides and it has seemed to work (though it's tough to know if i would have gotten sick without it)...but regardless, i was planning on using it for my first cruise in a few weeks.

 

However, i see lots of recs for Bonine...so I'm thinking maybe i should go that route. Or maybe I should start out with the patch, and in the event i'm not feeling so great, switch to the bonine. Any thoughts on this? I could also bring the ginger pills along....i just don't wanna be mixing too many things and ultimately increasing my side effects.

 

Also, what are some of the bonine side effects? I just remember feeling sleepy and spacy in the past when taking pills, but again, that was dramamine, not bonine.

Thanks so much for any advice...really appreciate it.

[sept10dsm]

Since all the chemical compounds seem to have a negative effect on you, why not just try the Ginger first. There are no side effects from my experience and I do have a stomach ulcer. It works quickly and is very inexpensive.

 

Have the bonine available if you find the ginger doesn't work, just in case.

 

Just my thoughts.

[stwr cruiser]

I have always had motion sickness and have used Bonine and Dramamine. On my last cruise I took nothing but Ginger and it worked wonders for me. I also have acid reflux and it never bothered that but I guess it could so take it with food or milk. On one cruise I went on the ship rocked from front to back and side to side. Everyone was sick. A friend called the purser's desk and they suggested ginger ale which I drink quite a bit of on board as well. I always have ginger ale on plane rides too.

 

Different things work for different people. If you get car sick riding in the back of a car, take a short trip and try the ginger first. They also make candy you can suck on. BTW most motion sickness meds are antihistimines so my doc said I can use Benadryl for my daughter. She gets it bad and unfortunately has "broken in" all our cars over the years.

 

Stephanie

[stwr cruiser]

I have always had motion sickness and have used Bonine and Dramamine. On my last cruise I took nothing but Ginger and it worked wonders for me. I also have acid reflux and it never bothered that but I guess it could so take it with food or milk. On one cruise I went on the ship rocked from front to back and side to side. Everyone was sick. A friend called the purser's desk and they suggested ginger ale which I drink quite a bit of on board as well. I always have ginger ale on plane rides too.

 

Different things work for different people. If you get car sick riding in the back of a car, take a short trip and try the ginger first. They also make candy you can suck on. BTW most motion sickness meds are antihistimines so my doc said I can use Benadryl for my daughter. She gets it bad and unfortunately has "broken in" all our cars over the years.

 

Stephanie

[sept10dsm]

Sometimes it seems that many people think only a chemical medication works. Natural herbs have been around and have worked for many, many years. Most, especially Ginger, have few or no side effects. Ginger is a herb that is also recommended to help with heartburn as well as general nausea not just motion sickness. Any one having motion sickness should really try it out and like the previos poster said, try before you go.

[martinimadam]

I start taking it the night before the cruise. Then every night thereafter. Works great for me. If it makes me drowsy, don't notice it that way. The "every night" bit is also, I've found, very wise, as you need to have it in your system BEFORE the water gets rocky. Also find that I'm better if I'm facing forward, rather than aft, at the dinner table. Dining companions have always been very understanding.;)

[candelle]

Just a quick post to thank 'Welsh Wizards', 'sept10dsm' and 'on board' for their input regarding aids for anti-seasicknes.

 

Welsh Wizards, you mentioned medication from your GP: was this taken in conjunction with the ginger capsules?

 

Thanks again everyone.

[sept10dsm]

You are quite welcome!! Hope Ginger works for you, too. Have a great cruise.