What's the best seasickness med.??

[shann]

Hello!

I will be traveling soon on my first cruise in April with my two kids ages 11 & 8. Any suggestions about which seasickness medication we should take.(patch or pill) I'm not sure we will get sick but it is better safe than sorry.:eek: THANKS!!!!

[phlydude]

To get the patch, you will need a prescription.

Bonine is less-drowsy and chewable (tastes like St Joseph's aspirin)

Dramamine can make you drowsy so only take it if you want to sleep.

There is meclizine offered by the cruise lines usually for free (generic Bonine). While this will last for 12-24 hours, it can make you drowsy as well.

 

Others have recommended taking ginger pills for nausea

 

 

I found this on druginfonet.com:

"Sea-sickness" or "motion sickness" is experienced by many people and is a normal response to conditions similar to that found on high seas during stormy weather. Individuals can get the nausea malaise and other unpleasant symptoms while on a boat, in a car, on a plane, or even in an elevator that makes rapid stops or starts. In fact some people actually get "seasick" after returning to land after being out on a boat for an extended period of time. To experience motion sickness, one must have a normally functioning vestibular, or balance, system. Most people adapt fairly rapidly to motion, and after a few days at sea, for example, no longer experience the symptoms despite no change in the motion of the ship or boat. The treatment of this problem involves taking any one of several medications. All of which adequately stop the symptoms. Note that the medications work best when taken approximately 1 hour prior to the anticipated trip. Antihistamines such as Dramamine (generic name is dimenhydrinate) or Antivert (generic name is meclizine) are effective. Dramamine has rapid onset of action and therefore may also work reasonably well if taken soon after symptoms start. The effect of Dramamine lasts about 4 hours, while that of meclizine about 12-24 hours. Note that a major side effect of this medication is drowsiness; therefore, if you plan on taking these medications, avoid any hazardous activity such as operating heavy machinery, driving a car, operating a boat, or piloting a plane. Scopolamine, now available as a patch applied to the skin delivers medication slowly over three days and is effective in many patients. The main side effects are dry mouth and occasionally blurry vision, but there is less drowsiness. If you have glaucoma or prostate problems, you should avoid taking this medication. See your healthcare provider for more details on these treatments to decide which is best for you.

[Cotton]

I wouldn't recommend the patch. Can cause hallucinations - in my case. I take Bonine an hour or two before boarding the ship, and then one every night before going to sleep. I sleep straight through the night, and wake up refeshed...with no problems during the day. Works for me!

 

Your pharmacist can give you meclazine (same formula as Bonine), but more pills for much less money.

[morganboys]

a bucket of beers always seem to work. my suggestions is have it if you need it but don't go on your cruise worrying about sea sickness. if you do you will make yourself sea sick. you most likely won't have an issue.

[honeywell]

I agree. I cruise with my two kids, ages 6 & 7 and unless you suffer from chronic motion sickness, I would just ask for something from the infirmary if needed. Out of five cruises, I have only used seasick meds once - when we encountered the tail end of a tropical storm. However, I recommend ginger tablets if you want to take something that is preventative - I took them during two pregnant cruises!

[Darcy03231]

I prefer Bonine (when I need it). I get seasick very easily and have found that cruise ships are so stable I usually don't need to take anything.

[SunnyinMA]

I will third the ginger pills. A glass of ginger-ale even helped my (then) 8 year old when we hit the end of a storm during one of the stage shows and we were rocking and rolling in the theater at the front of the ship.

[blwms]

Hello!

I will be traveling soon on my first cruise in April with my two kids ages 11 & 8. Any suggestions about which seasickness medication we should take.(patch or pill) I'm not sure we will get sick but it is better safe than sorry.:eek: THANKS!!!!

 

We go for the Bonine (take the generic CVS brand). I have never been sea sick but on our first cruise many, many years ago I witnessed my wife with seasickness and never want to be a part of that again! As you said..better safe than sorry. We take a couple of hours before boarding and before bed each night of the cruise. Has worked for us and we have been in some mighty rough seas.

[LUPY48]

I agree with the Bonine opinion. I started taking it 3 days before cruising and took one each day. No seasickness at all. I was also told that if you continue to take if after your cruise, you will avoid the 'sea leg' syndrome. I don't know if that is true.

[lynyrd]

Another vote for the ginger pills. I am also prone to motion sickness. They worked great. If you find you need something else I would just ask for the meds they have for free on board.

 

On my first cruise I tried Bonine, but it didn't help. Got really sick on the way to Formal Night, had to go back to our cabin so we missed dinner. I then tried the ones they offer on the ship and they worked like a charm.

 

On our next cruise I just used the ginger pulls and they worked like a charm.

[JulieMcCoy]

On our first cruise, none of us took anything, figuring we would be fine. By the end of dinner, only one of four was still standing. Since then, we always take non-drowsy Dramamine the entire cruise, and we're fine.

[turkeytoes75]

My son got really seasick on our last cruise, but it wasn't on the cruise ship. It was when we went on a catamaran excursion. And I forgot to bring the dramamine. Other people started offering us the ginger and dramamine but it wasn't for kids under 12, and he was only 5. Finally someone had bonnie which was for 6 and up. (it was close enough) So you may want to check out the ages and carry off the ship!!

[mrdood]

Ginger pills, and for kids they make a lot of ginger flavored candy which works great.

[fuggle11]

We use Bonine and it works great for us. We take one just before we board and one each morning during the cruise regardless of whether we feel anything. It doesn't make us drowsy and there have been no adverse reactions with our other medications or with alcohol.

[BillnBobbi]

Hello!

I will be traveling soon on my first cruise in April with my two kids ages 11 & 8. Any suggestions about which seasickness medication we should take.(patch or pill) I'm not sure we will get sick but it is better safe than sorry.:eek: THANKS!!!!

 

If you don't have any meds, you can always get some sushi style ginger from the galley, and eat that. You might also look for some ginger candy in their sundries shop.

 

BnB

[cuyahoga11]

Motionease - a herbal liquid rubbed behind ears (found it at Walmart)

[Grits53]

Can someone tell me where to buy ginger pills? I have looked for them at WalMart but didn't find any.

[shann]

Thanks for all the great info. It has been a big help deciding. Can't wait to get on that ship. I have a VERY excited family and I would hate for seasickness to interfeer w/ that!! Thanks again.:p

[cuyahoga11]

Can someone tell me where to buy ginger pills? I have looked for them at WalMart but didn't find any.

 

I got mine at walmart (they are in with the vitamins )

[Crowell85]

Hey, we just got back from a 7 day cruise on the Destiny a couple of weeks ago. My girlfriends first two nights were not good, she tryed Gravol, the meds that the doctor gave her, nothing worked. Then one day someone gave her a set of wrist bands, I would say they saved the trip for her. She was finally able to do things at night and not miss dinner and go straight to bed after we left our ports. Just something else to try I guess, she now swears by them. We could buy them at one of the shops on the Destiny for $11 US. Hope this helps.

[DqALEX]

Bonine for the kids. A few drinks and sometime in the casino always works great for me

[Toyz711]

ginger pills..walmart, walgreens..any place that has vitamins. GNC has better doses and a purer form. peppermint candies or mints help, also.

those red/white peppermint can settle just about any upset tummy.

good ole junior mints or dinner mints work, but the peppermint is better.

that is only when the upset has started, the trick is to keep the tummy from getting upset.

in you or the kids starts to feel hot, sweaty, dizzy..head for the open decks..fresh air. (or air conditoner vent). try to stay cool..breathe deep.

big trick is to NOT watch the waves, don't stay in any small rooms..if you feel the motion..get up and move around. you feel the motion less when you are moving/busy. if you go to one of the shows, on the ship, if the curtains are swaying...leave! your eyes will be drawn to the movement and you will be motion sickness.

old seaman trick..watch the horizen, it never moves. don't look down at the waves unless you KNOW you will not be affected. DO NOT watch the boats bobbing on the water, DO NOT watch those cute birds floating on the current. :mad:

[msolberg]

I'm prone to motion sickness. I've gotten it on the ship before. Not only was I sick but I was bummed I was wasting good vacation time.

 

I have used both Bonine and ginger pills. The Bonine worked well, never had a problem when using them. Remember that they are preventative, you have to take them before you feel sick. Once you're sick they will do nothing for you. Bonine does have a slight drowsiness effect. Nothing that will put you to sleep, but I did notice it.

 

Last cruise I reluctantly tried ginger pills so I could avoid the drowsiness. I would take one in the morning and maybe one in the later evening. I never had a problem but then again our seas were not very bad.

 

I'm going to try ginger this trip again but have some Bonine as a backup.

 

Mark

[cindsue]

I've always used Meclizine. My family doctor recommended it. I take it starting the day before we sail and continue throughout the cruise (one at breakfast, one at dinner). Plus, it does not make me drowsy. Unfortunately, it is not recommended for children aged 12 and under. Good luck!

[MAO]

Hi I'm adding to the list of "ginger" recomendations....I have been on 5 cruises, usually use a whole viel of bonine or dramamine (no preferance) over a week cruise, this past cruise used ginger and never touched the dramamine:)

 

Here's what I used: Ginger Trip (dietary supplement) by Solaray their

e-mail address is www.nutraceutical.com , their phone # 1-800-683-9640.

 

Hope I didn't break any rules by posting that info. and you can see by my previous post I have nothing to do with the company;)

 

Have a great cruise.

MAO