Help from cruisers with motion sickness ..

[Jesuslovesyou]

I get motion sickness quite easily; will not go out deep sea fishing in the Pacific Northwest ocean.

I've heard that the 'seas' in the Caribbean are much gentler; less tide.

 

Did you have problems?

 

I've got Bonine and wristbands just in case. We're midship on deck 8 balcony.

 

thanks in advance,

Judy

 

 

[cb at sea]

A fishing boat is NOTHING like a cruise ship!!! Unless seas are 10 ft. or higher, you will barely feel it.

The Caribbean is calmer than the Pacific, but there are times when it get rough--there's simply no way around what Mother Nature dishes out.

You've got your Bonine...you'll be fine. Really!

Enjoy your trip! Let us know how you fare!

[Maraprince]

Used Sea Bands on my 11/9 sailing to the Caribbean and had no issues with being sea sick. Better than taking Bonnine since you suffer no drowiness or dry mouth. I am not one to usually go without taking Bonnie but tried the Sea Bands and it was like a miracle.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[BrainChemicals]

Just walk around with a barf bag taped to your chin or hang one around your neck with a cord with alligator clips from the Dentist's Office that hold the spray zone bib, you'll be fine.

[ecmcm]

I suffer from motion sickness nearly everywhere but on a cruise ship. Most of the time you won't notice any motion at all. I can't use either of the remedies you mentioned so I use 100% ginger root capsules from the health food store. No side effects and if you find you forget to take it and need it it works completely in less then 30 minutes.

 

em

[JanineM]

I get sick in a car, on a dock, on a kayak, on rides, and on cruise ships. If bonine/meclizine or dramamine work for you then stick with those. They make me too sleepy, so I use the transderm Scopolomine patch. It requires a doctor's prescription (unless you live in Canada). Some people have adverse side effects, I feel very fortunate that I do not.

 

Depending on the time of the year, you may have smooth seas in the Caribbean, or rough. But "in general", probably 90% of our days have been pretty darned calm.

[wrkfire911]

IMHO I'll have to say that all posts so far have given good advice..well, 'cept for the barf bag LMAO

 

just remember one thing...everyone reacts to different medications in a different manor..what may or may not cause one person side effects may or may not occur with you

 

I generally do NOT have motion sickness...but at times I will not "feel well" when we've been in rocky waters for an extended period of time..now, I'm a Bonine fan...for me, and 2 others in my family that use the chewable Bonine.. do not have ANY side effects that can be common with Dramamine. I have never used the patch but hear they tend to cause dry mouth and dizziness. My mother gets very sea sick and her general rule is this.....(this will not hurt you either)

 

begin the Bonine the day BEFORE your trip..take it twice a day or every 12 hours...continue to take the Bonine throughout your trip even if you have NO symptoms... and hopefully you will experience no rough seas and therefor no sickness

 

It's VERY hard to play catch up if you get behind on that 8 ball without having the medication in you...the chewable is faster acting just in case though

 

whichever you choose to do ...I hope that you enjoy your cruise and your trip is barf free!!

[linkerbink]

I am VERY prone to any kind of motion sickness...I can't even read on an airplane. Since I started using both Bonine and the wristbands I haven't had any problems. Having a cabin midships helps also, so you should be fine.

[Kennedy Carter]

I seem to suffer motion sickness on the ships when they get into rough water even though they have stabalizers. When we did the Caribean we had 32 hours of 20 foot swells coming at the side of the ship. I wore the wrist bands and tryed to stay low and in the middle of the ship and I was okay. Non drowsy dramamime or if you are from Canada we call it Gravol works very well.

[cruiseawaits]

I get sick in a car, on a dock, on a kayak, on rides, and on cruise ships. If bonine/meclizine or dramamine work for you then stick with those. They make me too sleepy, so I use the transderm Scopolomine patch. It requires a doctor's prescription (unless you live in Canada). Some people have adverse side effects, I feel very fortunate that I do not.

 

Depending on the time of the year, you may have smooth seas in the Caribbean, or rough. But "in general", probably 90% of our days have been pretty darned calm.

 

My DH suffers severe motion sickness when he just looks at a car, a dock or a kayak. He even gets queasy when he sees a poster featuring carnival rides(LOL). It took me almost 25 years to convince him to try a cruise(we are now booked on our 9th). He also uses the transderm patch and, fortunately, suffers little or no side effects. Sometimes he experiences "cotton mouth", but always carries mints. The patch is truly a miracle cure for him. But, as previous posts have mentioned, everyone reacts differently to medications. DH cannot take either dramamine or meclizine(even non-drowsy formulas). They knock him out, and he ends up sleeping the cruise away.

[Jesuslovesyou]

OK I'm ready ... thanks for the advice and chuckles ...

Brainchemical, you made me laugh, big time!

[Ronnie3750]

I'm extremely prone to motion sickness. Our last cruise was on Freedom, in calm western Caribbean waters - and yes, even on that beautiful large ship I began feeling sick. I had to wear my Sea Bands throughout. Can't take any of the drugs, so thank heavens they work wonderfully for me. And the black Sea Bands are wonderful accessories to formal wear...

[JanineM]

My DH suffers severe motion sickness when he just looks at a car, a dock or a kayak. He even gets queasy when he sees a poster featuring carnival rides(LOL). It took me almost 25 years to convince him to try a cruise(we are now booked on our 9th). He also uses the transderm patch and, fortunately, suffers little or no side effects. Sometimes he experiences "cotton mouth", but always carries mints. The patch is truly a miracle cure for him. But, as previous posts have mentioned, everyone reacts differently to medications. DH cannot take either dramamine or meclizine(even non-drowsy formulas). They knock him out, and he ends up sleeping the cruise away.

 

Sounds like we have the exact same reactions! Took my DH 9 1/2 years to convince me to cruise, and without the patch it never would have happened!!!

[phantom728]

My friend swears by Nauzene. You can buy it at the store where you would get pepto and other meds. She said it works like a charm. You chew a pill and its supposed to help ease nausea in 4 minutes.

 

Worth a shot:)

[Lionesss]

Being a Nurse anesthetist and dealing with people encountering Nausea and vomiting from time to time, I wanted to be very cautious when sailing, after my husband did suffer some quesiness on the Disney cruise.

We always take Scopalamine patches.

Yes, they have some drawbacks, that did benefit for us.

They make you very thirsty, and this in itself helps you drink a lot of fluid, we chose water and we were very hydrated.

We did not suffer any untoward effects on the Mariner of the Seas, it could have been the stabbilizers on board or, it could have been calm seas.

Yes, these patches dialate your eyes and you will have trouble out in the sun with some glare.

But we got acclimated to it within two days.

The bottom line, read what people share and then see what works good for you.

Safe travels.

[bigmohes]

The ginger root tablets (all natural) started the day before twice a day throughout the trip and not a bit of a problem. Good Luck;)

[SA Traveler]

The sea bands don't work for me but the Relief Band does. It gives you a little "shock". I don't know how it works but it does. In very rough seas I supplement it with less drowsy Dramamine or Bonine (both are Meclizine). I love to cruise but until I discovered the Relief Band I usually missed dinner at least once each cruise if seas were rough. I got mine at Drugstore.com.

[funbythedozen]

My husband took Bonine and didn't help him any. He thought he would go ask at the guest relations desk for advise of what to do and they gave him some pills there that really made him feel so much better.

[cruiseawaits]

My husband took Bonine and didn't help him any. He thought he would go ask at the guest relations desk for advise of what to do and they gave him some pills there that really made him feel so much better.

 

Seems odd that your husband responded to the pills guest relations gave him, but didn't respond to the Bonine. Because, in my experience, the ship supplies meclazine which is, in fact, the generic brand of Bonine. Guest relations certainly could not supply prescription medications, only over the counter(i.e.-Bonine, Dramamine, etc.). Perhaps part of motion sickness is mind over matter. Sort of like medical surveys/experiments where they give some of the participants the actual medication and others a placebo. This is very interesting to me since as stated previously, my DH suffers extreme motion sickness.

[honeywell]

The ginger root tablets (all natural) started the day before twice a day throughout the trip and not a bit of a problem. Good Luck;)

 

I have cruised twice while pregnant and not only did this work for me, I continued to use it for pregnancy nausea throughout my terms.

 

If you are very sensitive, as you say you are, use what works for you and remember that there is an infirmary for help. You may be surprised not to feel any discomfort because the ships are so large and stable.

[ILoveScotland]

I so feel for all of you who get sea sick. I've been fortunate all my life not to have any kind of motion sickness including going out to the Gulf Stream in a fishing boat when the seas got rough.

 

I hope you get the help you need, because cruising is such a wonderful experience.

[sbell1]

I use Scopace tablets. It is the same ingredient that is in the patch but you can regulate your dosage. One pill lasts 8 hrs. It is by prescription. The non drowsey bonine makes me sleepy. Here is the site for info: http://www.motionsickness.net/versus.html

[Freo]

My wife uses Seaband which you can pick up in any Walgreen's. About $10.00. It does the job for her. :)

[Zoey1]

I get motion sickness driving around the corner so was very worried about it. I have been on about 5 cruises now and on the advise from these boards, I start the ginger capsules twice a day (a couple of days prior to the cruise) I then take either the less drowzy dramimine or bonine (same thing) every day. It has worked for me.

 

On our last cruise we got caught in a tropical storm and I was actually fine, however my husband that NEVER gets sea sick wasn't feeling to well and neither the ginger or the bonine worked for him. He finally took a tigan and was fine.

[shmthaus]

I have to say ditto on the ginger root capsules. I take them 2 capsules a day for 3 days before so it will be well in my system and then the same for about 3 days into the cruise. If the ship isn't rough, I do one a day. It takes care of my motion sickness.

 

Everyone is different, so pick one "remedy" and try it before going. If it doesn't work for you, try another.