Best prescription seasickness medicine?

To those planning on using a patch: remember--you will tan everywhere _but_ the skin covered by said patch. Which may look a little odd when you remove it. :confused:

To those planning on using a patch: remember--you will tan everywhere _but_ the skin covered by said patch. Which may look a little odd when you remove it. :confused:

Don't think I have ever tanned in my life and my last cruise was to Norway in February, so little chance of leaving white patches :D

That is an odd use for Reglan, which does not prevent motion sickness. It's not an antacid. And, it can have many side effects, including drowsiness, and others that are much more serious.

I agree - Reglan helps with the nausea that accompanies motion sickness but doesn't do much to prevent it. Same goes for Zofran and Phenergan. Antihistamines like Meclizine, Dimenhydrinate and Cyclizine are more commonly used antiemetics.

But I'm not a doctor - I only play one on TV

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Hi: I am not a first-time cruiser, but I thought this would be a good forum to get some advice. I would like recommendations for prescription seasickness medication. The medicine I have used in the past, Scopace pills, worked great for me but has been discontinued. It was the same medicine that is contained in the patch, but at a lower dose and could be taken on an "as needed" basis. I will bring Bonine, but I have found it doesn't always work 100% for me in rougher seas. I am considering the Transderm Scop patch, but I have heard so many negative stories. Scopace pills were good because the dose was lower than the patch. Please share your suggestions for prescription meds (I already have all the info I need on over-the-counter or non-drug interventions).

I use the patches. When I first started using them, I really didn't have any side effects but the last few times the side effects have been more noticeable. To help reduce them, I take the patch off (& put it back on the little plastic thing it came on) when I get off the ship & put it back on when we return. If I am going on a smaller boat for an excursion, I take Bonine. If the seas aren't rough when it is time to change the patch, I will take Bonine and wait as long as I can to put a new patch on (don't let yourself get sick). The side effects get worse the longer I wear the patch, if I give myself a break it seems to help. You may also try cutting the patch in half if you think you are getting over medicated.

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Maven3 - horrible advice. You are not supposed to cut the patch. Cutting it can be a good way to get over medicated.

Another reason, OP, to get medical advice from your doctor, not strangers on a chat board.

Maven3 - horrible advice. You are not supposed to cut the patch. Cutting it can be a good way to get over medicated.

Another reason, OP, to get medical advice from your doctor, not strangers on a chat board.

True, you should always ask your doctor about meds he/she is prescribing for you. Also, it was a pediatrician that told me to cut it in half or use a 1/2 dose of Benadryl. I am not sure what the brand name of the patch was. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see what is best for you.

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True, you should always ask your doctor about meds he/she is prescribing for you. Also, it was a pediatrician that told me to cut it in half or use a 1/2 dose of Benadryl. I am not sure what the brand name of the patch was. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see what is best for you.

 

 

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There's only one "brand" of Scopalmine Patch. If you cut it in half, you're subjecting yourself to the full dose of medication at once. You can, however, put on one of those small, round band aids and place the (whole) patch half on/half off it. That cuts the amount of medication that gets absorbed.

Any advice on Sea bands ?

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Somewhat off topic, but I wonder: has anyone, after several cruises taking meds, successfully weaned himself off - having gotten used to feeling motion on a ship?

Tequila.

Hi: I am not a first-time cruiser, but I thought this would be a good forum to get some advice. I would like recommendations for prescription seasickness medication. The medicine I have used in the past, Scopace pills, worked great for me but has been discontinued. It was the same medicine that is contained in the patch, but at a lower dose and could be taken on an "as needed" basis. I will bring Bonine, but I have found it doesn't always work 100% for me in rougher seas. I am considering the Transderm Scop patch, but I have heard so many negative stories. Scopace pills were good because the dose was lower than the patch. Please share your suggestions for prescription meds (I already have all the info I need on over-the-counter or non-drug interventions).

Somewhat off topic, but I wonder: has anyone, after several cruises taking meds, successfully weaned himself off - having gotten used to feeling motion on a ship?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2533640

This is CC. Seems as if there are very few topics that haven't already been discussed.

Somewhat off topic, but I wonder: has anyone, after several cruises taking meds, successfully weaned himself off - having gotten used to feeling motion on a ship?

My husband, who's suffered motion sickness in cars, boats, buses, etc since childhood got the patch for our first cruise. It helped immensely.

By the time we took our 3rd cruise (2 years later), he felt like he was having more issues with the side effects of the patch than it was helping him. That was a Med cruise and the seas were totally like glass. He took the patch off and bought himself some sea bands onboard. We had one night there was a storm, and he used the sea bands. They worked well for him.

Since then, he's taken a small supply of patches along, but primarily uses the sea bands on rough days. Once he did take a bonine, also.

So, at least for cruises, his body (inner ear) seems to have adjusted to being onboard ships.

Any advice on Sea bands ?

 

 

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They don't do anything. Their claims about "pressure points" are total bunk and any perceived benefit from using them is just the placebo effect.

They don't do anything. Their claims about "pressure points" are total bunk and any perceived benefit from using them is just the placebo effect.

And, if they work in that capacity, what's the harm?

And, if they work in that capacity, what's the harm?

There isn't any harm. If they work for people, they should use them.

There isn't any harm. If they work for people, they should use them.

I agree.

I really don't care to keep having this stupid argument about sea bands over and over again, but I don't think giving money to a company that is knowingly scamming you while choosing a scam/placebo product over real medication that will actually be genuinely effective (and more effective) is a good idea. But if people want to be idiots and buy them knowing they're fake, that's their prerogative.

People buy "fake" stuff all the time (think purses, "vanilla" or medication in Mexico, for example), and they seem perfectly happy.

The placebo effect is strong. As stated, at least putting bands around your wrists isn't dangerous.

6rugrats, your post makes zero sense. A fake brand name purse still functions as a purse. Vanilla extract still imparts a flavor to what you are baking. Sea sickness bands do not help seasickness. No it's not dangerous, but why on earth would anyone recommend them for seasickness, which they do not help?

6rugrats, your post makes zero sense. A fake brand name purse still functions as a purse. Vanilla extract still imparts a flavor to what you are baking. Sea sickness bands do not help seasickness. No it's not dangerous, but why on earth would anyone recommend them for seasickness, which they do not help?

I have to ask - do you have sea sickness issues? Have you tried the bands? My husband uses them, and they do help. And there's no additional cost (once purchased) to using them (like there would be to keep a supply of medications on hand).

Do they work for everyone? No. But that doesn't mean they're worthless as a sea sickness help.

6rugrats, your post makes zero sense. A fake brand name purse still functions as a purse. Vanilla extract still imparts a flavor to what you are baking. Sea sickness bands do not help seasickness. No it's not dangerous, but why on earth would anyone recommend them for seasickness, which they do not help?

And seabands seem to help some people. Sorry you can't understand that.

Sorry but they do not help. It doesn't matter if you think they help, because they don't. They don't do anything. There is no mechanism by which wearing a bracelet around your wrist will reduce sea sickness. Sea sickness gets better with acclimation, so most people naturally starts feeling relief after a period of time. This is true whether you wear a bracelet, click your heels three times while repeating "there's no place like home," or do nothing at all. SEA BANDS DO NOTHING. I am genuinely sorry you don't understand that.

There are people out there who believe that homeopathic "medicine" works, and they swear by it even when it's just plain water. The fact that they've deluded themselves into thinking that that stuff works doesn't make it real medicine.

Give it up Strophic. I had this argument with people not too long ago about Airborne. I showed proof and everything. I am an RN and everyone just argued with me that it worked for them and never got sick. Lol.....and people did not understand that just because you did not get sick....IT WAS NOT BECAUSE YOU TOOK AIRBORNE!!!!! These people just make the manufacturers richer and richer. Let them waste their money and believe what they want to believe.

@Champagne, I know, and I know sea sickness isn't a very dangerous illness or anything, but I just hate this kind of willful, purposeful ignorance when it comes to people's health and well-being. It's the same kind of ignorance that leads people to waste their time and money on homeopathy, ear candling, healing crystals...the list goes on and on. And they are so stubborn and prideful that they dig in their heels instead of just saying, "woah, I didn't realize!" because it's just too painful to admit that they may have been wrong about something.

@Champagne, I know, and I know sea sickness isn't a very dangerous illness or anything, but I just hate this kind of willful, purposeful ignorance when it comes to people's health and well-being. It's the same kind of ignorance that leads people to waste their time and money on homeopathy, ear candling, healing crystals...the list goes on and on. And they are so stubborn and prideful that they dig in their heels instead of just saying, "woah, I didn't realize!" because it's just too painful to admit that they may have been wrong about something.

Believe me, I get it. Just be glad it is not your money you are pissing away. If they want to make other people rich, then so be it. Have a cocktail and have a great Saturday!