Bonine pills or Sea Bands?

[Prof 100]

We haven't curised before, and will be traveling on FOS for a 7 day cruise in June. I want to make sure we don't get sea sick. One friend suggested taking Bonine pills and another recommended sea bands. What would you all recommend??

[Italy52]

We haven't curised before, and will be traveling on FOS for a 7 day cruise in June. I want to make sure we don't get sea sick. One friend suggested taking Bonine pills and another recommended sea bands. What would you all recommend??

 

We use Bonine. We take one pill the night prior to our cruise so it gets into our system and then one pill each night while on the cruise. We take it at night so if we get sleepy from the pill it doesn't disrupt our daytime activities -- it just helps us sleep better at night.:)

[spencercoop]

My sister gets sea sick pretty bad and Bonine works GREAT for her!

[apk1389]

my mother believes i the electrical stim sea sickness bands (possibly sharper image brand) she has tried them all

[Cruzin-K]

I took a Dramamine the first night on my last cruise 'cause it was a bit rocky. After that I didn't need anything, but Dramamine is my first choice for seasickness.

[Craving A Cruise]

Bonine worked great for me and my family! :)

 

You could bring both bonine and bands to see which one you prefer. Pretty cheap. Better safe than sorry. :)

[scopewest]

Bonine hands down. We once sailed out of Miami at dinnertime and the captain announced the seas were really rough, sorry about that. DH said he felt slightly queasy and didn't want dessert. I ate two!

[yellowsnow]

both at the same time

[Nekochan]

I actually use the generic equivalent of Bonine - it's called mecliziine. You can ask your pharmacist to order it for you (you can get 100 pills for around $10) My son and I take it every day of the cruise. My son is prone to TERRIBLE motion sickness and only once got a little queasy on a cruise when the seas were very rough. I take it in the mornings.

[cruiseguy1016]

I don't use anything but DW uses Bonine. She takes one before we fly and then one every morning on the ship. FYI, Bonine is free if you ask for it on the ship.

[Theresa522]

BONINE all the way.. Works great :D

[birdylady]

We haven't curised before, and will be traveling on FOS for a 7 day cruise in June. I want to make sure we don't get sea sick. One friend suggested taking Bonine pills and another recommended sea bands. What would you all recommend??

Having been the Queen of 'Dad, pull the car over NOW' when I was growing up, I decided I needed to prevent the likelyhood of motion sickness. I got my dr to prescribe the TransDerm patch (scopa-something or other). I put one patch on behind one ear before I get on the ship and replace it about every three days (or if it falls off, LOL). Works like a charm.

 

Good Luck and enjoy your cruise.

Erika

[alfaz]

I know I get terribly seasick from my one and only cruise 17 odd years ago so will definately be getting something.

 

What about kids tho? Would hate my two girls to get sick, what a horrible start to a holiday. They will be 11 and 8. Is Bonine ok for them? If not, what do other cruisers give to their kids so they don't get sick? DH can figure it our for himself but being a 'tough' man he will probably wait and see if he gets sick.

 

Thanks

Leah

[carlywilson]

I start taking Bonine a couple of days before so I am full of it when I get on the ship. I am very prone to motion sickness, and have no problems while taking Bonine. I have the Sea Bands, but that pressure point ball hurts my wrists.

[Alwaysonvacation]

Bonine is the answer. Works great. Take 1 every day and it will be smooth sailing!

[Mack2]

I know I get terribly seasick from my one and only cruise 17 odd years ago so will definately be getting something.

 

What about kids tho? Would hate my two girls to get sick, what a horrible start to a holiday. They will be 11 and 8. Is Bonine ok for them? If not, what do other cruisers give to their kids so they don't get sick? DH can figure it our for himself but being a 'tough' man he will probably wait and see if he gets sick.

 

Thanks

Leah

I'm a pharmacist.

 

Bonine (and Less Drowsy Formula Dramamine) is not recommended for kids under the age of 12 (this is because nobody ever did clinical trials with meclizine in children)... so while it may work, it's not recommended by the FDA.

 

There is a Children's Bonine (cyclizine) which is recommended for kids 6-12, but it may cause more drowsiness than the meclizine version of Bonine.

 

Original formula Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) can be used in 2year olds to adults. You have to break the tablets into 1/4's for toddlers. Of all the motion sickness medications, it causes the most drowsiness

http://www.dramamine.com/chewable-formula#directions

Directions

 

 

To prevent motion sickness, the first dose should be taken ½ to 1 hour before starting activity

 

To prevent or treat motion sickness, see below:

 

• adults and children 12 years and over 1 to 2 chewable tablets every 4-6 hours; not more than 8 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor
  
• children 6 to under 12 years ½ to 1 chewable tablet every 6-8 hours; not more than 3 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor
  
• children 2 to under 6 years ¼ to ½ chewable tablet every 6-8 hours; not more than 1-1/2 tablets in 24 hours, or as directed by a doctor

Of course, there's always ginger.

 

Ginger is a natural anti-emetic. It seems to work for motion sickness.

Sea Band makes a ginger gum

 

but you can also find candied ginger at Whole Foods or something like that, or even ginger Altoids.

 

All motion sickness medications are in the same family of drugs. They are anti-cholinergics, like Benadryl (which, by the way, can also be used for motion sickness) and have the very similar side effect profiles.

http://www.drugs.com/benadryl.html

Benadryl is also used to suppress coughs, to treat motion sickness, to induce sleep, and to treat mild forms of Parkinson's disease.

 

 

 

edit:

Oh... for the Sea Bands... I think it depends on the individual. They never worked for my wife when she was experiencing morning sickness... and I've never tried them for motion sickness. Some people it works, others it doesn't... I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig on that one... You could bring them along... and worse comes to worse.. go to the ship's gift shop and get a box of Bonine.

[Marie51]

First of all don't get too concerned with seasickness because usually in June the Caribbean has nice weather so you are unlikely to encounter rough seas. Sometimes you can't even feel the ship moving. I always bring bonine with me but seldom use it. It is avaliable over the counter almost anywhere. You don't need a prescription.

[dreadpirate3]

My husband, son and I all take Bonine or the generic at bedtime two nights before we embark. Then we take one the first two nights on the ship, that usually does it for us. My son, however, did get motion sickness the last night of our most recent cruise. I think he will take it every day. This time I will bring a few cans of ginger ale as well, they couldn't find any on our level.

[BlueSkySailing]

I would use Ginger Capsules. Buy them a Wal-Mart and they work really well with NO side affects! Hands down the way to go!!

[Pam713]

I'm a pharmacist.

 

Bonine (and Less Drowsy Formula Dramamine) is not recommended for kids under the age of 12 (this is because nobody ever did clinical trials with meclizine in children)... so while it may work, it's not recommended by the FDA.

 

There is a Children's Bonine (cyclizine) which is recommended for kids 6-12, but it may cause more drowsiness than the meclizine version of Bonine.

 

Original formula Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) can be used in 2year olds to adults. You have to break the tablets into 1/4's for toddlers. Of all the motion sickness medications, it causes the most drowsiness

http://www.dramamine.com/chewable-formula#directions

Of course, there's always ginger.

 

Ginger is a natural anti-emetic. It seems to work for motion sickness.

Sea Band makes a ginger gum

 

but you can also find candied ginger at Whole Foods or something like that, or even ginger Altoids.

 

All motion sickness medications are in the same family of drugs. They are anti-cholinergics, like Benadryl (which, by the way, can also be used for motion sickness) and have the very similar side effect profiles.

http://www.drugs.com/benadryl.html

 

 

 

 

edit:

Oh... for the Sea Bands... I think it depends on the individual. They never worked for my wife when she was experiencing morning sickness... and I've never tried them for motion sickness. Some people it works, others it doesn't... I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig on that one... You could bring them along... and worse comes to worse.. go to the ship's gift shop and get a box of Bonine.

Great information. Thanks!

I have never gotten motion sickness before and was caught off-guard on my last cruise when it happened. On my next cruise I plan to take several options. I have SeaBands and Bonine already.

I'd be interested to hear your opinion of the ginger remedies.

[CVU]

I would use Ginger Capsules. Buy them a Wal-Mart and they work really well with NO side affects! Hands down the way to go!!

I have not needed anything until a day in the North Sea. I took Ginger a couple of times but needed Bonine finally to feel great and then off for a late lunch!:)

[guyver]

DW swears by ginger pills. Takes one a day, starting the day before the cruise.

[CarolinaGirl87]

I call my doctor and get a prescription patch called in. You get 4 and for a 4 night cruise you only need 2 so my friend and I split them. I get very bad motionsickness and was not drowsy or anything. I didnt even get seasick!

[scarletohara]

I took my first cruise in Nov. 2008 (7 nt Mex Riviera) & was very worried about sea sickness also. I had sailed on a 42 ft sailboat from San Diego to Catalina Island previously & my friend gave me 1/2 Bonine pill nite before and other 1/2 morning we left. Really made me sleepy (so does Benadryl), but I didn't get sea sick. I looked into everything before my first cruise also. I ruled out patches (way too expensive for me). My CC friends were VERY helpful & I took box of Bonine, bottle of Ginger Root Capsules, and Ginger Snap Cookies with me - bought everything at Walmart. NEVER opened box of Bonine. Started taking the Ginger Root pills (550mg) with meals the day before. Continued taking them 1st 2 days of cruise with meals. No issues...stopped taking them. After that maybe twice I was 'aware' of ship movement (like bathroom door swinging open in cabin), but never got seasick. I strongly recommend the Ginger Root caps . Check with a pharmacist about kids taking them as my bottle doesn't say. Plan on taking the unopened Bonine box and my Ginger caps with me on 12 nt Med./Greek Isle cruise in May 2011. Know you'll enjoy your 1st cruise as you're planning on being prepared :-)

[bluegirlum]

I use both at the same time. I used to wear the patches, but the side effects were terrible. I took bonine starting 2 days before we left, and had the sea band as well, and felt great.