Transderm patch VS. Bonine

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

Okay...the dr gave me an RX for the transderm scop (have not filled yet). I also already have Bonine. I wanted to have these "just in case". I am not very prone to motion sickness, but my DH got VERY sick on a deep sea fishing tour in the Gulf of Mexico before. Granted it was a crappy boat and the water was VERY rough and this was his first case of motion sickness. The pharmacy says that for 4 patches it will cost me $40. Wondering if I really need these, or if Bonine will do the trick. Contrary to what I have read here, my Dr tells me that Bonine DOES cause drowsiness. :confused: Said that Dramimine causes the most drowsiness of the 3 and the patch has the least side effects.

 

So I guess my question is...do I really need these patches?

[Intrudr]

Okay...the dr gave me an RX for the transderm scop (have not filled yet). I also already have Bonine. I wanted to have these "just in case". I am not very prone to motion sickness, but my DH got VERY sick on a deep sea fishing tour in the Gulf of Mexico before. Granted it was a crappy boat and the water was VERY rough and this was his first case of motion sickness. The pharmacy says that for 4 patches it will cost me $40. Wondering if I really need these, or if Bonine will do the trick. Contrary to what I have read here, my Dr tells me that Bonine DOES cause drowsiness. :confused: Said that Dramimine causes the most drowsiness of the 3 and the patch has the least side effects.

 

So I guess my question is...do I really need these patches?

 

it depends. I know that's not what you want to hear, but...

 

We were on Miracle out of Baltimore with 3 other families. Two adults got ill during the transit from Baltimore to the Bahamas and back - we were fighting Jeanne and Karl last September, remember?

 

I don't know your itinerary and when you're sailing - it matters. The cruise ships are generally quite stable.

 

Business case analysis sez $40 invested to ensure you enjoy you're $3-5K cruise is $$ well spent if you have any inkling you'll be ill.

 

ramblin' I know - but there's not a definitive answer.

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

I don't know your itinerary and when you're sailing - it matters. The cruise ships are generally quite stable.

 

We are sailing the Miracle out of Tampa in early March, Western Caribbean, Costa Maya, Grand Caymen, Cozumel and Belize.

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

OUt of curiosity...how much does the shot for motion sickness the ship dr can give you cost?

[dianelevene]

It is generally pretty expensive to see the ship's doctor. You have to pay out of pocket and then hope for some reimbursement from your insurance when you get home. My sister in law saw the ship's dr for a swollen ankle a few weeks ago and it set her back $140.

[AnotherVirginCruiser]

I am prone to motion sickness so I started a thread a couple weeks ago about it- lots of info...good luck- I would take everything, just incase.:confused: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=129361

[mom2cats]

If you are thinking of using the patch, be sure to try it out at home first. Some people have bad reactions to it. I get a very bad headache and just feel crummy.

 

My husband & I are both prone to motion sickness, but mostly on smaller boats. We find bonine works very well for us. It didn't make either of us drowsy. I took the once a day pill for 6 days on a Windjammer cruise & felt fine the whole time. Try out the Bonine at home too!

 

If you are already sea sick and haven't taken anything, we found dramamine to work the fastest. But it does make you very sleepy.

 

I've used sea bands also, while pregnant, and they worked fairly well, but there were a few places on the ship where I felt a little sick. But that was on the way to/from Bermuda, and the waves do get pretty high at times.

[AnotherVirginCruiser]

 

I've used sea bands also, while pregnant, and they worked fairly well,QUOTE]

 

I used the sea bands (available at grocery stores) when I was pregnant and they worked very well for me. Again, I am prone to motion sickness. I was sick for 5 months when I was prego and I kept them on the whole time. I was often asked if I just got off a cruise. I wish! :p I felt like was back in the 80's with sweatbands on my wrists for a game of tennis! :D But they work and they are only $5 or so.

Just like all the other stuff- put them on a couple days before you go. They put pressure on the tendons in your wrists, so they can be a little uncomfortable for a couple days, but then your forget about them! No pills, no drowsiness! (But I would also bring some bonine along (available at Costco).:)

[sunkey1]

I've used the patch and Bonine and personally I liked Bonine a lot better. The patch gave me a really dry mouth and a slightly "unsettled" feeling. I haven't needed anything the last few years as the ships have become so stable. You may notice a little motion as you cross the gulfstream on the western run but with the size of the ship it should be minimal. I'd take medication along just in case. Take it the 1st second you start to feel anything, if not earlier as a precaution.

[woodz]

I have used both meclazine and the patch. We used the patch (need a RX, but not covered by our RX insurnce plan) on the NCL Star when it went out to Fanning Island and we had huge waves. I get very motion sick, but it worked great. The only problem was that I couldn't read. When I asked my neighbor who is a pharmacist she said it is in the same family as the drops they put in your eyes at the eye doctor. I have sinced used the meclazine (over the counter here in AZ at Costco about $6.00 for 100) for our other cruises and I have been fine, even with pretty large waves. After 13 cruises in 5 years I guess I'm getting a little better.

[factor]

I have used dramamine in the past and regret it. I was so sleepy and missed out on a lot of things. Our last cruise, I used the pills(free at the purser's desk) from the cruise line and ate a lot of green apples. The apples helped a lot. Family Navy officer passed this on to me as they eat them a lot at sea...

 

Be careful with the patch, a friend on our last cruise used them, drank some beer and then was sick in the cabin the last 2 days. She had a bad reaction to them.