What "really" works for sea sickness?

[KelleKae]

Okay -- I've been on two large cruise ships before and really didn't have too many problems with getting seasick but I do suffer terribly when we go on the small boat shore excursions! What seems to work the best to prevent this? I've heard the wristband pressure gizmo works pretty well if you want to be able to consume a few alcoholic beverages. More than a handful of friends have told me the patches behind the ears make you feel "loopy" for several days. I've heard several versions of how to take Bonine -- most notably to take one tablet and then chase it with Sudafed (the little red-hot like tabs) as the Sudafed will kill the drowsy feeling. Any suggestions/directions are greatly appreciated! Thanks - KK:p

[Ellya]

In my experience, Bonine doesn't usually make you drowsy. Some people take it before bed so that if it does, the worst drowsy period will be when you are sleeping anyway.

[4merlurker]

BONINE! It's good for 24 hours! :D

[Bosun]

Forgive me if you already know this, but never hold on to the boat if when it's rocking. Holding on actually causes you to be sick because you are swaying with the boat (in turn making you sick). If you do not hold on your body tries to hold you up right, therefore decreasing the motion of the sways.

[mrsfuzzmo]

There are no ingredients in Bonine to make you drowsy. Dramamine, YES! Bonine NO! I would go with Bonine. If you know you are taking a "water" excursion, take one the day before to get it into your system and then another first thing in the morning. You'll be fine. If the ship doesn't make you sea sick, I wouldn't use the patch for just a days trip, as it takes a while to get it into your system and then it can have some side effects...Though all my family (sisters and Mom) use the patch with no side effects. They also drink and party as hard as anyone on Patch or Bonine.....and two of them are pharmacists. No problems.

[LARGIN]

Instead of Bonine which costs around $5 for 8 pills, go to your pharmacy and ask for the generic brand. It is called Mecilizine HCL. The cost is between $5-$8 for 100 pills. Cheapest place was Costco.. Shelf life is 3 years.

[Moonstoners]

Although we haven't cruised before, we've heard that GINGER works well. I've picked up some GINGER ALTOIDS.

 

Anybody ever use them?

 

 

R. Aubrey Hawton

[Happy ks]

I prefer the elastic seabands over medication, on small craft. I usually feel better within 10-15 minutes after putting them on.

 

You "really" have to find out what works best for you as an individual, everyone is different. I've never tried the patches, but I know almost all medication throws me for a loop so I probably never will. The non-drowsy formulas can still make you a bit drowsy, so I take them at night, if at all.

 

Interesting post about not holding onto the boat. I've always been told to keep one hand on the boat at all times. Perhaps this is just on small, personal craft?

[voyageur]

I've only experienced "sea sickness" once on the Royal Clipper. It's a sailing ship and quite small so there was much more movement. I used the wrist bands offered to me by a woman at dinner and they worked great for me. I always take them along now just in case. I've also heard that ginger works. I like to stay away from taking medications.

[beaming90]

The patch that I got from my Doctor was horrible! The morning after I put it on, I could not read any longer, all words were blurry. I needed to be drinking water all the time and my sugar level went really high (though not sure if that is from the patch, but I had not eaten anything unusual.) And my mom took her patch off after 2 days and put on a new one and she had all kinds of trouble remembering things, I got scared, and was wondering for about 36 hours if she was having a stroke or something. But it turns out it was all the patch. But I took my patch off and bought some bonine on the ship and it was GREAT! Good luck!:D

[AnotherVirginCruiser]

I didn't use it cruising , but I used it while driving across Guatemala- where the only way to go is wind up one mountain and down then the next then the next with very little straight road- plus the roads were in horrible condition=bumpy. I would put raw ginger root in hot tea and poor it into a thermos for the road. I also bought ginger pills and would take 2 of those after a meal.

 

I was also very sick for 5 months of my pregnancy and I wore the sea bands for most of it. Night and day- just kept them on and they worked very well for me. People asked me all the time if I was going on a cruise! :) I wished!

 

For my cruise in June I will be getting bonine- generic version from Costco- and I'll get a patch from my DR. and I will for sure be wearing my sea bands. You can get them at a grocery store. Better safe than sick!:p

 

Don't worry about it- something will work for you! Have a great time!:D

[LARGIN]

 

For my cruise in June I will be getting bonine- generic version from Costco- and I'll get a patch from my DR. and I will for sure be wearing my sea bands. You can get them at a grocery store. Better safe than sick!:p

 

Good on the generic Bonine and the Sea Bands.. I would skip the patch..

[KelleKae]

Thank you all for your wondeful advice and suggestions! I think I'm definitely going with the Bonine (picked some up today) and the sea band. Hopefully something will work!

[Bosun]

Interesting post about not holding onto the boat. I've always been told to keep one hand on the boat at all times. Perhaps this is just on small, personal craft?

Hey Kathy, I was told this info in general (but I guess it would be a little harder to NOT hold on in smaller crafts especially if you aren't use to them). But if you can help it, it's best not to. I can ask DH when he wakes up - our families are big into boating :)

I find to, depending on what I eat before going on a boat determines if I get sick or not. One time I was on a ferry (pretty big one that holds cars etc but didn't have any stabilizers), anyways it wasn't rocking that much but I got sick. It seems whenever I eat an apple before going on any type of boat I get sick! Weird hey? Otherwise I enjoy and would prefer rough seas. The badder the better:) lol