Do sea sickness meds work in Horrible Weather?

[CapsR1]

I've always wondered . . . if you take Bonine, Dramamine or the patch and the ship encounters horrible weather (e.g., swells like the Pride just experienced, or a storm or hurricane type waves); do the meds still help?

[winterfleer]

I'm very prone to motion sickness and just watched the Pride video on Youtube. My guess is that I would have hoped that I had enough dramamine in me to knock me out.

 

I would have been hugging my "midship" bed. I've never tried the transderm patch though.

[jenms2000]

I was on Facination Sunday night. The swells were 15 to 20 feet(so I was told, I didn't look). The ship was rocking to the point they cancelled the shows. I took Bonine after I started feeling bad and it didn't work. I've always heard you have to take BEFORE you start feeling sick in order to get the full affect.

It was so bad Sunday night that they had barf bags out all over the ship. I was in the bed at 7:30PM but some friends said the ship was a ghost town after dark.

I saw on the news that TS Sean was the reason we had high seas.

[abitaturbodog]

You should really start taking the Bonine the night before you board the ship and every night whether you need it or not. That way it has enough time to get into your system and do what it's supposed to do. And if the weather turns rough, you are covered.

[CapsR1]

You should really start taking the Bonine the night before you board the ship and every night whether you need it or not. That way it has enough time to get into your system and do what it's supposed to do. And if the weather turns rough, you are covered.

 

I have a "tendency" to get motion sickness so I basically do exactly what you said and take Bonine preventatively. Wonder whether it would have worked on the 10/30/11 Pride journey though!

[Rainberry]

I use the patch for preventative measures since I'm sensitive to motion sickness (I get sick on smaller boats, buses, cars and even planes without turbulence). On smooth cruises I'm fine, but I can start to feel when my patch is starting to wear off if I'm not careful so I know I need it.

 

On a cruise a couple of years ago we had a pretty big tropical storm and it was pretty bad. The patch was definitely not working as well, but it was still much milder than if I had nothing at all. I took some Dramamine on top of the patch and actually felt pretty good after that. I'm sure it wasn't great on the liver, but I ended up okay and didn't drink anything since I knew I was being hard on my system.

[CanWeGoYet?]

It depends on how prone to seasickness you are. Some people do ok even in terribly rough seas, and many are ok if the take seasickness meds. Me, I will take the meds but if the seas are really bad (as in tropical storm) it doesn't do a lot of good. Maybe I would have felt worse without them, but I was plenty bad even with. Like needing to carry a barf bag with me while walking in the hallway bad. I ventured out of my cabin feeling pretty ok, but the wave of nausea can strike suddenly with me. :(

[photojunkieEMT]

I was on the Pride in January and we had a day of very rough seas. (no where near last week, thank God) I take Bonine the day before we cruise and then straight through the week. I would say that Bonine kept me in check. I got sick, but so was everyone that never had an issue, but at least I wasn't barfing...again, THANK GOD!! :D

[sweetgregoryp's]

Just got our patches today,,, They are a lifesaver for us.. We have enough to put one on the night before the cruise and change to a "fresh one" every 3 days,, The buggers are expensive, but we have never had a problem. You might feel a little queasy, but prob. won't toss your cookies,,:eek:.

 

I remember one off shore fishing trip,, 10 plus foot seas in a 40 ft. party boat... Water was rushing in over our feet... Miserable,,, but never totally lost it... Sailed THRU the storm and then limited out on fish !! :D

[Blurgh]

I take Bonine but I think it's more or less a placebo. I've only gotten seasick once in my life, on the Cape May ferry in December, at night.

 

I was on the Pride and pound for pound the ferry ride was rougher and more ridiculous.

I didn't take anything and I did get some dry heaves.

 

Pride, I was fine, I just didn't eat that much or drink liquor until it calmed down.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Just got our patches today' date=',, They are a lifesaver for us.. We have enough to put one on the night before the cruise and change to a "fresh one" every 3 days,, The buggers are expensive, but we have never had a problem. You might feel a little queasy, but prob. won't toss your cookies,,:eek:.

[/quote']

 

I try to bring a couple extra patches now. You might be more careful than me but I tend to lose them in the shower when I shampoo my hair. Got off the ship in Victoria to restock - thought I would have the hassle of needing my doc to call in for a refill in Canada. But the pharmacist said that they were over the counter there! Then he said "welcome to Canada, eh?" :D Walked out with a patch, & no more expensive than my copay for meds here.

[nanuak]

We take the generic Bonine (meclizine) chewables, 100 tabs for around $5 (ask your pharmacist). We start taking them a couple days prior to embarkation, throughout the trip, and a couple days after debarkation.

 

In 2009, we had rough seas, couldn't walk down the halls without touching both sides of the walls: We were completely sober, yet walked like a couple of drunks :D. My DH got a little nauseous at moments but I loved it! I'm not sure how high the seas were, but we were getting sprayed pretty good, on our aft-wrap, cabin 6483, on the Conquest.

[tootsiebit]

I use the Sea Bands, and after a couple of weeks ago on my cruise during Hurrican Rina I swear by them now. We had a rocky night or two (nothing like that video tho..YIKES) and I had not been wearing them because I was doing fine, but one night after getting into bed, I started feeling the motion and had my hubby get my bands out. I put them on, as I was headed to the restroom to, what I believe was about to be a very unpretty episode of throwing up, when all of a sudden the whole feeling of being sick was gone...I mean completely gone and just that fast....slept like a baby with the rocking the rest of the night....and a couple of days later at sea it was rockier than before and I kept them on as soon as I felt it that morning and never had any problems at all....they have definitely won my vote for best motion sickness aids....they are not the prettiest accessory to wear, but then I don't care, as long as I ain't sick...LOL:D

[blondietink]

I agree that the sea bands work very well. Ginger tablets also work. That being said, my biggest cure is to go someplace on deck and get some fresh air. Watch the seas and look at the horizon. There is nothing that can make you feel sick faster than looking at 4 walls tilting and rocking back and forth.

 

My Dad was on a troop carrier in WWII crossing the Atlantic in rough seas. A bunch of them took their blankets and pillows and stayed for days on deck. they never got sick, but everybody below decks was very sick.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

If you are quite prone to motion sickness and you encounter REALLY rough weather, having taken something (prior) may take the edge off just a bit, but probably won't help greatly.

 

Cheryl is rather sensitive, though not like she was in our early cruising days. If it gets really bad, then a good dose of Valium can make her more comfortable in bed.

 

Tom

[elcuchio24]

I think it matters less the medication and more your personal proclivity. I've seen many people get sick on flat calm water. I've been on ferrys in alaska in 35 foot seas, no medication is going to help you there. The chances you ever run into seas like that on a cruise ship are pretty rare, but of course do occasionally happen.

[densol]

I have a "tendency" to get motion sickness so I basically do exactly what you said and take Bonine preventatively. Wonder whether it would have worked on the 10/30/11 Pride journey though!

 

I take Bonine every day starting before the cruise but the minute I sense a more rocky journey I take another to top up the dose and it works for me. I suffer from dreadful sea sickness.

[Zantastic]

I was on the Pride during the recent storm. It was my first cruise and since I've been sea sick on small boats, I got a prescription for the patch. It worked wonders! I didn't get sick at all. Plenty of other people did.

[Shelli]

I take Bonine every day starting before the cruise but the minute I sense a more rocky journey I take another to top up the dose and it works for me. I suffer from dreadful sea sickness.

 

My husband is like you-- gets sick easily and terribly! He has an inner-ear condition that doesn't help the situation. He also takes meclizine (generic for Bonine) the same way as you-- one each night beginning before the cruise; another if and when necessary-- and never gets sick anymore.

 

Our Sept. Pride cruise was quite rough due to Hurricane Maria, but he was just fine throughout.

[blondietink]

Can you get Bonine (meclizine) without a prescription? I have only been able to find dramamine, which doesn't work at all .... just puts people to sleep. DH does have a problem in rough weather.

[mum2bradley]

Yes you can buy the patches over the counter in Canada...I get them through a prescription and then my insurance will pay for them. I don't need them but my hubby does. We are sailing on the Victory so I am hoping that because we are not crossing the Atlantic like we did on the Dream the water will be a tad calmer.

[elcuchio24]

Can you get Bonine (meclizine) without a prescription? I have only been able to find dramamine, which doesn't work at all .... just puts people to sleep. DH does have a problem in rough weather.

 

Bonine is easy to find and no need for a prescription. It can also make you quite drowsey too, but they do make a 'non-drowsey' variety.

[italianfemmy]

I take "Ginger Trips" at every meal that I eat (they're horrible on an empty stomach). And they work wonders for me. I am very prone to getting sleepy on just about any medication, even the non drowsy versions. So, Ginger Trips don't make me sleepy and they do the trick at the same time. I don't leave home without them. I will take my first one with the last meal I eat before I board the ship and another one with my first stop for lunch on the ship before sailing away.

[bia]

nanuak[/size];31270155]We take the generic Bonine (meclizine) chewables, 100 tabs for around $5 (ask your pharmacist). We start taking them a couple days prior to embarkation, throughout the trip, and a couple days after debarkation.

 

In 2009, we had rough seas, couldn't walk down the halls without touching both sides of the walls: We were completely sober, yet walked like a couple of drunks :D. My DH got a little nauseous at moments but I loved it! I'm not sure how high the seas were, but we were getting sprayed pretty good, on our aft-wrap, cabin 6483, on the Conquest.

can you purchase bonnie in new york for 5 dollars cvs 10.00 bia

[blondietink]

Found the regular Bonine tablets at the grocery store tonight .... 16 tablets for $6.49, but didn't buy them yet. They were chewable. Just said less drowsy than dramamine. So, you can get them from behind the counter from the pharmacist? No prescription?