Question about Bonine

[mslavender]

I have read on these Boards that Bonine is excellent to prevent seasickness.

 

Is Bonine only available as a raspberry flavor chewable and if so, does Bonine taste good? I don't like chewable tablets and I prefer tablets that are swallowed with water.

[myangel]

I forget what flavor ours were, but the pill is so small that whatever flavor it is, the taste does not last. I believe they only have chewables. I start taking them the day BEFORE the cruise and take one every morning throughout the cruise and I do not have any problems at all. I have tried the Seabands also, but have found that the Bonine works great without anything else.

[Time2sail]

I have read on these Boards that Bonine is excellent to prevent seasickness.

 

Is Bonine only available as a raspberry flavor chewable and if so, does Bonine taste good? I don't like chewable tablets and I prefer tablets that are swallowed with water.

 

I don't see why you couldn't swallow it without chewing; ask the pharmacist where you purchase the Bonine if it makes any difference in the effectiveness of the pill.

[ute_fan]

We purchased meclazine, which is supposed to be the generic equivalent of Bonine. I don't have the instructions any longer, but I'm pretty sure ours weren't chewable. My DD just swallowed them with water. She didn't use them as a preventative measure, but if we take her again I think I may try giving her 1/2 a one in the morning and the other 1/2 at night, as she has had a little trouble on both her cruises.

[LittleNoah]

My husband and I swear by bonine. They have a pleasant taste and a few seconds after you chew it, you never know it was in your mouth. We have used bonine on all of our cruises and have never been sick...even though we were on a cruise during the hurricane last Sept.

 

I buy it at WalMart and we chew one tablet in the am and one in the pm "just to be safe".

[pappy3393]

What are the side effects, if any, when mixing with alcohol (wine)?

[marilynbn]

We take one Bonine each morning as a prevention and have never had a problem. Each tab is good for 24 hours, no drowsiness or side effects. One time we didn't take it upon embarkation day and we were woozy at dinner and passed on the wonderful filet mignon sitting in front of us! Take it an hour or so before you get ON the ship and just continue each day. It doesn't help once you become seasick. Good luck Marilyn, RN

[Xoe]

My husband and I both use Bonine, & sea bands as well. I take only 1/2 a Bonine; they are scored, and the ones we have are NOT flavored -- just swallow it whole. No side effects, & it reallly does the job -- even if we forget the sea bands (as we did the last day on our just-finished Alaska cruise).

 

No other remedy ever was satisfactory. Yay Bonine!

[sredish]

If they work for 24 hrs, why can't you take it at night?? Wouldn't that make sense so that you aren't sleepy during the day? My first cruise is coming up and I'm getting more and more paranoid by the day about seasickness. I know, I'm being silly.

[emilygrace]

DH and I take 1/2 a tablet each before dinner every night we're on the ship. Well, actually, we start the night before we board. Half a tablet is enough for us and we don't even feel like we've taken anything, except we aren't affected by the motion of the ship.

[sredish]

Ok, I need to ask. What in the world does "DH" and "DD" stand for? I get the gist that it's about your husband or wife, but I can't figure it out....could it be dumb husband and ditzy darling? Just curious!!

[JGaleCPA]

Ok, I need to ask. What in the world does "DH" and "DD" stand for? I get the gist that it's about your husband or wife, but I can't figure it out....could it be dumb husband and ditzy darling? Just curious!!

 

 

I guess it depends on the Person

 

Usually Dear or Darling Husband, wife etc.

 

Depending on the day, this could vary.

 

Damn..

 

Ditzy..

[SF]

Is there a difference between Bonine and Dramamine? Also, I read about some people taking ginger pills, has anyone tried this? Will ginger help ease the nausea if someone gets seasick?

[Dihead]

what about gravol?

i've looked in the stores and i can't seem to find bonine...

[wrp96]

We purchased meclazine, which is supposed to be the generic equivalent of Bonine. I don't have the instructions any longer, but I'm pretty sure ours weren't chewable. My DD just swallowed them with water. She didn't use them as a preventative measure, but if we take her again I think I may try giving her 1/2 a one in the morning and the other 1/2 at night, as she has had a little trouble on both her cruises.

 

I always take a 1/2 myself. For my last cruise, my pharmacist cut them in half for me.

[desilu]

FYI - Bonine is meclizine. The Less-Drowsy Drammamine is the same thing so get whichever one is cheaper wherever you shop. The most economical is to buy the generic Meclizine but usually comes in bottles of 100 (sometimes you have to order it from the pharmacy) so depending on how often you travel, you may not need that much. A warning though, try it at home first to test the drowsiness. I can take it without a problem but my daughter immediately falls asleep. It's effectiveness is only 8 hours though so plan accordingly.

 

BTW - I'm a pharmacist in real life!

[SF]

What about ginger tablets as someone on another thread mentioned, do they work? She said she gets them in capsule form.

[JamesW6175]

In Texas we were able to buy this in our local grocery store - HEB, but I am pretty sure that you can get it at Walgreens also. The main ' Active Ingredient '

in Bonine is " Meclizine HCI " in a 25mg - 16 chewable tablet package & the flavor is raspberry.

[the4ofusandallourfriends]

On our last cruise, one of the girls took the ginger gravol.....she was throwing up a few hours later...didn't use them for the rest of the cruise. I guess it depends how sensitive or how severe your motion sickness is.

 

Daughter and I used less drowsy drammamine and that works pretty good. I tried the 24 hour Bonine once, but some reason it felt like my heart was pumping really fast...it scared me and I never took it again...but it seems to be the same product as the less drowsy drammamine..???

[Italy52]

If they work for 24 hrs, why can't you take it at night?? Wouldn't that make sense so that you aren't sleepy during the day? My first cruise is coming up and I'm getting more and more paranoid by the day about seasickness. I know, I'm being silly.

 

 

You can take it at night. This is what we do: we take our Bonine the night before our cruise begins and then continue taking it each night during our cruise. By taking it the night prior to our cruise, it prevents any drowsiness that might occur the day of embarkation. I am one of those that get drowsy even when the medication is marked "non droswy." We have sailed 19 cruises and have always had good luck with our nightly routine. Have a wonderful cruise and don't worry about a thing.

[Jacquelyn11]

An info sheet on Motion Sickness remidies.

 

BTW, I also take my Bonine at night prior to my cruises, then nightly therafter. Hope it helps!

 

Dramamine: (Dimenhydrinate di-men-hi-drin-ate) An older motion sickness remedy. Dramamine however has substantial side effects, the most common being drowsiness. Sleeping through your cruise is almost as bad as being sick through your cruise. Need to take 3 to 4 times a day.

 

Bonine: Meclizine HCl (25mg.), Dramamine II, Non-Drowsy Dramamine, Antivert. Causes drowsiness in a very small percentage of patients, is very effective, has only to be taken once per 24 hours in tablets and chew tabs. It’s nothing like the original Dramamine --a totally different chemical! Check with pediatrician prior to your cruise regarding your children and any sea sickness medications. The package directions do state that this medication is for children over 12. With my kids, I gave them ½ tablet when they were 5 & 7 at about 50 lbs with no ill effects.

 

Both of these drugs are classed as antihistamines. Their most common side effect is drowsiness, Dramamine has a greater incidence than Bonine. These effects are exaggerated considerably with concomitant use of alcoholic beverages. READ THE PACKAGE to learn the side effects.

 

Bonine also has the advantage of a longer duration of action, allowing for once a day dosing. Dramamine has been used safely in children 2 and older. Both agents are usually taken about 1-2 hours before anticipated travel or activity. If you have never taken these types of medication before it’s a good idea to "try them on dry land" to avoid unforeseen reactions. These agents can also be taken for vertigo (dizziness). Normal meclizine dosage is 12.5-25mg three times a day for dizziness, so you could take two or three Bonine if needed. ALWAYS check with your pharmacist against your other medication to make sure there are no drug interactions.

 

Scopolamine Patch: This medicine is prescription only in the US. It is available in oral and transdermal patch formulations. This patch is placed in a hairless area behind the ear. It takes up to 6 hours to be effective and lasts for 3 days. It produces less drowsiness than Bonine, but a greater number of other side-effects including dry mouth, dizziness, ocular disturbances, disorientation, irritability (in children), slowed heart rate, psychosis, and amnesia. These effects were usually reversed when the product was removed. It has been shown to provide greater protection against motion sickness than Dramamine. If you haven't had success with the above agents, this might be choice to explore with your doctor. Wash your hands well after handling the patch. The Scopolamine will cause your pupils to dilate if you get some on your hands and then touch your eyes. This makes you sensitive to light for a few hours. Also, there have been reports some older folks not doing well with the patch. Typically these were small older women. This is because older people have thinner skin and too much of the drug got absorbed at once, and the dose is somewhat weight related for an "average adult". It is sold in a package of 4. The catch is you MUST put the patch on 4-5 hours BEFORE you travel. If you wait until you have motion sickness it will not work for several hours.

 

Ginger: Found in Ginger snaps and commonly used in Chinese cooking. An herbal preventative with few side effects. Ginger root has also been studied as an agent to help with nausea after surgery. It was superior to placebo in reducing the frequency post-operative nausea. There have been no formal studies with motion sickness. The effect seems to be short acting and would need to be taken at least 3 to 4 times a day.

 

Sea Bands: This is a wrist band that uses acupressure to stimulate a spot on your wrist that is to prevent motion sickness. We know of no scientific studies proving their effectiveness, but we have heard a lot of anecdotal evidence attesting to their effectiveness. They’re inexpensive and don’t have any side effects except that they don’t coordinate well with shimmery evening dresses. If they work for you, great.

 

Other prescription medications for nausea: Phenergan (promethazine), Reglan (metoclopramide), and Zofran (odansetron), are good for nausea that can happen with motion sickness, but generally won't prevent motion sickness like those listed above.

 

Whichever method you decide, have a great time on your cruise!

 

Jacquelyn, RPh :D

[kabado]

I usually take Bonine and it works fine. However, on my last cruise, the seas were rough the first night (south out of SFO) and silly me decided I HAD to unpack everything. The constant bending over and standing back up on a wiggly boat did a number on me. Sooo, be careful for the first few days until you get your sea legs. I have decided in the future to unpack only a few things if the ship is rockin and rolling that first night.

 

By the way, much to my surprise, my travel insurance covers the VERY expensive trip to the infimary ($225 for two shots). However, I have to submit it to my medical insurance first to see if they will pay anything on it.

 

And, of course now I am in a Catch-22. My medical insurance company INSISTS I send them the ship's doctor's US Tax ID number. DUH! Now, WHY would the ship's doctor want to pay US Taxes? Oh well, I am going to tell them to just turn it down and the travel insurance should (hopefully) pay it.

 

Karen

[Kinderfitz]

We just returned from the Star to Alaska. The first night was very rough and I also made the mistake of bending over to put some things away and got really nauseated. I took one Bonine and then laid very still so that it could take effect. I took another one the next morning which was a BIG mistake! It took two days for me to feel normal again. I did fine but everytime I sat down and relaxed I found myself dozing - so it did make me drowsy. I didn't take anymore the rest of the cruise and did not get seasick again.