Sea Sickness?

[Lightngsvt]

My last cruise I got a bit sea sick the first night but was ok after that. It was a long time a go on a much smaller ship. I want to be prepared just in case. Do ships still offer meds or patches? Or should I bring Dramamine or get the patches (do you have to get them from your doctor)? Can you still have some adult beverages on sea sickness drugs? I dont have any car sickness issues and am fine on our boat, but we are usually only out for a few hours at a time but I think its better to be safe than sorry.

[PEB]

You can buy Dramamine without a prescription and I would suggest non drowsy for during the day. You would have to get the patch through a prescription. The ships do have dramamine onboard and you usually can get it through the pursers desk.

 

Some people just use ginger pills and some use pressure bands both can be purchased at drug stores and onboard the ships.

[mrsd912]

I brought Bonine with us on our last cruise. It's a non drowsy over the counter motion sickness medication that I like better than Dramamine. DH doesn't like taking medication so I also brought ginger ice chips (candy, similar to Altoids, just not minty) for him. He was fine the whole week, I took the Bonine every day. But it worked well.

I may look into getting a patch for my next cruise, or at last ask my doctor about it. Not sure if it would be any easier than popping a Bonine daily.

[dbarj]

I bring the chewable non-drowsy Dramamine and the reason why is because I let it dissolve under my tongue for faster absorption. I typically will take ginger tabs twice daily and the Dramamine at bedtime. That combo has worked like a charm for me. I have used the patch before and I found the side effects outweighed the benefit - fuzzy vision, dry mouth, "out of it" sort of feeling. The patch does, however, work GREAT for post-op nausea.

[Thaxted]

You can only get the scopolamine patch with a prescription from your doctor. It works wonders for some people, but others report very unpleasant side effects. Many of us have found that the non-drowsy form of Dramamine more than sufficient. As others have said, it's marketed under the trade name of Bonine, but you can get for much less, especially online, by buying the generic form, Meclizine. The usual dose is one 25 mg pill per day. Moderate alcohol consumption shouldn't be a problem. It certainly wasn't for me!

[WizBang]

I get motion sickness very easily - it can happen within 15 minutes of just riding in the car. Once I found Bonine, it made it possible for me to cruise without any nausea at all!

 

I used to use Dramamine, but after 8 hours I couldn't keep my eyes open. I'm not sure if the non-drowsy version of Dramamine has the same ingredients as Bonine, but I don't want to mess with something that works for me. I take a 24-hour Bonine each morning of a cruise.

[Dayenu]

Try Ginger capsules from any pharmacy in the herb/vitamins department. It's an herb, so you can have adult beverages, and won't worry about interaction or getting drowsy, or side effects.

[Lightngsvt]

Thank you! Im going to hit the drug stores and try to find Bonine, or non-drowsy Dramamine. Can you tell me more about the "ginger chips" and what they do? Where do you buy them?

 

Theres a good chance I wont get sea sick, so should I wait and take the Bonine if I start to feel a bit "off" or just take one the first night and see how the next day goes? I really want to be functioning at 100% to enjoy everything that week will have to offer, including a couple adult beverages (though probably not more than 2 or 3 per day)

[Capt_BJ]

be very careful with the patch and booze - my father did that combo and does not remember the following 24 hours .... altho he was "the life of the party" ....

 

In fact if you choose the patch I highly recommend you get them a couple of weeks b4 and wear one for a day B4 the cruise to determine how much it is going to bother you, if at all . . .

 

technically if you wait until you start to feel seasick it is too late for the remedies to work . . sea sickness is essentially vertigo. The various drugs work by dulling the receptors in the inner ear - or as simple placebos.

 

I delt with a lot of seasick new sailors over the years. The best advice is to keep busy - keep the mind occupied. If you sit and think about it .... well it is too late then!

[Lightngsvt]

So the ginger capsules are just ginger extract in pill form? And that helps motion sickness, or just helps to settle the stomach? The last time I had some motion sickness I didnt vomit or anything just felt really nasty for a while.

 

I dont like taking meds, but its best to take them before boarding and just take them everyday as a precaution?

[Dayenu]

I get sick by just looking at the boats :rolleyes: Ginger helps me, I don't get any symptoms. On rough days I take Bonine - maybe one pill per cruise, if that. Ginger works.

 

This is what to look for, it's a dried ground root filled in a capsule.

 

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/nature%27s-bounty-ginger-root-550-mg-dietary-supplement-capsules/ID=prod3430765-product

 

The only thing... if you are taking blood thinners they may interact.

 

Editing to add: if ginger, start taking 1-2 days before the cruise, and continue for 2-3 days after to avoid "sea legs" on land.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Dayenu

[Thaxted]

Seasickness is idiosyncratic, so there's no one size fits all remedy. Ginger would certainly be a good place to start. Keep in mind that herbal supplements vary in potency, so do some research first. As for when to start meclizine (Bonine), the usual recommendation is to start one hour before you begin to travel.

[wassup4565]

I believe you can still get the patches w/o prescription in Canada. However, the package is clear you should not drink alcohol if you are wearing the patch. As well, there are some reports you could experience dizziness and vertigo problems for some days or weeks after removing them (while back on land, when driving for instance). Seems a pretty extreme solution.

 

Ginger, in its many forms, has long been known to soothe nausea, and it seems to work fairly well. I can remember being given ginger ale to drink in hospital after surgery, and also being told to give my young child flat ginger ale to drink when she had stomach flu (I know it's not really a flu, but that's what we used to call it.) People mentioned the ginger ice and powdered ginger here, but you can also easily get ginger candies, and, at natural food stores, candied ginger. It's probably worth bringing ginger in some form, just in case you start feeling queasy. Or, just head to the nearest bar and order a ginger ale.

 

I also agree strongly with Capt bj above. Just thinking you might be starting to get sick seems to bring on the next stage. If you have even one slight thought about feeling sick, get up immediately, get outside in the fresh air, and get busy thinking about something else.

 

They also say eating green apples (like Grannie Smith) might work.

 

I'd bring the pills too if you're worried. And our family doc also advised that you can cut a pill in half and still get a pretty good result.

 

Chances are you're never need any of it. Might as well be prepared.

[Lightngsvt]

So, Ive done some shopping at some local stores including the natural foods store and came home with:

 

"original ginger chews" candies

1- box of Bonine

1- bottle of Solaray "Ginger Trips" chewable supplements (67.5mg ginger, 6mg B6 and 4mg Stevia

Acupressure motion sickness braclets (supposedly good for motion sickness and even used in hospitals)

 

Ive gone a little overboard (no pun intended) and am not sure what I really need or when to take it? I dont get car sick really, dont get airsick and when Ive had sea sickness Ive just felt kind of shaky, tired, hot and a little dizzy but just generally not good. But that has only happened once. I do recall feeling "sea legs for a few days after my last cruise too.

[Cuizer2]

My last cruise I got a bit sea sick the first night but was ok after that. It was a long time a go on a much smaller ship. I want to be prepared just in case. Do ships still offer meds or patches? Or should I bring Dramamine or get the patches (do you have to get them from your doctor)? Can you still have some adult beverages on sea sickness drugs? I dont have any car sickness issues and am fine on our boat, but we are usually only out for a few hours at a time but I think its better to be safe than sorry.

 

I prefer ginger pills ...

 

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/nature%27s-way-ginger-root-550-mg-dietary-supplement-capsules/ID=prod6037583-product?ext=gooVitamins_ampersand_Supplements_PLA_Ginger_prod6037583_pla&adtype={adtype}&kpid=prod6037583&sst=3bbc5a13-95eb-0f08-9b21-000003af1241

 

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=320285&catid=310167&aid=338666&aparam=goobase_filler

[noobcruiser]

Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum @ Walgreens is great.

 

Ginger Tea (which can be served hot or iced) has helped me in the past (also available @ Walgreens).

[jenesaisquoi]

So, Ive done some shopping at some local stores including the natural foods store and came home with:

 

"original ginger chews" candies

1- box of Bonine

1- bottle of Solaray "Ginger Trips" chewable supplements (67.5mg ginger, 6mg B6 and 4mg Stevia

Acupressure motion sickness braclets (supposedly good for motion sickness and even used in hospitals)

 

Ive gone a little overboard (no pun intended) and am not sure what I really need or when to take it? I dont get car sick really, dont get airsick and when Ive had sea sickness Ive just felt kind of shaky, tired, hot and a little dizzy but just generally not good. But that has only happened once. I do recall feeling "sea legs for a few days after my last cruise too.

 

I don't think you went overboard at all. :) I take most of those items with me every time I cruise. You never know what's going to work for you until you try it. My first cruise took place during Hurricane Irene on the Miracle, and I was so glad I was prepared. The boat was really rocking for a couple of days, and while others were confined to their rooms with sea sickness, I was able to eat all my meals and go to all the shows and activities. I still felt a bit queasy, but it was tolerable. After we got to calmer waters, I had no discomfort at all.

 

Here's what I do as far as when to use the various remedies.

1. Take Bonine every night, starting with a night or two before your cruise, which is recommended on these boards.

2. Take the Solray ginger tablets every day. Usually just one but more if there's a lot of motion on the ocean.

3. Use the Sea Bands whenever I feel queasy. I have found that sailing out of New York I often need them the first and last sea days, depending upon ship movement.

 

DH doesn't take anything and usually only feels mild discomfort. Interestingly enough, though, he has a few days of feeling like the ground is moving when we return home while I do not experience this sensation. I think I read somewhere that ginger helps with the ocean to land transition.

[Dunflyin]

Hi, just joined the forum and this is my first post. I've seen a lot of comments about sea sickness and would like to pass on my personal experience. I use Buccastem tablets, prescribed by my doctor ( though I think they may be available now over the counter ) These are placed inside the mouth between the lip and gum and allowed to dissolve slowly. For me they work very well, taking me through the bay of biscay in a force 8 Gale and never missed a meal. Certainly worth a try. I was also told by a crew member to drink ginger beer, this too had a calming effect on up the old tum.

[jenesaisquoi]

Hi, just joined the forum and this is my first post. I've seen a lot of comments about sea sickness and would like to pass on my personal experience. I use Buccastem tablets, prescribed by my doctor ( though I think they may be available now over the counter ) These are placed inside the mouth between the lip and gum and allowed to dissolve slowly. For me they work very well, taking me through the bay of biscay in a force 8 Gale and never missed a meal. Certainly worth a try. I was also told by a crew member to drink ginger beer, this too had a calming effect on up the old tum.

 

Hi, Dunflyin,

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! I haven't heard of Buccastem tablets. I will ask my pharmacist about them. I always like to be well prepared for sea sickness.

 

If your user name is any indication, you like the ease of driving to a port and boarding a ship without the hassle of flying to get to a wonderful vacation destination. My husband hates flying, and I don't miss it at all! We choose our cruises based on which ports are within easy driving distance of our home. :D