Motion Sickness patch

[Terpsince74]

I just booked my first Princess cruise and am super excited. I am bringing my girlfriend who tends to get motion sickness sometimes while on long car rides. I am thinking about having her get the patch. How do those work? Would you advise that she wear it for the whole cruise or wait to see if she feels sick? Any idea how long they last? Thanks so much!

[e71465]

I put the patch on when I get on board.

[IECalCruiser]

I have used the patches. She should put it on when she boards. They are only good for three days and sometimes come off in the shower after two days so get a few extra. They have worked well for me but my mouth does get dry. On our first cruise out of Cape Canaveral the seas were so rough that our waiter got sick for the first to in seven months. They did the job for me. As I have sailed more, I need them less often and on several cruise I have not used them at all.

 

 

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Edited January 29, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[richla]

My wife and I have both used them with success when needed. We find we only need them when the seas get rough and generally not overnight on back to back port stops. We have also adjusted the dose and found putting half a patch behind the ear works for us. That also lessens any side effects. We have only experienced dry mouth and then only in the beginning.

 

Naturally it all depends on how sensitive you are to motion sickness. Make sure they are put on in advance. It helps prevent sickness, but won't cure it after it sets in.

Edited January 29, 2014 by richla

[Viv0828]

I have an adult son and a teen granddaughter who are extremely prone to motion sickness. They each take a Dramamine twice a day and they never have been seasick. Well, the now teenager got seasick when she was about 8 because her mom forgot to give her Dramamine one morning and she threw up in the dining room. They brought out the hazmat team and cordoned off the area. Mom was totally embarrassed and never forgot to give dgd her Dramamine again!

[Blindhog]

I wouldn't cruise without them. The medicine is slowly absorbed through the skin so the patch needs to be applied 4hrs before traveling. I usually wait till I board. Side effects include dry mouth, drowsiness, or blurred vision. I've never experienced any of these. They allow me to enjoy the cruise and excursions without worry.

 

 

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[Astro Flyer]

There's a reason why the patch isn't OTC & requires a prescription...there are more potential sideaffects. My wife is very susceptible to all types of motion sickness and had more problems with the patch. She has enjoyed dozens of cruises using meclizine which is the less expensive generic version of Bonine & Dramamine Less Drowsy. It's an antihistamine & if it causes any drowsiness then she takes it at night. The patch's active ingredient Scopolamine has been used in higher dosages as a truth serum.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[dorisis]

If it is a prescription the passenger needs to consult with a doctor.

[baggal]

There's a reason why the patch isn't OTC & requires a prescription...there are more potential sideaffects. My wife is very susceptible to all types of motion sickness and had more problems with the patch. She has enjoyed dozens of cruises using meclizine which is the less expensive generic version of Bonine & Dramamine Less Drowsy. It's an antihistamine & if it causes any drowsiness then she takes it at night. The patch's active ingredient Scopolamine has been used in higher dosages as a truth serum.

 

This is true (about the truth serum). It was developed during WWII as a truth serum to give to POWs and it was discovered that it had anti-nausea side effect. Before my doctor would prescribe it, he asked me if I talked in my sleep! Also, when the patch wears off, and you're on land, you could feel as though you're seasick all over again.

 

I now take a Bonine before I board and then 1 every night before I go to sleep and have felt fine on the cruise.

[rjack22]

Also please be aware that it isn't recommended that you drink while wearing the patch.

[travln1234]

I use the patch. On our first cruise, we hit a really rough patch heading towards Alaska...ship swaying so much you walked from side to side down the hallway, for hours. I had the patches with me but chose to wait to see if I needed it. Well, I got VERY green. I put the patch on at dinner time, and while everyone else was at dinner, I took a 3 hour nap. When I got up, I was perfectly good. It was amazing!! I was up partying all night, giggling at walking so crooked down the halls, and feeling so sorry for the poor people who I saw running for the public restrooms. I never cruise without it. I don't need it the whole time...I find I only need it during rough seas and I am highly susceptible to motion sickness.

[Grammyluvs]

I always use the patch. It does require a Dr’s prescription. I put it on right before boarding and change every 3 days. It is expensive. Like others, when we have back to back port days I leave it off. I have been in some rough seas without a problem so I feel it is worth it. The only side effect I have had is blurred vision from drying eyes. So, I take eye drops with me to help with that. As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

[Stevesan]

My late wife was a victim of motion sickness. She first tried Dramamine pills, but they made her drowsy. I asked a pharmacist about the "patch'. She said that it was the same or equivalent to dramamine, the only difference was the delivery system.

The solution was gelatin capsules. She started them 2 or 3 days prior to boarding. They worked better than the drugs without the negative side effects.

Most (all?) health food stores stock the capsules.

[birdiebill]

We take Bonine (meclizine) with us. My wife takes one each day of the cruise (twice a day if there is really rough seas). I only take one if there is considerable rocking and rolling of the ship. The Bonine seems to work well for us. It does not cause drowsiness like Dramamine. It is best to take any oral motion sickness drug to prevent nausea prior to developing it than to wait until the onset of nausea and then take it.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I'm a big fan of Bonine. Also- make sure that you book low and midship if you have motion sickness. Most cruises in my experience are not rough but it's hard to predict.

 

The only cruise we were both bit green on was the Celebrity Constellation from Bayonne New Jersey. We both took a Bonine and were fine. I handed them out to other passengers and they were fine too.

Edited January 29, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[flamomo]

Be sure to do the research re: the side effects of the patches. They can be worse than feeling queasy.

 

Something else that works well for a lot of people is ginger root capsules, which are OTC and don't have side effects. (Think ginger ale that people sip on when feeling nauseous). I used to cruise with a cousin who was very prone to getting seasick. She used the patches, with some success, but they made her very sleepy. She tried the ginger, taking one 500 mg capsule 3 times a day, and never needed to use a patch again because it worked so welll for her.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I use the patch all the time and usually put it on the morning of the cruise as you need to apply it 4 hours prior to departing. I do get a dry mouth with it but that's about the only side effect and it really works for me. The only other thing I will say that after an extended period of use, it will tend to dry out your sinuses so I get a bit of a runny nose at the end of a trip. (Dealing with that now!)

 

I would highly recommend trying the patch out prior to cruising however. I had my daughter do this prior to a long flight to Europe and it made her so dizzy that she was miserable. If she had waited to try it out on the flight, it would have been a horrible flight for her.

[own]

I couldn't imagine not using the patch. After all the planning and money and hope that I'd invested into my trip...why risk it?

 

I used it and did not feel seasick at all. I don't know if I would have felt seasick without it nor do I care to know. Like others have said, you have to apply it about four hours before the ship is moving.

 

Now, a warning. I asked my son to apply it for me. An hour later, one of his pupils was as almost as large as his entire eye. I'd never seen anything so odd-looking in an eye. Turns out he didn't wash his hands after touching it and then touched his eyes. So yet another reason to wash our hands often.

[simbasmom]

I've read a lot about side effects of the patches, including the previously-mentioned sea sickness when back on land and patch removed. Bonine sounds good. One question-do you recommend taking it BEFORE you get onboard, maybe a day or two beforehand, or is it OK to wait tip you get on board before you start?

[Olentangy]

I begin taking Bonine before we fly, since I get air sick also.

 

I've tried just about everything for sea sickness. The patch works, but the side effects aren't good. Ginger and the wrist band don't work. Regular Dramamine makes you sleepy, but the non drowsy type is fine.

 

Just one Bonine every evening does the trick and it's much cheaper !!

[alexmom]

My son (he's 18) had a touch of motion sickness 2 years ago when we were on the Dream but got over it after taking just one meclizine tablet. Our cabin was low and central.

 

This time we are in one of the Royal's forward balconies on Lido deck right on top of the bridge. I would prefer he take pills rather than the patch because he will be spending a lot of time in the pools.

 

When we flew to Dallas at Christmas time he was nauseated both flying down and flying back. Will meclizine help that too? Does he wait until boarding the plane to take it?

 

I think I should also have a backup plan like ginger or ginger ale too !

[Astro Flyer]

I've read a lot about side effects of the patches, including the previously-mentioned sea sickness when back on land and patch removed. Bonine sounds good. One question-do you recommend taking it BEFORE you get onboard, maybe a day or two beforehand, or is it OK to wait tip you get on board before you start?

 

I begin taking Bonine before we fly, since I get air sick also.

 

I've tried just about everything for sea sickness. The patch works, but the side effects aren't good. Ginger and the wrist band don't work. Regular Dramamine makes you sleepy, but the non drowsy type is fine.

 

Just one Bonine every evening does the trick and it's much cheaper !!

 

My son (he's 18) had a touch of motion sickness 2 years ago when we were on the Dream but got over it after taking just one meclizine tablet. Our cabin was low and central.

 

This time we are in one of the Royal's forward balconies on Lido deck right on top of the bridge. I would prefer he take pills rather than the patch because he will be spending a lot of time in the pools.

 

When we flew to Dallas at Christmas time he was nauseated both flying down and flying back. Will meclizine help that too? Does he wait until boarding the plane to take it?

 

I think I should also have a backup plan like ginger or ginger ale too !

As I previously posted my wife is very susceptible to all types of motion sickness but with the aid of meclizine has enjoyed many cruises including in the notoriously rough Tasman Sea with near hurricane force winds & 20'-25'seas. To be most effective meclizine should be used 12 to 24 hours in advance to prevent motion sickness. The generic meclizine works just as well as Bonine or Dramamine Less Drowsy and only costs pennies per tablet instead of the more expensive brand names. Meclizine is available in 12.5 mg or 25 mg scored tablets to break in half to adjust dosage.

 

She prefers to use more conservative treatments first & since meclizine works for her & the patch had more sideaffects uses meclizine which sometimes makes her slightly drowsy. It was posted not to drink alcohol with the patch which isn't a restriction with meclizine.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[richla]

Also please be aware that it isn't recommended that you drink while wearing the patch.

 

It should be noted that both Dramamine and Bonine also specifically warn of drowsiness and to avoid drinking alcohol.

 

I've never seen a problem with that and the patch. The only effect I've ever had was the dry mouth in the beginning. The pills make me more drowsy, especially Dramamine. I think they all may effect people different ways and some work better for each person.

 

Just come prepared in case.

[Thrak]

I get car sick on winding roads. I use the patch and have never felt seasick with it on - even when we were in very rough seas where people were staggering all over the ship. I'm a believer.

[gooch47]

Do I remember correctly that the patch was taken off the market for a while because of side effects?

 

We use Bonnie.