k2125girl Posted February 28, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 28, 2014 What would you recommend for a non drowsy motion sickness medication? I see that Dramamine has a non drowsy formula. I also found Bonine online. Any recommendations / suggestions? Thanks in advance ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BND Posted February 28, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) I've been using the generic of both (they are identical) and the active ingredient is Meclizine. The generic costs a lot less. As in less than $10 for 100 tabs while the Less Drowsy Dramamine and Bonine are close to that for 8 tablets. Just ask at the pharmacy counter which is where they usually keep the generic. Target, WalMart, etc carry it. Edited February 28, 2014 by BND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betmust Posted February 28, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 28, 2014 What would you recommend for a non drowsy motion sickness medication? I see that Dramamine has a non drowsy formula. I also found Bonine online. Any recommendations / suggestions? Thanks in advance ! I have used the non-drowsy Dramamine many times and so has my son. Works very good - never makes us drowsy and helps with that queasy feeling... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankdp Posted February 28, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Bonine. One pill each morning beginning the day of sailing. Zero side effects, no seasick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim,n,Sue Posted February 28, 2014 #5 Share Posted February 28, 2014 This has worked for me on a number of occasions. Sometimes, despite the patch, I get a little queasy. When this happens I eat a green apple. Within 15 minutes I feel right as rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChattaCruzer Posted February 28, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Regular Dramamine in dimenhydrinate, which is what will make you sleepy. Both the Less Drowsy Dramamine and Bonine are meclizine, which is far less likely to put you to sleep. I take it before going to bed when sailing and have never had any issues with not being able to stay awake during the day, nor am I queasy. I buy it in bottles of 100 for our family of 5 (and the cheap factor), but it may be hard to find. When I went to Wal-Mart last summer to buy a fresh batch I was told at the pharmacy that they didn't have any, nor could they get any. That may or may not be true and I didn't push it. I checked Amazon and found a bottle of 100 meclizine tablets for $5.83 and free shipping. Even generic brands in stores will be somewhere around $5 for just 20 25mg tablets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chellecruise12 Posted February 28, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 28, 2014 We always take it the night before we board.Then nightly during the cruise..We get the generic non drowsy at Walmart also.. Not had any issues & I get car sick very easily.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella8286 Posted February 28, 2014 #8 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Bonine is the only thing that doesn't make me drowsy (I'm very sensitive to medication). We start taking a day or two before we cruise and have never had problems with sea sickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debde Posted February 28, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) Another, non-medication form are the wrist bands. Has something to do with a pressure point and has worked for my kids. Did not want to have to medicate them as back then I too, was afraid of the drowsiness and found those worked. Can be found in any CVS or Walgreens. For my boys, got them in black and they looked cool!!;) Edited February 28, 2014 by Debde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toddcan Posted February 28, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Another supporter of the non-drowsy Dramamine. We take it at night before going to bed (starting the night before the cruise). On our first two cruises, my wife had minor motion sickness, but we had not yet discovered medication, but since finding the Dramamine, - no problems whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeagle12 Posted February 28, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 28, 2014 My wife likes the non-drowsy Bonine. Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGaltny Posted February 28, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) As another alternative (actually more a supplemental system) take a look at Trans-Derm Scope. This is a prescription medication where you wear a bandaid behind your ear (over the mastoid). I use it anytime I fly and keep it as a backup on ships. It is one of the strongest anti-cholinergic drugs. I am also hyper sensitive to motion sickness and it can be a miserable feeling. I start taking Meclizine 2 days before the cruise to build a blood serum level. The I take one AM and one PM dose (25mg) each day aboard. That (combined with Jack Daniels) is usually enough. However, if things get really rough, I stick a tab behind my ear. Pros: Each patch is good for 3 days +/- of usage Unlike Dramamine or Meclizine, Scopolamine will terminate motion sickness even after it starts. Nothing else I know does that. Cons: It is a prescription Rx and is costly. There are side effects you should discuss with your MD. Most common are dry mouth (that's actually how I tell it's working) and, after 18 hours or so, dilated pupils that can make close vision blurry. There are others that are both more serious and much more rare. Good luck. Edited February 28, 2014 by JohnGaltny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pspercy Posted February 28, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Meclizine works fine for me. As for the Trans Derm Scop patch, note that it's available over the counter in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzinlady1947 Posted February 28, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Meclizine works fine for me. As for the Trans Derm Scop patch, note that it's available over the counter in Canada. The patch is also sold over the counter in Bermuda. I prefer Bonine or generic equivalent. Gwen :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieJo Posted February 28, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 28, 2014 We take Bonine, starting a day or two before cruising. Then one each night before bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin' Chick Posted February 28, 2014 #16 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I tend to be hyper-sensitive to some medications that claim not to cause drowsiness, and now I have to check labels carefully to make sure an OTC is okay if one has glaucoma (I even have to remind doctors of this when they try to come up with an allergy med for me). Considering that one remedy that works for one person might not for the next, I would suggest trying out some different types of remedies ahead of your cruise. See what doesn't cause a side effect on land and take a few of those choices with you -- maybe under actual use on sea, one might not do the trick. If you're taking prescriptions meds, ask your doctor for recommendations just to make sure you don't render a needed medication useless or cause a bad reaction. If you're on blood thinners, for example, you won't want to take ginger (which is the remedy I buy a ton of before any cruise as it works for me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksqueak Posted February 28, 2014 #17 Share Posted February 28, 2014 What would you recommend for a non drowsy motion sickness medication? I see that Dramamine has a non drowsy formula. I also found Bonine online. Any recommendations / suggestions? Thanks in advance ! I switched to ginger capsules a few years ago. They really seem to help me. I take them 2-3 times a day (especially sea days). I got them at the drug store, they only had one brand but 1 bottle lasts a few years. And they don't have a taste (at least I don't think so). I like ginger but don't like to eat plain ginger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platypus_72 Posted February 28, 2014 #18 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Try Sea Bands! I get extremely drowsy from dramamine and my boss recommended I try these. Sure, they looked kind of dorky in pictures, but I didn't feel sick even when the waves were really rough. I've also heard that eating green apples is supposed to help with sea sickness/motion sickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted February 28, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 28, 2014 DH takes a bonine every morning we're on a cruise. I prefer candied ginger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckersMidwest Posted February 28, 2014 #20 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I used the seabands once - put them on before I got on the ship. Threw up 30 minutes into the cruise and continued for 12 hours + . Luckily, it was a day cruise to the Bahamas and I could get off on land. I bought Bonine in port and have used it since. Works great. I take it 2 days prior to the cruise, every night, and 2 days after the cruise. I am one of those that get's sea sick back on land. Just get use to swaying, and now the land is standing still. I called our pharmacy last week & was told patches for the week would be about $65. They discouraged me from taking them because I sometimes have migraines and that is a side effect. Pharmacist said to stick with Bonine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChattaCruzer Posted February 28, 2014 #21 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I switched to ginger capsules a few years ago. They really seem to help me. I take them 2-3 times a day (especially sea days). I got them at the drug store, they only had one brand but 1 bottle lasts a few years. And they don't have a taste (at least I don't think so). I like ginger but don't like to eat plain ginger. I've tried the ginger capsules and they worked quite well. However, that "taste" you say you didn't have? I had it - profusely. I was burping up ginger constantly while taking them even though the bottle said there was to be no aftertaste. Maybe the problem was that I don't like ginger in any form and just happened to notice it more than someone who likes it or is even indifferent towards it. The bottle was pretty inexpensive and my daughter was able to take them, so it didn't go to waste, but it's another remedy/prophylactic one may want to try out before boarding - particularly if you don't care for ginger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMLady Posted February 28, 2014 #22 Share Posted February 28, 2014 What would you recommend for a non drowsy motion sickness medication? I see that Dramamine has a non drowsy formula. I also found Bonine online. Any recommendations / suggestions? Thanks in advance ! Bonine (generic is Meclazine) Ginger capsules, ginger candy, ginger ale Saltine crackers Green apples Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelbuddies Posted March 1, 2014 #23 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I used Rugby travel Sickness Chewable Tablets which are non drowsy that I got from Walmart in the past but they didn't have last year. Not sure if there is a problem with the product or if Walmart bullies dropped them. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Ellen Posted March 1, 2014 #24 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I know many recommend Bonine (Meclizine), but the one cruise when I tried that it totally knocked me out. Like other remedies, try it first at home - when you don't have to do anything or go anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladytravlr2 Posted March 1, 2014 #25 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I use the non-drowsy bonine generic version, one each night beginning with the night before the cruise. I also take along Motion-Eze. It is a tiny bottle of aromatherapy oil that you put a tiny big behind each ear. It's just another layer of 'insurance' to not get queasy. I would put it behind my ears as I was getting ready for dinner each night. It may just be a placebo effect, but I am still going to keep doing it. You can buy it at Walmart or any other such place as you would find Bonine. It's such a small bottle, you might overlook it on the shelf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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