Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

South Pacific Cruise - Sea Sickness Tablets

makawe

By makawe,
in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

 Share

Recommended Posts

cheznandy Holiday Sharing Rare

cheznandy

Posted
Posted

I do believe that the brain is able to be retrained, the power of the mind is amazing, I have been able to do it for cronic pain and anxiety, and have read many books where others have had success, but in this case I think the OP is sensible in taking some meds just in case.........a 9-10 night cruise is not enough to retrain the brain!!

 

My Dad was in the Navy, no amount of anything stopped his sea sickness!! On a NZ crossing in the 70's we were both so sick.......I have never been sea sick since, took him on a cruise last year and he was not sick, no meds taken, we were prepared though as it was to Tassie!!

 

Funnily enough, I now get air sick on longer flights but only at night, wierd:confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
OzKiwiJJ Great Review Rare

OzKiwiJJ

Posted
Posted
On a NZ crossing in the 70's we were both so sick.......I have never been sea sick since, took him on a cruise last year and he was not sick, no meds taken, we were prepared though as it was to Tassie!!

 

Modern ships are far more stable than those in the 70s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cheznandy Holiday Sharing Rare

cheznandy

Posted
Posted
Modern ships are far more stable than those in the 70s.

 

Agree, and I think that was why he wasn't sea sick on the voyager of the Seas.

 

Our first cruise was on the Northern Star when we were all sick:eek:

Then later I cruised on the old Fairstar and that was built in the 50's and didn't feel any nausea, perhaps I was 10 years older and that made a difference.

 

It is not a nice thing to feel on your vacation, and I always advise first time cruisers who are not sure what they will feel to go prepared, and as per all the other advice, try the meds before you leave home one night to see if they make you sleepy, sick etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sweetp12

sweetp12

Posted
Posted

I felt horrid on our first cruise so on the second took advice from here and took sealegs. I liked the idea that if you take them at night it helped you sleep!

 

I started the night before (helped me drop off when super excited) as that seemed to be the thing to do.

 

I realised after a few days that even though the swells were moderate that I felt fine, thus choose to stop taking them.

 

I could have continued - as for $12 it is a small price to pay for a week of feeling fine.

 

I personally don't find the sea bands to be effective - but my husband does. We have two types - the proper bands with velcro or cheap cuffs we bought off ebay. The ebay ones are much more comfy to wear and were a sixth of the price!

 

I don't want to buy into the flaming that has come your way. I think we all make up our own minds on things and sea sickness is a valid concern. Everyone reacts differently and each cruise is unique.

 

So what ever you decide to do - read the labels and make a conscious decision!

 

Good luck and happy sailing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Thorpe

Thorpe

Posted
Posted

One more vote for stemetil. My daughter (23 at the time ) , who gets carsick on winding roads and small boats came with me on our first cruise which was 53 nights - Sydney to Dover. She got the script before we left and took one tablet daily. When the rocking was more pronounced she found being in the open air on our balcony or the open deck also helped. She found she didn't need to take them while in the Mediterranean Sea, but once we left there she needed them again. I have only felt ill once and that was going through the heads and up the coast in a 6 metre swell a few cruises after our first, lucky the swell and storm only lasted 3 hours, because it was a horrid feeling. Have been in other large swells and felt fine, so it just must have been the unique rocking and rolling of that storm :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
jayde43

jayde43

Posted
Posted

I have only been on one cruise and I didn't realise that I didn't have my sea legs for half my cruise. A friend gave me some meclizine, which really helped. I like the fact there were suggestions to buy it on ebay since we can't buy it in the chemist here in OZ. But is there a problem getting it through customs from Ebay? Thanks heaps :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Brisbane41

Brisbane41

Posted
Posted
I have only been on one cruise and I didn't realise that I didn't have my sea legs for half my cruise. A friend gave me some meclizine, which really helped. I like the fact there were suggestions to buy it on ebay since we can't buy it in the chemist here in OZ. But is there a problem getting it through customs from Ebay? Thanks heaps :D

 

Personally I would not trust any medications bought on the internet. You do not know what you are putting into your body, where it was made, who sold it to who and where it came from. You could be taking poison for all you know. Perhaps someone concocted it in their toilet like the drug labs to in order to make sales on the internet from gullible clients.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mv13

mv13

Posted
Posted

I did a heap of research before our first cruise as I was concerned about sea sickness, having felt terrible on a ferry crossing between the north and south islands of New Zealand previously. I also suffer from car sickness on winding roads/ranges so I wanted to be prepared just in case.

 

A doctor recommended Stemetil for my mum, available on prescription only as others have mentioned. However, my sister works in a pharmacy and has mentioned that there is another anti nausea medication equivalent to Stemetil that is available without a prescription, so it would be worth checking with a pharmacist. Sorry, not sure of the brand name for that one.

 

I also found a lot of recommendations online for the antihistamine Phenergan. It's medication info leaflet specifically recommends it's use for motion sickness and it is available without a prescription from pharmacies in a number of different strengths. I ended up taking this for the first couple of days of the cruise, but found I was fine without it after that. I have read online that Phenergan is given by ship doctors as an injection for nausea, but I'm not sure if this info is accurate.

 

Regards

 

Melissa

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Aus Traveller

Aus Traveller

Posted
Posted
I also found a lot of recommendations online for the antihistamine Phenergan. It's medication info leaflet specifically recommends it's use for motion sickness and it is available without a prescription from pharmacies in a number of different strengths. I ended up taking this for the first couple of days of the cruise, but found I was fine without it after that. I have read online that Phenergan is given by ship doctors as an injection for nausea, but I'm not sure if this info is accurate.

 

Regards

 

Melissa

You are correct. Phenergan is given on board as an injection for severe motion sickness. I believe it will 'knock you out' for up to 24 hours. As a preventative, the on-board medical centre usually recommends Avomine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Porky55

Porky55

Posted
Posted
I felt horrid on our first cruise so on the second took advice from here and took sealegs. I liked the idea that if you take them at night it helped you sleep!

 

I started the night before (helped me drop off when super excited) as that seemed to be the thing to do.

 

Good luck and happy sailing.

 

 

Just an interesting fact - Sealegs main ingredient is meclizine, just like those nasty American seasick pills that people buy on EBay. But our lucky Kiwi neighbours can probably buy them OTC in New Zealand. They work like a charm :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mv13

mv13

Posted
Posted
You are correct. Phenergan is given on board as an injection for severe motion sickness. I believe it will 'knock you out' for up to 24 hours. As a preventative, the on-board medical centre usually recommends Avomine.

 

Phenergan can cause drowsiness, but luckily I don't seem to suffer from this side effect. My dad on the other hand, has been knocked out for five or six hours on the couple of occasions he has taken it. Says it's the best sleep he has ever had.😀 Just depends on the individual I guess. Apparently in children it can have the opposite effect and make them hyperactive, but I don't seem to be lucky enough to get that side effect either.

 

Regards

 

Melissa

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SargassoPirate

SargassoPirate

Posted
Posted

She Who Must Be Obeyed suffers greatly from motion sickness. If she is riding in a car in reverse and looks down at something, she'll start feeling ill. On a train she has to ride facing forward.

 

That being said, she takes a ginger root capsule every day while cruising and has never gotten seasick. Nor do ginger root capsules give you any of the standard side effects from pharmaceuticals.

 

The US television show "Myth Busters" tried out all known seasick remedies by twirling people in a office chair while with their heads they touched tennis balls suspended in front, behind, and on each side of their heads. Spinning and nodding at the same time. They timed each subject until they hurled. :eek: Then they tried the same subjects on each of the seasick remedies. Ginger root capsules won hands down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Porky55

Porky55

Posted
Posted
She Who Must Be Obeyed suffers greatly from motion sickness.

 

 

 

The US television show "Myth Busters" tried out all known seasick remedies:

Then they tried the same subjects on each of the seasick remedies. Ginger root capsules won hands down.

 

 

I am the same as your good lady - however ginger capsules made me quite ill - couldn't digest them at all - but a Bonine (meclizine) every night works a treat :)

Myth Busters aren't always right!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...