Ginger Pills for sea sickness help...please!

[CRUISIN FROM INDIANA]

I have read where ginger pills help with sea sickess so I am asking do you take them at the onset of sea sickness (as I have heard that once you get sea sick it's hard to get rid of) or do you take them before hand like before sailing, etc. I am so nervous that it is going to hit! I have never cruised before except many years ago on some small boat out of California going to Catalina Island and I did not do well with that plus I have a 15 year old who has inner ear problems. I do't want her trip to be ruined. Any help is much appreciated!

[GoinCruisin]

Take them prior. You can start by taking 2 500mg caps the night before, then again in the morning, then an hour before sailaway... then maybe morning and evening depending on how you feel. I now only take them before sailaway and as needed... if I start to feel queasy, I take them right away and it goes away. Good luck!!

[momof4boys]

The ginger pills are great. We took them like GC recommended. We were even in very rough sees due to Hurricane Emily and no one had any problems. By day 3 we did not need them.

Have fun!:)

[zqvol]

I have read where ginger pills help with sea sickess so I am asking do you take them at the onset of sea sickness (as I have heard that once you get sea sick it's hard to get rid of) or do you take them before hand like before sailing, etc. I am so nervous that it is going to hit! I have never cruised before except many years ago on some small boat out of California going to Catalina Island and I did not do well with that plus I have a 15 year old who has inner ear problems. I do't want her trip to be ruined. Any help is much appreciated!

Go to your physician and get a prescription. Ginger works for some people. It is worthless for me. The prescription for the patch, worn behind the ear and changed every 3 days is well worth the cost.

 

(Others will say that the bands work, that ginger works, etc. Dramimine and Bonine do work for me but I find the patch easier and less of a hassle. I don't have any side effects but others report that they do. Ginger and hte bands are just a waste of my money.)

 

Bottom line if you are worried about it go to your doc ahead of time.

[GoinCruisin]

Be VERY careful if you use the Scalpoline (sp) patch!!! I have tried it and felt like I was dying... the first day can be rough on it (vision problems, really dry mouth, etc)... get the RX and try one prior to the cruise. Many people have lost the first day or two of a cruise because of the patches, so see how your body reacts to it.

[momof4boys]

DH is a physician and did not want us to use the patch. We used ginger pills and took bonine-non drowsy pills. He had read too many stories about patch problems.

[candigirl41]

I use the patch everytime and have had no ill effects. Everyone is different. I would take the previous posters suggestion of trying one before leaving.

 

Candi

[INCHARGE]

Make sure you check with your doctor about ginger pills if you are on any type of blood thinners. I am on blood thinners for an artificial heart valve, which I have been monitoring for over 20 years. I used the ginger pills on my last cruise. I had to call the infirmary because I experienced an unusual bleeding problem in my mouth that would not stop for over an hour. I also noticed unusual bluises, that is a sign of my blood levels being too high. The nurse told me to stop the ginger pills right away. So if you are on the blood thinners, please be careful.

[popcorngal]

I've used the patch for years with no problems other than the first couple of hours it makes me feel kinda loopy. I put it on the night before we sail, go to bed and by morning I'm good to go. It would be a good idea to try it ahead of time though, because as others have said, everyone reacts to it differently. Nothing else has worked nearly as well for me.

[zydecocruiser]

MythBusters had an episode on several of these. Ginger was ranked the best.

[zebster15]

MythBusters had an episode on several of these. Ginger was ranked the best.

 

Best of what? A myth? :confused: Or does it work?:rolleyes:

[zydecocruiser]

Ginger worked, and better than a popular med. ;)

[popcorngal]

Yes, I saw that report and ginger was rated the best of all NON-prescription treatments. The patch or meds like Antivert were not included.

[TravelYoung]

I tried this with my son. On long drives in a car hes likes to sleep because he gets car sick. Before we left I had him chew a " ginger trip". He said he didn't feel a difference. ( being 13 he expects immediate results) but he stayed awake the whole time talking and enjoying the drive. I don't think he even realized he was moving so much.

[Lib0007]

I have used ginger caps for several years with great success. I even give them to my dog when riding in our boat . . . and he never gets seasick anymore. I have also had success with Bonine taken at bedtime. Never tried the patch.

 

I am very very prone to motion sickness, and even went through a nor' easterner on the Legend a few years ago in Costa Rica with no sickness.

[dappledumpling]

"Yes, I saw that report and ginger was rated the best of all NON-prescription treatments. The patch or meds like Antivert were not included."

 

 

 

you are correct about the scopalamine patch not being included but antivert was as it is the same active ingredient as bonine (Meclizine).

 

FYI Trans derm scop is currently on manufactuers back-order and supplies have been on and off for the last 3 months.

 

That being said Ginger caps are what i take for my family.....

[J.A.H.]

Ginger pills work great for my DH, who has tried the patches and meds and feels worse than sea-sick on those. We discovered ginger candies (dried ginger), and that is way more fun and works great as well. You can find them at some health food stores and at Trader Joe's if you have those in your area. If you like sushi, you probably like the pickled ginger. They have that on most ships these days. There are also some teas that have ginger in them.

[madelinerose]

Doubt if ginger will help w/the inner ear situation. Just like drinking ginger ale, ginger helps w/nausea. I'd check w/doc for a script for your child, unless she/he's already on meds.

 

I have read where ginger pills help with sea sickess so I am asking do you take them at the onset of sea sickness (as I have heard that once you get sea sick it's hard to get rid of) or do you take them before hand like before sailing, etc. I am so nervous that it is going to hit! I have never cruised before except many years ago on some small boat out of California going to Catalina Island and I did not do well with that plus I have a 15 year old who has inner ear problems. I do't want her trip to be ruined. Any help is much appreciated!

[Scoutcat]

Having had a number of previous bouts with seasickness, I went fully armed when we sailed on the Valor Dec.18-25 this past year. Even had my doctor prescribe the patches. Had some Bonine pills along. What really worked great was the ginger, however. I had gotten some gingerroot capsules at a local GNC, along with some ginger tea---and found some ginger gum at a CVS drug store. I started taking the capsules morning and evening a couple of days before we left, and continued to do so during our cruise. Anytime I thought I felt a little "off" I chomped on some of the ginger gum and I was fine.

 

 

"Scout" aka Carol

[jobythebay]

I also get seasick and trust nothing but Bonine. It doesn't make me sleepy like Dramamine. I take 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. The last day the seas were rough and I barely felt it.