*~ PLEASE Help! QUiCK QuESTioN! *~*

[WeLuvCruzn]

Hi! We are leaving soon on our cruise and have a quick question about sea sickness pills. We have non-drowsy dramamine. We have never taken any OTC pills before, and we've heard you have to take them BEFORE you feel motion sick. Here's the question:

 

If we are sick on Day 1 with NO PILL, then get off in port on Day 2 and TAKE THE PILL is that OK?!? Will 8-10 hours onshore be enough to get land legs back and let the medicine take effect?!?

 

We're trying to avoid taking it unless we NEED it! Thanks in advance! :)

[clopaw]

The pills will still work after you are sick. It's just that taking the pill and not getting sick at all is a better alternative. I take bonine for the whole cruise because I'm very motion sensitive. I don't feel like I've suffered any ill effects from doing so.

[Gypsea]

unless you are pretty sensitive you most likely will have no ill effects. Also, how will you ever know if you don't try without it. You may have a moment or two when you are getting you sea legs but I find the worst part is afterwards when you are home but still feel like you're rolling. That is wierd.

 

Bon Voyage!

Rita

[jessemon]

Hi! We are leaving soon on our cruise and have a quick question about sea sickness pills. We have non-drowsy dramamine. We have never taken any OTC pills before, and we've heard you have to take them BEFORE you feel motion sick. Here's the question:

 

If we are sick on Day 1 with NO PILL, then get off in port on Day 2 and TAKE THE PILL is that OK?!? Will 8-10 hours onshore be enough to get land legs back and let the medicine take effect?!?

 

We're trying to avoid taking it unless we NEED it! Thanks in advance! :)

WeLuvCruzn

Instead of using OTC's the first day try "GINGER CAPSUALS" which you can buy at the drug store. Ginger is a more natural way to settle the stomach and the inner ear. If that does not work use the Dramamine. Then go out o deck and look at the horizon...

We use the ginger all the time.:cool:

[Gypsea]

That is a good idea. I like the alternative to chemicals..

[ocngypz]

Sea sickness is not nausea. It is your brain's reaction to not being able to achieve equilibrium.

 

As one who gets terribly ill, I can attest to the fact that all the ginger in the world does not help. After becoming ill, meclizine hcl will not help you until you are able to keep the contents of your stomach.. in your stomach. Even the old dry heaves will bring the meds back up.

 

The best thing to do.. is not even take a chance. One tablet in the morning with breakfast will do the trick.

 

It's not the pitching (forward and aft motion) that does you in. It's the roll (side to side).. and the roll does not have to be intense.. just constant. And it's just not waves which cause motion..... winds will too.

 

I remember a rather nasty Bermuda cruise several years ago...folks who trusted ginger to see them through.... were winding up with shots of compazine in the rump... and for $65.00 a stick.

[Deb C.]

Maybe someone out there can correct me if I'm wrong---I just heard this week that taking ginger will cause your blood pressure to rise. SO if you already are prone to high blood pressure, you shouldn't take ginger.:confused: I guess the best thing would be to check with your doctor before trying it, huh?

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

Another non-medication alternative are the "Sea Bands". These are elastic bands with a small plastic bump that go on your wrists. We first found out about them from our son's pregnant teacher who swore by them (morning sickness and seasickness have similar symptoms). Anyway, we started carrying them with us on our cruise and believe it or not they work well (and you can start them even after you start feeling ill). Our twin 18 yr olds thought they were bogus until they started getting seasick and, even though you're supposed to wear two of them, they each wore one (since we only had one pair) and saw good effects. You can pick them up in pretty much any pharmacy next to the seasickness pills. We swear by them.

 

Randall

[WeLuvCruzn]

Thanks to all who responded. We are avid cruisers actually, but this time are cruising to Hawaii and from what we've read here the wave action around and between the islands can get pretty nasty. We've been around the caribbean, Alaska and Mexico without a problem which is why we only want to take something if we need it. You offered great suggestions.

 

Thanks again and Happy Cruising! :D

[SheilaNC]

My suggestion is to take Bonine (meclazine) the night before sailinhg (the 24 hr non-drowsy version) and every night after at bedtime. Has you covered without worrying about drowsiness. We often find that after the first few days, we can stop without a problem unless the seas are rough. Enjoy the cruise!

[Andy]

Hi Everyone !

 

I am also a regular user of Sea-Bands, and they have worked very well for me.

[Lisa63]

Another non-medical remedy -- at least one that works for me -- is having an apple. I was told of this years ago when I was sailing while pregnant. It worked then, and through several rough patches since, including one on Infinity last week. Best yet, apples are very easy to find on a ship. :)

 

Have a great cruise!

[island pat]

I use the sea bands as well and they are re usable just pack them away for your next cruise. I put them them on the night before I leave and sea days and to bed but take them off on shore days. I take nasuea medication only when we are saling at night. I find if I take the non drowsy before bed I cannot sleep.

On my first cruise our waiter told me if you fell nauseated eat eat and eat. Keep your stomach full and you will be OK. This is not a problem on a cruise ship and it did help me that year but since have discovered the sea bands.

[HurricaneSally]

I can't use the non-drowsy Dramamine, it makes me very jumpy, can't sleep, etc. But then again, I can't use any non-drowsy medications, even cold and flu ones. Makes my skin crawl.

[BobN]

I have been using sea bands since the late 70's, they work well if you place them in the right position, those that report that they did not help had not placed them on the correct acupressure spot.

I will be sure to have them for our cruise to Hawaii. Anothe thing that works is to get some pizza, it will lay as a lump in your stomach and help keep everything else down, also limit the amount of fluid that you consume.;)

[DancerOT]

Maybe someone out there can correct me if I'm wrong---I just heard this week that taking ginger will cause your blood pressure to rise. SO if you already are prone to high blood pressure, you shouldn't take ginger.:confused: I guess the best thing would be to check with your doctor before trying it, huh?

I really hope not! I drink ginger tea almost every day - it aids in digestion.

[DancerOT]

Another non-medical remedy -- at least one that works for me -- is having an apple. I was told of this years ago when I was sailing while pregnant. It worked then, and through several rough patches since, including one on Infinity last week. Best yet, apples are very easy to find on a ship. :)

 

Have a great cruise!

Thanks for the suggestion about the apple! I havent tried that one.

 

To give a little info on motion sickness: it occurs when your visual system is not able to integrate accurately with your vestibular system. So you end of up with sensory dysfunction. (Can you tell this is part of my occupation??) Even those who have never had motion sickness are more likely to when sick, after a concussion, or other brain injury (large or small). If you have been had some sort of brain injury and yes minimal concussions do count be sure to talk to your doctor ahead of your cruise. It could make a large difference.

 

I have had a lot of success with the seabands - make sure they are positioned in the center of your flexor tendons - in other words centered on your wrist, just below where you bend it. They are available at most drug stores, but I have noticed they tend to be sold out just before major cruising times so be sure to pick them up in advance. Also, nothing helps nausea better than flat coke. You can either use coke or coke syrup (also available at a drug store).

[Sky Sweet]

On our first cruise, during the seventies I was told that people often get sea sick around Cape Hattaras, so about an hour before we were scheduled to be in that area I took a dramamine. Since that time I bring them with me but will only take one when I have reason to think we will be approaching rough seas. I don't know if it is a coincidence, but I have never been sea sick.

[luvronijean]

I am extremely sensitive to any type of motion. Cars, boats, amusement park rides, backyard swings...you name it...they've made me sick. In reguards to cruising, I think I've tried it all. Dramamine made me drowsy (didn't try the non-drowsy). I started taking ginger capsules a week before one sailing and got the worst hearburn I'd ever had in my life (and still got seasick).

The accupressure band seemed to work but in all fairness, the sea was like glass that particuliar sailing.

In my opninion, for people who are moderately sensitve to motion, Bonine capsules worked the best. I always try and take them starting the night before the cruise. There are times when I didn't remember but was reminded as soon as my stomach felt the motion of the ship. It always kicks in eventually, but I HATE that feeling of being nauseated. Yuck!

For the times when the seas were extremely rough, I swear by the Scopolomine patch. It might have made me a bit drowsy but I'll take drowsy over seasickness any day. You just have to remember to wash your hands after applying and try to keep your freshly washed hands away from the patch once it's applied. It can wreak havoc on your vision if it's on your hands and you rub your eyes.

By the way, on our cruise to Hawaii, I got a bad case of seasickness on the way over (thought I would wait it out and see if I could do it without any pills). A crew member suggested an apple. She said green apple was the best. It might have helped a bit but I think I was too far gone to notice. Once the Bonine kicked in, I was fine.

 

Veronica

[DGF]

We have always used dramamine. Were intoduced to it on our first cruise= provided free on board the ship. No side effects and has always worked for us, including coming across the Atlantic Ocean where we encountered rough seas

 

However, recommend that you consult your doctor. We are all different

[CaribbeanBound]

For what its worth, I use 1/2 of those behind-the-ear patches at a time to see me through. A whole patch puts me to sleep. If I am still feeling a little queezy, I drink ginger ale. If I anticipate bad seas, I use the wrist bands too. Do they really work? I don't know. But I do know they don't make things worse. : )

[luvronijean]

I like the half patch idea too. We've done it in the past but my brother-in-law is a pharmacist and said if you cut them in half, they do not work as they were intended. According to him, they are timed released over 72 hours and when you cut them open, you can get too much of the meds in your system at once.

So, I see know reason why you can't figure out a way to cover half the patch without covering the sticky part. Makes sense to me :rolleyes: .

No one wants to spend the cruise feeling drowsy. Trust me, I've done it :( .

 

Veronica

[jessemon]

For the folks who are nay sayers on ginger.

Rremember that "vertigo" is neither a stomach problem or a brain problem. It is an inner ear problem. I have suffered with this (inner ear problem) for years. The imbalance you can suffer from makes sea sickness look like a walk in the park. I have had to wear patches and have had to do many dramamine in my life. I also over the past few years have been blessed with hypertension. (High blood pressure) Now I read the backs of over the counter meds carefully. I have noticed that almost anything you might use for meds that has "mine or ine" warns against taking these if you have high blood pressure. Note dramamine & transderm scopolomine end in what letters. After having to use them for some many years I wonder why I have high blood pressure.

I agree with one poster that at times it can give you heartburn. I've had it happen. Club soda usually does the trick.

For those of you that have never tried using ginger try checking this out. Go to "Google" and google (seasickness and ginger.) It is amazing. What have you got to loose.

Hey...the worst thing that can happen is you spent $5.00 for something that did not work for "you". They have all the dramamine you'll need at the front desk....for free.;)

[CaribbeanBound]

lovronijean...

I have heard about that potential problem.

I gently massage the patches to mix the meds as best as possible before cutting. While this may still produce a less than "optimal" dose, it works WAY better than a whole patch.

 

The patch manufacturers need to manufacture a patch that is 50% smaller with half the dosage. Until then, I am cutting them in half.

What can I say? This is what works for me.

[Shari2]

Hi WeLuvCruzn!

 

We cruised to Hawaii, December, '04, from San Diego, and the first couple of nights out we were really rockin'. I have never been sea sick before, (7 cruises before that one) but I was feeling really queasy then. I brought some Bonine non-drowsy along, (Bonine and Dramimine are both meclizine) so I took one after the first day of feeling sea sick, and it cleared it right up. I didn't start out taking them before we left, and it still helped me very soon after I took it. I took one the next day, too, and after that I never had to take any for the rest of the cruise. If you take meclizine before bed, I wouldn't take the non-drowsy, I would just take the regular.