motion sickness

[catnip9k]

Scopolamine patches are discontinued. I am going on my first post covid cruise and I am very susceptible to motion sickness. The patches worked well but not available anymore. If anyone could share what works well for them I would really appreciate it. Thank You.

[CruiserBruce]

I would be talking to your doctor, not to a bunch of people you don't know, and probably have no medical knowledge. They certainly don't know your medical situation.

[catnip9k]

Thank you that is very good advice. I wondered if the over the counter antihistamine helped anyone with their motion sickness. Pharmacy recommended Dramamine. Will be asking my doctor what she thinks.

[mom says]

By all means speak with your doctor. I see you are in Canada, so Gravol is the common anti nausea medication sold here. The active ingredient is the same as regular Dramamine in the US. But its most common side effect is drowsiness.

 

Meclizine, sold under the brand name Bonine, is available OTC in the US. Its advantages are that you only need to take it once a day and can be used daily as a preventative. It has a much reduced likelihood of drowsiness (especially if taken at bedtime). I make a stop at a pharmacy whenever I'm in the States and stock up.

 

If you do a search on these boards for "motion sickness" you'll likely find pages of previous threads.

 

 

[GeezerCouple]

And if you plan to bring any "new to you" medication, please try it at home first, before traveling to make sure there are no unexpected side effects, etc.

 

GC

[wcook]

Meclizine. Works like a charm (for me at least). 

[SmoothFlying]

2 hours ago, wcook said:

Meclizine. Works like a charm (for me at least). 

Is this a OTC drug and if not, is it very expensive ?  And if a Dr. has to order it, what are the possible side effects? I hope I'm not being 'nosey' I just want to keep something in mind if my wife decides to ask our Dr. to order her something. We're supposed to take a 15 day cruise from Long Beach to Hawaii this winter. I have heard some days the Pacific waves can really be rough. 😞

 

Mac

[wcook]

1 minute ago, SmoothFlying said:

Is this a OTC drug and if not, is it very expensive ?

In the US at least it’s OTC. Not that expensive if you buy the name brand at a pharmacy. Dirt cheap if you buy the generic off Amazon. 

[SPacificbound]

31 minutes ago, SmoothFlying said:

Is this a OTC drug and if not, is it very expensive ?  And if a Dr. has to order it, what are the possible side effects? I hope I'm not being 'nosey' I just want to keep something in mind if my wife decides to ask our Dr. to order her something. We're supposed to take a 15 day cruise from Long Beach to Hawaii this winter. I have heard some days the Pacific waves can really be rough. 😞

 

Mac

 It is OTC in the US, I order Bonine on Amazon. Not expensive.

[lenquixote66]

The only thing that has ever worked for me is Bonine.

My better half,a medical person eats green apples.

[rjack22]

Another vote for Meclizine (Bonine).    I like it because you don't get drowsy and you only need to take it once a day.    You can take up to two 25mg tablets per day so if you think you need it you can do that.  I usually only take one.   If I were to take two I would probably do one in the morning and one at night.

In the US is is a OTC drug.   I get mine also on Amazon and it is fairly cheap.  Search for Meclizine.

[wcook]

Quick tip, don’t confuse Meclizine and Mescaline. Two very different drugs. Though I suspect you wouldn’t have any seasickness issues if you took Mescaline. 

[mrgabriel]

On 1/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, catnip9k said:

Scopolamine patches are discontinued. I am going on my first post covid cruise and I am very susceptible to motion sickness. The patches worked well but not available anymore. If anyone could share what works well for them I would really appreciate it. Thank You.

 

ACUPUNCTURE!

 

I used Scopolamine patches for years and now would not go back to medication again because Acupuncture works SO MUCH BETTER. No drowsiness, no worries about having a drink. 

 

You won't be able to get Bonine (the label brand most often seen for meclizine) in Canada. Dramamine is a completely different drug - the active ingredient is dimenhydrinate - the antihistamine. Dramamine makes me super sleepy so I try to stock up on Bonine when I'm in the States. They should also have it on the ship. 

 

If your doctor gives you the okay to use either of these, what has worked best for me is to take half of a dose before bed at night. It helps with sleep but also enough remains in your system the following day. I personally prefer Bonine if I have to take something, and I buy the chewable so if the seas happen to get really rough and I feel poorly in the middle of the day, I can chew half of a tablet.

 

You can also ask your doctor about ginger (Gravol Ginger) or sea bands. Sea bands work in the same way as acupuncture, except acupuncture works better IMO because it gets right to that vital nerve in the wrist. 

 

Other tips from one who can't stand on a dock without feeling horrible: Don't allow yourself to have an empty stomach. Eat a green apple. Don't let your bladder get too full. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

1 hour ago, wcook said:

Quick tip, don’t confuse Meclizine and Mescaline. Two very different drugs. Though I suspect you wouldn’t have any seasickness issues if you took Mescaline. 

I wondered what happened to me all those years ago...

Where are we again?