Motion Sickness

[sciencewonk]

My wife can get incredible motion sickness on a cruise.  In the past she has had complete relief of symptoms using dramamine (aka mecliine or bonine).  Since relocating to Australia from the States, we have discovered that you can't get dramamine here (even by prescription) and she has run out of her original stock.  For those of you prone to motion sickness, what have you found in Australia that is effective.  What are your experiences with possible side effects?  Thanks in advance.

[possum52]

I use phenergan, which I take every night. It has worked really well as I am very prone to motion sickness. I take it at night because it can make you drowsy - I usually sleep very well. 😀

[Rayhorn]

Scopolamine patches. They are magical. No pills to constantly take, no drowsiness, and in my wife's experience, way more effective. They last 3 days (72 hours) although she normally gets 4 days out of each patch. It's a 1cm round patch that goes behind your ear. It's swim/sweat/showerproof.

 

You have to get a script for it but it is publically funded (in New Zealand).

[buchhalm]

Ahh, those ear patches.

I told my wife that people wearing them are swingers. Because EVERYONE knows about the pineapples 

[sewgood]

I use Phenergan as well, it's available in 10mg and 25mg tablets.

I take one 25mg tablet before going to bed.

It's available without a prescription but chemists usually keep it behind the counter as it does interact with some medications.

[buchhalm]

5 minutes ago, sewgood said:

I use Phenergan as well, it's available in 10mg and 25mg tablets.

I take one 25mg tablet before going to bed.

It's available without a prescription but chemists usually keep it behind the counter as it does interact with some medications.

....and Martinis!

[OzKiwiJJ]

Our GP prescribed Stemetil, which we've now been using for around 10 years. We find it's excellent. It only has to be taken when needed and works very quickly even if you take one after starting to feel nauseous. Neither of us have had any side effects from it. 

 

It doesn't suit everyone though, but it's probably worth giving it a try if your wife is badly affected by seasickness.

[Calabazar]

My preferred medication is Sea Legs (Meclozine) which are available in NZ and I stock up when I’m there but easily obtainable in Australia are Nausicalm (Cyclizine) tablets. They are available at pharmacies ‘behind the counter’ ie you have to ask for them, and are about $8 for 6 tablets. They got me over the Tasman’s 6 metre swells in April this year. 

[Mycruiseobsession]

Chronic Travel sickness family here.

 

This is what works for us:

 

Phenergan / Avomine taken the night before travel and everynight during cruise and 1st night home. Personally 25mg is too much (too sleepy next day) and I prefer the 10mg, I find it still works and you can then always go up to 20mg depending how your body reacts.

 

Avomine Active Ingredients:

Promethazine Theoclate

 

Phenergan Active Ingredients 

Promethazine Hydrochloride

 

** Some days that's  still not quite enough - a rocky tender, or a very rocky ship!!

 

So out comes the Travacalm Original (Blue and white Box) at least 30min before tender ride.

 

This night day combination works for our most chronic travel sickness member. 

 

Travacalm Original

Active ingredients per tablet:
• Hyoscine hydrobromide 200 micrograms
• Dimenhydrinate 50mg
• Caffeine 20mg

 

I highly reccomend that you test these products on land well before sea travel to work out if there are any undesirable side effects.

 

 

[sir-magoo]

I get really bad sea sickness too.  Avomine is usually the best for me at night (Phenergan is almost the same but just doesn't seem to work for us), then I supplement with Meclizine (Bonine equivalent) for daytime use.

 

Neither are sold here in Australia, but to my knowledge they are not banned.  So I usually just order it online.  Sometimes through direct pharmacy websites overseas, sometimes on Ebay.  And I have never had it confiscated.

[JJK2008]

8 hours ago, sciencewonk said:

My wife can get incredible motion sickness on a cruise.  In the past she has had complete relief of symptoms using dramamine (aka mecliine or bonine).  Since relocating to Australia from the States, we have discovered that you can't get dramamine here (even by prescription) and she has run out of her original stock.  For those of you prone to motion sickness, what have you found in Australia that is effective.  What are your experiences with possible side effects?  Thanks in advance.

Don't know if this is possible, but Dramamine in the USA is available without a prescription. Perhaps you can order some on-line and have it shipped. I don't know if this would be allowed because of any Govt., or postal regulation in Australia but might be worth looking at. Enjoy your cruise.

[Aus Traveller]

I used to suffer badly from sea sickness. Avomine is the best remedy I have found and it even works if you take it after you start to feel sick. The first time I had it was when I was quite ill in 10metre seas. I went to the Medical Centre on board and they wouldn't give me an injection until I had tried Avomine. I did and it worked. I was very disappointed when it was taken off the market in Australia. Avomine is a 'first generation' anti histamine so it does make you a bit sleepy. I find that I don't feel sleepy if I am walking around, but if I go to a movie or a show, I fall asleep very quickly.

[NSWP]

Ship's Doctors often give phenergan tabs or injection. Makes you sleep good as well as calming ye olde gut.

[clairebearinaus]

You can buy Bonine (or similar) online from international stores. 

 

Amazon, eBay, iHerb for starters, just search for Meclizine.  I buy bottles of 100 for about $20 shipped.

 

You can usually buy it onboard, too, though much more expensive of course.

Edited October 4 by clairebearinaus
typo

[possum52]

6 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I used to suffer badly from sea sickness. Avomine is the best remedy I have found and it even works if you take it after you start to feel sick. The first time I had it was when I was quite ill in 10metre seas. I went to the Medical Centre on board and they wouldn't give me an injection until I had tried Avomine. I did and it worked. I was very disappointed when it was taken off the market in Australia. Avomine is a 'first generation' anti histamine so it does make you a bit sleepy. I find that I don't feel sleepy if I am walking around, but if I go to a movie or a show, I fall asleep very quickly.

I used Avomine until it was taken off the market too. But Phenergan works as well for me now.

[sciencewonk]

On 10/3/2024 at 8:03 PM, JJK2008 said:

Don't know if this is possible, but Dramamine in the USA is available without a prescription. Perhaps you can order some on-line and have it shipped. I don't know if this would be allowed because of any Govt., or postal regulation in Australia but might be worth looking at. Enjoy your cruise.

We were just in the States in August and purchasing Dramamine was on our list, but we forgot to do it <sigh>.

[Bubbeh]

On 10/3/2024 at 1:37 PM, buchhalm said:

Because EVERYONE knows about the pineapples 

OK fessing up here; I don't know about the pineapples.  What is this business about pineapples?  On our most recent cruise I went past a couple of cabins with pineapple decals attached to the doors.  What does it al mean and why am I the last idiot not to know about this?

[arxcards]

45 minutes ago, Bubbeh said:

OK fessing up here; I don't know about the pineapples.  What is this business about pineapples?  On our most recent cruise I went past a couple of cabins with pineapple decals attached to the doors.  What does it al mean and why am I the last idiot not to know about this?

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/articles/upside-down-pineapple-cruise-ships

[broberts]

Many find ginger tablets / capsules provide relief.

 

https://carusosnaturalhealth.com.au/products/ginger?variant=32891474968629

 

https://seaband.com.au/collections/capsules?srsltid=AfmBOopZYFWWwDNQhwWGyFzufFZhLJwVf9xORKt1YtEVg8cK5vvQ1lpb

 

[possum52]

49 minutes ago, broberts said:

Many find ginger tablets / capsules provide relief.

 

https://carusosnaturalhealth.com.au/products/ginger?variant=32891474968629

 

https://seaband.com.au/collections/capsules?srsltid=AfmBOopZYFWWwDNQhwWGyFzufFZhLJwVf9xORKt1YtEVg8cK5vvQ1lpb

 

Interestingly, ginger tabs/capsules make me feel worse. On our first cruise I took ginger tabs as recommended by a friend who had cruised for many years. I was feeling so unwell after taking a ginger tablet I didn't go to dinner. Our regular waiter asked my husband where I was. After my husband explained I was suffering motion sickness, he said he would find something to help me. He came back with some dry biscuits/crackers and two green skinned apples. Within an hour or so of nibbling on both, I felt much better. I now take a preventive, usually phenergan each night and always have green apples and dry biscuits/crackers in our cabin for just in case.

[Astro Flyer]

On 10/2/2024 at 9:35 PM, Mycruiseobsession said:

Travacalm Original

Active ingredients per tablet:
• Hyoscine hydrobromide 200 micrograms
• Dimenhydrinate 50mg
• Caffeine 20mg

My wife is very susceptible to all types of motion sickness & for her the generic version of Bonine (meclizine) works great…even when crossing the Tasman Sea in 20-25 foot swells.
 

Looking on Drugs.com, Dimenhydrinate is the active ingredient of regular Dramamine; Dramamine Less Drowsy is meclizine.
 

She tried the Scopolamine patch once but she had too many adverse side affects.

 

[cruiselover53]

On 10/3/2024 at 11:46 AM, sciencewonk said:

My wife can get incredible motion sickness on a cruise.  In the past she has had complete relief of symptoms using dramamine (aka mecliine or bonine).  Since relocating to Australia from the States, we have discovered that you can't get dramamine here (even by prescription) and she has run out of her original stock.  For those of you prone to motion sickness, what have you found in Australia that is effective.  What are your experiences with possible side effects?  Thanks in advance.

I bought Meclizine from Amazon about 2 weeks ago. We swear by it.We even got next day delivery. You can also buy from E Bay

[JJK2008]

15 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

OK fessing up here; I don't know about the pineapples.  What is this business about pineapples?  On our most recent cruise I went past a couple of cabins with pineapple decals attached to the doors.  What does it al mean and why am I the last idiot not to know about this?

All this time I thought it was the name of a Tropical Drink😉..........

[Drumbeat16]

15 hours ago, cruiselover53 said:

I bought Meclizine from Amazon about 2 weeks ago. We swear by it.We even got next day delivery. You can also buy from E Bay

Thanks for the tip, I have ordered some.

[Bubbeh]

19 hours ago, arxcards said:

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/articles/upside-down-pineapple-cruise-ships

I think that somewhere back in the dim dark recesses of my mind, I might have heard about that.  I just think that I didn't actually believe it.  Now I know.  Not got a lot more to say about this other than to thank you for the link.  Dee.