Sea Sickness

[bratgrr1]

I'm a first time cruiser so sorry if my question is redundant or silly!

I've heard conflicting things about whether RCI gives out sea sickness pills (free) or whether you have to purchase them. If I have to purchase them, I'd rather get them on land where they are cheaper. I leave on Sunday and I'm frantic about everything to take!! :confused:

 

Thanks in advance!!

Kim

[springtxbill]

You can usually get them from the Purser.:)

[Nliedel]

You can get them from the purser, but if you are planning on taking them every day (like me), it would be easier to bring your own. No standing in line.

[golfer1966]

My Mother In Law gets sick and we heard about the "Sea Bands".....They are wrist bands that have little knobs on them that push on your pressure points and helps motions sickness. Well, we got a set and they really worked well for her. ( boat and plane ) We got hers at Walgreens, but I am sure any Pharmacy carries them. Check them out, their a good alternative to pills. She wont travel w/o them now.

 

Good Luck....

[morgan1312]

It's better to take them before you experience any quesy feelings, once you have them, it wont' go away with the pills till the ship stops. I learned that the hard way on our first cruise.

 

I just take 1 of the 24 hour pills every morning and I'm fine for the whole cruise. No drowsiness formula.

[ckrobyn]

I take one Bonine every night before bed, beginning the night BEFORE I get on the ship. So far so good - no seasickness here!

[Langley Cruisers]

The SeaBands wrist bands really work, and they are non-medicinal. We were surprised how well they work, but had to purchase them onboard ship one year. They were horribly expensive onboard, so I also recommend buying them at a drug store before you leave. Put them on when you get into your cabin and hopefully you'll be great all trip!

 

On our recent cruise, we saw some of the staff wearing them. They really do work.

 

Have a great trip! :)

[angelpug]

Whatever remedy you try, do so a week before getting on the ship. I use Meclazine (Bonine, Dramamine II), which is considered less drowsey, but because it is an antihisitmine, it does cause drowsiness in some people (including me), so you may need to tweak your dosage, and when you take it before you actually board the ship. I found for me that taking 1/2 tablet before bed, works GREAT on days when the seas are rough!

 

If you get the chance before you leave, look for the episode of Mythbusters on seasickness. It was HILARIOUS what they did to those guys to test the different remedies. Basically they found that the best remedy...NON medicinal is Ginger (which did work for me this last cruise, I took 2 tablets each morning but I was afraid to try it on heavy sea days, so backed it up with the Meclazine) The medicianal remedy was the meclazine, but they also found it made them drowsy (The were trying all the remedies they could use while they were deep sea fishing, so the really drowsy things couldn't be used.)

 

They found the sea bands with the electric impuses (the $80.00 ones ) just irritated them (and they still barfed), and the regular sea bands just made them like funny while barfing. Basically the sea bands aren't pressing anything to help nausea (it's all inner ear), but if they do make you feel better, then they say use them (in most people, sea sickness is all in their own minds, as they found out on one of the guys...they gave him a plecebo after all the testing, and told him it was ginger, and he felt GREAT....thus they couldn't use him as a study rat anymore. Adam...the main star barfed as soon as they got the spinning rocking chair going with the plecebo...and he'd stayed in that chair for an hour with the ginger capsules!)

 

So needless to say, after 9 cruises, I believed the guys from Mythbusters after seeing their tests on TV, and I used the Ginger tablets each day at breakfast, and if the seas are really rough, 1/2 tablet of meclazine. On the Grandeur, I had NO DROWSINESS the whole cruise, and really enjoyed the rocking and rolling of the rough seas!

 

Take care,

Jaime

[bratgrr1]

Thanks everyone!! has anyone used the oil that you rub behind your ear (Motion Eaze)? I saw that at the pharmacy and wasn't sure about it.

[angelpug]

Just because it might work on someone else, doesn't mean it will work on you.

 

Buy some if you're interested, and then have someone take you for a ride in the car on a dipping and curving road, while you read a book. If you can finish a chapter (without wanting them to pull over so you can puke!:eek: ) then it works...LOL! Really, use this week to try some things that really night work for you.

 

Take Care,

Jaime

[birdcat]

My wife takes one half a bonine each morning and evening and that works great for her. I get VERY seasick VERY easily so I do the patches (brand name is TranScop - Transdermal Scopalomine) and it works GREAT (only time it ever failed was on the ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen - very bad waves that day).

[zqvol]

Buy a package of Bonine and take it with you. It is under $5 and you want to take them before youget sick not after you start feeling bad.

[RPJS05]

I've been on boats many times and I have never gotten sick... except once.

The one time i did, I tried the wrist bands and they did not work at aaaaaall for me. However, I didn't put them on untill after I was sick. (because it was not expected) Also the waters were really choppy (this was not on a cruise).

So I am going on my first cruise in 2 weeks and to be on the safe side I asked my doctor what to do, she called in the patch (its real small, goes behind your ear) and I've heard good things. Better to be safe! Call a doc, or I'd say run to the drug store and get something over the counter, like dramamine (heard good things about that as well). Can't hurt to bring your own just incase, Im sure its super expensive on board.

Just make sure whatever you try to do it BEFORE you get on the boat! And don't think about it too much, then it will turn into a mental thing! :(

good luck! :) have a good time!

[FLASHINGLIGHTS83]

I've been on boats many times and I have never gotten sick... except once.

 

The one time i did, I tried the wrist bands and they did not work at aaaaaall for me. However, I didn't put them on untill after I was sick. (because it was not expected) Also the waters were really choppy (this was not on a cruise).

 

So I am going on my first cruise in 2 weeks and to be on the safe side I asked my doctor what to do, she called in the patch (its real small, goes behind your ear) and I've heard good things. Better to be safe! Call a doc, or I'd say run to the drug store and get something over the counter, like dramamine (heard good things about that as well). Can't hurt to bring your own just incase, Im sure its super expensive on board.

 

Just make sure whatever you try to do it BEFORE you get on the boat! And don't think about it too much, then it will turn into a mental thing! :(

 

good luck! :) have a good time!

 

Again, different things work for different people. Ive been told by many people that the patch DOES NOT work. i have never personally tried the patch, but did however need the wrist bands one morning. i put them on after being sick for nearly an hr, and within 20 minutes i was feeling fine. Those work for me, so i will probably not try anything else. by the end of the cruise, they were actually sold out of the wrist bands....guess they worked for alot of people....

[RPJS05]

Again, different things work for different people. Ive been told by many people that the patch DOES NOT work. i have never personally tried the patch, but did however need the wrist bands one morning. i put them on after being sick for nearly an hr, and within 20 minutes i was feeling fine. Those work for me, so i will probably not try anything else. by the end of the cruise, they were actually sold out of the wrist bands....guess they worked for alot of people....

Like I said they "didnt work at all for me" but i agree, everyone is different.

I actually still have the wrist bands and will probably bring them just incase [i dont want to ruin my trip!]. However on the back of the box it says it is better to have them on before sailing, but may work for some people after they start to feel sick.

[zqvol]

Again, different things work for different people. Ive been told by many people that the patch DOES NOT work. i have never personally tried the patch, but did however need the wrist bands one morning. i put them on after being sick for nearly an hr, and within 20 minutes i was feeling fine. Those work for me, so i will probably not try anything else. by the end of the cruise, they were actually sold out of the wrist bands....guess they worked for alot of people....

I have never heard anyone say the patch doesn't work, the complaint with the patch is the side effects. (This assumes that it is applied according to the directions.)

 

The only thing stronger than the patch is the shots that the doctors will give you but those will knock you out for a good 12 hours. So, if you cruise and need something stronger than the patch you need to consider staying home.

[golfer1966]

You need to put them on a day or two before you leave. You cant wait until your sick to put them on. In my opinion, I would rather use this than take drugs for it, but to each his own.

 

I actually heard once, that if get sick on the boat, its good to get in the ships pool. It will help balance out your equalibrium. ( spelling )

I dont have any problems with getting sick, but I did hear that works in a pinch. Id get the bands, put them on a day before you leave and pack a drug to take JUST IN CASE.... : )

 

Good luck....

[birdcat]

The only thing stronger than the patch is the shots that the doctors will give you but those will knock you out for a good 12 hours. So, if you cruise and need something stronger than the patch you need to consider staying home.

 

Acutally - I have a son who is battling cancer (http://www.sethacles.com if anyone is interested) and the anti-nauseals he got were far better than what they give you on board any ship. Zofran or Kytril (there is a newer one but I don't remember it's name) are really good at stopping nausea but a bit pricey - $70 per pill when Seth got 'em about five years ago - and you will need about three per day. Also - No really bad side effects. So if you've got the $$$$$$$$$$ and a doctor who is willing to prescribe them (don't hold your breath thinking insurace will cover it) then go for it!

[angelpug]

It isn't that the patch doesn't work as prescribed, it's just that one of the major side effects is blurring vision on the side of the head where the patch is being worn. Thus most seasickness is due to loss of equilibrium, and now you have blurry vision in only ONE eye, which will also cause the equilibrium to be off!

 

If you're using the patch for the first time, do as stated before, have the doctor give you a couple of extra ones, and TRY THEM AT HOME a few days before boarding the ship. If you don't have any side effects at home, then you know you'll be fine on the ship using these.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Take Care,

Jaime

[birdcat]

I've used the patches for nine out my eleven cruises (Bonine worked OK on my first and Compazine (RX) worked OK on another). I have only had side effects from the patches of sleepiness and a little dry mouth on the first two or three cruises - Once my body got used to it I have had no problems for the past half dozen or so cruises. Now I'm a pretty big guy (6', 275 lbs) so that may have something to do with it but I would suggest talking to your MD about them and trying them a few days before you get onboard (they come in four packs which are good for 8-12 days, you can afford to "waste" one beforehand for a seven day cruise to test it out and see how it affects you).

[constantcruiser]

I get dreadfully seasick (even in the bathtub at home!) so for many years I refused to go on a cruise. Absolutely none of the over-the-counter methods worked for me, and my doctor finally prescribed the patch. I still so skeptical that before I agreed to board the ship, I made DH promise that if I got seasick, he would fly home with me from the first port! That was 24 cruises ago and the patch has never failed once. I did learn, through trial & error, to cut them in half and reapply every other day instead of using a whole one for 3 days. By doing that, I've completely avoided the side effects even on 16-night cruises.

[Lynne95]

I tried the patch 5 years ago, on my last cruise. It was a 4 day, Sov. of the Sea curise. (I've been known to get car sick on curvy roadways! I felt woozie just looking at the ship!) I knew I was going to need help, and the Dr. suggested I try the patch. I started them the night before.

 

They didn't really work for me. I was only "fair" during the day, and miserable at night! (But once I got in the tender to Coco Cay, I was just fine! Go figure!)

 

I tried OTC, bodine, before I went to Dollywood recently, and rode some the wilder rides, and I was never bothered at all. So I've giving them a try this trip, and I will get the bands just to be safe.

 

Hope this helps!

[BillOh]

If you get the chance before you leave, look for the episode of Mythbusters on seasickness. It was HILARIOUS what they did to those guys to test the different remedies. Basically they found that the best remedy...NON medicinal is Ginger (which did work for me this last cruise, I took 2 tablets each morning but I was afraid to try it on heavy sea days, so backed it up with the Meclazine) The medicianal remedy was the meclazine, but they also found it made them drowsy (The were trying all the remedies they could use while they were deep sea fishing, so the really drowsy things couldn't be used.)

 

They found the sea bands with the electric impuses (the $80.00 ones ) just irritated them (and they still barfed), and the regular sea bands just made them like funny while barfing. Basically the sea bands aren't pressing anything to help nausea (it's all inner ear), Take care,

Jaime

 

I saw this episode a month before we left. Ginger root tablets from GNC worked great for us. (Of course it was our first cruise so I have no comparison)

[Desert Nurse]

Be aware that ginger does have side effects. It can increase the effectiveness any anticoagulant (blood thinner) that you may be taking. It can also affect your urinary system and cause heart rhythm irregularities. We recommend that surgical patients stop ginger at least two weeks before surgery to avoid potential interactions and complications. If you have any medical history at all, or are taking other medications, it is best to check with your physician or pharmacist before taking ginger. Don't worry about the amount of ginger you may eat in cookies or other food, it isn't enough to cause a side effect.

[BillOh]

Be aware that ginger does have side effects. It can increase the effectiveness any anticoagulant (blood thinner) that you may be taking. It can also affect your urinary system and cause heart rhythm irregularities. We recommend that surgical patients stop ginger at least two weeks before surgery to avoid potential interactions and complications. If you have any medical history at all, or are taking other medications, it is best to check with your physician or pharmacist before taking ginger. Don't worry about the amount of ginger you may eat in cookies or other food, it isn't enough to cause a side effect.

 

That is probably a good point with any herbal/OTC product and I'm sure coming from someone who appears to be a medical professional, will mean a lot to readers.

 

At this point in my life 47 and receiving regular care for Seizure disorder,Hypertension, and sleep apnea, I don't take anything with out my doctor's consent. I started the Ginger root the day before the cruise and stopped the morning of the final day.

 

Thanks for adding that.