Seasickness - Ear Patch - Keep In Mind

[Wubba1108]

I've used the transdermal ear patch to prevent motion sickness in the past, with no ill effects. In hindsight, my experience w/ this medication was never for more than a couple of days.

 

Well, a week and a half ago, my husband & I went on our first one week cruise. I know some people have asked about seasickness meds, specifically the transdermal patch, so I thought I would post my experience w/ this medication during and after our cruise.

 

I had asked my doctor to recommend and prescribe, if necessary, something I could use for my cruise since I do get motion sick. Since i had success w/ the patch before, she suggested that same method for this trip. Per her directions, I put it on 4 hours prior to embarkation and took it off the evening we arrived home (after our flight). During the duration of our cruise I felt fine. The motion of the ship did not bother me at all. The only side effect I experienced was a slightly dry mouth. Per the instructions of the prescription, I took off the old patch and put on a new one every three days of trip. Everything seemed great.

 

Until....we got home.

 

The morning after we arrived home I woke up with an awful headache. It felt like my head was in a vise. Fortunately, a couple Advil seemed to do the trick. But unfortunately, it didn't stop there. Within 2 hours of waking, I had diaahrea (sp?). Thankfully, Immodium AD managed that problem. I drove to work. Upon getting out of the car in my company parking lot, I noticed that I felt alittle light-headed. I figured it was just the after effects of having been traveling for a week.

 

An hour into my desk job, I was dizzy. Really dizzy. It felt like the whole building was rocking. By lunchtime, this sensation of motion had me sick to my stomach. I left work early and got home just in time for full blown nausea and vomiting to take hold.

 

2 days after returning from our trip the nausea was, thankfully, gone. But the light-headedness/dizziness and headaches continued. Paid a visit to my doctor and, guess what she concluded? The transdermal scop patch has been shown to cause withdrawl effects in some patients that use it for more than 3 days. Would've been nice if someone had told me this. Yes, I take partial responsibility because I should've read the fine print on the box. But seeing as how the doctor recommended this and I had asked her if there were any side effects for a week's worth of use, I had figured she would've informed me of any, ohhhh, withdrawl, I needed to worry about.

 

I took off the patch on Sunday. It is now Thursday. I'm still dealing with the "motion sickness." The nausea hasn't come back (thankfully). As for the headaches, I've fortunately been able to note when one is coming on in enough time to pop an Advil and ward it off.

 

Frankly, I would've rather deal w/ seasickness on the boat...any day of the week.

 

And from what she's told me, it could take upwards of a week...if not two...for this to go away.

 

I was a proponent of the transdermal patch before this experience and I know its mentioned from time to time on these boards, so I thought I'd offer my current experience w/ this medication. Take it for what its worth.

 

Personally, I'll never go near this stuff again. My 1st week back at work has been a nightmare of endurance. The only time I'm comfortable is when I'm laying as still as possible on the couch. Never, EVER again.

[blindrid]

We go a little different route with scopolamine (the patch). We have a compounding pharmacy prepare scopolamine gel in a syringe that is rubbed on our inner wrist. That way, if you want, you can reduce the amount used toward the end of the cruise. We really like using this way as some people do have reactions even though we happen not to be one of them.

 

Before we used it the first time I read all of the info and to date we have not had any problems. To reinforce your Dr.'s thoughts here is an excerpt from Drugs.com:

 

"Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and poor coordination have been reported when treatment that has lasted more than a few days is discontinued. If you use scopolamine for more than a few days, be aware that these side effects may occur when you stop.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome."

 

A lot of times we will use the gel only for the first few days as a precaution more than anything. Sorry to hear of your problems and hope you are feeling better. We will continue using scopolamine as it works well for us but unfortunately not everyone.

[firefly333]

We only used it when needed. Never put it on until the waves got really bad. Then we took it off once it was no longer of use.

 

I will remember to not put it on "just in case" before its needed.

[karenem]

Whoooaa! Thanks for posting. I was all set to get patched before our trip, but now I think I'll wait and see if it gets rough. Hope you're feeling better soon!

[UlvaZell]

Seasickness medications are basically antihistimines and as with other antihistimines they may make you groggy, but are out of your system fairly quickly.

 

Regarding your post cruise experience, I have noticed over the years that if we have heavy seas we are sailing through, that my inner ear must somehow compensate for the ships rocking, and when I get off the ship I feel like I'm rocking for some period of time afterward...

[RCCLismyfav1]

Wubba1108, I wore the patch given to me by a Doctor that happen to be at our Dinner table. I had no idea if I would suffer motion sickness so of course I went unprepared..

After 2 days of suffering I put the patch on all was well for about a day then I was dizzy all the time and I could not remember anything. DH would get so mad at me claiming I was acting stupid. I finally went to the Ship's DR. adn he took the patch off and gave me a shot..I was good from then on.

When I returned I had a check up with my own DR. and she informed me that some of the meds. on the patch are the same that were given to women in labor many years ago to make them forget about all the pain...

I now use Bonine and a precription form my DR. for nausea. Even with all that in my system I still get icky feeling the first night and during really rough waters.

You can get meds. right now for that sick feeling in your stomach.

[blindrid]

One of the uses of scopolamine was not to make someone "forget" about pain. One of the uses of the patch is for:

 

"The dime-sized scopolamine patch is applied just behind either the left or right ear. The area should be clean and hairless prior to the application, which should occur the evening before a scheduled surgery. For women who are prescribed a scopolamine patch to reduce nausea and vomiting related to a cesarean section, the patch should be applied just one hour before the procedure to minimize the baby's exposure to the drug. Scopolamine does cross the placental barrier, but as of early 2003, clinical studies have not shown any negative affects on newborn babies of mothers who used the drug in a caesarean delivery."

 

"Scopolamine is a potent drug derived from an alkaloid of belladonna (Atropa belladonna; common name deadly nightshade), scopolamine works by depressing the action of the nerve fibers near the ear and the vomiting center of the brain and central nervous system (CNS)."

 

Here is the layman definition for alkaloid of belladonna:

A group of alkaloids, including atropine and scopolamine, found in plants such as belladonna and jimsonweed. They are used in medicine to dilate the pupils of the eyes, dry respiratory passages, prevent motion sickness, and relieve cramping of the intestines and bladder.

 

Risks

 

Possible complications or side effects from transdermal scopolamine include but are not limited to: short-term memory loss, fatigue, confusion, hallucinations, difficulty urinating, and changes in heart rate. The drug can trigger seizures and psychotic delusions in patients with a history of these problems. Dizziness, nausea, headache, and hypotension (low blood pressure) have also been reported in some patients upon discontinuation of scopolamine patch therapy.

Patients who experience eye pain with redness and possible blurred vision should remove the patch immediately and call their doctor, since these symptoms could be signs of a rare but possible side effect of scopolamine called narrow-angle glaucoma. Blurriness with or without pupil dilation is also a potential but generally harmless side effect of the drug."

 

As I mentioned before there are risks associated with anything you take and should know before you use anything the potential risks. That's why it is a prescription not to be given by a doctor at your table as there are some conditions that exist that people should take Scopolamine with. I'm sure the doctor at the table didn't know your physical condition(s), if any.

Moral of the story is side effects do occur but you should know and recognize any serious symptons so you can stop taking if necessary.

 

We still use scopolamine with good luck as would others.

[JanineM]

I have successfully used the scopolomine patch six times in the past two years.

 

After our first cruise I ripped the patch off the second we got onshore. I had some pretty severe rockin & rollin for several days.

 

So I talked to my doctor and he suggested leaving the patch on for at least three days after I got back onshore to allow the medication to gradually leave my system. At the same time, my inner ear would be settling back to "normal". This made an enormous difference, and for the last 5 cruises this is exactly what I have done.

 

The patch is a God send for many of us who have severe motion sickness. You just have to be smart about how you use it.

[ehfl]

Most people don't get seasick and don't need any medication. Unfortunately, some people over-medicate with the fear/assumption that they will get motion sickness. If you don't need it...don't use it. Unless seas are extremely rough, most motion sickness is mild and brief, and is easily "cured" by simply focusing on having fun.

[JanineM]

Most people don't get seasick and don't need any medication. Unfortunately, some people over-medicate with the fear/assumption that they will get motion sickness. If you don't need it...don't use it. Unless seas are extremely rough, most motion sickness is mild and brief, and is easily "cured" by simply focusing on having fun.

 

For some of us, seasickness is never mild or brief. I can't even walk on a dock without getting sick. That's why I use the patch.

 

If you KNOW that you get seasick then it is worth talking to your doctor about the various options available. You're correct that some people over medicate and there is some science that indicates it is psychosomatic, but when you're hanging over the ledge of the boat then psychology is of little help.

[karenem]

I *know* I can think myself into being seasick, having become nauseated while reading about sea-sickness while sitting here at the computer. So my plan is to use my sea-bands and eat ginger, and convince myself that these are excellent remedies and all that I need. Voila! (I'll let y'all know how it works...)

[Tenn4ever]

For some of us, seasickness is never mild or brief. I can't even walk on a dock without getting sick. That's why I use the patch.

.

 

WaterBaby, I'm the same way. My motion sickness is so bad that there have been times I have ended up in the hospital because it doesn't stop when the motion stops. I can't even look at waves on the ocean from the beach without getting motion sick or riding in the back seat of a car for more than a mile or two. It's a terrible affliction. I can feel an elevator moving in a building when I'm not even on the elevator. I've also had vetigo in my life for several months at a time - just getting out of bed was a trial. I will use the patch and as the other poster suggested leave it on for a few days after returning home until my body gets acclimated. One thing I have been wondering is if taking Bonine for a couple days after returning to land would help with side effects if I decide to take the patch off right away.

[JanineM]

One thing I have been wondering is if taking Bonine for a couple days after returning to land would help with side effects if I decide to take the patch off right away.

 

Last cruise my patch fell off in the shower about 36 hours after returning home. I started having more rocking & rolling than normal so I did take 1/2 of a meclizine (Bonine) before bed for a couple of nights. It helped quite a bit.

 

Hope we all have smooth sailings!

[KKB]

All were calm cruises, for the most part.

 

Wore patch for 1st cruise w/o issue. Definite dry mouth. Did have moderate waves one night (7-14 ft), DH was green up at disco (top front of ship), me fine.

 

2nd cruise I changed patch midcruise, and think I got some on my finger which then found its way onto my contact--OMG...lost a day on that cruise, so dizzy & lightheaded. Gave up on the patch & was fine the rest of the cruise.

 

Didn't even bother for our last cruise, and was fine. Have heard that the more you cruise, often the less of an issue seasickness is. (in otherwords you may have problems on first cruise, and not so much on further cruises).

 

Thing is, you never know. Be prepared. But trust me, cruise ships are WELL prepared with a variety of solutions for this one (dramamine, sea bands, ginger, green apples, shots...don't know if they carry patches, though. May be wise to have these ahead of time as an alternative)

[Tenn4ever]

Last cruise my patch fell off in the shower about 36 hours after returning home. I started having more rocking & rolling than normal so I did take 1/2 of a meclizine (Bonine) before bed for a couple of nights. It helped quite a bit.

 

Hope we all have smooth sailings!

 

I've been thinking that would work. I have to take Bonine when I view 3D movies also. :o

[Sailor Gal]

I've used the patch several times on 7 and a 10 day cruise. I got the dry mouth and a little blurry vission. I definitely get car and boat sick so I must have something. I have found that dramamine works fine w/o such severe side effects and prefer that route. Now I know why I felt such much rocking at home after the cruise. Thought it was just me.

[RCCLismyfav1]

One of the uses of scopolamine was not to make someone "forget" about pain. One of the uses of the patch is for:

 

"The dime-sized scopolamine patch is applied just behind either the left or right ear. The area should be clean and hairless prior to the application, which should occur the evening before a scheduled surgery. For women who are prescribed a scopolamine patch to reduce nausea and vomiting related to a cesarean section, the patch should be applied just one hour before the procedure to minimize the baby's exposure to the drug. Scopolamine does cross the placental barrier, but as of early 2003, clinical studies have not shown any negative affects on newborn babies of mothers who used the drug in a caesarean delivery."

 

"Scopolamine is a potent drug derived from an alkaloid of belladonna (Atropa belladonna; common name deadly nightshade), scopolamine works by depressing the action of the nerve fibers near the ear and the vomiting center of the brain and central nervous system (CNS)."

 

Here is the layman definition for alkaloid of belladonna:

A group of alkaloids, including atropine and scopolamine, found in plants such as belladonna and jimsonweed. They are used in medicine to dilate the pupils of the eyes, dry respiratory passages, prevent motion sickness, and relieve cramping of the intestines and bladder.

 

Risks

 

Possible complications or side effects from transdermal scopolamine include but are not limited to: short-term memory loss, fatigue, confusion, hallucinations, difficulty urinating, and changes in heart rate. The drug can trigger seizures and psychotic delusions in patients with a history of these problems. Dizziness, nausea, headache, and hypotension (low blood pressure) have also been reported in some patients upon discontinuation of scopolamine patch therapy.

Patients who experience eye pain with redness and possible blurred vision should remove the patch immediately and call their doctor, since these symptoms could be signs of a rare but possible side effect of scopolamine called narrow-angle glaucoma. Blurriness with or without pupil dilation is also a potential but generally harmless side effect of the drug."

 

As I mentioned before there are risks associated with anything you take and should know before you use anything the potential risks. That's why it is a prescription not to be given by a doctor at your table as there are some conditions that exist that people should take Scopolamine with. I'm sure the doctor at the table didn't know your physical condition(s), if any.

Moral of the story is side effects do occur but you should know and recognize any serious symptons so you can stop taking if necessary.

 

We still use scopolamine with good luck as would others.

 

 

Hmmm It seems my DR. that has been in business and has been thus far a very good, reliable DR. I'm sure he did go to Medical School and knows exactly what he is talking about. Now I know I heard him right and understood exactly what he said. He did say that it was given to women to help aide them in forgetting what they went through while in labor. This was many years ago and since it does state that possible side affects are short term memory loss I tend to think he knows exactly what he is talking about. I'm sure it was given for what you explained, but you should have said in addition to....;)

[jojamidwood]

I am taking an Alaskan cruise this summer and thought that Scopolamine would be good until I had an episode of "benign idiopathic vertigo" (aka you're dizzy as hell and we have no clue as to why!!!). The doctor in the ER gave me a Scopolalamine patch and told me to wear it for three days. No mention of any of the side effects! Needless to say I had just about every awful side effect, including more dizziness, crushing headaches and plummeting blood pressure. It took a return trip to the ER and a CT scan to find out that it was just a BAD reaction to Scopolamine, not a subdural hemotoma.

Needless to say, I will NOT be using it during my cruise, or ever again.

Moral of the story--if you are going to use Scolopamine be aware of the side effects and monitor how you are feeling.

[Tenn4ever]

Yes, I plan on trying one for a few days before the cruise to see if there is any effect.

[Scotts73]

I've been thinking that would work. I have to take Bonine when I view 3D movies also. :o

 

I know what you mean! I once had severe vertigo after watching a 3D movie at Disneyland! It was horrible! Room was spinning, eyes were flickering....it was a nightmare...wish I knew about Bonine back then...:rolleyes:

[brucory]

I know what you mean! I once had severe vertigo after watching a 3D movie at Disneyland! It was horrible! Room was spinning, eyes were flickering....it was a nightmare...wish I knew about Bonine back then...:rolleyes:

 

I felt the same with the star wars ride. Could have used some medication for that.... I heard something about a bracellet you wear that stops sea sickness... Any more info anyone? :D :D :D

[Tenn4ever]

I used an electronic bracelet of sorts when I had surgery once. The anesthesiologist recommended it. It didn't work for me. I'm the same as the above - can't watch 3D movies w/o getting motion sick. :( I take Bonine before watching them - 1/2 pill.

[adamsmom]

I have used patches on 10 cruises and, thankfully, have only had mild side effects. It makes my mouth really dry, and I sometimes have a little dizziness after taking it off. I usually wear the last one for several days after the cruise to let it wear off, but I still have dizzy spells a week later sometimes. But the side effects aren't enough to keep me from using them. Just the memory of being really sick on our first cruise (before I got a patch) is enough to keep me using them.

 

Now, my best friend used one once, not realizing that it would activate her vertigo after taking it off. (She takes meclizine all the time to keep her vertigo at bay.) She had a bad episode then, but has not used the patch since, and has never been sick either. It would seem that since she suffers from vertigo periodically while on land, that she would be sick on a ship, but she is not.

 

So, I guess the moral of the story is, try the patch if you are really sick, but be on guard for the side effects.

[matrixman48]

I took my wife on her first cruise, a 10-day, to Mexico. We placed the patches on, BEFORE debarkation, as directed and changed them every 3 days, alternating sides. We navigated through some rough seas and both of us were fine. We removed them after getting off the boat and had no residual side effects. In no way do I diminish other people's experience; I just wanted to let people know that it also works great for some people.

[Benfishin1]

What about dramamine? I was thinking of taking that prior, is that not effective?

 

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