Seasickness - Ear Patch - Keep In Mind

[pbnjrockette]

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

 

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Have had better luck with Bonine (a lesser strength than Dramamine)---I get very sleepy with Dramamine and the Patch.

[BeagleOne]

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

 

 

Scopolamine is not an anti-histamine. Neither is dimenhydrinate (Dramamine).

[chengkp75]

For those who have experienced bad side effects, or withdrawal symptoms using the scop patch, there is a simple and effective way to reduce the dosage. Place a small round band-aid behind your ear, and then place the scop patch half on the band-aid and half off. Only the part directly in contact with your skin will transfer the medication, effectively cutting the dosing rate in half, which can reduce the side effects and withdrawal. If you feel that you are not benefiting from the motion sickness relief enough, either remove the band-aid or adjust the portion of the patch on the band-aid.

[TriumphGuy]

I have lots of experience with the patch. Back in my younger days we would sail our 25' sailboat across Lake Michigan, usually for a two week vacation. I got the patch and applied it as directed.

It worked as advertised, however, I had some really strange side effects, including hallucinations. The hallucinations only occurred when my eyes were closed, I could "see" strange looking "old-timey" cartoon characters. It was actually quite entertaining, but very weird.

I also experienced some severe withdrawal after the trip; felt like the flu and I felt like garbage for about a week.

Scopolamine patches were pulled off the market here in the US for a while, I think (could be wrong) due to dosage problems. They are now available again, but I won't use them.

One suggestion I remember reading in a sailing magazine was to cut the patch in quarters and apply it, thereby reducing the dosage. Not sure I'd try that either.

[chengkp75]

I have lots of experience with the patch. Back in my younger days we would sail our 25' sailboat across Lake Michigan, usually for a two week vacation. I got the patch and applied it as directed.

It worked as advertised, however, I had some really strange side effects, including hallucinations. The hallucinations only occurred when my eyes were closed, I could "see" strange looking "old-timey" cartoon characters. It was actually quite entertaining, but very weird.

I also experienced some severe withdrawal after the trip; felt like the flu and I felt like garbage for about a week.

Scopolamine patches were pulled off the market here in the US for a while, I think (could be wrong) due to dosage problems. They are now available again, but I won't use them.

One suggestion I remember reading in a sailing magazine was to cut the patch in quarters and apply it, thereby reducing the dosage. Not sure I'd try that either.

 

If you cut the patch (not recommended in the literature), you are opening the edge of the reservoir of scop, and you will dose it faster than if you left the patch alone. This is why you block part of the patch using a band-aid between the patch and your skin.

[TriumphGuy]

If you cut the patch (not recommended in the literature), you are opening the edge of the reservoir of scop, and you will dose it faster than if you left the patch alone. This is why you block part of the patch using a band-aid between the patch and your skin.

 

Makes perfect sense. The article I read was from a sailing magazine back sometime in the early 90's, not sure anyone really understood the dosing or side effects of scopolamine back then, which is why I think it was taken off the market for a while.

[perditax]

I have lots of experience with the patch. Back in my younger days we would sail our 25' sailboat across Lake Michigan, usually for a two week vacation. I got the patch and applied it as directed.

 

It worked as advertised, however, I had some really strange side effects, including hallucinations. The hallucinations only occurred when my eyes were closed, I could "see" strange looking "old-timey" cartoon characters. It was actually quite entertaining, but very weird.

 

I also experienced some severe withdrawal after the trip; felt like the flu and I felt like garbage for about a week.

 

Scopolamine patches were pulled off the market here in the US for a while, I think (could be wrong) due to dosage problems. They are now available again, but I won't use them.

 

One suggestion I remember reading in a sailing magazine was to cut the patch in quarters and apply it, thereby reducing the dosage. Not sure I'd try that either.

 

 

Hmm. Several years ago I woke up and rolled over in bed, and I kept rolling. I couldn't walk because my coordination was gone. I knew nothing about vertigo, and this all scared the living daylights out of me, and I ended up in the ER. What I had was BPPV (benign positional paroxysmal vertigo), and apparently one hell of a case of it, after zero vertigo problems in the past. Anyway, in the ER they gave me something to make me stop vomiting, and whatever it was made my hallucinate some really interesting surrealist paintings when I closed my eyes. I wonder now if it was scopolamine.

 

(Since then, I still get occasional dizzy spells, but I can usually fix them with canalith repositioning manuvers. I expected to be prone to seasickness after all of this when I started cruising, but a chewable bonine is usually all I need. I found my last cruise almost disappointingly placid.)

Edited January 2, 2016 by perditax

[Elaine5715]

For those who have experienced bad side effects, or withdrawal symptoms using the scop patch, there is a simple and effective way to reduce the dosage. Place a small round band-aid behind your ear, and then place the scop patch half on the band-aid and half off. Only the part directly in contact with your skin will transfer the medication, effectively cutting the dosing rate in half, which can reduce the side effects and withdrawal. If you feel that you are not benefiting from the motion sickness relief enough, either remove the band-aid or adjust the portion of the patch on the band-aid.

 

Good advice. People who keep touching the patch transfer the medication into their eyes, noses and mouths. When showering, people also rinse the medication into their eyes, noses and mouths.