seasickness relief

[wlfarm]

I asked pharmicist here about seasickness patches. He said they are only available with prescription. Are they available on board? If so, how much do they cost? We've never been affected before, but going to Alaska in 2 weeks and have read that Pacific can be rough.

 

Thanks.

[cruisin_fanatic]

You can buy some ginger. A lot of people of cruise critic highly recommend it. I took Dramamine on my first cruise and it made me very, very sleepy and I have never used it again. I havent had to use seasick meds ever, thankfully. But if I ever need to get any, I will try the recommended ginger.

[pungo3]

I've also used Bonine without any drowsiness. It works great and is fairly cheap. Enjoy your cruise. I loved my Alaska cruise and we did not encouter any rough seas.

[happyscot]

Drink an enormous amount of gin and tonic.

 

You'll still be sea sick, but you won't care.

 

 

The whole sea sick thing is grossly, hugely overtalked. It almost never happens outside of Cruise Critic. You won't have it if you take some pills with you (Happyscot's Fourth Law of Preventative Therapies). If you forget them, you will vomit like a dog. At this point, see above.

 

Have an enormously happy holiday.

 

xxxxxxx

[Colo Cruiser]

No the patch is not available onboard.

 

Take Ginger/Dramamine. :)

[happyscot]

No the patch is not available onboard.

 

Take Ginger/Dramamine. :)

 

 

Are those your cats?

[chasinraynbowz]

I suffer from motion sickness, so I take Bonine starting the night before my cruise. Works great! I have not been sick or drowsy!

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[Colo Cruiser]

Are those your cats?

 

 

I don't generally call them that but if you insist. :eek:

[CaptainKlutz]

You can probably just call your family doctor and ask for a prescription for the patches. "Transderm Scopolmine"...although I'm guessing on the spelling.

 

My insurance didn't cover them, but Costco sells them at their pharmacy for about $25 for four. They last 3 days each. The last batch I got from our local pharmacy for like $28.

 

If you're not doing the R/T from San Francisco, you probably really won't need them.

 

Cheers!

Bruce

[CruiseLunatic]

"GINGER"

MYTHBUSTERS proved it!

I've bounced around the Altantic with no problem.

Get capsules at most any vitamin store or Pharmacy.

Breath mints too! It just does that to me.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

There are benefits and disadvantages to the patch - beware -

 

Disadvantages - can make you very dry - you will have cotton mouth. You will need to drink a lot of WATER while on the patch - beware because thirst can make you drink large amounts of alcohol too, not realizing what you are drinking. You will also need to wear sunglasses anytime you are outside = even if overcast - your eyes will be very sensitive to the sun. The patch can also interact with many other meds - OTC and RX - be carefule and speak to your doctor before using the patch.

 

As the other posters said Bonine - a form of the rx med antivert - is a good alternative and will likely have less side effects. Dramamine may be a little more sedating than Bonine.

[storfie]

Try "seabands", available at the drugstore,where they sell things like earplugs. They look like wristbands worn for sports, available in several colours, I bought black to "coordinate with my clothes". Worked for me, slept through a Cat.1 hurricane storm out of Cannes in the Med.!

Happy sailing!:)

[DeRon]

I tried this patch, and I did not ever get sick.

 

 

 

 

[LolaBunny]

I got the patches from my general doc before our first cruise and then right before we left I had an appt with my alergist and he convinced me that the patch may not be for me citing some of the side affects listed above. He suggested I ask the pharmacist for meclazine, the active ingredient in most otc motion meds, but available through the pharmacy only without a script. I got 150 pills for $11. I started taking it three days prior to the cruise, just one pill once or twice a day... had no problems. In fact, hubby took a couple as well and we have plenty for our next cruises as well.

 

I would suggest this to anyone worried about seasickness. I still have the transdermal scopic patches in my travel bag for back-up, but haven't needed them yet.

[Pam in CA]

Drink an enormous amount of gin and tonic.

 

You'll still be sea sick, but you won't care.

 

 

The whole sea sick thing is grossly, hugely overtalked. It almost never happens outside of Cruise Critic. You won't have it if you take some pills with you (Happyscot's Fourth Law of Preventative Therapies). If you forget them, you will vomit like a dog. At this point, see above.

My brother-in-law swears that a good double scotch will cure the common cold, noro, etc. If you aren't feeling well, take a good stiff drink and the alcohol will kill anything nasty in it's way. At least that's his theory.

[NitroNurse]

I asked pharmicist here about seasickness patches. He said they are only available with prescription. Are they available on board? If so, how much do they cost? We've never been affected before, but going to Alaska in 2 weeks and have read that Pacific can be rough.

 

Thanks.

 

I get *HORRIBLY* seasick, so I took no chances on our last cruise. I went to my doc and asked for "the patch," and she gladly obliged. I put one on several hours before sailing, and despite some rough seas that sent some of our tablemates back to their staterooms because of seasickness, I was able to enjoy the motion of the ship, nausea-free.

 

I did have some dry mouth (not cotton-mouth as some have suggested), not bad but noticeable. I also had some drowsiness, but it was more than worth it to put up with these small inconveniences not to have my vacation ruined by seasickness.

 

Most seem to get good relief from Bonine; that is a good over-the-counter option for some. Since my motion sickness is so severe, I felt that the prescription option was better for me. Will be asking for a refill before our next cruise in October on the Sapphire. :D

 

Best of Luck,

NitroNurse

[VegasPier]

I asked pharmicist here about seasickness patches. He said they are only available with prescription. Are they available on board? If so, how much do they cost? We've never been affected before, but going to Alaska in 2 weeks and have read that Pacific can be rough.

 

Thanks.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meclizine

 

Meclizine has worked for me on my last two cruises.

 

I don’t think that you have to much to worry about on a Alaskan cruise. You probably won’t even be able to feel the ship move.

 

Cheers, VegasPier

[wedding96]

I used the patch on my last cruise and developed blurry vision after 4 days. Once I removed it, the blurriness resolved by the next day, but I started to feel nauseous again. Next time, I'll try Bonine!

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I used the patch on my last cruise and developed blurry vision after 4 days. Once I removed it, the blurriness resolved by the next day, but I started to feel nauseous again. Next time, I'll try Bonine!

Yup - this is a common side effect as the medicine is an atropine like medication that affects the way your pupils respond to light and darkness. It is related to the eye drops that they give you to dilate your eyes for an exam.

[heartofamerica]

Another vote for Ginger. It proved it's worth to me long before my first cruise...I survived the "teacup ride" at Disney with my then 5 year old. I've had "roughish" seas at least once during the cruise on 4 of my last 5 cruises - never even felt the least bit of queasiness with the ginger.

[GottoCruise]

I bought the Relief Bands from Magellan's a few years ago - they are Superior (and more expensive) than the Elastic bands with beads for pressure points on your wrists, they give a tiny electrical 'shock' every few seconds or so at the pressure points on your wrist, they work great!

 

Better than taking medication..(BUT, I still bring Bonine - 'just 'n case' :D )

 

GotToCruise (aka Renee)

 

[Cruise-a-holic444]

Hi- I am EXTREMELY sensitive to motion- especially subtle motion (like Elevators, Revolving restaurants, vibrating floors next to an escalator-no kidding!).:rolleyes: I read about Bonine- the anti-drowsy seasickness medication. The trick is to start taking it a day or two BEFORE you get on the boat (to get a therapeutic amount in your bloodstream, I guess). Well, I've been on 3 cruises and have had no problem! My buddies have tried patches, other things, etc, but I was the only one, both ON the ship and ON the catamaran who did not get sick.:eek: Best of luck to you- it really works! :D

[jojamidwood]

To the OP

There are some very in depth postings on Scopolamine from approx 1.5-2 months ago--see if you can find them because there is a lot of detailed researched and anecdotal information.

I recently had very very bad side effects from a one-time use of Scopolamine given for vertigo on land. I was very glad that I was not on a cruise when it happened or it would have totally ruined my trip.

Just red what you can and perhaps do a trial run before your trip. I will use meclizine and ginger and drink club soda as needed.

Above all, have a great time.

[pekachryn]

I never used to get any type of motion sickness, no matter how rough the seas. Then, about six years ago I started getting sick in cabs, buses especially and on ships. I do have a very sensitive stomach now and frequently suffer from nausea even on dry land. Bonine, ginger, the bands, etc., don't work for me. So, I get a prescription for the scopolamine patches that go behind the ear. The drug does have possible side-effects to be aware of. I've never had problems, though. If I still have nausea, I also take Zofran or Compazine, which also need a prescription.

 

Recently, I had two major abdominal surgeries, and they kept a scopolamine patch behind my year for the several weeks I was in the hospital to treat the constant nausea I had.

 

If you suffer from vertigo from motion sickness, often valium is a better drug for treating those symptoms.

[CMM]

If you are a serious sufferer of motion sickness the electronic reliefband is worth the investment. My daughter & I get sick in the car often. Can't look at a map turn around in a car etc. without getting sick. Although this costs over $100 now & only available online it seems, it is great. Wears like a watch and gives you little shocks on the underside of your wrists.

What is good about this is that you don't have to do it ahead of time, which is key. Also it has no side effects and you can drink etc with no worries. Dramanine works great too but basically you miss your day as you are so sleepy. Bonine works, but you need to take it in advanced and it does still make you a little tired.

Even though the reliefband is so expensive, I think we will purchase a 2nd as we get so sick even in the car.