Motion Sickness Symptoms, Prevention & Remedies

[tinkerbell 766]

I am British and our over the counter medications have different brand names to the ones sold in the US. Does anybody know the name of the active ingredient in Bonine please?

 

[MAJPLO]

I am British and our over the counter medications have different brand names to the ones sold in the US. Does anybody know the name of the active ingredient in Bonine please?

I'm pretty sure it is meclizine like PP mentioned.

 

[Monual]

Not to be a killjoy, but there is no cure for seasickness. Conversely, *everything* cures seasickness.

Do you know why? Seasickness is all in your head. Seriously, it's your brain feeling motion but not seeing a cause for it and going wonky because of it. It increases your heartbeat and your breathing and slows down blood flow to your extremities. That is what causes nausea.

The best way to fix this is to distract yourself, or convince yourself there is no problem. Harmless placebos like magnetic bracelets and such are perfect for this; if your brain is convinced there's no problem, then you won't feel it. If you feel your heartbeat speeding up, try to slow it down. If you start to breath rapidly, try taking deep, calming breaths.

Seasickness is a fascinating study in self-caused distress and cures. Here's a paper NASA wrote about it dealt with spacesickness in astronauts:

http://http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/sts-107/resourceguide/content/science/senses/info/k-4info.pdf

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not to be a killjoy, but there is no cure for seasickness. Conversely, *everything* cures seasickness.

Do you know why? Seasickness is all in your head. Seriously, it's your brain feeling motion but not seeing a cause for it and going wonky because of it. It increases your heartbeat and your breathing and slows down blood flow to your extremities. That is what causes nausea.

The best way to fix this is to distract yourself, or convince yourself there is no problem. Harmless placebos like magnetic bracelets and such are perfect for this; if your brain is convinced there's no problem, then you won't feel it. If you feel your heartbeat speeding up, try to slow it down. If you start to breath rapidly, try taking deep, calming breaths.

Seasickness is a fascinating study in self-caused distress and cures. Here's a paper NASA wrote about it dealt with spacesickness in astronauts:

http://http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/sts-107/resourceguide/content/science/senses/info/k-4info.pdf

One question for you. Have you had seasickness? I think if you had you wouldn't have this attitude.

When I was a year old, we sailed from Europe to the US. I was seasick from day one. A one year old child cannot reasonably be assumed to have something that's "all in their head". It's not just "all in your head".

 

[Monual]

I have in fact had seasickness. When I was in college, I went to Catalina Island and got terribly nauseated.

I went on a poker cruise many years later. Before going on the cruise, I asked my doctor about seasickness remedies. He mentioned magnetic bracelets. I thought it was so weird that my doctor, who I respected tremendously, would be suggesting new-age remedies for seasickness.

That's when I did my own researched and found out that seasickness was all in my head and that a placebo was as good a cure as any.

When I went on the poker cruise, I decided to do a spa treatment as we were leaving. I was getting a massage and didn't even notice when we left port. And all during the cruise, despite somewhat heavy seas, I never got sick.

Once I knew it was all in my head, I could get control over it. The difference between that cruise and my Catalina experience was really like night and day. Once you know how your body is responding and why, you can control it more easily than you might expect.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have in fact had seasickness. When I was in college, I went to Catalina Island and got terribly nauseated.

I went on a poker cruise many years later. Before going on the cruise, I asked my doctor about seasickness remedies. He mentioned magnetic bracelets. I thought it was so weird that my doctor, who I respected tremendously, would be suggesting new-age remedies for seasickness.

That's when I did my own researched and found out that seasickness was all in my head and that a placebo was as good a cure as any.

When I went on the poker cruise, I decided to do a spa treatment as we were leaving. I was getting a massage and didn't even notice when we left port. And all during the cruise, despite somewhat heavy seas, I never got sick.

Once I knew it was all in my head, I could get control over it. The difference between that cruise and my Catalina experience was really like night and day. Once you know how your body is responding and why, you can control it more easily than you might expect.

OK, as a veteran of the Catalina crossing myself, I would point out that sailing on one of the crossing boats is a significantly different experience than sailing on a cruiseship.

It's entirely possible to have seasickness symtoms on those smaller boats, and have no problem at all on the larger cruiseships. Case in point, my DH, who is very prone to any type of motion sickness. He can, and does, get quite ill on the Catalina crossing. He does not have any problems sailing on cruiseships. I will say that our first cruise (15 night Panama Canal) he did get the patch from his doctor to use, and was fine during the whole cruise. Our second cruise, he started out using the patch again, but was having such a bad reaction to it that he took it off. He hasn't used it on any subsequent cruises.

 

[Tolson70]

I went on a Swim With the Sharks tour last week in Hawaii while there for work. They recommended taking Dramamine the night before and the morning of the trip. Worked like a charm, didn't have any issues at all. The ride out was choppy too, so I am glad I took their advice.

Like others, prevention seems to be the best recommendation over trying to treat it after the fact.

 

[Desi]

I get motion sick turning a corner. NO really.
I've tried everything and the only thing that works for me and oddly enough no side effects, is Scopolamine Patches (Transderm Scop)
I put one on 24 hours before we sail & never a problem.
(and it is all in your head, but so is a headache, that's why I take something for it too) Why be miserable?

 

[dizneekrazee]

Thanks for posting this, I hadn't even thought of it. I have never gotten motion sickness on a cruise (although, the longeswt cruise I have been on was 4 nights), but I do get motion sickness fairly easy in cars/trains, etc. Video games give it to me too. Even the new 3D Star Tours as DLR!! All I need is fresh air, a sugary drink, and to take it easy for a bit.

I got motion sickness last month taking the train & bus up to Machu Picchu in Peru, which really limited my abilities while at the site.

Just in case, I will get seabands, as DS9 tends to get motion sickness and has never cruised.

 

[Billinaz]

Here is a new form of meclizine. I bought several of these for our next cruise:

 

[GetGlowing]

I don't get seasick on the boat, I get landsick with vertigo when I get back. Anyone have a remedy for that? It happened last year after our 4-night on the Dream, and just happened again on our 7-night Magic. I returned on Nov 17th and I'm still dizzy (noticed it on day 3 on our first port day). I actually ended up with an ear infection that started on the ship. I've been to the doctor for the infection and have drugs, but I'm still getting the bed spins at night. woooah somebody stop the bed, I need to get off. Going on the Dream again in two weeks and I can't wait so my head will stop spinning. Really! Anyone have experience with that?? Any ideas to combat it?

 

[com_op_2000]

DD(adult) sleep on deck one night. No problem with CMs bothering her about being out there while they were cleaning. The fresh air allowed her to get a few hours of sleep and she was complete fine there after.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I don't get seasick on the boat, I get landsick with vertigo when I get back. Anyone have a remedy for that? It happened last year after our 4-night on the Dream, and just happened again on our 7-night Magic. I returned on Nov 17th and I'm still dizzy (noticed it on day 3 on our first port day). I actually ended up with an ear infection that started on the ship. I've been to the doctor for the infection and have drugs, but I'm still getting the bed spins at night. woooah somebody stop the bed, I need to get off. Going on the Dream again in two weeks and I can't wait so my head will stop spinning. Really! Anyone have experience with that?? Any ideas to combat it?

Motion sickness meds also work for those of us who have "reverse sea sickness"

Mal de embarkment is actually more common than most people think. Many people have the rocking underfoot after cruising. Most for a brief time, others for much longer. Generally, the ground rocks for me (particuarly in small spaces, like the shower) about 4-5 days after cruising. However, after my second cruise, it took close to a month before I felt the ground was solid under my feet.

 

[GetGlowing]

Thanks, I'll give the meclizine a try. But I think the real solution is to cruise more.

 

[motroc]

Never got seasick before until this last cruise when we were chasing Hurricane Sandy.

The Sea-Eaze they gave us at Guest Services did nothing, but we will tell you that booze definitely does the trick. Almost every CM we spoke with said it as well. And we're not talking beer or wine, it has to be a strong cocktail. It was tough getting the first one down on the last, and roughest, night of the cruise, but after a couple of martinis we were fine. Glad we had the Passport cocktail package from Skyline.

For those who can't or don't drink, Bonine tabs are better than Dramamine. Don't know about magnets or the patch because this was the first time for us.

We experienced land-sickness and vertigo after this last trip. Bonine tabs helped with the nausea. Antivert (or equivalent) tablets helped with the vertigo and balance issues (ask your doc for an Rx).

 

[tinkspixies]

We just buy ginger root and break off a piece and sniff it before we leave. And then again after the first port. This will be our 7th cruise next September nad we haven't had any problems. My sister-in-law also uses Bonine.

 

[Wadekind]

Thanks, I'll give the meclizine a try. But I think the real solution is to cruise more.

YES! Suggestion of the year!

 

[goeva]

Thanks, I'll give the meclizine a try. But I think the real solution is to cruise more.

I second that. Cruise more and grow sea legs.

 

[Started With a Mouse]

Got off our first cruise on Sunday, the 14 day Panama Canal one. Go big or go home! Put the patch behind the ear the morning prior to boarding, and repeated every three days. Had a little dry mouth, and minor blurred vision. Never felt sick! Drank like a fish, had inside cabins - the patch conquered all!

 

[wiigirl]

I second that. Cruise more and grow sea legs.

Really, the only true solution.