Sea -sickness...not?!

[PAGirl]

I've read so many posts and no one seems to mention sea-sickness. Perhaps it is a jinx to mention it - ???!!!

But in your experience, do many children get sea-sick? The thought hadn't even crossed my mind till I was talking to a friend.

Anyone care to share past cruise experience - do people (lots or only a few) get sea-sick? And do kids tend to get sick or not?

 

[Michelle]

The motion on the ship in generally is very minimal, and the vast majority of folks do not get seasick.

If your child is prone to motion sickness in cars then you may want to try preventative measures such as children's Dramamine before sailing. We've never needed it for our daughter, but she is not prone to motion sickness.

For adults, if they are prone to motion sickness I'd recommend Bonine (brand name for meclizine) taken BEFORE you start to sail. It does not make you drowsy and prevents seasickness.

But again, most people don't need to take or do a thing.

 

[KAMLEM]

My husband gets seasick VERY easily. He gets car sick, plane sick, you name it. He once took a 10 hour ferry trip and was sick the entire time. This ferry was certainly not as big as the Magic or Wonder but it was not a small boat. I begged him to go on the cruise and I crossed my fingers that he wouldn't get sick. That was last August and we have our second cruise booked for next March! He wore the patch. The only time he even felt queasy was when his patch fell off one day and he didn't put another one on right away. It was also the one night that we hit some rough seas. As soon as he put a new one on he was fine. The one thing to be careful of is that you bring enough patches. Our pharmacist said that they should be waterproof but they weren't. He had to put on a new one about every other day so they were ok for a little while but not if they got soaked. I don't know too much about kids getting seasick. My daughter gets carsick but the cruise did not bother her at all. Good luck!

 

[xanadubeach]

I get sea sick so I was prepared with Dramamine (Less Drowsy Formula) but didn't know if my son would get sea sick too. Since he takes other medications I called his pediatrician and was told that Benedryl will easy sea sickness as well as Dramamine (without causing a problem with his other meds).

We were on the Wonder for 4 days and I only took Dramamine in the evening an hour BEFORE we left each port (since I don't like taking any meds if I can avoid it). While in port you are tethered to the dock so the ship is virtually motionless.

Just call your pediatrician first to find out what is best for your son if he is taking any other medication.

Have a great trip.

 

[jan lyn]

I was quite concerned about sea sickness.. for both myself and my daughter (5). She, of course, did not notice any motion at all. I had a little problem, but Bonine pretty much took care of it. We had rough seas the last two nights of our cruise, but the meds helped. I had some "rockiness" for a few days after leaving the ship.. but well worth it!

 

[Tigger2]

We have used the wristbands and found they work for us. My husband started to get seasick one night in Palo's, went back to room to put on wristband, and was fine the rest of the night!!

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by jan lyn
I was quite concerned about sea sickness.. for both myself and my daughter (5). She, of course, did not notice any motion at all.

I hope that nobody takes that comment to mean that children don't get motion sickness. It all depends on the child.

Regarding medications, it's kind of confusing. Dramamine Original Formula and Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula are entirely different medications from the same company. But Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula and Bonine are the same medication (Meclizine Hydrochloride) from two different companies. (The active ingredient in Dramamine Original Formula is Dimenhydrinate.)

Dramamine Original Formula can be given to children. Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula and Bonine are for only for those 12 years or older (unless approved by a doctor for someone younger).

And, although I've seen a fair number of posts on this board about "Dramamine Non Drowsy Formula, there's no such thing. It's called "Less Drowsy," not "Non Drowsy." Motion sickness remedies are antihistamines, which cause drowsiness in some people to one degree or another.

For more information about sea sickness, see http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=193798

 

[Gillian]

If you plan to use the patch, bring along some Bonine (or Dramamine less drowsy ) too. Some people have a bad reaction to the patch, especially after a couple of days of use. I know I can't use it, because I get awful headaches.

 

[hydster]

If you have decided to take a medication to help with seasickness (or anything besides ginger tablets and wristbands) I would highly suggest that you try it out AT HOME LONG before you leave on your cruise so you will know WHAT the medication does to you. I have a TERRIBLE allergic reaction to The Patch and had I tried this out a home I would have realized it and salvaged most of my 7 day cruise instead of laying in my cabin sick as a dog for 3 days out of 7. It then tells you if it makes you too drowsy so you should take it at night, if it gives you hives, if it makes you hyper, if it gives you insomnia, if you get dry mouth and so forth. If you chance it and have a reaction spending time in the infirmary sucks!!!! The patch is used by alot without problems but I would make sure you do reasarch on it and talk to your doctor and maybe test it out. You cant touch anywhere near your eyes if you touched near the patch or you will dialate your pupils. You have to be crazy about not touching near it even if it itches and make sure you wash your hands VERY thoroughly! The wristbands some people swear by but if you are like me and have a deep pressure point they wont work very well or at all. If you want a medication Meclizine which is the active ingredient in Dramamine II or Bonine is much cheaper to buy as Meclizine than in the other forms. We bought it at the Walmart pharmacy..we had to ask the pharmacist for it but we got 100 tablets at 50 mg (which we cut in 1/2 or 1/4's) for 8.99 which is a GREAT price rather than overpriced bonine where you get 8 tablets for 5 dollars (at least here).
Anyway please make sure you try your medication out (IF you havent used them before) to keep the surprises down!

Just my 2 cents.....
Heidi

 

[rae519]

After years of dramamine, I was thankful for Bonine since it didn't make me as drowsy, but I am absolutely thrilled with the wristbands. They are tight but work very well since I am prone to all motion sensitivity (car, plane and ship).

I do carry Bonine - just in case though!

Rae

 

[PAGirl]

Thanks everyone! I'm a big planner and just with I could predict the future - sure would make figuring out if we needed meds or not a lot easier!

None of my kids seems to get motion sickness, nor my DH. I always think I'm gonna get sick, but I NEVER have!

I work for the Navy and got to spend a night on an aircraft carrier while out in the Atlantic. I certainly could feel the motion, but never got sick. I also scuba dive and have been on some VERY rocky boats, but NEVER got sick....any votes for whether that may be a safe indication of not getting sick?!

If we do need meds, are they only helpful if you take them before you get sick or will they make the sickness subside?

 

[jporter]

Can you buy these medications on the ship? I have no clue if my
children will get seasick. Should I take some on board just in case?

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by jporter

Can you buy these medications on the ship?

Bonine is available for the taking outside the infirmery.

 

[Michelle]

PAGirl, if you've been on a Navy ship and dive ships and you don't get sick you absolutely will be FINE on the Disney ships.

Seasickness meds do work preventatively, which means you need to take them before sailing for them to work. But based on your experience I can't believe you would need them.

Jporter, I believe they do sell children's dramamine in Treasure Ketch but if you think you will need it I'd bring it. Again, if your children are not prone to motion sickness I don't think you'll need it.

 

[hydster]

We scuba dive and have been on a ton of rocky rocky dives and I havent been sick but I have gotten sick on a big ship (Norwegian and Carnival) and it was awful. I dont think that diving has anything to do with it though since some of what bugs people is walking with the ocean going the opposite way (at least that is what gets me) where you dont get that on a scuba boat. I dont know that I would go under the assumption that since you dont get sick on a scuba boat you wont get sick on a cruise line....just take some stuff to be prepared just in case! Take it with you and then if you start feeling ill you can take it easily. It does take much longer to work if you are already not feeling well so remember that but as one diver to another it is better to be prepared. I havent ever gotten sick on a dive EVER and we have dove in HIGH waves with alot of rock and still havent had a problem but then I have gotten sick. You just never know and it is better to be safe than sorry!

Just my opinion!
Heidi

 

[2much2do]

My 13 yo dd got seasick on our last cruise. She had never had any motion sickness before, and we went to the med center for advice. THey actually have a little container of the Bonine on the door! The meds made her drowsy the first day but then she got used to it. No one else in our family felt a thing, and as I said, her nausea was a big surprise! She is looking forward to our next cruise, though, and won't miss out on a minute of the fun! You know what they say about an ounce of prevention!

 

[rae519]

I've used both dramamine and bonine - but I like the sea bands best!!

Rae