Are Seabands (acupressure) Only For Nausea?

[Cackyschmackers]

I don't get "seasick " in the conventional way; I never get nauseous. I get a hot/cold, dizzy, generally blecky feeling. I don't do well with most medications, dramamine and benadryl make me hyper instead of sleepy, so my symptoms seem to get exacerbated. Wondering if anyone has symptoms like this and have tried Seabands? I think they're mostly for nausea (?), a symptom I don't seem to get. Wondering if they're worth a try and when do you put them on, do you wear two, etc. Not sure if I'll even like the look or feel of wearing them. Thank you in advance!

 

[Bree]

My DD doesn't really get nauseous either. She has more dizziness than anything else. She wears seabands instead of taking medication. They are a soft stretchy terry cloth material with a small plastic disc that you wear over a pressure point on your wrist. They don't cost very much and they sell them at Target and Walgreens. Buy a pair and try them on at home to see how they feel!

 

[bbel]

Im a CM and get similar symptoms to you, I use the free sea-med stuff available at the medical centre (and guest services and kids clubs of you're ever desperate) and take half of one and it really helps!
Ive never tried the bands tho so cant comment on them.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@bbel Is that Bonine, do you know that's free on the ship, do you know? How often do you take them? Or you just take as needed? I bought Bonine but I've always been afraid to take it.

 

[bbel]

@bbel Is that Bonine, do you know that's free on the ship, do you know? How often do you take them? Or you just take as needed? I bought Bonine but I've always been afraid to take it.

I honestly don't know what it is. (Bad I know, Ive been using it for 3 years...)I usually grab a handful at a time so I might still have some somewhere I can check...
As I never get the nausea which makes it a little more bearable (I think) I take it as I need it, it takes a few minutes to kick in.

 

[adamki]

@bbel Is that Bonine, do you know that's free on the ship, do you know? How often do you take them? Or you just take as needed? I bought Bonine but I've always been afraid to take it.

In my experience, the freebies on the ship have always been generic Meclizine, which is the ingredient in Bonine. For Bonine/Meclizine to be truly effective for me, I need to start taking it the day *before* the cruise starts. I was thankful for the free samples at the medical center when I left my Meclizine behind at the hotel.

 

[Saimaeve]

I can't take Dramamine because I have a major adverse reaction. I have tried Meclizine (Bonine) and it helped immensely. Although, like @adamki , I've had to start it the day before for it to be really effective.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@adamki Can you remember any side effects from that drug? Did it make you tired at all?

 

[adamki]

@adamki Can you remember any side effects from that drug? Did it make you tired at all?

Obviously YMMV ...

If I take Bonine/Meclizine in the morning, I do feel a bit tired. Easy solution for me is to take it at bedtime, I only need to take it 1x/day. Any minor side effect is 10000x better than the way I feel without it.

You could try taking a dose of whatever you may decide to take well before your cruise to see how you feel. Chat with your doctor??

 

[limabeanies]

I take Bonine every evening of the cruise. My doctor recommended taking it at bedtime. I wear the seabands while I sleep because I find the motion of the boat at night makes me feel the worst.

 

[Starwind]

I find they help some with some of the other motion sickness symptoms besides just the nausea. However, YMMV.

You wear them as a pair, one at the specific point on each wrist.

Pretty much you have to toss aside any sense of "fashion" or "the look" of wearing them. Quite frankly for me, they work well (but not 100%) and I really do not care how they "look" as a result: it is a necessary medical device that lets me be functional. Th are available in many different colours. I like the lavendar colour they market to pregnant women.

As for the sea sickness meds available for free on board: when I got them a few years ago on the Fantasy they were a generic brand meclizine that had aspartame as an ingredient; IIRC they were chewable (probably hence the aspartame, since it needs sweetness to make it palatable).

In addition to Sea Bands I use Dramamine Less Drowsy, which is meclizine. it is a tablet, is not chewable, and does not have aspartame. I find I am less drowsy if I take it at night before bed: the drosiness seems to kick in about an hour after taking it, lasts a couple hours, then mostly (but not totally) lifts. The hard part is getting through that first chunk but if you are sleeping you don't notice it

SW

 

[mkh531]

I got very dizzy on board but never nauseous (I never get nauseous unless there's a baby cooking in my body). SeaBands helped tremendously. As another poster said, it's very important to wear BOTH bands and make sure they are turned so that pressure is applied to the proper point on upper wrist.

 

[wcw57]

I know sea bands, meds are PROactive measures, but will the bands be of any assist when the earliest onset of symptoms occur?

 

[Jess_S]

I get the dizzy-type of sea sickness as well. I've tried the bands and they don't really do anything for me. The only thing that works for me is consistently taking bonine at night before bed starting the day before the cruise. (I take it at night because then I can sleep off the drowsiness that occurs for me shortly after taking it).

That said, the bands don't cost very much. I think it can't hurt to try them and see if they work for you.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Also get the vertigo thr seabands did not work for me at all. Try them as ityers have said they helped them. I can't take any of the meds. I found the only relief was ginger tea I found by the drinks machine!

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@Paula Sedley-Burke Is that hot tea, do you mean? Ginger itself (and awful ginger candy) did seem to work for me when I had ridiculously awful morning sickness w/my twins. But, again, I was nauseous with them, not w/cruising. Also, anyone know what the green apple/salt thing is? Is that just to calm your tummy? Never heard of that one before.

 

[kidshop]

Obviously YMMV ...

If I take Bonine/Meclizine in the morning, I do feel a bit tired. Easy solution for me is to take it at bedtime, I only need to take it 1x/day. Any minor side effect is 10000x better than the way I feel without it.

You could try taking a dose of whatever you may decide to take well before your cruise to see how you feel. Chat with your doctor??

I bought a large bottle of generic meclizine from amazon in the 12.5 mg strength. I took 2 at bedtime starting 2 days before the trip. I also kept taking 1 tablet for a night or two after. I get land sickness too, LOL! I have no side effects from it. My 14 year old son took 2 as well to start, but found one was enough. 12 and older can take maximum 50 mg a day of meclizine. Younger kids aren't "approved" to take it since it was never studied in them, but I gave 12.5 mg to my 10 year old dd with zero side effects. I think it is more of a cya thing than it is dangerous for anyone under 12. Everyone can make their own choice on that. I also brought 500 mg ginger tablets incase anyone needed it. I forget the dosage but it is maybe 4/day for adults and 2 for kids. We used it once to treat symptoms and it seemed to work. It is definitely safe with no side effects and proven to work as well as meds.

I tried the patch once and I did not like it! Meclizine is a lifesaver!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

@Paula Sedley-Burke Is that hot tea, do you mean? Ginger itself (and awful ginger candy) did seem to work for me when I had ridiculously awful morning sickness w/my twins. But, again, I was nauseous with them, not w/cruising. Also, anyone know what the green apple/salt thing is? Is that just to calm your tummy? Never heard of that one before.

It was hot tea it was a twinings tea bag that was lemon and ginger flavoured. My wife got it for my out of the Conceirge lounge after the host recommended it. Then we noticed they had it with the other tea bag selections by the drinks machine on the deck by Cabanas. I did not have nausea just dizziness and a feeling like I wasn't on the planet all the time. The only ever time I felt like that was skiing once in Breckenridge because of the altitude.

 

[oufpat]

I also have a problem with motion/sea sickness and agree with 2 meclizine 2 nights before the cruise and 1 every night till day 2 after cruise and it works well. Ginger gum also works well, I actually use it when riding the more intense rides at the park

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@oufpat Ginger gum! Good to know! I need to find that. No more rides for me, sadly. I've ruined two vacations before I could admit to myself i can't do rides any longer!!!