Autism (ASD/Aspergers) - Motion Sickness Medicine

[Kevin Golden]

My apologies if this has been answered before, but I'm unable to find a post on this specific topic.
I have Aspergers (autism / ASD).

I'm looking for answers specifically from adults on the spectrum (autism) or parents of children with Aspergers / ASD who deal with motion sickness from a cruise ship and SAFE MEDICINES.

Every online thing I can find goes for the default answer for motion sickness... Dramamine, Bonine, Scopolamine patch, etc.

But I find hints of possible issues with these medications for people with epilepsy, aspergers,ASD.

If you're on the spectrum or have children who are AND have dealt with seasickness, what have you used or what have you been told is safe for us to use?

The last thing I want to do is go from being nauseated to having a seizure or anxiety attack or other weird side effects.

Some meds that "most people" can take have caused issues for me. So I'm very careful about taking what "most people" say is ok. Especially when it comes to meds that deal w/ the nervous system such as those above.

Thank you all for your assistance in helping me set myself at ease about how to prepare for the possibility of motion sickness.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I would 100% ask your doctor and go with his advice, I wouldn’t go with what worked for someone else online!

That said, my 13yo is diagnosed Asberger’s/HFA and has a heart condition. She goes to a cardiac camp every summer and the first year the cardiologist gave her the non-drowsy Dramamine in case she got sick on the boat ride over. She never needed it, but it was given to her as safe.

 

[lanejudy]

Some people find ginger helps — gingerale, ginger candies, etc.

My husband wears the Seabands to prevent seasickness on cruises.

I agree with PP to speak with your doctor, who knows your health needs.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[LadyD]

I’m an adult on the spectrum. I went on a cruise this past fall and I was super worried about motion sickness since it is a big problem in my family that gets worse with age.

While I felt slightly nauseated about the first day and a half, it wasn’t too bad. One of the things that I found really helped me was having a room mid-ship with a balcony. Being able to get outside and sit in the fresh air and see the horizon was helpful in reducing my nausea a bit. Walking around made it worse for me too, so I didn’t do a ton of that.

I stay away from motion sickness meds because they all knock me unconscious. With nausea, one of the challenges I run into is I don’t like being nauseous so it makes me anxious which makes the nausea worse and it just becomes a cycle. I tried really hard to use some relaxing and soothing techniques that are helpful for me to reign in my anxiety so it didn’t contribute to my nausea.

I hope you can find some solutions that help you and you are able to have a wonderful cruise!

 

[Mrsjvb]

non medical solutions are green apples( scarcer than hens teeth on bumpy cruises) and ginger. you can take the ginger capsules starting a day or two before boarding twice a day and then maybe once a day while on board. both are non drowsy, which is nice. who wants to sleep away the cruise in a fog. right?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My DD is on the spectrum. Her doctor indicated Bonine or Dramamine would be fine. Prior to a whale watching cruise on a trip to Cape Cod, I gave her the "non-drowsy" Dramamine and she ended up sleeping through most of the whale watching. Luckily, she usually doesn't get seasick on cruises so I haven't had to worry about it much. On our last cruise, we did have one night with a bit more motion than we are used to and DD woke me up around 2am complaining of seasickness. I gave her Bonine and she was fine by morning. The med didn't seem to impact her negatively the next day.

For a natural remedy, eating a Granny Smith apple can help.

 

[Kevin Golden]

Thank you all for the responses. Me and apples don't always get along. So i'm not sure if I'll attempt that one. The ginger thing is intriguing.
A friend of mine, who's son is on the spectrum, suggested CBD oil. Turns out that is natural remedy that works really well for most people.
In fact, the research shows that the system (ECS) in the body that makes you feel sick (due to the whole inner ear and eyes thing) can be brought back into balance by CBD oil.
Contrary to popular belief, you can't get "high" from it.
Here's the governmental study's summary on it (real technical) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20505775
Here's a less technical write up on it. Fascinating! And natural too. (don't let the URL scare you off - its not what you think LOL) - https://www.marijuanabreak.com/cbd-for-motion-sickness-exploring-the-facts/

 

[cobright]

I'm not asd, but I have an anxiety disorder (you mentioned anxiety attack), and a congentital cognitive disorder called prosopagnosia. So maybe my experience covers some of the bases for you.

• Cruise ships are big and steady and most people with seasickness will be fine e after a day or two even without any remedies. But sometimes 2 days means half your cruise so... Keep reading.
• If possible, get to Port a day or two early and rent a boat in the local marina through Airbnb. Get your system used to the motion for $60 a night instead of cruise prices.
• I personally have no problems with Dramamine and the like. But try them for a few days now to see how you react.
• Benzos like Klonopin or Xanax get me through the first day on the boat. I dont get drowsy on them but some people do.
• If your cruise takes you to almost any other country's waters, it may be a crime to possess cbd oil. For that matter, if you have to re-enter the us through customs they often have dogs that will sniff that on you or in your luggage.
• I can personally vouch for ginger. Get the candied ginger from trader joes.

 

[Kevin Golden]

After doing some more digging, it appears that CBD oil can interfere with my blood pressure medication. So i guess that's out.

I HAVE used Benadryl in the past for allergies. Although I can get drowsy from it, I can make myself stay awake on it no problem.
I just read that it can be used as a sea sickness medication.

Have any of you used Benedryl instead of dramamine for the motion sickness and how effective was it for you?

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I'm not on the spectrum but have tried Benadryl for non-cruise motion sickness. Unfortunately, Benadryl makes me dizzy so it just accentuated the motion sickness feeling. If you're not prone to dizziness with it, it might not be an issue. What works best for me is phenergan/ promethazine but I don't know what the risks are for someone on the spectrum or who has had seizures.

 

[DisneyOma]

Some meds that "most people" can take have caused issues for me. So I'm very careful about taking what "most people" say is ok. Especially when it comes to meds that deal w/ the nervous system such as those above.

Thank you all for your assistance in helping me set myself at ease about how to prepare for the possibility of motion sickness.

You really can't depend on others' experience if you have trouble with meds most people don't have trouble with. Even if the person has the same disability you do, it doesn't mean the same meds will work.

Thank you all for the responses. Me and apples don't always get along. So i'm not sure if I'll attempt that one. The ginger thing is intriguing.
A friend of mine, who's son is on the spectrum, suggested CBD oil. Turns out that is natural remedy that works really well for most people.
In fact, the research shows that the system (ECS) in the body that makes you feel sick (due to the whole inner ear and eyes thing) can be brought back into balance by CBD oil.
Contrary to popular belief, you can't get "high" from it.
Here's the governmental study's summary on it (real technical) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20505775
Here's a less technical write up on it. Fascinating! And natural too. (don't let the URL scare you off - its not what you think LOL) - https://www.marijuanabreak.com/cbd-for-motion-sickness-exploring-the-facts/

It's already been posted here that CBD can cause legal issues. I'd also like to point out that CBD will stay in your system (in your hair, etc) so don't take it if you need to get a drug test any time soon!

ETA: just saw you can't take it , moot point.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I'm on the spectrum and have used Scoplamine patches for a few different types of queasiness (including anesthesia-induced), and they've worked well for me. I'm not sure what you think would counter-indicate any of these medications based on being on the spectrum unless you're on some other kind of medication or treatment.