Bonine for UK cruisers

[SAINTHOUSE]

I've read so much about this 'wonder' drug and as a motion sickness sufferer who's getting a little nervous about our first cruise, I'd love some more specific information. In the UK it's difficult to buy aspirin over the counter without answering 100s of questions!!

1. Can I get it from any drugstore? We'll be at the Hardrock Hotel just before we cruise - anyone know of a place near there?

2. Can you drink alcohol when taking Bonine? I don't want to miss out on the Konk Coolers I've heard so much about unless I absolutely have to!!

3. Is it suitable for children to take? (My DS is 7.5) If not, are there any suitable alternatives available?

Thanks for all the 'Wonder'-ful tips and information.

 

[sumfun]

bonine is available at most drugstores over the counter .i did use this for the last cruise with no problem i am not a big drinker but i did have one drink and did not have any problem. while on the cruise you can get motion sickness meds from service desk or medical center it goes by the name sea-calm but syas that it is meclizine. it worked very well for me also and the plus here is that there is no charge for it . i do remember giving my kids dramamine but i seem to remember pediatrician saying bonine would be fine but double check this info

 

[Bev J]

We have used bonnine for our family many times, my son-15 gets very motion sick on airplanes but had no problem on the ship we did give him bonnine as a precaution also our 6 year old took it also with the ok from our doctor. I also have a sometimes drink on a cruise and have had no problem with the mix. Some drug stores you may have to ask for bonnine, but is is cheap and really works. Look for a walgreens or eckerts drug store to find this.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Is there a difference betwee bonnine and dramamine or are they the same thing?

 

[cgannon]

I get bad sea sickness and here's my advice....get the patch! Our first night was wicked - 10ft waves. I had taken both (at diff. times of course) drammine and bonnine and it did not work. They both worked a-okay for our kids - they were perfect. I talked to lots of people wearing the patch as I was pacing the corridors trying to stay calm and they were not feeling a thing.

 

[Dodie]

I believe that Bonine (a brand name) has the same active ingredient as the NON-DROWSY Dramamine (another brand name). It is not the same as traditional Dramamine.

 

[hydster]

Dramamine, Non-Drowsy Dramamine, Bonine and Meclizine are ALL antihistimines! If you cant find Bonine anywhere but can find antihistimines you would be taking the same exact thing. Meclizine is the active ingredient in all of these types of anti-nausea pills so all of them are pretty much the same. Meclizine is usually the cheapest of all forms of these anti-nausea pills but you have to ask for it at the pharmacy behind the counter (which is odd if you ask me). We bought ours at a local store here, got 250 pills of it for 6 dollars compared to 12 pills for 4.99 of Bonine or Dramamine. Since these are all antihistimines they may or may not make you drowsy depending on how your own body reacts to antihistimines. If you dont want the drowsy at all and you want to try something without any side effects you can always buy the sea bands that go on your wrist. These work for some people but not for all (me included they dont work for) but they put pressure on a pressure point in your wrist that helps with motion. As for the patch...alot of people swear by Transderm Scop which is full of scopolamine which can have ALOT of side effects though for some people it works great!! Scopolamine has many effects in the body including decreasing the secretion of fluids, slowing the stomach and intestines, and dilation of the pupils. Also with the patch you have to change it every few days and make sure you wash your hands VERY well after getting fingers NEAR the area where the patch is. If you touch the patch and then inadvertently touch your eyes you will dialate your pupils and believe me that is WORSE than seasickness! I would be very cautious of the patch if you have never worn it before. If you can get them earlier I would try one on for a few days and see what it does to you. For me and my husband (a new internist who told me some of this) this patch was murder on both of us. We had pupils so big that our eyes were black all around. It was terrible. It made us dizzy, sick to our stomachs and worst of all it lasted for much longer than the motion sickness would have! My suggestion would be to check out ANY motion sickness medication before you rely on it for a cruise if at all possible. The ships will give you Meclizine for free and usually in abundance if you would rather but the trick to not being sick is to take them BEFORE you get sick! If you wait until you feel it it wont do you much good!
Anyway just thought I would pass on what my hubby told me and some of the research I did on the patch and the pills at www.rxlist.com was really helpful. If you want to look at it go to the url and type in your names of what you want to search for in the search box. It will tell you all kinds of stuff about the medicines you are wanting to know about!
Hope this helps clear up some misunderstandings about the pills.
Heidi

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by SAINTHOUSE
1. Can I get it from any drugstore? We'll be at the Hardrock Hotel just before we cruise - anyone know of a place near there?

In the United States, you can get Bonine at any drugstore, as well as at discount stores (such as Walmart) or most larger grocery stores. For more information about Bonine, see http://www.acidrelief.com/conaffairs/acid_relief6.shtml

The same active ingredient (Meclizine) is also sold as Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula (it's not "non-drowsy," just "less drowsy" compared to original Dramamine).

Originally posted by SAINTHOUSE
2. Can you drink alcohol when taking Bonine? I don't want to miss out on the Konk Coolers I've heard so much about unless I absolutely have to!!

According to the Bonine web site, "May cause drowsiness; alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase the drowsiness effect. Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking this product."

I'm afraid this is true of any motion sickness medication. But if the only reason is that the alcohol may increase drowsiness -- and not that there's any dangerous interaction -- then a glass of wine with dinner or a drink by the pool wouldn't be a problem from my perspective. (I'm not planning to drive a car while on the ship.)

Originally posted by SAINTHOUSE
3. Is it suitable for children to take? (My DS is 7.5) If not, are there any suitable alternatives available?

According to the Bonine web site, "Do not give to children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor. May cause drowsiness; alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase the drowsiness effect. Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking this product."

I checked with two doctors about giving Bonine to my 10- and 12-year-old daughters. Both said to go ahead. But please don't take my word for it; please check with your own doctor. It's very likely that DS 7.5 is too young.

Regular Dramamine (ingredient: Dimenhydrinate) can be given to children. It makes my daughters drowsy, which is why I asked the doctors about Bonine.