Ginger Pills for motion sickness?

[Joey128]

Hi everyone. I have read on these boards a few times where people recommend taking ginger pills to help prevent motion sickness. Can anyone tell me if Ginger Root is the same thing as Ginger pills. I mean, it comes in a bottle in pill form, so I assume it's the correct thing, but I want to be sure.

Also, does anyone know if Zyrtec makes you drowsy because I've read it also is good at helping combat motion sickness. Everything seems to make DH, DD and myself drowsy, and that can make for a miserable day. Thanks.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Yes ginger root and ginger pills are the same, its just the root dried and ground into a powder then put in gelcaps.

My mom takes Zyrtec for allergies, but can only take half at a time because it makes her drowsy. The generic form of Dramamine is called Meclazine (sp?) and it's also an antihistimine which have the side effect of making people sleepy.

 

[MattDisney]

Ginger works really well for us. We take it in the am and again at lunch.

 

[Faldred]

For the less homeopathic sort... I've found that Bonine works really well. It lasts longer than Dramamine (about 12 hours), just remember to take it 1/2 hour before any rides. I've never noticed any drowsiness.

 

[Robo]

Ginger works really well for us.

That Ginger...
She's a PILL!

(And, she's a real swell dancer!)

 

[bozley0621]

I take Zyrtec daily and don't experience drowsiness.;

 

[Chelley00]

I took Bonine for our cruise this summer, and took it last week for our trip (not for rides, but for the flights) It's chewable, once a day and non-drowsy. I'm a huge fan. You just have to start taking it a day or so before so it has time to build up in your system,

Ginger pills gave me heartburn

 

[ajpa]

I like ginger for a lot of things. I usually take it as tea or add to food. It's our family remedy for a whole lot of illness. (Chicken soup with ginger for colds/flu is a favorite.)

However, please be aware that ginger is an anti-coagulant. If you have a bleeding disorder, or are taking other anticoagulants (blood thinners, including aspirin), do not take ginger without a doctor's approval. If you have gallbladder problems, you should probably also avoid ginger as it stimulates bile production.

If you are using the ginger pills, use the lowest effective dose. (I.e, try if one pill works before deciding to take two, etc.) I agree that for a theme park the pills are very convenient.

(Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to provide relief for rheumatism & arthritis. There is also some evidence that it can protect the liver from alcohol injury -- this is in rats though).

In summary, if you are generally healthy, adding a some ginger (the root or spice) to your diet will probably increase your overall health. But use your common sense when taking it in pill form as that is a much larger does than you could possibly eat if it were in natural form.

 

[DizzyStitch]

I have used the Ginger Gum on some rides. It seems to work well but I really don't like to chew gum. I had not heard that you need to build the bonine up in your system.

 

[Joey128]

Wow! Glad I posted that question.

My husband and I both take aspirin and he actually was just put on a beta blocker this week (we thought we were going to have to cancel the trip. It was pure panic for a few days there). I never would have dreamed that Ginger could be dangerous in some situations.

I'm a little frustrated though because I thought I finally found a solution. Even the non-drowsy bonine or dranamine knocks my daughter out. (she's 21) I had her try to adjust to 1/2 pill and it still was making her way too drowsy. My DH new medication is making him drowsy, so I dare not add another drowsiness induced pill for him. He has to take the aspirin, so I'm sure he can't take the Ginger. I thought for sure I had finally found my answer in Ginger.

I guess we'll try the Zyrtec, but since everything else makes us drowsy, I'm sure this will too. Generally they all do the same type of thing to your system. I guess we will just have to skip over some of the attractions we really wanted to try. Bummer. Thanks for all of your answers.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Have you ever tried the prescription scopalomine (sp?) patch? I use it to fly and if we go on a boat (like a whale watch). It lasts for 3 days. There was a thread about it a while ago. Maybe something to ask the Dr about?

HTH!
Goofygirl

 

[ajpa]

My husband and I both take aspirin and he actually was just put on a beta blocker this week (we thought we were going to have to cancel the trip. It was pure panic for a few days there). I never would have dreamed that Ginger could be dangerous in some situations.

I'm a little frustrated though because I thought I finally found a solution. Even the non-drowsy bonine or dranamine knocks my daughter out. (she's 21) I had her try to adjust to 1/2 pill and it still was making her way too drowsy. My DH new medication is making him drowsy, so I dare not add another drowsiness induced pill for him. He has to take the aspirin, so I'm sure he can't take the Ginger. I thought for sure I had finally found my answer in Ginger.

Maybe you can ask your doctor if you can take ginger instead of aspirin on those days? Or he may say that if it just for occasional use he is not worried about it at all. Or he might say it's fine to try candied ginger but don't take the pill form, and that might be enough to help with the nausea.
It's really effective for nausea so it's worth asking the dr about, imo.

 

[Judy in Texas]

Have you ever tried the prescription scopalomine (sp?) patch? I use it to fly and if we go on a boat (like a whale watch). It lasts for 3 days. There was a thread about it a while ago. Maybe something to ask the Dr about?

HTH!
Goofygirl

Transderm Scop patches. They work very well but do require a prescription.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks Judy. That's what they're called. I know I used to cut the patch in half so I wouldn't have the side effects but I think maybe they changed the dosage. It's worth a try to be able to go on the rides. I just call my Dr when we're going on a trip and she calls in the rx.

 

[J Le]

Because of an allergy I can't take most medications unless specifically compounded so I look for homeopathic remedies. You may want to try peppermint (after checking with your doctor!) since that's often recommended alongside ginger. I've used the acupressure wristbands with some success. I find a few crackers every 90 minutes or so to work wonders too. Good luck!

 

[Disney4nonah]

That Ginger...
She's a PILL!

(And, she's a real swell dancer!)

ROFL....hilarious...

 

[Glencora]

I've got a question for all you bright DIS'ers. On the recommendation of some others on this board, I just bought MotionEaze, which is another homeopathic remedy, to try out. Here's the question - how do you test a motion sickness remedy? The best I can come up with is have someone drive me around for half an hour or so, but that isn't really that great a test compared to a roller coaster. I know I've got to be missing something - any ideas? TIA!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

In a former life I was a yacht captain for 12 years (60 foot private sailing yacht). We sailed everywhere.

I would hire people to help me deliver her from location to location (ocean passages) so sometimes I was very famliar with motion sickness from crewmembers.

My trick ---- I always carried ginger ale and especially ginger snap cookies. When we would first leave port heading out crew would often become ill until they could manage the seas. I would casually bring out a box of ginger snaps and often that was enough to solve the problem.

Also......no empty stomachs!


......and don't worry about it - keep distracted and have a wonderful trip!

 

[rosiep]

I usually take a Bonine pill every morning of my Disney trips plus I carry a small bag of candied ginger to settle my stomach after a particularly jarring ride. I still avoid the Teacups and RnR but have no trouble on TMR or TOT....

Candied Ginger is sold at Trader Joe's....

 

[Joey128]

Lots of good points. I agree that if you focus on it and don't let yourself get distracted, that is a sure fire guarantee you'll feel sick! Even if you aren't. LOL.

I asked my doc for the transderm scop patches, and he advised against it. His own personal experience with it was bad, and while he said he's prescribe if I insisted, he felt it was expensive and would make us very drowsy. I tried to tell him that people on these boards highly recommend them, but he still kind of didn't believe that anyone can take them without being really sleepy. I just guess it was so bad for him that he just figured since everything else makes us drowsy, that this would for sure make us sleepy. In the end, being my decision, I was afraid to spend the money (for the 3 of us with my insurance not being the greatest, it was going to be over 120 dollars. If not more.) It was just too much money to risk losing if, in fact, it also made us very drowsy. Might as well stick to bonine if we have to have the drowsiness anyway.

I do think it was a great idea from whoever said that maybe the doc will let us use Ginger in place of the aspirin for a few days. I am going to call him now. Plus, I do like the idea of munching on ginger cookies.

I also was wondering about the motion ease stuff from health food stores. I know another poster just inquired about that too. Has anyone had any experience with that stuff?