How to handle motion sickness?

[3littlecuties]

My husband and I went on our first cruise on our honeymoon 13 years ago. It was 7 nights and we didn't have any problems with motion sickness. We didn't go on another cruise until Jan 2016 when we took the kids for a 4 night Disney cruise. We went with 2 other families. The first night almost all of us felt sick. DH, me, and 2 of our kids felt terrible. We took Dramamine but it didn't seem to help much and just made us tired so we missed the evening festivities after dinner. The other families with us were also feeling sick even though all of the adults in those 2 families had the motion sickness patches behind their ears (I don't know what those are called).

Night 2 and 3 were fine. Then on night 4, DH felt ill again. I was aware of the motion of the ship but didn't feel as sick as he did. That all said, we had a great time on the cruise but DH said he wasn't interested in going again because of the sickness.

Well...we did put down a $300 placeholder deposit on a future cruise while we were on the ship. We're debating on whether to just get a refund. DH said he would consider another cruise if it weren't for the sickness. We had friends suggest Bonine and said it works a lot better than Dramamine. What are everyone's thoughts? If we were to go again, it would probably be Sept 2017. Isn't that hurricane season? Would the water likely be rough again?

 

[dclpluto]

My husband and I went on our first cruise on our honeymoon 13 years ago. It was 7 nights and we didn't have any problems with motion sickness. We didn't go on another cruise until Jan 2016 when we took the kids for a 4 night Disney cruise. We went with 2 other families. The first night almost all of us felt sick. DH, me, and 2 of our kids felt terrible. We took Dramamine but it didn't seem to help much and just made us tired so we missed the evening festivities after dinner. The other families with us were also feeling sick even though all of the adults in those 2 families had the motion sickness patches behind their ears (I don't know what those are called).

Night 2 and 3 were fine. Then on night 4, DH felt ill again. I was aware of the motion of the ship but didn't feel as sick as he did. That all said, we had a great time on the cruise but DH said he wasn't interested in going again because of the sickness.

Well...we did put down a $300 placeholder deposit on a future cruise while we were on the ship. We're debating on whether to just get a refund. DH said he would consider another cruise if it weren't for the sickness. We had friends suggest Bonine and said it works a lot better than Dramamine. What are everyone's thoughts? If we were to go again, it would probably be Sept 2017. Isn't that hurricane season? Would the water likely be rough again?

Bonine not Dramamine. Enjoy your cruise take Bonine

 

[rwhistler92]

The last night on our 7 night cruise was bad. A lot of people on the ship were sick from the rocking.
The only thing that gave me instant relief was ginger gum. I bought it at Walgreens and will be getting more for my next cruise.

Everything before that night was fine. We could feel movement, but never got sick. We did bring ginger ale which also helped.

 

[mandylovesdisney]

Yes Bonine! Sometimes I take it for a day or two after a cruise b/c I still feel like I'm on the ship lol

 

[loves to dive]

Yes Bonine! Sometimes I take it for a day or two after a cruise b/c I still feel like I'm on the ship lol

I'm a scuba diver so we spend a lot of time on all sorts of different types and sizes of boats and Bonine is my friend. I start taking it the night before we leave for the trip so it will get in my system, then take it every morning of the trip. It doesn't make me sleepy or mess with my head and works.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Sept is the height of hurricane season. I am personally extremely sensitive and the the only thing I can use is the patch. Even with that, on our Feb 2015 cruise the winds were very high and the boat was rolling horribly (Disney Wonder) and I still got sick with the patch.
The over the counter stuff doesn't help me at all. Ginger pills are some people's dream.
The key to any remedy though is to start taking it BEFORE you get on the ship. Not after you get sick. It's kind of too late then. So no matter what you choose, start the night before or super early in the AM before you sail.

 

[RedSox68]

Bonine every morning -- no drowsiness. Even use it for excursions for motion sickness. Also remember that green apples and ginger tea (or ginger tablets) help with seasickness once it sets in.

 

[texasgingerbread]

It's hard to "get ahead" of motion sickness once it begins. Sometimes a good night sleep with a dramamine will reset me but never 100%. Start taking it 24 hours before you're on the boat and take it round the clock. I take Bonine during the day and pop a Dramamine at night. Some have reported taking ginger root pills with this combo and it working marvelously. (I believe non drowsy Dramamine is Bonine but I could be wrong.) Also depending on your hubby's weight I would look up dosage on Bonine/Dramamine by weight. He could need a higher dose.

Even once he is feeling better on the boat - do not stop meds - biggest mistake ever. Once I feel good on the boat I start moving on land when we get off for excursions (sea legs). Keep taking the meds - the entire cruise.

You could also try the patch PRIOR to getting on the cruise to make sure you don't have any side effects. The patch worked on me until I had to switch it at 3 days and then it dilated my eyes.

 

[mandylovesdisney]

I'm a scuba diver so we spend a lot of time on all sorts of different types and sizes of boats and Bonine is my friend. I start taking it the night before we leave for the trip so it will get in my system, then take it every morning of the trip. It doesn't make me sleepy or mess with my head and works.

I usually take mine when I get on the ship. I've never been sick but sometimes I feel a little funny so I take it as a preventative.

 

[RedSox68]

We usually start our Bonine the morning of -- before we even arrive at the port. And then as a precaution, every morning after for the cruise. You only need it one a day. The one time we did not take any and hit rough seas, both my DH and I felt sick -- so book the Bonine and laid down for an hour and it kicked in and we were fine the rest of the day.

 

[kittymamma]

I am extremely motion sensitive and on my first cruise I started taking Bonine 2 days prior to sail . Took one every morning on the ship and continued taking one in the morning for 3 days after the trip. I had been told that it takes a few days to regain a stable feeling on return. Have done this on all cruises since then and have been fine and dandy. So it's a YES vote for the Bonine for me. Also , I have not felt drowsy while taking the Bonine.

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

I get motion sick at 3D movies, IDK anyone that gets it as easily or as badly as I do.
Here's my system:
*start taking bonine (brand name, the generic doesn't work as well for some reason) a full two days before we board and continue taking until a couple days after we get off the ship. Bonine doesn't make you sleepy like Dramamine does. Take it twice a day 12 hrs. apart.
*Bring two pair of sea-bands (wet pair and dry pair) If I take them off even long enough to shower I get woozy feeling. Even wear them while you're sleeping. Put them on the morning before you board and keep them on when you're onshore during excursions. I cannot speak highly enough of the crazy sea-bands.
*Ginger candy (made w/ real ginger) and ginger gum on hand at all times, just incase the woozies start to set in.
*Don't take hot showers, crazy but true, stick to cool showers.
*Don't look out the windows while you're eating.
*If you start getting woozy stare at something, in the ship, that is stationary.
Motion sickness is waaaay easier to prevent than to cure once it sets in.
This system works for me, typically I will still feel a little woozy once or twice while I'm on the ship (then I use ginger candy and ginger gum) but I've never gotten full-on sick on a Disney ship. (their ship stabilizers are really good)

 

[agsaandjsmom]

Sea Bands

 

[lorimay]

I start my Bonine the night before the cruise and then take one tablet every evening after dinner and I have no issues.
I get the best sleep of my life too.

 

[mischief32]

We noticed it the first and last night of the cruise(4 night) when the ship was moving faster to get to the port. We were fine the 2nd and 3rd day. We did take Dramamine but it did make me sleepy so I bought bonine this time. We tried the ginger candy and even though we liked the taste it really did not help us. Bonine for the next cruise in May. I must admit I was really sick the first night and thought we would never cruise again but since I felt better the next day until the 4th night on way home we are okay to go again.

 

[dragynally]

For me it was ginger pills, bonine, and soda with dinner. The bubbles helped for some reason.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

We have our 10th DCL cruise coming up. I am prone to motion sickness (car, roller coaster, motion simulators, etc.), but I don't take Bonine any more. Here's my story:

On our first 4 cruises (3nt-3nt-4nt-4nt), I started Bonine the night before and took it every day. I still felt a little queasy, but imagined what it would have been w/o the Bonine. It also became tradition to drink ginger ale at the embarkation lunch as a preventative. And I always wore my Sea Bands.

Cruise 5 was a 15nt EB PC in 2005. We left out of LA on our way to Cabo. Seas were rough due to Hurricane Hillary. We were told we would miss Cabo and go to Manzanillo instead. I realized how good I felt despite the rockin' & rollin'. Then it dawned on me: I forgot to take Bonine! Not that day, not the night before! It was the Bonine that made me queasy on the 4 prior cruises! I didn't take any that entire cruise.

So, now I just wear the Sea Bands and drink the ginger ale at embarkation and as needed. I've since been on a 7nt Western Car., B2B 10nt Med/14nt TA and a 7nt Alaska. All Bonine-free and way less queasy.

I hope this helps someone!

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

I should mention the patch made my husband and me sick, sicker than motion sickness sick. It's a very common complaint.

 

[Msmit002]

Unfortunately, there is no right answer to everyone. I can tell you that a lot of money and effort has been committed to studying motion sickness, its causes and remedies and what has already been mentioned here is pretty much all we have after all these years.

I am horribly susceptible to motion sickness and I use the prescription scopolamine transdermal from the day before I step on board until 24 hours after I disembark. Yes, there are side effects for some (as a PP mentioned) but no matter what you choose, you have to be sure you use it BEFORE your equilibrium is compromised and nausea sets in. My next cruise is a PC cruise for 14 days and I'm definitely going to need 6 patches to get me through my vacation.

But I don't let the possibility of motion sickness keep me from taking a cruise...

 

[jrabbit]

Not all Dramamine will make you drowsy / sleepy. There is the Non Drowsy formula and you take 2 pills and you are good for 24 hours.

I used to have an "all encompassing" post for motion sickness meds - that another member of the DIS put together. I will see if I can find it and post it here since the "Motion Sickness" threads come up on a regular basis. (click this paragraph to link to the post)