i am the queen of queezy - patch or bonine?

[loriandmatt]

I have had so many mixed reviews so I thought I would come here for some more. (but hopefully any replies will sway towards one or the other)

I get motion sickness pretty easily (back seat of a car, anything that spins, a boat that isn't in motion - like on a fishing trip, etc.)

I have had some folks tell me that a prescription patch is a must while others have said to stick with just over the counter bonine and that the patch makes you sick after you take it off, after the cruise. they mention a feeling of vertigo.

so anyone out there do one or the other or even tried both (on different trips I would hope!) and have any feedback for me? side effects? were the pills sufficient? did the patch make you disoriented before, during or after your cruise?

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I tried the patch, the wrist bands & drinking ginger ale. Nothing worked at all for me. But we also had an inside cabin & that didn't help either. We haven't planned another cruise because I don't want to spend 2 days in bed like the last cruise. Hopefully someone else will have some better ideas. Good luck!

 

[sambycat]

if you tend towards motion sickness, i would get all the things and bring them. i would try out a bovine at home, mostly to see how (if at all) drowsy it might make you or otherwise. i would do the sea bands. i would take the scope patch along. i'm not sure how expensive the patches are, the side effects typically are dry mouth/thirst and blurred vision. the patch is not going to "give" you vertigo when you take to off. you can definitely do fine onboard and then when you get off the ship, you feel the ship motion - i've had that for a couple weeks after cruises before - though it isn't the same as sea sickness, but a weird feeling just the same.

some people do really well on cruise ships because they are larger than cars or your typical boat. i like to bring along all the things, just in case it is rough or something. i would wear the patch before going on the cruise, then typical, after the first night if i am feeling well, i may remove it.

 

[OKW Lover]

My wife is prone to motion sickness and finds that Bonine works well for her. I've heard way too many stories about the patch causing blurred vision and dizziness on folks.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Each approach has its benefits and risks. If you choose the patch, pay close attention to the application instructions. The patch is dosed for a 165 lb. person, so if you are like my wife (110 lb soaking wet) unless you cut the patch in half, you risk an overdose - dizziness, blurred vision, etc.). You also need to put the patch on 3-4 hours before you get on board. I'd try one a few days before you board to make sure there are no other adverse side effects. Bonine works most of the time, but it will make you drowsy (the good news is that ships have it available for free). Ginger pills also work fairly well. The only one DW tried that did absolutely nothing was the sea bands.

There are also some homeopathic remedies that we've found in high-end grocery stores. Regardless of what you choose to use, a few packs of saltine crackers and a small bag of cheerios (or one of those little boxes they have at the buffets) and a can of warm Ginger Ale helps in a pinch.

 

[RebelHawk]

My wife gets pretty bad motion sickness and has tried everything from the pressure point wrist bands up to prescription scopolamine. She has started using the scopolamine patch 2 days before our cruises to adjust to the side effects (which for her are minor). Then she does the normal steps of staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, spending time on our balcony or up on deck looking out to the horizon. This all helps but still is not 100% for her. On our upcoming trip she is going to bring some real ginger onboard with us (we still need to check if that is legal) and try eating that. If it isn't legal to board with this then she is going to get some ginger candy to suck on during the days at sea.

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

 

[Kae]

I did sea bands, ginger ale & ginger pills. I only had trouble when the boat was docked at a port. and go to the middle of the ship on deck and sip gingerale

 

[eskimoinparadise]

My wife gets pretty bad motion sickness and has tried everything from the pressure point wrist bands up to prescription scopolamine. She has started using the scopolamine patch 2 days before our cruises to adjust to the side effects (which for her are minor). Then she does the normal steps of staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, spending time on our balcony or up on deck looking out to the horizon. This all helps but still is not 100% for her. On our upcoming trip she is going to bring some real ginger onboard with us (we still need to check if that is legal) and try eating that. If it isn't legal to board with this then she is going to get some ginger candy to suck on during the days at sea.

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

If you can't take raw ginger root, DW uses ginger pills from Nature's Way - they're pure dried & powdered ginger in a gel capsule, and they seem to work for her.

The problem with ginger candy is that it is mostly sugar with a bit of ginger oil in it for flavor.

 

[Ajojo]

I get motion sick quite easily, but I love cruising and have been on over 10. The first time I cruised, I had the patch and did not think it worked. It did give my incredible dry mouth. So I took it off and take 1/2 tablet of Dramamine in the a.m. And this always works for me ever since. I definitely would not fly without it.

I also keep peppermints with me. If I feel a bit sick, I just pop one in my mouth.

I had heard that sometime people get seasick after a cruise and that has happened a few times, so I have to keep up with 1/2 a tablet for several days when I return home.

 

[madaboutMickey]

I got so sick on our first cruise within the an hour of setting sail, I couldn't even hold my head up. Over the years, I've tried bonine and the non-drowsy Dramamine (which still made me drowsy) with only minor relief. Ginger tablets/capsules work best for me. And no side effects! I take one before sail away and usually 1 within the last 10 hours of cruising if we sailed out of Port Canaveral, Ft Lauderdale, of Miami. Something about the current in the area that sets it off. And if we start having any rough seas at all, I'll take one immediately.
I use to come home from a cruise and sway for more than a week. Have very little of that using the ginger.
I know everyone is different and you just have to find the combination of what works for you.

 

[loriandmatt]

thank you all for your replies. I will probably come loaded for bear and have bonine on hand as well as patches from my doc and ginger tablets. are those ginger tablets easy to find? would I find them at a general pharmacy store (walgreens, cvs) or would I need to hit a GNC or some other nutritional supplement store?

 

[rndmr2]

I have used both the patch and Bonine with good results. I have had the "still felt like I was moving" thing once when I took the Bonine. Haven't had it with the Patch. 11 cruises. maybe 3 with Bonine and the rest with the Patch.

 

[aVASTGrl]

Be careful with the patch; we used the patches for a 7-day cruise once: it made me so drowsy and my brain so sluggish that I developed a stutter, and my sister's eyesight was blurry for about a week after the trip. We were aware of the potential side effects, but we never thought we'd actually experience them! I stick to the less-drowsy dramamine now. As long as I start taking it before I get on the boat, and keep up with it, I'm fine. My sister still gets seasick though, so she no longer cruises

 

[vacation_junkie]

I have had so many mixed reviews so I thought I would come here for some more. (but hopefully any replies will sway towards one or the other)

I get motion sickness pretty easily (back seat of a car, anything that spins, a boat that isn't in motion - like on a fishing trip, etc.)

I have had some folks tell me that a prescription patch is a must while others have said to stick with just over the counter bonine and that the patch makes you sick after you take it off, after the cruise. they mention a feeling of vertigo.

so anyone out there do one or the other or even tried both (on different trips I would hope!) and have any feedback for me? side effects? were the pills sufficient? did the patch make you disoriented before, during or after your cruise?

Meclizine ... Same ingredient in non-drowsy Dramamine.
B

I have had so many mixed reviews so I thought I would come here for some more. (but hopefully any replies will sway towards one or the other)

I get motion sickness pretty easily (back seat of a car, anything that spins, a boat that isn't in motion - like on a fishing trip, etc.)

I have had some folks tell me that a prescription patch is a must while others have said to stick with just over the counter bonine and that the patch makes you sick after you take it off, after the cruise. they mention a feeling of vertigo.

so anyone out there do one or the other or even tried both (on different trips I would hope!) and have any feedback for me? side effects? were the pills sufficient? did the patch make you disoriented before, during or after your cruise?

Meclizine -same ingredient in non drowsy Dramamine. Cheaper and able to purchase in a larger quantity in the Meclizine name. You can buy it under this name from behind most pharmacy counters. Key is to be pro active.. Take 24 hours before you board. And every day ..including the day your disembark.

I personally would never recommend the Scopolamine patch because of the side effects. (Both DH & I are physicians & would never use it) again ...just my personal opinion some love it.

Sea sickness is caused by a disturbance of the inner ear.
If you have a bad bout take an allergy pill...the antihistamine will help.. But it can NOT be a "non-sedating/non-drowsy " pill..gotta have the higher dosage of antihistamine in it..that will trick your brain into balancing things out in your ears.

Ginger helps soothe the stomach but it doesn't have any effect on the root of the problem.

Again the above is just my two cents

 

[littleblackegg]

Motion sickness is much more common the older we get. Our senses are less quick to adapt and thus we get the sensory mishmash that leads to motion sickness. I think meclizine and scopolamine patches work great. You just have to see which works best for you! Experimentation is a good idea. Hydration, hydration, hydration. Motion sickness occurs when the sensory data from the eyes doesn't match the data from the otoliths in the inner ear (which detect our position in space). It's important to give our senses a fighting chance! Stay on deck or a stable place with a view of the ocean and look at the horizon for a while. Your feet will feel the deck moving along with the horizon. This does not work perfectly for everyone, but it should help.

 

[Momof4DisneyLuvrs]

I have friends that commented the patch cased them some uncomfortable side effects so I decided to do Bonine for our last cruise. I started taking it 2 days ahead of time. It is non-drowsy and I liked that I didn't need to take a ton since it lasts so long. I didn't want to worry about remembering my medicine every couple of hours. The first night of the cruise I felt a little queasy (just a teeny bit) so I needed to take an additional 1/2 tablet. From then on, I was fine. I plan on taking it again for our next cruise in November.

 

[Unas]

Many of the side effects of "the patch" are problematic. The adverse reactions can be down right ugly.

Ignore anyone, even if they have letters after their name, who suggests cutting "the patch" in half. That goes totally against the manufacturer's recommendation and will result in either getting too much of the ingredient in too short a time or getting none at all.

 

[MommyP]

I've used the pressure wristbands with no luck. I tried a "natural" essential oil behind the ears at night and it seemed to work last year in Alaska. I highly recommend if you don't get the patch to bring Bonine and take it BEFORE you feel sick. Also if you drink (alcohol) it could have some effects but I'm not sure about the patch? Something to think about if you plan to drink at dinner or on board

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I have motion sickness as well. I also have problems with depth perception. More like a "looking down" problem. Doesn't matter if it's 5 feet or 5 stories, looking down makes it to much worse.

I used the patch on my last cruise and I'm sold. I had no side effects what so ever, and it significantly reduced my sickness. I did start to feel sickness come on as I was nearing the end of the patch, applied a new one and felt better with no other medication within two hours.

I do use Bonine for car rides, etc, and it works okay enough to continue to use it, but I mistakenly counted on it getting me thru my previous cruise and it just was not enough.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Do you live close to water where you could try something and go out for a like a whale excursion? That would only be a few hours. You could see if the dramamine could help you.