Info for Sea sickness meds

[Chicogirl]

My daughter is 12 will be a few weeks from her 13th birthday when we cruise for Thanksgiving. She has become more prone to motion sickness. I talked to her doctor today and found out that you can get the patch for kids. In case you are wondering about smaller kids, if it goes by weight my daughter is 65 lbs and it is ok for her. I will start with the over the counter pills first and will bring this just in case. It's always good to have a back up. I just thought I would share this.

 

[networktek]

my wife get motion sickness pretty fast i got here the sea patches you put behind your ear and they worked great just make sure to put one on before you get on the cruise so it starts to take effect faster

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

My daughter is 12 will be a few weeks from her 13th birthday when we cruise for Thanksgiving. She has become more prone to motion sickness. I talked to her doctor today and found out that you can get the patch for kids. In case you are wondering about smaller kids, if it goes by weight my daughter is 65 lbs and it is ok for her. I will start with the over the counter pills first and will bring this just in case. It's always good to have a back up. I just thought I would share this.

Your daughter's pediatrician might be comfortable in prescribing the scopolamine motion sickness patch for a 13-year-old, but readers of this thread should be aware that most doctors would probably suggest a different motion sickness treatment for someone that young.

There is no "patch for kids."

The motion sickness patch is the prescription-only Transderm Scōp (transdermal scopolamine) patch from Novartis. And according to Novartis, it is "not for children under 18 years old."

For more information, see http://www.transdermscop.com/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Your daughter's pediatrician might be comfortable in prescribing the scopolamine motion sickness patch for a 13-year-old, but readers of this thread should be aware that most doctors would probably suggest a different motion sickness treatment for someone that young.

There is no "patch for kids."

The motion sickness patch is the prescription-only Transderm Scōp (transdermal scopolamine) patch from Novartis. And according to Novartis, it is "not for children under 18 years old."

For more information, see http://www.transdermscop.com/

I, too, would be leery about using the patch on a 13 year old at 65 pounds. My DH (5'10", 183 lbs) had a very strong reaction to it. He needs it because he is VERY prone to seasickness.

Usually, he does well on the patch, but our last cruise was so smooth, he had a reaction to it. He was extremly dry-mouthed and light-headed. He needed to remove the patch for a time during our last cruise and start again after he started feeling a more "regular" sort of queasy seasickness than the reaction to the patch.

I'd be more inclined to start with 1/2 pill of one of the OTC meds available and increase as necessary. If that didn't work, I would (maybe) try the patch for a short time, and take it off at the first sign of any adverse reaction.

 

[Deb in IA]

Horace is right.

This is listed as a Precaution:

Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of Transderm Scōp in children has not been established. Children are particularly susceptible to the side effects of belladonna alkaloids. Transderm Scōp should not be used in children because it is not known whether this system will release an amount of scopolamine that could produce serious adverse effects in children.

 

[Chicogirl]

Wow, when I called her doctor this morning, to ask what would be best for motion sickiness I didn't even think he would give us the patch. Why would he give us something that is not ok for children. I guess I'll stick with Dramamine. Scary.

 

[lidec]

My kids get drowsy with dramamine. Is there another med that doesnt cause drowsiness

 

[Deb in IA]

Try Bonine (meclizine).

 

[WDWboy]

http://www.drugstore.com/bonine-motion-sickness-protection-chewable-tablets-raspberry/qxp16137

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

My kids get drowsy with dramamine. Is there another med that doesnt cause drowsiness

Motion sickness medications are antihistamines, and antihistamines cause drowsiness for most people. Some antihistamines are worse than others.

Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg (sold under various brands, including Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula, and store brands) tends to cause less drowsiness than Dramamine Original Formula.

Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg is not for children, but it is approved for ages 12 and up. The label will say something along the lines of, "Do not use for children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor."

I'm not a doctor, but I'm a dad and somebody who needs to be concerned about motion sickness.

 

[Disney Fool]

There is also a "Bonine" for chidren.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

There is also a "Bonine" for chidren.

Bonine for Kids is Cyclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg (not Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg). So it isn't the Bonine medication that people know (and like).

The big advantage it that Bonine for Kids is "especially formulated for children 6 years and over," while regular Bonine is labled as not being for children under 12.

 

[Hwilensky]

Is there anything for wife sickness???

In all seriosness, thanks for the info...


Hwilensky

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Glad to find this thread this evening! I've been sorta worried about the whole motion sickness deal with our first cruise coming up. We would've run in to our family doctor for the patch but we just found out he moved out of state. Bummer. None of us are particularly prone to motion sickness. But I do realize there's quite a difference between a rough day on the lake in the hubby's bass boat and being out on the ocean in a slow-rolling motion.

I hate Dramamine because it makes me into a walking zombie.

So this Bonine that's been noted is a less-drowsy version of what Dramamine is? What if I started out giving everyone half a tablet then added the other half if needed? I wonder if that would do the job without making us all sleepy.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

So this Bonine that's been noted is a less-drowsy version of what Dramamine is?

No.

Bonine and Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula are essentially the same product under two different names from two different pharmaceutical companies. They both use exactly the same active ingredient in exactly the same dosage: Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg. Neither product has an advantage when it comes to drowsiness. There are also store brands (such as CVS) of Meclizine-based products that are the same thing, but cheaper.

As I noted before, Meclizine-based products tend to cause less drowsiness than Dramamine Original Formula, but can still cause drowsiness.

Dramamine Original Formula uses a completely different active ingredient: Dimenhydrinate 50 mg. One advantage of Dramamine Original Formula is that its label indicates it can be given to children as young as 2 years of age.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

No.

Bonine and Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula are essentially the same product under two different names from two different pharmaceutical companies. They both use exactly the same active ingredient in exactly the same dosage: Meclizine Hydrochloride 25 mg. Neither product has an advantage when it comes to drowsiness. There are also store brands (such as CVS) of Meclizine-based products that are the same thing, but cheaper.

As I noted before, Meclizine-based products tend to cause less drowsiness than Dramamine Original Formula, but can still cause drowsiness.

Dramamine Original Formula uses a completely different active ingredient: Dimenhydrinate 50 mg. One advantage of Dramamine Original Formula is that its label indicates it can be given to children as young as 2 years of age.

Thank you.

I'm 99% sure I've had Dramamine Less-Drowsy before and I felt like I was floating around with my eyes half shut. Not my medicine of choice. I'm thinking I'll run to the health food store, buy some ginger, then keep Bonine & patches on hand as a just-in-case backup. I don't want to drug us up with anything that might make us drowsy considering how short our little 3-day cruise is.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thank you.

I'm 99% sure I've had Dramamine Less-Drowsy before and I felt like I was floating around with my eyes half shut. Not my medicine of choice. I'm thinking I'll run to the health food store, buy some ginger, then keep Bonine & patches on hand as a just-in-case backup. I don't want to drug us up with anything that might make us drowsy considering how short our little 3-day cruise is.

If Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula makes you feel as if you are "floating around with [your] eyes half shut," then so will Bonine. Again, it's the same active ingredient and the same dose.

As far a having "patches on hand as a just-in-case backup," be aware that the Transderm Scōp (transdermal scopolamine) patch requires a prescription from a doctor and the patches are not cheap.

To me, being a bit drowsy is better than leaning over the railing (if you know what I mean).

 

[sweetpee_1993]

If Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula makes you feel as if you are "floating around with [your] eyes half shut," then so will Bonine. Again, it's the same active ingredient and the same dose.

As far a having "patches on hand as a just-in-case backup," be aware that the Transderm Scōp (transdermal scopolamine) patch requires a prescription from a doctor and the patches are not cheap.

To me, being a bit drowsy is better than leaning over the railing (if you know what I mean).

Absolutely! I gotcha! Our family doctor already called in the prescription for us so not a problem there. I'll see what I think of the cost when I get to Target. I don't know how the guys may be with the Bonine. I guess I can get some & let them try it this week.

I appreciate you having all the seasickness info! That's really important stuff!

 

[daisydog2]

HI everyone.. I was prone to seasickness and I had a huge fear of boats- not a great combination. But a friend of mine suggested accupuncture. I started a few months before we left and had one session a month until the month prior than I went every other week. SHe also put this little seeds in my ear, I'm sure it was at a pressure point, and put a little band aide thing over them. I was never sick and was very relaxed. The fist day I also took generic bonine, and never had any side effects from that. If time warrents, I say try the acupunture.. It was covered under my insurance too!! All I had to pay was my co-pay.
Have a great time, I'm jealous- I wish I was going again!!!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Wow, HH! You weren't lying when you said the patches weren't cheap! LOL! I had asked my mother-in-law if the they were expensive since she had bought them earlier this year for their RCCL trip and she said they weren't. Maybe her insurance covered them. Now that I think about it, even if she paid what I did I suppose that's all relative for her with all the meds and stuff my father-in-law takes and has had to take over the past few years with the prostate cancer and all. Yikes! DH & I went to Target to pick up the patches yesterday afternoon. 2 boxes of 4 patches cost $50 (not sure if that's a BCBS set price or what). DH figured we'd just get 1 box since he's so certain we'd all be fine and not even need the patches. It's only a 3-day cruise, right? Yeah, that knocked a whopping $.70 off the price. Next September we're booked on a 6-night DCL Pacific so we figured what the heck. If we don't use them they'll still be good next year. ((We checked the expiration dates on the boxes.)) Also, the pharmacist & a couple of the pharmacy assistants spent time talking to us about their experiences with the patch, etc. We also bought the meclizine which the pharmacist said would be okay to break up into halves or quarters.

Can't thank you enough for all the info. I feel much better prepared for all this. DH swears we shouldn't even say the word "seasick" in front of the kids because he's certain 90% of seasickness is all in your head. I disagree. I was shocked the one and only time I was seasick.