Seasickness....

[Megsmachine]

For those of you who get seasick, what do you use? I know I can go the behind the ear prescription patch route but really am interested in finding out other options. Thanks!

 

[Geomom]

My 23 yr old uses Bonine (Meclizine) It's non drowsy, works well for her. We start it the night before the cruise.

 

[anricat]

I use Bonine as well. I've tried the patch and it's pretty serious medication. I had some odd side effects. I'm mostly fine with Bonine.

 

[ttintagel]

Another vote for Bonine. It does the job for me with no side effects.

 

[greensombrero]

I’ve had good luck with sea bands. I brought a bunch of options for my first cruise and wanted to start with the simplest option first. I started feeling it the first night in the theater and put on the sea bands and was fine. Been on multiple cruises now and never needed anything else.

Everyone is different so I recommend bringing a few options for your first cruise as you figure out what works for you.

 

[Flcruising]

I’ve had good luck with sea bands. I brought a bunch of options for my first cruise and wanted to start with the simplest option first. I started feeling it the first night in the theater and put on the sea bands and was fine. Been on multiple cruises now and never needed anything else.

Everyone is different so I recommend bringing a few options for your first cruise as you figure out what works for you.

None of us have been sick on a cruise but for other times we use peppermint, like candy canes. It really works wonders. I've also heard of ginger working.

 

[suzannews]

I wear the sea bands and take Bonine.

 

[Jsoenning]

Bonine for me and starting a day early helps. There have still been a few times where the seas are so rough it’s not enough. But those are rare and when they’ve occurred Disney employees have been impacted. I skipped dinner one night a few years back and my wife took the kids, and they said a good number of waiters were missing.

 

[msmama]

Another vote for Bonine.

Also green apples and ginger ale can help. But the biggest thing that helps me is to keep hydrated - almost over hydrated (I swear I've used every public restroom on the ships). It's especially important if drinking alcohol (for me). Learned this the hard way.

 

[trente33trois]

Bonine here as well.

 

[nw6675]

Bonine and/or Sea Bands

 

[Flcruising]

Another vote for Bonine.

Also green apples and ginger ale can help. But the biggest thing that helps me is to keep hydrated - almost over hydrated (I swear I've used every public restroom on the ships). It's especially important if drinking alcohol (for me). Learned this the hard way.

The problem is that most ginger ale is no longer made with real ginger or very little. It's tge ginger that helps fight nausea.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Another vote for Bonine!

 

[goofy4prez]

The problem is that most ginger ale is no longer made with real ginger or very little. It's tge ginger that helps fight nausea.

Spot on, Truth!

I gave up on the "ginger ale' thing a long time ago. Nothing but artificial flavors, sugar or sweeteners, and if lucky very, very little ginger root. I know stick to Bonine and a sea band and have no problems at all.

 

[motherof5]

For those of you who get seasick, what do you use? I know I can go the behind the ear prescription patch route but really am interested in finding out other options. Thanks!

Also try the pressure points like the bracelets

 

[TikiRob]

I take Bonine for rides and just bought a big ole bottle of the generic stuff for our upcoming cruise!

 

[Ronneeaght]

I use the prescription patch. I spent the last night of my first cruise on Dramamine and still feeling just awful. I switched to the patch for the second cruise and was absolutely fine the whole time. Now I use the patch to fly as well. I do get side effects from the patch (dry mouth) but can overcome that with lots of water. Even Bonine knocks me out cold, so I prefer the patch side effects. I also wear Blisslets for the first night and first few hours we leave port. They are a brand of nausea bands that someone here on the DIS recommended.

 

[lilmc]

We bring ginger candies/chews, ask for peppermint tea at dinner, and green apple slices if needed.

 

[Ohmymonty]

My boyfriend and I are both pretty sensitive to motion sickness. I've been on 9 cruises now and my method has pretty much settled on:

1. Start taking bonine the day before getting on the ship and take one every day until at least 1 day after the cruise. I prefer to take my bonine right before bed, that way if there's any "less effective" period as the medication wears off, I'll just sleep through it.
2. Keep quick acting nauzene on hand. They are big chewable tablets. They take about 15 minutes to take effect. If seas start getting rough, I'll go ahead and take it before I notice any symptoms. You can take a fair amount of them, so I'll keep popping them until I start to feel better.
3. Sea Bands (or hit the pressure point). I don't like wearing the actual bands, but I have learned what pressure point they're focusing on and if things get worse, I'll hold the pressure point myself.
4. If all of the above fail, I'll usually just get the "heavy duty" meds from Guest Services (not really heavy duty, but a double dose, I think) and take a nap. I find when I wake back up, my body has somewhat adjusted to the motion while I slept.

I asked my boyfriend what he had recommended and he said:

• He did the scopolamine patch and found it irritated his skin, would fall off or move around, and he wasn't sure it worked. He also had some side effects from it. Also, the tan line it leaves is zero fun.
• Agreed with Bonine
• Also said dramamine works as well, if you take it before sleeping.
• Recommends drinking. A drink or two in, and he didn't notice so much.

Among my most unhelpful advice is "don't fight it." I'm not sure how exactly to explain it, but if you try to fight the rocking motion of the boat, then I think your body becomes extra aware that you're at sea and something's not right. His first cruise, I told this to my boyfriend because I could see him stumbling, bumping into things, trying extra hard to stay walking in a straight line, etc. I wasn't sure what else to advise him to do but you have to get your "sea legs." By the end of that cruise he told me he finally understood what I was saying. Imagine "soft knees" and being very "zen."

 

[Megsmachine]

I use Bonine as well. I've tried the patch and it's pretty serious medication. I had some odd side effects. I'm mostly fine with Bonine.

Same. One of the annoying one was blurriness and I love to read while on vacation. It was very frustrating.