yak attack

[wallyb]

Let me start with -
This will be our first cruise so I'm not sure if we'll get sea sick but...
I read on another site how people would or should
take meds for sea sickness before they actually feel
the sickness coming on.

This seem odd since you wouldn't know if you needed
it till the feeling hit you.

Is this true?
Do you do this?
What meds do you find work best for you.

 

[bucsfan1029]

I did take some meds while we were in the terminal this past Sunday. I could tell by the winds and rough seas, that it would be a rocky night. I took Bonine, and I'm glad I took it in advance because the ship was moving alot but I never felt sick. I don't think it's a bad idea to take the meds in advance and give it time to kick in.

Better to be safe than sorry!!!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

You know the adage, "Better safe than sorry."

Anti-nausea medicine works better before you actually feel sick. Once you feel sea sick, the medicine takes longer to make you feel better. So if there's any chance that you are susceptible of motion sickness, it certainly won't hurt to take it for a couple of days. If you feel fine, then stop taking it. Most people have said they get their sea legs after a couple of days anyway.

I would recommend meclazine (Bonine) as it does not make you drowsy.

 

[cats mom]

We don't take anything routinely, but I do always have some meclizine along just in case.

Last cruise the ship REALLY started rocking late one night after the kids were all in bed. I sat them all up and drugged them. (we're talking 3am-ish here)

Not one of them really remembered it the next morning, although one DD said she had a really wierd dream about me waking her up and giving her pizza in the middle of the night.


None of us had a problem at all and folks were dropping like flies the next day. It is definitely best to stay ahead of it.

I have seen plenty of folks board the ship with patches behind their ears and no doubt some start out on seasick meds. We only take it if the ship is rocking and rolling BIG TIME.

It is tough to know what will or will not work for you the first go round though.

 

[Evil Queen 2]

We have those bio-band things that just slip on your wrist. I haven't ever needed them (yet ) on any of our cruises but DH has used them a time or 2 and said they worked great. Our son did all the research before our first cruise and got these for us. We liked not having to take anything that might interfere with our drinks.


If I recall we got them from the Magellan's Travel catalog.

 

[BoardwalkBabe]

I know I get motion sickness, so I start taking meclizine two days prior to departure and then twice a day from there on in (once in the morning and again before dinner to keep it constant in my system). The only time it wasn't enough was one day we sailed through some bands of a hurricane but once through, I was fine again.

As others have said, once you are sick it does take longer for it to kick in and remember that you should eat when you are seasick - you'll feel better if there is something in your stomach.

 

[hawkaye19]

I'm a former Naval officer who spent many a voyage going by rail (the rail of the ship)

I concur with the previous poster that said to start taking the medicine before your trip. The thing about being at sea is that, unlike a thrill ride, you cannot just get off at the end....you're in it for the long haul.

Bonine worked great for me without any side affects. The patches left me very dry mouthed, and woozy.

Good luck

 

[ibouncetoo]

Wally, another vote for Bonine here. I take one in the AM the day before the trip and another the morning of. I also take one the last day of the trip.

As the ship leaves Florida, it crosses the gulf stream and you can feel that your first night right around dinner/show time and overnight on the return back to Port Canaveral. I don't normally have any motion sickness (love speed boats and roller coasters), but that first night at dinner I was glad I'd taken the 'just in case' dose.

I wouldn't hurt to pick up some Bonine (or whatever product you decide) and take some NOW to see how it affects you. As a previous poster mentioned, some folks have issues with dramamine. I didn't notice anything with the Bonine.

 

[Telemere]

Was doing a little research on Bonine and found this.

Do not give to children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor.

Are you guys dosing your kids? If so how much are you giving to say a 8 year old.

 

[bonnielynn]

They have bonine for children.. I give my 10 yr old a dose and me a dose everynight before bed. That way if I do feel a little drozy, I am sleeping!!

The last cruise we were on my 10 yr old was fighting me on it because he said he didn't need it.. so I waited just a couple hours past when he normally got it.. and he tells the story to everyone how he didn't take it on time and he felt sick..

Its really a good thing to do cause once your sick. your sick... I take it the night before the cruise...

 

[Telemere]

They have bonine for children.. I give my 10 yr old a dose and me a dose everynight before bed. That way if I do feel a little drozy, I am sleeping!!

The last cruise we were on my 10 yr old was fighting me on it because he said he didn't need it.. so I waited just a couple hours past when he normally got it.. and he tells the story to everyone how he didn't take it on time and he felt sick..

Its really a good thing to do cause once your sick. your sick... I take it the night before the cruise...

Ah okay I found the kids stuff. Humm the reviews say it tastes vile. Oh well the little one will just have to deal with it.

I guess I am the lucky one. I have never had motion sickness once in my life. But I did pick up a box of the adult strength stuff for my wife just in case.

 

[wallyb]

Bonine and having a toddy...or 2...or 3?

And this is prescription Stuff?.

 

[wallyb]

Bonine and having a toddy...or 2...or 3?

And this is prescription Stuff?.

Anyone Know?

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

Bonine is not Rx. The generic name is Meclizine and is cheaper. I think I paid $3.29 for 30 tablets (and 2 years ago paid $2.99 for 100.)

What do you do for kids who can't swallow pills? I thought about crushing and putting in a drink but there is somethiing about a pill dissolving in your stomach that makes it work. I don't know a doc told me that.

 

[NancyIL]

I take Meclizine twice a day whether I think I'll need it or not. I also take it after the cruise ends if I feel like I'm still on a moving ship.

 

[MagicMe]

On our first cruise, my mom was concerned about getting seasick. she's on the small side so she actually took 1/4 pill of the dramamine II before we got on the ship. She felt a little movement over dinner the first night so she took another 1/4 pill, but after that, she never took anything. Never took anything our second trip either. But I bring something along just in case.

 

[Saratoga Souris]

Here is Canada, you can buy "ginger" gravol. It is just ginger, it works very well.
The last cruise I was on (Princess), the ship's doctor recommended ginger for seasickness.
Do your research but it works well for us

 

[neonurse]

Dramamine is the same as gravol in canada and it makes you sleepy and only lasts 4 hr where as the bonine is 24h and non drowsy. It also comes in a chewable tablet. I get motion sick on swings at the playground and rides so I will be starting my bonine a couple days before my trip. I don' t know if I will medicate the kids or not since nothing seems to bother them. But maybe I should be on the safe side and at least do it for the first day and then see. Our last cruise and our first, my DH and I took the patch that you put behind your ear. I would not recommend this to anyone. It seemed to help but it only lasts 3 days and when it was wearing off if was so bad. For 3 days after the drip we both were dizzy. My friend said that it happened to her too!! I should have talked to her before we went.

 

[Saratoga Souris]

Yes... Gravol is just like Dramamine(sp?) but GINGER Gravol is JUST ginger. It uses the Brand name of Gravol but it doesn't contain any "medicine".... just ginger

 

[Mom24Princesses]

Wally, another vote for Bonine here. I take one in the AM the day before the trip and another the morning of. I also take one the last day of the trip.

As the ship leaves Florida, it crosses the gulf stream and you can feel that your first night right around dinner/show time and overnight on the return back to Port Canaveral. I don't normally have any motion sickness (love speed boats and roller coasters), but that first night at dinner I was glad I'd taken the 'just in case' dose.

I wouldn't hurt to pick up some Bonine (or whatever product you decide) and take some NOW to see how it affects you. As a previous poster mentioned, some folks have issues with dramamine. I didn't notice anything with the Bonine.

Dido - I was not going to let seasickness mess up our first cruise. We all took a Target brand Bonine the morning before heading to the port and another before heading to dinner. We felt the movement during dinner crossing the gulf-stream as mentioned above. We had "Rough Seas" reported by the bridge report until late on Monday and we took one twice a day until Tuesday then we only took them at night. We found that it caused no sleepiness. Our youngest DD took 1/2 a reg dramamine 2 or 3 times a day. My kids all swallow pills - hate to chew anything up. But name-brand Bonine can be chewed.

Was doing a little research on Bonine and found this.

Do not give to children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor.

Are you guys dosing your kids? If so how much are you giving to say a 8 year old.

Our 8-year old took the Target Bonine. She has always had car-sickness issues and takes something for any road trip over an hour. Again, no one had any side effects other than an awesome cruise!

Bonine is not Rx. The generic name is Meclizine and is cheaper. I think I paid $3.29 for 30 tablets (and 2 years ago paid $2.99 for 100.)

What do you do for kids who can't swallow pills? I thought about crushing and putting in a drink but there is somethiing about a pill dissolving in your stomach that makes it work. I don't know a doc told me that.

I paid 2 of my kids $5 to swallow a pill. It saved me a lot more than $10 to not buy the expensive kiddy meds. The other 2 did it on their own. The youngest was only 5.