What is the best way to prevent getting sick?<BR><BR>Dramamine, Bonine, Ginger, wrist bracelets?<BR>

My husband and I both wore the patch from the doctor and had no trouble. He put his on right away, but I didn't think I would need it. Boy, was I wrong. By the time I needed it I was not feeling at all well, but felt perfectly fine after it kicked in about 4 hours later. Also, a women at our table who suffered on on off from seasickness swore by bitters and gingerale. It was recommended to her by one of the staff. She said she never would have been able to leave her cabin without it.

Bev,<BR>Like pregnancy---the best way to prevent<BR>getting sea sick---would be abstinence.<BR>DO NOT CRUISE!!<BR>

The patches can have side effects like blurred vision. I buy ginger tablets at the health food store and (remember when you had flat gingerale as a child when you were sick)..and take it the moment I get on the ship and at all meals at sea. I also take a pill I've gotten in Bermuda that is used by the yachtsmen... but there are non-drowsy tablets available in pharmacies.. Seasickness has not stopped me in 17 years of cruising..

Request a mid-ship cabin. First cruise was inside, middle of the ship cabin-NO problems. Last cruise was outside, very front. Horrible experience, got meds from ship doc and wrist band, did very little good. When you're that miserable all you want to do is stay in the cabin; if this happens to you-DON'T, go up on deck, that did help considerably. Hope this helps!

I have a bad problem with motion sickness. I get sick on a raft in my own pool. But I went on the cruise and was fine the whole time. First of all our room was near the bottom (second up)and middle of the ship so there was less rocking. Also I took Bonine once a day and was fine. You have to take it a day before you cruise so its in your system already. Good Luck!

Bev<BR><BR>The Transderm Scop Patches are very popular and you will see a lot of people wearing the little patch behind their ear. It's not a bad idea to get an Rx for these + you may want to bring some Bonine ( sold over the counter in most pharmacies ) in case the patch bothers you. Most people experience dry mouth with the patch (60%) , 1/6 experience drowsiness. If you put the patch on and don't wash you hands and were to touch your eyes, you could then get a dilated pupil from the medicine. This may last for 3 days.....not a good thing if you want to lay out in the sun. The dilated pupil would result in blurred vision, which by itself wouldn't be too bad but if you go out in the sunlight and your pupil can't contract, then it would be painful. You have to wash your hands thoroughly after putting the patch on and after taking it off. Bonine contains the motion sickness drug meclizine which doctors prescribe all the time in the form of Antivert. Meclizine, like all drugs, has side effects, in this case, drowsiness and dry mouth. My experience is that most people tolerate these medications quite well. You should talk with you MD about these and other remedies suggested here for the solution that is best for you.

I have taken three cruises and I do get seasickness each and every time. The only thing that ever worked for me were the wrist bands. They are light weight and made of terry cloth with an acupunture knob. Use your three fingers from your wrist down and put the bands on, with the knob on the third line where your fingers end. Make sure the knob is in the middle. They are five dollars if you are a CAA/AAA member. They are so cheap I buy a few sets and they come in a variety of colours. My nephews use them also for car sickness. Try them in the car first if you get car sick to see if you like them. For me, they're the only way to go. Good luck!

Bev,<BR><BR>I get seasick on a float in a pool. I just returned from a cruise and was not sick even one day. The very, very best preventive measure is to go to your doctor and get a prescription for the PATCH. I changed mine while we were in port (hence not moving) and slightly ahead of schedule. As a result, I was healthy, I drank and though my eyes were a bit dry from time to time, that's not nearly as annoying as throwing up for days on end.

Wristbands do work for some if you wear it continuously. For most they do not work. Dramamine and Bonine do work if again you take the meds all during your cruise. Worst thing is that you may sleep through the entire cruise. The patch has been proven the best since the only after-effect is dry-mouth BUT you should check with your doctor first. You may get an allergic reaction. Also as with what Bev says, always wash your hands after touching the patch, even after it is on.<BR><BR>Also keep in mind that no matter where you are on the ship the ship rolls all over, less on the bottom but it still rolls. You will not find it going front and back like a sailboat in your bathtub. Of course in the Bermuda triangle the ship will be spinning and there are no remedies for that sensation.<BR><BR>Paul

I used to get intense motion sickness, cold sweats, a lot of almost throwing up(sometimes I actually did) dizziness, etcetera. I talked to my chiropractor about because I'm a big believer in no medicine. He gave me a small bottle of this stuff called Viscum, and I figured it would be total crap. I took about 40 drops of that stuff and I experienced and also 1-2 capsules of ginger(really cheap on Amazon) and I had ZERO motion sickness, both on long road trips and on the cruise. I also took a Zyrtec the night before to stop fluid in my ears(I have had surgeries that have caused a LOT of fluid to be produced in my ears.) I have tried Dramamine and Bonine, which caused me to be drowsy and I couldn't have that as I am a cruise ship worker, and even with those drugs I still had issues with motion sickness.

Hmmm. Interesting. I tried to find out about viscum and its touted for several things but nothing I saw said anything about motion sickness. I wonder if it was the ginger by itself and or its combo with the antihistamine. Heres what I read about viscum;


"Although the action of Viscum Album can be limited, it is remarkable. Its syndrome characterizes a number of sclerotic ailments with glandular and renal predominance. During menopause, its anti-sclerotic activity is minimal, but very helpful for certain types of emphysema and for right or left ventricular hypertrophy. Its main action is on sclerocystic ailments in all organs. However, the prescription of this particular remedy for any of the above-mentioned conditions must be based on the presence of its main biological syndrome. As well, Viscum Album must always be followed with more specific buds. This remedy is indicated for conditions such as rheumatic gout, certain types of neuralgia or sciatica, hypertension with albuminuria, menopause with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, certain epileptic syndromes, certain osteoarthritis, some forms of deafness, and certain menorrhagia."

For me I am not sure what this means. I would seek professional advice. esp. with the disclaimer below. JM2C.












These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using these or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.

Probably also great for goobledegook and double talk as well as pseudoscientific lesions. Also probably wonderful for those whole feel that over the counter remedies are not medicines and that herbs, being natural, are free of side effects. I would still be careful with the poison (but natural) mushrooms.

Larry: menopause with hypertension, here you go. No more seasickness

Well if I ever get mal de mar ill have to try another remedy.

This is a no brainer. Best way to prevent sea sickness is not to get on a boat!

I was waiting for you to say that.

Another vote for the patch. My last cruise, I just took Bonine and was fine until we encountered bad weather. Geez, up for 4 hours throwing up and hoping to die. Had put the patch on at the first sign of feeling sick but it didn't kick in till 4 hours later. I was fine the rest of the trip but certainly learned a lesson. Wear the patch!!!!

I've never gotten sick using bonine. It absolutely works for me.

If you are prone to motion sickness and have a cruise coming up, don't fool around with anything less than the patch. Get the perscription and buy the drug weeks before the cruise and test it by wearing it for a few days. If the side effects are two much for you, you will know before the cruise and can try something else. If you spend a bit of time on the internet you can find research studies that find that many remedies help some percent of people to some degree some of the time; but transderm scop works for most people most of the time with good results. So don't fool around with bracelets, ginger, etc. Yeah, it MIGHT work for you...but if it doesn't and you have to spend your cruise in the cabin laying in your bunk with a vomit bucket next to you....I'll take a bit of dry mouth and some mild drowsiness over severe nausea any day.