Sea-sickness
 

As first time cruisers, I am a little concerned about sea-sickness. My teenage son and I would have motion sickness. Initially I thought the ships are so big that it wouldn't be a problem - but reading around a little more I find that it may be quite a strong possibility. Would hate it to infringe on holiday enjoyment.

Any advice on medication, patches, wristbands? Is is worthwhile taking something as a precaution, or only acting if and when sea-sickness hits us?

I had my first shipboard experience in June on a QM2 transatlantic crossing. I was surprised that I could feel as much movement, even in calm waters, as I could. I too suffer from motion discomfort and brought a supply of Dramamine along. The first morning I felt queasy so took 1 tablet. It worked perfectly so I took one every morning thereafter and was not bothered again.

Once, sailing in a small boat off the coast of California I was given a transderm patch to use. It did indeed solve the problem but the side effect for me was blurred vision. Since I'm a reader that solution was not one I wished to repeat. So I figure try the simplest treatment first and the Dramamine worked for me.

If you know you suffer from motion sickness, then by all means take something ahead of time. The best solution (but also the most costly) is a scopolamine patch, which is available only by prescription. You'll each need 2 patches for 7-day cruise. These can be prescribed by the doctor aboard the ship, but seasickness is something that is best treated with preventive measures, and all the treatments work best if you take them before you are actually seasick.

You can also take Dramamine, which is fairly effective but can make you sleepy (but again has very limited effectiveness if not taken before sea sickness begins). Longer-acting Bonine is more effective for me, but I don't really get motion sickness unless I'm on a smaller vessel; if you take Bonine, you need 2 pills for every 24 hours aboard the ship (more if the ship is really rocking).

I've never had a problem on a large ship. But the last cruise I took with my parents, my mother had horrible motion sickness early in the cruise; my dad (who is prone to it and used a patch) had nothing. My mom was out of commission for about 12 hours until her patch kicked in, and then she had no further problems.

Ginger works well. You can also minimize the chances of hitting a big wave by the season and the location of your cruise.

It's not necessarily the big waves that are the problem, just the sense of motion on any scale for those of us who are prone. I started with the mildest cure and it worked, so no need to bring out the patch and the side effects which were almost as bothersome as the nausea. Why use a cannon if a derringer does the trick.

What ships carry the patch Doug? In 2006 on out FP cruise on Princess the ships MD told us they didn't have it due to the se's and prescribed phenergan which actually did the trick.

Here is another thread that has a lot in info inre to mal de mer.http://www.fodors.com/community/crui...on-one-yet.cfm

Scop patches are very effective, but some individuals do have unpleasant side effects such as blurred vision and urinary retention. These are inherent to the drug itself, dut some are more sensitive. Scop should be used a bit ahead of time for best effect. Meclizine and Dramamine and such help some and there are others too. Some one mentioned Phergan. A caution; avoid phenthiazine drugs,such as Compazine, which may sometimes be offered in foreign pharmacies. They are very effective, but rarely used due to their alarming side effects.

Compazine is still used. I've given it to many pts. over my 30+ yrs. as an RN and have never seen a SE. Its still on the market. All drugs can have SE's. I think it best to consult w/ an MD first. JM2C.

Thanks all. This is great to know. I think I will see what is on the market, and find out more re side effects. It sounds like it is definitely worth taking something as a precaution. Side Effects sound pretty rough too!! So glad I asked about this....better start researching some more. Do the ships have meds on board? Do they charge? Since prescriptions are free here, I should maybe go visit my GP.

Absolutely get the meds first. You will be prepared. They do have meds on board but there is a cost for them and for the MD visit as well. You have to be seen by the MD 1st so theres a fee for that too. For me its best to see your personal MD to get things squared away B4 you go. JM2C. Have fun. Larry :-)

For those of you who have taken lots of cruises: I read somewhere that even if you have never been affected, you can have a sudden attack of sea sickness. How likely is that if you have never been bothered before? I have been on two long cruises, one shorter one, and several boats; one in a pretty bad, though short in duration, storm. During the storm, many people were pretty sick, while I stood outside enjoying the wind and motion. So far, I have found the movement very soothing, but there is a nagging fear that my luck will run out and it will hit me sometime. Should I have meds just in case, or is it a pretty sure thing that if you haven't gotten sick after all that, you will be ok?

As an MD I have seen some pretty dramatic side effects from Compazine - extrapyramidal movements, etc. Very frightening, esp if the person is unaware of the possibility. Compazine has been banned in some hospitals, esp pediatrics. IV Banadryl will quickly breakup the side effects, but you have to have it handy and know about it. I still think the risk is too great.

Boy I have not heard of Stemetil being used for dogs ages !!

We usually try other drugs first but its still on the formulary. Not too long ago it was used on a pt. getting high dose IL-2 rxs. Seemed to work well. Yep, Percy its still around. :D

Thanks , jacketwatch, for letting me know it is being used at your hospital.!
:)

is it banned in Canada?

BTW how is your hand?

Larry, I thought Compazine is used to treat schizophrenia, migraine & vomiting from radiation treatemnt etc. Using it as a seasickness cure maybe an overkill? I have also heard that scopolamine patch is the most effective, but I still prefer ginger.

Sassafrass, unfortunately, I think you are right about motion sickness can come out of nowhere. Maybe Aristotle can offer a comemnt on the topic?

Larry & Percy, have you heard anything from traveller69? He hasn't post anything for a very long time. Last time I heard from him, he was haeding south for the winter, and that was last year!

Don't what happened to T69. I hadn't realized he has been AWOL. See the link inre to compazine. we use other things 1st but I have seen it used and its been effective.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prochlorperazine.

Hi jacketwatch

No it is not banned here. Just not used often.

I just called my local Pharmacy and she said she has been working there for three years and " has never dispensed it ."

It has more than one use....and therefore now there are "better" (?) drugs available now.

I am sure there are localities that use it more often.

After a while a Pharmacist will not store a drug that is seldom used.

The right hand is still not 100 % (it may never be)

The tingling I get in it may be from the Dupuytren's Contracture Surgery ( 2009)or from the Carpal Tunnel Surgery I had last year .

I intend to see the Plastic Surgeon within a month,just to let him know.!

Eschew:

Actually an anti-nausea drug used after radiation of cancer chemotherpay is Zofran.

And yes where is Traveller69 ???

Calling Traveller69....come in Please, :)

We pretty much use Zofran as a 1st choice med for nausea. I have actually had compazine myself for nausea a few times and with decent effect (once in India for "Delhi belly") but then again meds rarely bother me at all, thank God. The wikipedia link states its no longer made in Canada BTW. Sorry to hear that your hand is still bothersome. I hope it improves though as you say it may be 100% again. Well gotta run. Homemade Indian food awaits. :-)

Percy, my left hand has been tingling for the past 3 or 4 months. It is only the first 3 fingers. The doc said it could be CTS but I am right handed so I don't do repeated movement on with my left hand.

My sports theraphist said I need to stretch some muscle that I have never heard of (and I can't figure out where it is, it is inside the armpit?) and the tingling (and numbness) won't go away until my nerve endings re-generate.

My Chiro did an adjustment on my T2 and i felt the pain shoot all the way down my left arm. Ouch! In the mean time, the fingers still works but I don't know if I have lost sensation or the sensation is more accute. I am not even sure how to describe it. In addition to my tennis elbow (on the right arm), I am a wreck!

I had a steroid injection for tennis elbow last yr. Worked like a charm though it hurt pretty good the next day. Then it improved dramatically. Good luck. :-)

Eschew

If you want to know if you have Carpal Tunnel then do and EMG test.

( Electromyography), it is not pleasant but you will know what your nerve conduction status to your left hand is.

I do not know what muscle he wants you to stretch and why?

Maybe he thinks you have a nerve entrapment in some area.

But you say only your fingers tingle and only the first three fingers I assume you are omiting the Thumb!!)

I had and EMG done less than a year ago.

If these symptoms persist and you get your EMG done, then seeing a Neurologist is your next best bet.

Jacketwatch:

Yep... steriod injection will and usually does help elbow tendinitis.

Glad everything is fine now :)

Eschew, Thanks. I've been lucky, but since reading that, there is always a tiny worry, and the worry will probably set things off. Guess I will have a list of stuff to try, just in case.

Aristotle, what do you say about it? I will see my own doctor, but in the mean time, just for some information to have in hand, do you know if any of those drugs are ok for a person with kidney disease?

Thanks Percy, I will ask about the EMG. When I said the first 3 fingers, I mean the thumb, index and middle ... I have a "strap" that I use for my tennis elbow and it is working well. Kept it from gettig worse.

Percy, you are also right about the nerve entrapment. He said it is not in the books but some muscle from the front is pressing against it and I have to strectch that "thing" out.

Larry, I prefer nautral healing so steroid would be out, for the tome being anyway. It it get worse, then all bets are off.

Sassafrass, unless your inner eye canal suddenly decide to fail you along with your other senses, then a sudden on-set of motion sickness is unlikely, although I am not an expert in this area. So, you shouldn't worry, at least for now.

OK, now I am curious. How does the inner eye canal work in regards to motion sickness? What does it mean for it to fail?

I think Eschew means Inner Ear Canal.

This is where your balance and equilibrium mechanism is .

Eschew if it is the Thumb, ,index and middle finger ,then you have a Radial Nerve problem.

So somewhere along the path of the Radial Nerve, your Physiotherapist feels the nerve is "entrapped.

I would not think it would be at the Carpal Ligament because your fourth and fifth fingers are okay...

and the nerve supply to these two digits is from the Ulnar Nerve...well to be more specific , the 4th finger is supplied

1/2 from the Radial nerve and 1/2 from the Ulnar Nerve.

I really would try to get an EMG done as your problem seems to be lingering...... unless it starts to improve quickly.

Ask your Doctor and your Physio fellow :)
Take Care

I meant to say the inner ear canal .... must be my CTS infected left hand and the fingers are not working right ... Hey! I like the sound of that excuse! :D

Motion sickness is generally casued by the brain receiving mixed signals form different part of the body and is having trouble interpreting the various sense as they don't match.

To simplify an example: the inner ear canal controls the balancing function of the body and the inner ear canal senses movements. The eyes look straight ahead and did not see any movement, the brain is confused and motion sickness set in.

The same goes for people watching an IMAX rollercoaster ride. The eyes said everything is moving and the world is spinning. The ear canal said no, there is no physical movement. The brain get confused and that's when you feel nauseous.

If you don't get sick on the virtual rollercoaster ride, more than likely, you won't get seasickness. If you are on a small boat and you feel the movement of the baot, you look out to the horzion and see movement, in theory, you should not get nauseous as the two signals matched.

If you get an inner ear infection, in theory, you will be more likely to have dizzy spells and motion sickness. If your inner ear canal fails you, and you have Vestibular Balance Disorders, motion sickness would almost be a certainty.

Thanks for the explanation, Eschew. I didn't catch that you meant ear canal either, so my question was sincere. I didn't even think about the ear part, though I know it has to do with balance. So, so far, so good.

Very nice explantion about balance and dizziness Eschew.

I like it :)

Eschew: Well thats up to you but honestly a steroid every now and then as in this case can really do wonders and the side effects of infrequent use are virtually nil. Prior to the injection I had tried NSAIDS and splints but no changes were noted. Several yrs. ago my wife had an ultra sound guided injection to her left shoulder and its been fine ever since. They do have great benefits under certain circumstances.

Have to agree with you jacketwatch ( sorry Eschew ) :), nothing wrong with a steriod injection...

if it is done at the proper intervals.

Personally, I have never found an NSAID that worked long term.

I think they are for short term relief and hopefully you would not need to stay on one for more than 2-4 weeks.

Anyway,jacketwatch...had/has tendinitis

I have Duyuptren's problems

Eschew is a "wreck "

We are a real trio..,. :)

Three dizzy tenors :D

Well my real name is Larry so the big ? is who is Moe and Curly. :D :D Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk :D

You guys are too funny!!! :)

I don't have curly hair so that would leave Percy with the title ... but I am more like Moe the bartender from Simpson's. B-)

BTW, Percy, thanks for the compliments on the dizziling explaination. :">

Dayenu: I thought it was suppose to be the three Amigos: Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short.

Anyone remember the old Tommy Roe hit? His one track wonder: Dizzy :D That would be the theme song for the Fodor Cruise Forum!

That song brings back some memories. :-)

BTW Curly was bald. :S- Actually he shaved his head to help mold the character. He did have a nice head of hair B4. Unfortunately he suffered a debilitating stroke and could not be a stooge any more but in one episode after his stroke he played a loud, snoring man on a train but most could not recognize him then b/c he had a full head of hair again. Just a little bit of Stooge trivia. :-)