Best Seasickness Remedy
 

I'm going on a cruise soon and both my Mother and I get motion sickness really easily, so I'm nervous!! What's the best Seasickness Remedy that you have used. Heard many theories but don't know what is fact or fiction! Thanks!!

I rely on Bonine, which can be bought at a pharmacy under its generic name of meclizine. You have to ask the pharmacist for it. Inexpensive and effective.

http://www.drugs.com/meclizine.html

Agree with Bonine. My dad uses it and it works very well

Don't despair - I get seasick just thinking about a boat. Favorite family story is when I became ill on a docked ship we were touring.

I have been on 4 cruises - never seasick. However, I go equipped with those wrist things, Bonine, Dramamine - I always wear the seaband wrist things when we board - I think it makes me feel like I won't get sick. Usually by the end of the first day I forget about them.

Bonine here also. And keep it "on board". Everyone says cruise ships are so big that they don't make you sick, but it isn't worth the possibility.

The myth about the cruise ships being so big you don't get seasick...WRONG! I HIGHLY recommend Bonine too! Great stuff

Hill
www.edufire.com

I use Dramamine, and I always wear Seabands.

Bonine has worked well for me. If you prefer, you can also get your doctor to write you a prescription for the scopalomine patch that you wear on the side of your neck. It lasts for 72 hours and is very effective.

Time is really the best seasickness remedy.

However, for a short cruise on a big cruiseship, bring Bonine or Benadryl.

What works great for me is all natural Ginger root. You can get it in pill form. This is great and I sware by it. I hate taking any medications such as Dramamine and such.....which may interfer with some drinks : )
Good Luck and Bon Voyage!

Bonine, taken enough in advance to be effective. Don't count on the wrist band.

For those who don't normally suffer motion sickness, it is hard to imagine just how awful it is. I use the patch which has its own problems but works the best for me.

The prescription patch also works well for me, but I suffer pretty badly from motion sickness. Some people have bad side effects, though for me the side effects are worth it (but I don't have the worst of them). I won't get on the water or in a helicopter without it. If you only suffer from mild motion sickness or will be in calm waters, you may not need such drastic measures.

Whatever you take (and especially with the patch), be sure to start the night before you'll need it to give it a chance to get in your system.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone. Great ideas! Does Bonine make you really sleepy? I took Dramamine once and ended up sleeping most of the day! Also - can you take Bonine and have cocktails?

Dramimine works l but will make you sleepy. Scopalomine patch works on about 85% of people - and does nothing for the other 15% (including me).

A lot of people swear by ginger - but it does nothing for me (I think this ma be a function of how severe your motion sickness is).

I get sick on a porch swing but Meclizine (which is the key ingredient in Bonine and Dramamine II) is a lifesaver for me. It doesn't really make you drowsy (opposed to Dramamine I which warns of drowsiness) but I do feel a little tired sometimes when I take it. It seems to work best for me if I take it right before I go to bed each evening. You should avoid alcohol when you take it. Another suggestion in addition to meclizine is to keep a little food in your stomach - when I am on a cruise I will try to keep a slice or two of crusty bread or rolls in the room and eat a few bites when I started to feel queasy. Good luck and have fun!

Bonine is non-drowsy.

My mom is horribly motion sick but loves boats and being on the water- she uses candied ginger, rather than ginger in pill form. You just take a small piece and let it dissolve in your mouth.

She's actually had better luck with ginger than the patch.

I would strongly suggest you avoid the bar at the very front of the ship that's below deck. I barely get motion sick, but I could definitely feel the motion down there!

I did get sick on a large cruise ship after being told it couldn't happen.

Don't take Dramamine and have a cocktail by the pool as you'll probably miss dinner.

And avoid caffeine. It exacerbates the problem. An old sailor informed me of this. He also added that if I put a small stone underneath the wristband of my watch at the pulse point it would help as well. And, guess what, it did, and this was on an all-day sail on a catamaran.

I don't think Meklizine (Bonine) makes people particularly sleepy. The patch (scopalamine) knocks me out and thank God for that. It takes four hours to take effect, so either put it on before you need it or put it on when it's too late and you can't hold anything else down. Then hunker down with a bucket handy for the worst four hours of your life until the scopalamine kicks in and knocks you out into blissful nothingness. I don't know if it would do that if you put the patch on early, before you actually turned yourself inside-out for four hours. That is very draining!

Drugs that cause drowsiness seem to REALLY knock me out, but in the past I've been able to combine Bonine with some cocktails and not had a problem.

Do ask for specific instructions if you choose the patch, as it does have side effects and you don't want too much in your system. Where your cabin is is very important. A ship nurse told me (AFTER we were onboard and I was really sick) that you want your cabin to be mid ship. Neither end, nor too low. She said there is less motion there. Also advised me to stay out of the cabin as much as possible. Be outside whenever you can.She also suggested taking the patch off after you were on the boat for 24 hours. (I was too late for that) Good Luck!

The patch doesn't make me sleepy, just a bit mellow. The worst side effect is how dried out it makes you. But believe me, I was able to get in a small sailboat in Boston Harbor and have no motion sickness for hours which is a miracle to me.