Motion sickness treatments?

[RebeccaT]

Hi all,

Many of you know I am heading to Greece in a couple of weeks. We will be spending the majority of our vacation (13 days) on the islands, which will involve a total of 4 ferry trips. I am quite prone to motion sickness, especially in boats... does anyone have suggestions for motion sickness prevention and remedies? I always take Dramamine, but sometimes it isn't strong enough. Do those pressure point bands work? How about the things you stick behind your ear? There's a new prescription on the market that I saw an ad for in a magazine... anyone know anything about that?

Any and all advice/suggestions would be MUCH APPRECIATED! Thank you!

[lhall]

Rebecca,

I've never had problems with motion sickness, but I have a friend who did use the bands with success.

You might also try drinking Ginger tea or Gingerale.

Leigh

[keg64]

There was some discussion about the bands and other aidshere

[RebeccaT]

Leigh,

Thanks for the suggestions. I should look for some ginger tea. I did pick up some Ginger Altoids the other day at Cost Plus... it's a new flavor, and since it's all natural (not artificially flavored) I am thinking that sucking on those might help as well.

The thing I am most interested in is prevention. Once it gets started with me, it doesn't stop until I get onto hard, stable earth.

[aggie94]

Rebecca,

My mom and I are both easily susceptible to motion sickness, especially on water. That's why I'll never go on a cruise. But anyway, she and my dad went on an Alaskan cruise a few years ago, and she had great success with a prescription patch (I don't recall the name, but I can find out if you'd like). She put it on as directed before the trip and never had a problem the entire week they were on the boat. HOWEVER, when she returned to land and removed the patch, she was sick for almost a week afterwards. I'm not sure what caused that - maybe there's directions for removing the patch or weaning yourself off it? Anyway, since it's a prescription, maybe you could check with your doctor and get his/her recommendations on what might work for you.

[MinEaston]

My friends who do offshore sailing & racing, including pretty rough Gulf Stream crossings, swear by "scapolamine" (spelling?) patches. They attach behind your ear and last 24 hours, I think. The key to this, as with all other seasickness remedies, is to take it BEFORE you start to feel sick.

[Grace]

Eva, that sickness on land didn't come from the patch. I took a cruise 3 years ago (experience from hell, let me tell you!!) and while I took Bonine on the ship (and wore the bands too), solid ground became a rocking ship when I got back too. It happened to a whole bunch of people on our trip (it was a company sales meeting, so there were about 50 of us together), most of whom didn't take any seasickness meds. I think your body becomes used to the rocking and swaying and when you get on land, the compensating your body did for the ship is still working (if that makes sense).

I will NEVER go on a cruise again

[Valerie226]

I was just looking this up for my SIL. The patch is called Transderm-scop. It is prescription. there is a pill called Antivert, prescription also I think. Your doc would probably write for one of this with just a phone call, unless there is a medical reason why you can't use these. You can get a dry mouth and sleepy with all.

Another tip is that if you can stay "forward" in the boat and look forward rather than sideways it may help. It also will keep you out fo the diesel fumes which certainly can make you sick too. I personally just don't go out on boats if I can't see land.

[Gilgamesh37]

One word: RELIEFBAND.

Okay, they're pricey (about $80) but you're spending a lot more than that on this trip, and if $80 more is going to let you enjoy it.....

It's a wrist band that sends an electronic pulse to your pressure point about every 30 seconds. There are 5 levels depending on how motion sick you are--and it is one of the very few things that will work even if you put it on *after* you start having symptoms. If you put it on before you get on the ship (or the plane or whatever), you don't develop the symptoms at all. I cannot say enough good things about this device. I developed TERRIBLE motion sickness in the last 2-3 years--to the point where a cab ride will wipe me out for 12-15 hours and I had to schedule an extra day for recovery whenever I was flying for business. This thing saved my life. It's a little startling the first time you wear it, but you get used to the tingling pulse within the first few hours and then you really don't notice it. Please please please, do yourself a favor and get one. I've bought them for two other friends, and it has made just a world of difference to all of us.

Edited to add this link: http://www.woodsidebiomedical.com/
There's also a link on the website that lists retailers who carry them, marine retailers as well as general pharmacy.

[ISAIAH30_18]

Originally posted by Valerie226
I was just looking this up for my SIL. The patch is called Transderm-scop. It is prescription. there is a pill called Antivert, prescription also I think. Your doc would probably write for one of this with just a phone call, unless there is a medical reason why you can't use these. You can get a dry mouth and sleepy with all.

Another tip is that if you can stay "forward" in the boat and look forward rather than sideways it may help. It also will keep you out fo the diesel fumes which certainly can make you sick too. I personally just don't go out on boats if I can't see land.

This is what I have used in the past and it definitely is better than Dramamine (which wasn't near strong enough for me). You do get dry mouth pretty bad so be sure you have plenty of bottled water around you. As far as sleepy goes...for whatever reason I'm prone to this reaction in nearly all meds I take and while I did get tired with the patch (usually the first hour after taking it), it wasn't anything I wasn't able to stay awake through if needed.

[lhall]

Originally posted by Grace
Eva, that sickness on land didn't come from the patch. ...I think your body becomes used to the rocking and swaying and when you get on land, the compensating your body did for the ship is still working (if that makes sense).

LOL!

Eva,
Grace is right. You body gets used to the rocking motion of the ship. Your mom would have been better off leaving the patch on for a day or two after the cruise ended.

My mom went on 4 cruises, and while she only had problems one night (gale force winds, 1/2 of ship sick) of all those cruises she always felt sick when taking excursions at port cities. She quickly learned to take the motion sickness medicine right before one of those land trips.

Rebecca,
My SIL drank ginger tea when she was pregnant as she had very bad morning sickness. It really helped with the nausia. She would just take 2 slices of peeled fresh ginger and steep those in boiling water to make tea. She didn't buy it.

Leigh

[nlh]

I agree with Gilgamesh37! DH bought me that electronic watch for Christmas 2 years ago and it has proven invaluable. We went to Italy and the ferry rides didn't bother me but the bus rides did! She's right, you can put it on when you start to feel sick and the electrodes interrupt the nerve impulses that go to your brain to signal motion sickness. (or something like that) Mine has 5 levels of intensity and I've had it up to a 3. You really don't feel anything to speak of.

I've tried Bonine (my dad swears by it, didn't work for me), Dramamine, sea bands and all work to a degree but that watch really works! (I've also heard it helps with morning sickness It's expensive but it's worth it! Good luck!and hangovers)

Linda

[RebeccaT]

Wow. I have been reading on the website that Gilgamesh posted, as well as a couple of others (wanted to get some write-ups from other sources). I am pretty impressed. However, they are really expensive; if I can get relief or prevention for $10 instead of $80 (or $120, which is what one website was selling the ReliefBands for! ) then... oh, I don't know. I don't get motion sick *every* time I fly, but I do tend to get it every time I am on a boat. And on the ferries, I don't think that making ginger tea is really feasible. I am tempted to try Bonine (maybe it will work better for me than Dramamine?). But those bands don't have any side effects...

I am going to call my doctor, and see what he says.

Any more advice or suggestions???

[aggie94]

Originally posted by lhall
Grace is right. You body gets used to the rocking motion of the ship. Your mom would have been better off leaving the patch on for a day or two after the cruise ended.

That makes sense. I will be sure and let her know that for next time.

Rebecca, I can completely understand your not wanting to spend that much money, but think about how miserable you will feel if you do get motion sickness, and what a shame it would be to spend all that money on a wonderful vacation and not be able to enjoy it to its full potential. Do any of the bands have guarantees? If so, then you probably can't go wrong. If it doesn't work for you, return it and get your money back, and have a less expensive back-up available. If it does work, it will have been money well spent.

I have used both Dramamine and Bonine, and I've found that while they both work OK for me (neither is better, at least in my experience), at least on planes, they do it by completely knocking me out. I'm sure you don't want to sleep away your vacation either.

Definitely check with your doc.

[Gilgamesh37]

I don't know what their shipping costs are like, but Sav-on.com (there's a link from the woodside page) lists them for $65.

Truly, I understand your reluctance to spend that much money, especially if your motion sickness is sporadic during usual travel. My best friend was also very resistant to my suggestion she get one, even though she has consistent and really severe motion sickness--finally I loaned her mine for a weekend trip to Seattle. Using it on one trip was enough to convince her it was worth it. And the batteries are replaceable, so if you figure the cost divided over the likely lifetime...... (sorry, I'll hush now. I just really love mine and can't imagine going back)

[gertdog]

I have never tried the ReliefBand but hear so many good things about it.

I'm a known vomiter on boat rides (ugh for me and everyone around me). Dramamine and Bonine, even the non-drowsy kind, puts me to sleep. Those little elastic bands do nothing.

Two things have helped me. One is the Transderm-Scop patch. Works like a charm. However, you should know that it can cause drowsiness and disorientation. It didn't in me, but my doctor told me NOT to drink alcohol or drive or scuba dive (!) while wearing the patch. If you get a prescription, be sure to ask your doctor about these things.

Ginger also helps reduce my nausea. I buy Ginger Chews by The Ginger People- individually wrapped soft ginger candies. They are strong but taste good and have been really helpful to me when I'm in a car for long periods of time.

I agree with Eva- take a few anti-motion sickness methods with you and see about a return policy/guarantee on the bands- you don't want to spend one minute of your vacation feeling sick!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Having been in the Navy for 18+ years I've seen most of the motion sickness prevention items in use (except the electronic wrist device). The patch behind the ear works well for many people - but a side effect is you tend to feel like you've got dry-mouth. Non-drowsy Dramamine works well - somehow it works better than regular Dramamine (never figured that one out).

The key as has been mentioned already is to take the stuff BEFORE you feel sick. We gave ouot the patches to those who needed them the night before sailing (about 8-12 hours ahead of time) and if they used them then they were in pretty good shape. Pills generally work with about 4 or 5 hours soak time for the first dose but can be useful if taken about 2 hours ahead of sailing. The down side on taking the pills early is you have to take more shortly after sailing.

Non-medication way to beat motion sickness include
1. Staying cool
2. Eating something before sailing - this sounds counter-intuitive but having something in your stomach keeps you from having that "pit" feeling.
3. Fresh air - spend time topside
4. Focus more towards the horizon - by looking farther out you aren't as succeptible to the motion of the ship.

Hope you have an enjoyable trip and the motion sickness doesn't do you in.
Les

[tbb113]

I'm sure the patch has changed in the last 19 years when I ATTEMPTED to use it...but if not, one of the side-effects could be naseua (sp?). The patch originally said to put it on 3 or 5 hours before departure...I did. I got naseauated on the cruise ship. Asked the purser if I could take dramamine on top of the patch...he told me to take the patch OFF and just use the dramamine. Moral of the story...try the patch the day before you need it...that way you will know if it makes you queasy

I found that looking forward on a boat makes it worse. I need to find a steady horizion and look at it...so I'm usually sitting sideways, that way I don't see the boat moving up and down in the water. I also find being in the fresh air helps. Going under or inside is horrible for me.

Have a wonderful vacation

[sharris315]

Since I am inclined to motion sickness, too, I always notice anything new. I read an article in PREVENTION mag recently about a product called "Preggie Pops" that-guess what?--are used for morning sickness. This article said they are also good for motion sickness. There is a website: [URL=http://www.preggiepops.com] Don't know anything about them, but I thought it was clever--and easy, if it works!

I also saw gel caps of ginger at Walmart (with vitamins, etc.)

If you plan to use one of the patches, be sure to follow the recommendations about taking other meds while wearing it. An acquaintance of ours wore one while on a cruise, took otc antihistimines (something like Contac) and went into cardiac arrest. This was a very rare happening--but it did happen.

Have a great trip--and please report back...

Shar

[sharris315]

http://www.preggiepops.com

[Jessica]

I just want to sympathize, Rebecca. Motion sickness has ruined many a trip for me. I take Dramamine and eat chunks of crystallized ginger, but now I am thinking I might try one of those bands.

I did buy a pair of pressure point bands and they did nothing. Waste of $10.