Thread: What is the best seasickness medication?

I don't have a problem, but my mother-in-law told me to ask. I said, "Yes, Mom."

It seems that different remedies work for different people. What I would suggest is:
1) if she's on medication, she ask her doctor what types she shouldn't use, so she can avoid an interaction.
2) she try out different options before her cruise so she can see what side effects she gets
3) bring a couple of the ones that seem fine, just in case one doesn't work in the real life situation

My mother on her one and only cruise (at 79) got the patch. On previous travels, she would get sick at the movement of a bus or plane. The patch ended up working for her.

On my last cruise, which was on a typically rough one (to Hawaii), I brought along ginger in the form of candied ginger (my grocery store actually has two different brands) and ginger flavored Altoids (Target and Cost Plus has this). I started getting woozy so I took both until things started settled down.

I'm very suspectible to drowsiness (most allergy meds knock me out) so I would stay away from Draminine personally. I took some on a trip to Catalina in college as did many others from my dorm and on the way home, most of us were snoozing on the boat benches.

I take meclizine (generic bonine) which works perfectly for me. But as cruisin' chick said, talk to your doctor and see which one is the best for you.

When my mom went on a cruise with me last year (her first and only cruise), in addition to sea sick meds we resorted to the Ginger altoids and non medical remedies like keeping her stomach full and eating green apples, because we discovered that my mom is highly susceptible to seasickness and our cruise had very rough seas.

The side effects of both Mesclezin( Bonine and less drowsey Dramamine) and Dramamine hit me bad. While they work great to prevent sea sickness, who wants to sleep the whole cruise? If I have it with wine, which I really enjoy, forget it... I am falling asleep.

So this year I am going with the ginger also. My kids and I tried it out at Six Flaggs on the Twirly rides, and though we could feel the motion, out stomaches never got totally messed up.

I have heard that you can get ginger tablets/pills at a health food store ,but I actually like the candied ginger, and if you fun out you can always visit the sushi bar and get some of the pickled ginger.

I agree with cruising chick, because your Mom needs to know if there are any medicine interactions, even with ginger. Some Doctors are not very up on motion sickness remedies, so ask your doctor how much he knows too.

If you go to Web MD you can do a search for Motion Sickness, and print out some articles. Maybe Mom could bring the articles to the Dr. when she discusses her options with her doctor.

Both my wife and daughter have had very good success using a product called Sea-Bands. It is not a med. They are elastic bans that have a button that goes on a pressure point on your wrist. You can get them at most drug stores.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think you used the bands once without much success.

My whole family uses bonine!! Non drowsy, once a day and it prevents us from getting sick. Tried it cause the U.S. Navy uses it!!

Originally Posted by sue miller

My whole family uses bonine!! Non drowsy, once a day and it prevents us from getting sick. Tried it cause the U.S. Navy uses it!!

Thanks, Sue. Where do I find it?

Hi JP, miss you!!! Wally has it for $3 a box of 36!! You start taking it the morning or night before the cruise, and continue the same each day. You are covered in case it gets rough and if it doesn't there are no effects from it!!

I take Bonine (meclizine). It does not make me as drowsy as Dramamine, which really hits me hard! I prefer to take it at bedtime, so I sleep through the drowsy part.

My husband really likes ginger, and there is GOOD evidence to show that it is pretty effective, as opposed to some of the remedies / products that you read about where there is only evidence in the form of testimonials.

Not that I want to discourage anyone from using those other remedies--if it works for you, great!