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The patch for seasickness

LOLA2

TINK<br><font color=9966ff> I never heard of not t
Joined
Dec 5, 2005
I saw my doctor this week and told him about cruise and I wanted something for sesicknees. He gave me an rx for the patch behind the ear. Has anyone used this and if yes were the side effect tolerable are should I try something else? I have heard about dry mouth.
 
yes, dry mouth and grogginess are common side effects......maybe if you are concerned about these side effects, a combination of miclizine (Bonine) and ginger capsules may work better.....
 
My DH used this on our last cruise and the only side effect was a little dry mouth. If you asked him he rather have a little dry mouth then being nausated. He plans on using the patch on our next cruise.
 
I just used the patch and did not have any side effects. I've cruised 2x and used it with no problems....
 


I used it for one cruise with little side effects...dry mouth was it. When we did back to backs, I used it for the first cruise with no problems, then on the first day of cruise two, I had tunnel vision, blurred vision, sore eyes, etc. All in all, I just felt "off." I went down to medical to see what they had to say. Well, the nurse there scolded me nicely, told me to take that terrible patch off and to just use the meds they offer at guest services and medical. She made it quite clear that the patch was not her favorite. I used those meds for the rest of the cruise with no side effects. I was a bit worried because I suffer from what I would call severe motion sickness, and the pills (meclazine?) did the trick. I'll never use the patch again.
 
My DD and I used Transderm Scop on our first two crusies. We both suffered from extreme thirst, blurred vision, and drowsiness. We also felt queasy for about 24-hours after removing the patch when we disembarked.

When we cruised again last week, I decided to try a combination of Bonine (meclizine 25mg.) and ginger pills. Much to my delight, I was completely fine. Not a bit of seasickness!
 
The patch can have some terrible side effects. If you are going to use it on the cruise I would suggest you try it out at home first. My mom used it and her vision was SO blurry she couldn't read a menu. I stick to Bonine, patch is to chancy.
 


LOLA2 said:
I saw my doctor this week and told him about cruise and I wanted something for sesicknees. He gave me an rx for the patch behind the ear. Has anyone used this and if yes were the side effect tolerable are should I try something else? I have heard about dry mouth.

The patch works great for me but what I do is I cut the patch in half because a full one is too much medicine for me.

As someone else suggested, try using it at home first and see how you do!
 
I tried the Scopalamine patches in April. No drowsiness but extreme dry mouth and blurry vision that left me unable to read my menu.

I removed mine after 48 hours and turned to my trusty 25mg Meclizine tablets! No side effects with those.
 
Rena75 said:
The patch works great for me but what I do is I cut the patch in half because a full one is too much medicine for me.
How to Use Transderm Scop

Transderm Scop should be stored at controlled room temperature between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F) until you are ready to use it.

(1) For the prevention of motion sickness, plan to apply one Transderm Scop patch at least 4 hours before you need it. Wear only one patch at any time. Do not cut the patch.

(2) Select a hairless area of skin behind one ear, taking care to avoid any cuts or irritations. Wipe the area with a clean, dry tissue.
Peel the package open and remove the patch.

(3) Remove the clear plastic six-sided backing from the round patch. Try not to touch the adhesive surface on the patch with your hands.

(4) Firmly apply the adhesive surface (metallic side) to the dry area of skin behind the ear so that the tan-colored side is showing. Make good contact, especially around the edge. Once you have placed the patch behind your ear, do not move it for as long as you want to use it (e.g., up to 3 days for prevention of motion sickness).

Important: After the patch is in place, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to remove any scopolamine. If this drug were to come into contact with your eyes, it could cause temporary blurring of vision and dilation (widening) of the pupils (the dark circles in the center of your eyes). Unless accompanied by eye pain and reddened whites of the eyes (see Precautions), this is not serious and your pupils should return to normal.

(5) If the patch is being used to prevent the nausea and vomiting of motion sickness, remove the patch after 3 days and throw it away. (You may remove it sooner if you are no longer concerned about motion sickness). After removing the patch, be sure to wash your hands and the area behind your ear thoroughly with soap and water. Since the patch will still contain some active ingredient after use, and to avoid accidental contact or ingestion by children or pets, fold the used patch in half with the sticky side together and dispose in the trash out of the reach of children and pets.

(6) If you wish to control the nausea and vomiting of motion sickness for longer than 3 days, remove the first patch after 3 days and place a new one behind the other ear, repeating instructions 2 through 7.

(7) Keep the patch dry, if possible, to prevent it from falling off. Limited contact with water, however, as in bathing or swimming, will not affect the system. In the unlikely event that the patch falls off, throw it away and put a new one behind the other ear.

(8) Please inform your doctor if you are taking other medications, including over-the-counter medications.
 
Deb T. said:
When we cruised again last week, I decided to try a combination of Bonine (meclizine 25mg.) and ginger pills. Much to my delight, I was completely fine. Not a bit of seasickness!

Where would one get Bonine and ginger pills? Is Bonine a prescription medication? What is the combination suggested for the medication to be effective? What is the medication given at guest services?

I am organizing a group cruise in May '07 for a group of friends. This will be cruise number 9 for me. I have taken meds once for seasickness. I took whatever was available at the guest services desk and it worked fine. This will be cruise number 1 for most of the people going with us. Some are worried about seasickness already (it's going to be a looooong 10 months of anticipation for some of these folks!). I would like to give suggestions on how to nip the seasickness in the bud.
 
My DH, also, uses the patch. The only side effect he has is dry mouth. I am pregnant and you never know what can change, so I am getting some of the wrist bands, just in case for our trip in Sept.
 
When I went on a cruise a couple of years back I used the transdermscop patch......... It really knocked me for a loop..... it made my eyes dilate and i felt like i was really drugged up fuzzy you know................
I really never had much motion sickness but would'nt take that patch again...

I'm sure it has different effects on different people but I would actually like to remember the fun i had and not be so sleepy........

My doctor says Bonine is a good option but when I cruised in July 2005 I actually did't need to take anything..... if I felt any quessiness I just popped a peppermint in my mouth and was fine.
If worst comes to worse they do have medication in the form of an injecton on board.
Have a great cruise!
 
Mom2Ty&Lins - I bought chewable Bonine at the pharmacy. It's an over-the-counter medicine that was near Dramamine and other motion-sickness meds. Each pill is actually 25mg of Meclizine. Another name for it is Antivert. If you do a search on the cruise forum for Bonine or Meclizine, you'll come up with lots of helpful info from other posts. The recommended dosage is 1-2 pills a day, so I chose to take mine every 12 hours (beginning the night before our cruise) to make sure I was well covered. I've also read that some people just take one at the beginning of their cruise, and they're fine the rest of the time. I've also read that some people felt so good they discontinued taking the pills and then felt sick and had to restart.

Ginger pills can be found in the vitamin section of some pharmacies and in health stores. I took two every 12 hours. The TV show, Myth Busters, found ginger to be the only plausible deterrent for motion sickness.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your cruise! :)
 
Kitster said:
How to Use Transderm Scop

Transderm Scop should be stored at controlled room temperature between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F) until you are ready to use it.

(1) For the prevention of motion sickness, plan to apply one Transderm Scop patch at least 4 hours before you need it. Wear only one patch at any time. Do not cut the patch.

Yeah, and we always follow the directions exactly! :thumbsup2

I've been doing this for years and I've never had a problem.

I get sick on swings and got sea-sick on the Queen Mary (in dock) and cutting them in half has always worked well for me. I've used them this way on airplanes, trains and in our motorhome.
 
Rena75 said:
Yeah, and we always follow the directions exactly! :thumbsup2

I've been doing this for years and I've never had a problem.

I get sick on swings and got sea-sick on the Queen Mary (in dock) and cutting them in half has always worked well for me. I've used them this way on airplanes, trains and in our motorhome.
Whatever :confused3 As a pharmacy tech, I can tell you that the delivery system of the patch isn't meant to work properly when cut, since it is a controlled release system. If you get benefit from cutting it in half, great. But you might want to ask your pharmacist about your methods the next time you pick up a prescription or ask your doctor the next time he writes the prescription. :rolleyes1
 
DH and I both used the Transderm Scop patch, he had side effects of blurry vision...I had to read the menus to him :confused3 I wasn't planning to use the patch unless absolutely necessary but I woke up at BCV with my head spinning the morning we were sailing so I used the patch as a precaution.
 
I occassionally have some problems with vertigo. Ordinarily, but don't take any medication, although I do keep some drammamine non-drowsy on the shelf if it gets really bad. I get sea sick and air sick under rough seas. Last year, I took no medication, and was queasy after dinner one night of our 3 day cruise.

My doctor prescribed 3 patches for my Western 7 day cruise. Afterwards, I read how many people had problems with it, so I decided to use dramamine non-drowsy for the first few days, then switch to the patch during the at sea day, wear it for Grand Cayman and Cozumel (tendering, especially the ferry to Mexico) and then, after taking it off the third day, following the directions on the patch, going back to the dramamine non-drowsy.

I also took the precaution of having my husband apply the patch, while using gloves. (We had a bad experience when we thought the chili peppers were washed off our hands, and like two hours later rubbed our eyes. Ouch! Rubber gloves for now on, when applying stuff that can hurt our eyes.)

I had no symptoms, not even dry mouth, with the patch. But then, I felt pretty good on just the dramamine non-drowsy, too.

I had a great cruise!
 
Meclazine is an OTC (over the counter) drug and is generic bonine- the old prescription name for it is Antivert. I get it at Costco for next to nothing. The patch dilates your pupils sometimes causing reading problems- if you have trouble reading in low light situations but not in bright light, plan on always being in the "low light" mode. Dry mouth and altered taste is also a side effect. Be very careful not to touch the patch and rub your eyes. This can cause temporary exaggerated pupil dilation which can freak out medical professionals as this mimics some very serious conditions. Temporary only, but this happened to my RN wife after a cruise and one large and one small pupil had her allarmed until she realized how a little scopalamine can have a dramatic effect.

I would go by prior experience and decide which to use. If you are very prone to motion sickness the patch may be best. If you're just worried but don't have regular motion sickness I would try meclazine.

Jean and Bob
 
I love the patch! I have used it twice with no problems, not even dry mouth. Now we had 8 foot swells that I could definitely feel and made me a little "whoooooooaaaaaaa" at times, but I never felt sick. Without the patch I would have been stuck all night in that very very small bathroom in our cabin :) Our tablemate, who was also motion sensitive like me, tried to rely on the pills but they were not enough for her. She looked fairly green at dinner.

I also took the Ginger pills to be safe. Just remember that Ginger pills do not have an effect on motion - they calm the stomach. So if you don't like the dizzy feeling that motion problems give you, Ginger won't help that, just the nausea.

In addition, I washed my hands lots just to be safe about transferring any of the patch meds into my eyes. I have a habit of tucking my hair back, and my hand would occasionally brush the scop patch. As soon as that would happen, I would go wash my hands - not once, but twice (I too kept thinking about what happens when you cut peppers)! Better safe then sorry, and it sure can't help to wash your hands alot on a boat full of little tikes ;)

But if you do have any doubts, I advise you do what has been suggested, and what I did myself and that is try out the patch at home.
 

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