On the Sunday of a Memorial Day weekend two years ago, my husband and I along with my husband’s cousin and his wife had reservations for a 1-day cruise in Alaska, viewing Aialik Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. Included with the prime opportunities for viewing wildlife was lunch on board the ship and a lovely salmon and crab dinner at Fox Island on the way back.
At 5 minutes to 9am, we crossed the parking lot in front of the boat terminal in Seward through pouring rain, gusts of wind and a temperature of 49 degrees Fahrenheit. Arriving at the check-in counter, the lady in charge of the excursion told us that, although the boat was still going out, the captain had declared a “weather day” because of the poor conditions. She explained how the the company was offering a full refund for anyone wishing to cancel. Knowing that I get carsick, airsick, AND seasick, my companions insisted, “It’s up to you, Louise. Do you still want to go?”
I really hated to pull the plug on our cruise, but would I be able to enjoy my lunch or dinner after being tossed around all day? “Sorry, guys. Maybe next year.”
What can you take to prevent motion sickness?
Some people get relief from motion sickness from acupressure. It doesn’t help me, but some people find relief from their queasiness by wearing an elastic band around their wrist that activates a particular pressure point. Look for Sea Bands® if you want to try this natural alternative.
Ginger can be an effective motion sickness remedy when you take 500mg to 1000mg of powdered root every 4-6 hours. You can use fresh ginger root, capsules of ground ginger, or small chunks of sweetened, crystallized ginger. My favorite is crystallized ginger, which weighs twice as much as powdered ginger; I used to weigh the chunks with my little apothecary scale from pharmacy school. I got good results with chunks about the size of a full-strength aspirin tablet. Ginger ale, ginger tea and gum don’t have enough ginger by themselves to provide reliable relief.
Dramamine® for motion sickness is a popular non-prescription remedy but watch out: it has two different formulations, the original one and a “less drowsy” formula. The original formula of Dramamine® contains dimenhydrinate, a close cousin of diphenhydramine or Benadryl®. Either dimenhydrinate or diphenhydramine can prevent motion sickness but they often make you drowsy and they need to be taken every 4 to 6 hours to stay effective.
Meclizine is my go-to medicine for avoiding motion sickness. You can buy it several ways: as the brand names Bonine® or Dramamine® (make sure you pick the Less Drowsy Formula) and as generic tablets of meclizine. There are even 2 different strengths of meclizine; for motion sickness, unless your doctor advises you otherwise, choose the 25mg of meclizine instead of the 12.5mg tablets. I prefer meclizine for motion sickness because it is inexpensive, often available as chewable flavored tablets, it rarely causes drowsiness and one tablet taken in the morning will last you ALL DAY, not just 4-6 hours.
For more relief, adding ginger to acupressure or meclizine may help. Avoid combining dimenhydrinate (the original Dramamine®) with meclizine, however, because that combination can cause drowsiness, dry mouth or constipation. If meclizine or dimenhydrinate plus ginger and acupressure just isn’t strong enough, ask your doctor about a prescription for a box of 3 scopolamine patches.
Scopolamine is a patch (Transderm Scop®) you wear behind your ear, each lasting for 2-3 days at a time. Scopolamine is more effective for motion sickness than ginger or meclizine but can cause more side effects: fatigue, blurred vision, dry mouth, constipation and urinary retention. Talk to your medical provider about whether it would be a safe choice for you, especially if you also are taking medicine for nerve pain or have trouble with constipation.
Here are 5 Tips on Dealing with Motion Sickness:
- Face forward.
If possible, sit facing forward on trains, boats and roller coasters.
- Keep cool.
It can really help to sit where you can get fresh air. I have found that being too warm always makes my motion sickness worse, so wear layers to avoid getting overheated.
- Be prepared.
Motion sickness medicines take a while to work, and are most effective as a preventative. Take or apply them at least 30 minutes before getting being exposed to the motion of a boat, car or plane, and be sure to bring another dose along if you’re taking the shorter-acting anti-nausea products ginger or dimenhydrinate.
- Choose meclizine.
When picking out motion-sickness medicine, watch out! There are two formulas of the brand of motion sickness medicine Dramamine®, parked right next to each other. I strongly recommend getting meclizine, sold as the generic version of Bonine® or the Less Drowsy Formula of Dramamine®. It’s just as effective but costs less than it’s brand name versions.
- Meclizine helps dogs.
If your dog gets carsick, meclizine can help. For most dogs the dose is 25mg once daily; if your dog is small or already takes medication, please check with your veterinarian first.
