2 questions: Sea sickness & BC Pills

[Timber99]

I am going on a cruise for the holidays and very worried that I will be sea sick for the entire time! I get motino sickness in cars (unless I am the driver) and on boats. For a big trip, I take dramamine, which generally works, but not sure what to do for the cruise. Do I stick with 24 hour dramamine? Any other suggestions?

The second problem is that I also just realized that I am going to have my "friend" (why do they call it that!!?@?!?!?) during the trip. I am on the pill and a friend suggested that I just start a new pill pack that month and skip my cycle that week. Has anyone ever done that? Bad or good idea?

 

[violinga1]

Well, I am very, very sensitive when it comes to motion sickness. I went on a 90' tuna boat for a week (which I can imagine is a bit rougher than a cruise ship). I started taking Bonine 24 hours before getting on the boat and continued to take it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I also had the less drowsy formula Dramamine that I switched to after two days because the Bonine was making me pretty sleepy, and my body had time to adjust. I think the recommended dosage was twice a day, but I could start to feel it wearing off and I just took a pill with each meal. I also wore a relief band. I don't know if that helped or not, but between the pills and the band I was perfectly fine and managed not to get sick the entire week.

I also took a supply of Ginger Ale and saltines when I didn't feel like eating - for once eating kinda made me feel sick!

Sorry, no advice on your "friend." Had mine on the boat, too. lol But since it wasn't a cruise where I'd be in a bathing suit or anything, I just stuck through with it. x(

HTH - good luck!

 

[materialsgirl]

I have answers for both of your questions!

First, I highly, highly recommend the Relief Band. I have used this thing countless times on airplanes (I tend to get motion sickness during ascent and descent - it gets pretty choppy sometimes) and the Relief Band helps so much. It uses electrical stimulation to a particular nerve in your arm, that when it reaches the brain, essentially cancels out the nausea nerve signals coming from your stomach. I got mine from Sharper Image a few years ago, but it seems like they're harder to find these days. You might have to hunt around for one. Amazon shows it on their website, but they don't stock it:
http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Relief-Band-Motion-Sickness/dp/B0000AY4VL
SeaBands use a sort-of similar principal, but use pressure instead of electrical impulses - reviews of the Relief Band tend to be more positive than for SeaBands.

As for skipping your period - yes, you can do this and it's safe. It's not really a "period" that you get anyway when you're on BCP. I used to do it regularly, so that I would only get 4 periods a year. And now they make BCP that comes already packaged this way (Seasonale, Seasonique) - it's the same hormones that are in your monthly BCP, but with fewer placebo weeks. Two things you should be aware of if you do this are (1) some women experience some spotting the first couple times they try this - this never happened to me though and (2) if your insurance covers your BCP, and they have a strict rule about how frequently you can get refills, you may find yourself paying for a pack out-of-pocket because you'll need a new pack sooner than insurance will allow. Oh, and also, I don't think you can do it if you take a triphasic pill. This only works for monophasic pills (where the hormones are the same all month long). You can ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're not sure.

Hope this helps! And have fun on your cruise!

 

[cheval]

I take a triphasic pill and I've adjusted my bleeding time by skipping the placebo week. Worked great for me and no spotting at all. I don't do it all the time, though, just occasionally to reposition the week.

April

 

[putz168]

I, too, have taken back-to-back pill packs and had no problem - and had my doctor's approval to do so. I am a scuba diver and use dramamine on occasion, but boy, does it make me sleepy! On our last dive trip many of the divers talked about natural/herbal remedies for sea sickness with which they have had tremendous success. I can't remember what they were but you could google it. Problem is you don't know if they work for you or not until it's too late, but may be worth investigating. Have a great trip!

Beth

 

[Poochy]

We deep sea fish .. DH (the captain) gets sea sick so quickly! He has tried everything .. and he swears by Bonine. Take it the night before to let it get into your system .. them 2 times a day from there on out. He does not get too sleepy w/it .. his voice does get a little hoarse from it (??)

People that go w/us bring everything from the sea bands to the patch to dramamine and the one consitant thing that works is Bonine (meclazine) .. I think Dramamine II is like Bonine ... HTH!!!

 

[EVCT]

On our last cruise to Bermuda my husband and I took Bonine and we slept all day! We stopped taking it and didn't get sick.I'm looking for something that doesn't make you so drowsy.
Ellen

 

[divagirl]

Hi

You'll probably be fine unless there is bad weather during your cruise. I get motion sickness very easily like you and was concerned about having a horrible experience on my first cruise. I brought a band which I never used and I took ginger capsules with me and some homeopathic tablets. I used those on the first day since I was afraid but then realized that I didn't need anything. Bring some motion sickness pills like dramamine or the other that was recommended but don't use them unless you actually get sick. They made me very sleepy from what I remember years ago.

 

[Jennifit]

My doctor prescribed me a motion sickness patch and it worked like a charm!! (And, I get sick watching boats on tv!!! LOL)

As for the pill, ask your doctor that question, too. They will know how to do it!

HAVE FUN!

 

[earlyexerciser]

I tried the motion sickness patch and THAT is what made me sick!! I would NOT recommend the patch (from a prescription), as it did not work for me and even made me sick.

I get sick on planes, cars, boats, trains, sometimes even swinging on a swing and I have been on several cruises.

I had to take the patch off on my first cruise and then switched to less drowsy Dramamine. I was not too sleepy on this. For later cruises: I took one less drowsy Dramamine ONE hour before flying and then another that night and then only half of one every 24 hrs. If I felt sick at all, I would take another half of a Dramamine. This only happened once on my last cruise.

I have also had success with Bonine.

I have heard about some procedure that you can have done at an ENT (Ear, Nose Throat doctor) that will cure your motion sickness. Has anyone heard of this???

Jenn

 

[redrocks]

Another vote for Meclizine

Every time we go on a cruise or we go to an amusement park, I take 25 mg of Meclizine. It's available OTC at Walmart, just ask the pharmacist where it is located in that particular store. At our Walmart the pharmacist keeps it behind the counter, but I have seen it in other pharmacies on the shelf. I just bought a bottle in October for $5 (and change) for 100 tablets. It works great! I am back to riding all the "twisty turny, topsy turvy" rides at the amusement park

redrocks

 

[CollinsMom]

RE: Another vote for Meclizine

No advice for the motion sickness, sorry.

You absolutely can back up your bc pills and skip your period and there is no health risk. Go for it!