How do I avoid sea sickness?

Question

We are going on our first cruise (to Mexico). What products work best to avoid sea sickness?

Answer 1

1. Don't go.

2. Just try to stay cool, don't stand over railings, fall into the ocean, etc.

3. Don't eat too much, and try to stay calm. Occupy yourself, etc. There, too!

Answer 2

Benadryl also works like Dramamine - may be cheaper.  [Diphenhydramine is what you want.]

On the big ships they have stabilization mechanisms that make the ride very smooth, unless there are particularly high seas.

Answer 3

You can buy an over the counter pill for motion sickness it's called dramamine you can get it at Wal-mart. There brand is 100 for 4.00. That is what we used on our cruise! They also sell patches to put behind your ear.

What is motion sickness?

If you've ever been sick to your stomach on a rocking boat or a bumpy airplane ride, you know the discomfort of motion sickness. Although it doesn't cause long-term problems, motion sickness can make life miserable, especially for people who travel a lot.

People can feel sick from the motion in cars, airplanes, trains, amusement park rides, or on boats or ships. Motion sickness is sometimes called airsickness or seasickness. Video games, flight simulators, and looking through a microscope also can cause motion sickness. In these cases, the eyes see motion, but the body does not sense it.

Children from 5 to 12 years old, women, and the elderly seem to be more susceptible to motion sickness, while it is rare in children younger than age 2.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms of motion sickness are a general sense of not feeling well (malaise), nausea, vomiting, headache, and sweating.

What causes motion sickness?

Motion sickness occurs when the inner ear, the eyes, and other areas of the body that detect motion send unexpected or conflicting messages to the brain. One part of your balance-sensing system (your inner ear, vision, and sensory nerves that help you keep your balance) may indicate that your body is moving, while the other parts do not sense motion. For example, if you are in the cabin of a moving ship, your inner ear may sense the motion of big waves, but your eyes don't see any movement. This leads to a conflict between the senses and results in motion sickness.

What is the treatment for motion sickness?

It's best to try to prevent motion sickness, because symptoms are hard to stop once they start. Once motion sickness has developed, relief comes only after the motion has stopped. If you can't stop the motion, you may be able to reduce the feeling of queasiness by sitting or lying down in an area that appears to move the least. In an airplane, sit near the wings. On a boat or ship, stay on the deck, looking at the horizon. Or try to sit or lie down in a cabin near the center of the ship.

You also can take prescription and nonprescription medicine to prevent or reduce symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Most medicines work best if you take them before you travel. The medicines work in different ways. Some are sedatives that minimize the effect of motion, while others reduce nausea and vomiting.

Many people try other methods of preventing motion sickness, such as taking powdered ginger capsules or wearing acupressure wristbands. It is safe to try these methods, and they might offer some relief. But there is little evidence that they prevent motion sickness.

Answer 4

Chances are you will not have to worry about seasickness.  Most cruises are so smooth so you do not even know you are sailing.

Go to a natural food and vitamin store - or a place like Trader Joe's grocery store - and buy some crystalized ginger.  It actually tastes very good and just eat some of it like candy while on your cruise.  It is not a medicine but is supposed to prevent seasickness or motion sickness.  It is also good for relieving general nausea.

You can also request a mid-ship cabin to reduce motion while in your cabin.  Personally, I enjoy the sea motion and it kind of rocks me to sleep.

Have a great time.

Answer 5

Over-the-counter and prescription medications such as dramamine and scopolamine (as transdermal patches and tablets) are readily available. Ginger capsules are also considered effective in preventing motion sickness.[1] Some sufferers find that wearing special wristbands helps stave off the condition.

Those suffering from seasickness who are unaccustomed to the motion of a ship often find relief by:

keeping their eyes directed to the fixed shore or horizon, where possible

lying down on their backs and closing their eyes

drinking any substance that is likely to temporarily diminish their senses of sight and touch

move into a position where fresh air is blowing on their face

sucking on crystallised ginger, sipping ginger tea or taking a capsule of ginger.

moving to the boat's center of gravity to eliminate motion due to pitch, roll and yaw (but not translation)

taking the helm of a yacht can reduce sickness as the sufferer has something to concentrate on, and can also anticipate the movement of the vessel

Unlike with a hangover, succumbing to nausea normally does not relieve the symptoms of seasickness, and, once started, is often difficult to stop.

Answer 6

I get seasick easily and I have never gotten seasick on a cruise ship.  The ships are big and have stabilizers.

Nonetheless, on one cruise I was warned the water could be rough.  So I bought some ginger tablets.  I like ginger because it is not a drug and  because it is the only thing that worked on Mythbusters.  I took one tablet in the morning just before breakfast and one tablet just before dinner.  Make sure you take the ginger tablets with water.  I was told several people on this cruise did get seasick, but I was fine.

Another thing you can do eat bland foods.  Breads and crackers will help keep your stomach settled.

Finally, the closer you are to the waterline and the closer you are to the center of the ship, the less movement you will feel.

However, the cause of seasickness is a conflict between your ears and eyes.  For example, if you are inside, your eyes will not see movement, but your ears might feel the movement and this can cause you to feel seasick.

This can happen the other way around also.  I was playing a driving game while sitting on a couch.  My ears felt no movement, but my eyes did see movement, and I ended up seasick, even though I was on land, 20 miles from the sea.