8 Ways to Avoid or Amend Sea Sickness

 

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 One concerns that keeps some people from enjoying all that a cruise vacation has to offer is the fear of sea sickness. Today I'd like to share a few of the preventatives and remedies that I've used over the years. I am really blessed that, during this season of my life, sea sickness is not a serious issue for me. I have experienced it in the past, and these days if there's even a hint that it might be coming, I start right in with these measures to be sure to enjoy my trips as much as possible.
 I'm sure you've heard it said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and when it comes to sea sickness, I'd double that! This phrase, coined by Benjamin Franklin, alludes to the fact that it's much easier to deal with an issue before it comes to pass. When it comes to sea sickness, once you are experiencing it, the medications and things will be much less effective. If you are really concerned, you can start implementing the following the morning before you board the cruise ship. If you are only mildly concerned, you could start these if the captain informs the ship that there is rocky weather ahead or at the first sign of discomfort, whichever comes first. 

Meclizine

 Marketed under the brand name, Bonine, meclizine is a medication that, when taken before motion sickness kicks in, can prevent it from affecting you. This tiny, chewable tablet works for 24 hours so you only need to take it once a day. That makes this 16-count package all a person would need for most cruises, but if your cruise is longer, or you are preparing for more than one person, the per unit price is better on this generic brand's 100ct bottle. If you're really stocking up, for just $1.48 more you can get 300!      

    

Patches

 If you're super concerned about getting sick from the motion of the ocean, you can always ask your doctor to prescribe a scopolamine patch for you. I, unfortunately, have found that I am allergic to them, whether it's the medication, the inactive ingredients, or the adhesive who knows. On the other hand, I have had great results with these MQ Motion Sickness patches. They advertise that they are made of, "100% Natural Herb Ingredients: Safflower abstract, tall gastrodia tuber, sanchi, hairy datura flower, pinellia tuber, obtuseleaf cinnamon bark, frankincense, dahurian angelica root, borneol." Now I can't pronounce half of that, let alone tell you what it is, but I can tell you that it works! I place one of the patches behind each of my ears (there are two in a packet) and leave them on for three days. At less than a dollar a pair, these are a wonderful investment in your vacation! Again, they work best if they are applied BEFORE you feel sick


 Other ways to avoid feeling ill at sea include managing your eating. Everywhere you look on a cruise ship it seems there are fabulous things to eat, and your first instinct may be to consume it all at once! But pace yourself. Your vacation will last longer than you think and there will be time for all of those goodies. One of the worst things you can do to yourself is overeat because that will set you up to feel ill, even if the ground weren't rocking underneath you. If you're anything like me, you don't want to get too hungry either. Small, frequent meals are an ideal alternative. Eat like a hobbit: breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and supper. I'm kidding, that would probably be overeating too! But having a little something to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a small snack (perhaps a bowl of fruit?) in between and a little dessert in the evening sounds good to me!

 You may not want to hear this, but the other saboteur aboard that may sink your fun vacation plans is alcohol. Yes, they sell it to you every chance they get, at a steep markup no less, but when it comes to sea sickness this can be a fast track to misery. Tuck this little information tidbit in the back of your mind and if you do get sick on board, maybe lay off the liquor. 

 So what do you do if you find yourself already nauseous? Good news, there's lots of help for that too! Your first course of action should be to get somewhere with fresh air, preferably where you can see the horizon. There's something about watching the horizon and feeling the air on your face that tells your brain the motion its feeling is normal, and it backs off its alert system. For some people, nibbling on something carby can help settle things as well. When I was a little girl, my grandma always gave me 7up and saltines when I didn't feel well. Not sure if it was the crackers or the love they were presented with, but it always made me feel better. Crackers, or something similar, can serve to settle your stomach a bit. Another edible nausea cure is green apples. Most cruise ships keep these handy in the buffet all the time and I'm prone to grab one on the first day to keep in my cabin for just in case. I can't tell you what it is about it, or why it matters that they are green, but it works!

Ginger

 Another tried and true method to beat nausea once it occurs is ginger. Some people will try ginger ale, although most of those don't have any actual ginger in them. For others, keeping something on hand like these ginger tabs. I'd love to give you a glowing, personal review about how great these work, but I am allergic to ginger, so this is one tool I can't use. It has great Amazon reviews though!

Sea Bands

 If you just can't stomach (ok, that was a bad pun) the idea of putting anything in your mouth, these little bracelets are your best friend. Don't just slide them on though, read the directions and put them on just right. There is a pressure point in your wrist, about three finger widths down from the crease, that calms your nausea center. If you're really in a bind, you can just press on it with the finger of your other hand, but that only lasts so long. The little white button in these bands is designed to put pressure on that point, which is why you have to read the directions and put them on right. They are not the most comfortable or fashionable thing in the world, but if it works, it works. Am I right?

Here's the Thing: Sea sickness is awful, but it is also avoidable. With just a little precaution, you shouldn't have to deal with it at all, and if you do, it's not the end of the world. There are lots of ways to stop it in its tracks. Again, if you're really prone to nausea, you can ask your doctor to prescribe some Ondansetron for you that would knock it out in a hurry! Just make sure to ask for the chewables because the pills are harder to get down and stay down. Don't let the fear of motion sickness keep you from what could be the best trip of your life!

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