Key takeaways:
Scopolamine (Transderm Scop) and promethazine are prescription-only seasickness medications. Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy) are over-the-counter options.
Medications for seasickness work best when you take them in advance, not after you start feeling sick.
The best seasickness medication for you will depend on factors such as age, affordability, and convenience.
Save on related medications
Feeling queasy on a cruise is no way to enjoy your vacation. Thankfully, there are many seasickness medications available to help prevent and manage your symptoms. Since motion sickness and seasickness tend to go hand in hand, the medications for managing them are similar.
A healthcare professional can help you choose the best seasickness medication for you. Preparing your medications before you embark on your trip can help you enjoy your excursion on the water without missing a beat.
What are the best medications to prevent and treat seasickness?
A variety of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications are available for seasickness.
If you know that you tend to experience seasickness, it’s best to take your medication before setting sail. Seasickness medications work best when taken ahead of time. But they still may offer some benefit if you take them after symptoms develop.
Even if you don’t typically experience seasickness (or haven’t sailed or been on a cruise before), it’s a good idea to have medications on hand in case you hit rough seas. Ships typically have seasickness pills on board in case you forget to bring your own.
We’ll detail what to know about five standard seasickness medications.
1. Scopolamine
Scopolamine (Transderm Scop) is a first-choice medication for preventing seasickness in adults. One reason for this is that it’s less likely to make you sleepy than other seasickness medications. Scopolamine prevents nausea by blocking a chemical messenger in your body called acetylcholine.
Scopolamine is a prescription-only patch that you place behind your ear. One patch lasts for about 72 hours (3 days), making it a convenient option for cruises and long fishing trips. After 3 days, remove the patch. If you still need relief, you can apply a new patch behind your other ear.
The most common scopolamine side effect is dry mouth, but it may also cause blurred vision, drowsiness, and dilated pupils. Keep in mind that the longer you use scopolamine patches, the greater chance you have of experiencing side effects after stopping it. This is often referred to as scopolamine withdrawal. Contact a healthcare professional if you experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or sweating after removing your scopolamine patch.
Good to know: Scopolamine isn’t technically FDA approved for motion sickness in kids, but it may be prescribed for teens and adolescents in severe cases. However, kids younger than 12 should generally avoid using it. They’re more likely to experience mental health side effects from the medication, such as hallucinations.
2. Dimenhydrinate
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine, Gravol) is a popular OTC option for preventing and treating seasickness in adults and kids ages 2 and older. Some research suggests this antihistamine works similarly well as scopolamine.
Dimenhydrinate comes as 25 mg and 50 mg chewable tablets and 50 mg standard tablets. It’s available as a liquid, too. A typical adult dosage of dimenhydrinate is 1 to 2 tablets (50 mg to 100 mg) by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed. Don’t take more than 8 tablets (400 mg) in 24 hours, though. Kids ages 12 and older can take the adult dose, but the best dose for younger kids will depend on their age.
Drowsiness, constipation, and dry mouth are a few examples of common dimenhydrinate side effects. These side effects are temporary and should go away after you stop taking it. Dimenhydrinate is also less sleep inducing than diphenhydramine — the next seasickness medication we’ll talk about.
3. Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is a common part of many first aid kits. It can help manage allergic reactions. But it’s also an effective off-label option for preventing and treating seasickness in adults and kids.
Like dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine is an OTC antihistamine. It comes as tablets, capsules, and chewable tablets. It’s also available as an oral liquid. The recommended diphenhydramine dosage for adults and kids ages 12 and older is 1 to 2 tablets (25 mg to 50 mg) by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed. Don’t take more than 6 doses in 24 hours.
The OTC diphenhydramine dosage for younger kids is based on age. The product label provides information for kids ages 6 and older, but diphenhydramine can be given to kids younger than this. It’s important to get a dosage recommendation from your child’s pediatrician if they’re younger than 6.
Good to know: Diphenhydramine shares similar side effects as dimenhydrinate, such as drowsiness and dry mouth. But it can make some kids feel hyper and agitated. If diphenhydramine has this effect on your child, avoid giving doses close to bedtime.
4. Meclizine
Meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy) is another OTC antihistamine. It prevents and treats seasickness in adults and kids ages 12 and older. Studies suggest meclizine isn’t as effective as scopolamine or dimenhydrinate, but it shouldn’t make you feel as sleepy as dimenhydrinate or diphenhydramine.
Meclizine comes as standard tablets and chewable tablets. The typical meclizine dosage is 1 to 2 tablets (25 mg to 50 mg) by mouth once daily. Other tablet doses are also available. But regardless of dose, don’t give meclizine to kids younger than 12 without a healthcare professional’s OK.
If meclizine makes you feel drowsy, consider taking your daily dose at bedtime. Besides drowsiness, other common meclizine side effects include headache, dizziness, and dry mouth.
5. Promethazine
Promethazine is a prescription-only antihistamine. It prevents and treats seasickness in adults and kids ages 2 and older. Promethazine can also manage nausea and vomiting if you start experiencing seasickness symptoms.
Promethazine comes as a tablet, a rectal suppository, and an oral liquid. A standard adult promethazine dosage is 25 mg by mouth twice daily. Kids ages 2 and older can take 12.5 mg to 25 mg of promethazine twice daily.
Common promethazine side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth. Promethazine can cause more serious side effects, but these are rare. Seizures and movement problems are a couple of examples. Contact a healthcare professional if you experience any serious side effects.
Good to know: Promethazine can rarely cause breathing problems in kids younger than 2. That’s why it shouldn’t be used in this age group. Promethazine even carries a boxed warning — the FDA’s most serious medication warning — for this reason.
When should you take seasickness medications?
It’s best to take seasickness medications in advance to prevent symptoms. But the optimal timing depends on the medication. Some medications work faster than others. This chart offers advice on each medication.
Medication | When to take it before sailing |
|---|---|
Scopolamine | 4 hours |
Dimenhydrinate | 30-60 minutes |
Diphenhydramine | 30-60 minutes |
Meclizine | 60 minutes |
Promethazine | 30-60 minutes |
If you’re feeling normal, it’s easy to forget to take your preventive dose. So if you’re prone to seasickness, it’s a good idea to set a reminder to take your seasickness medication before you set sail.
Also, if you have a full schedule on a cruise, carry your medication with you for convenience. That way, you won’t have to return to your cabin for your next dose.
When the ship is docked at a port, you’ll likely be able to take a break from seasickness pills.
Tips for preventing and treating seasickness without medication
Besides medication, there are other ways to prevent and treat seasickness while sailing, including:
Distracting yourself with music or breathing exercises
Lying down and resting
Drinking water to stay hydrated
Eating small, frequent meals
Getting fresh air
Limiting drinks with alcohol or caffeine
Trying ginger candy to settle your stomach
Wearing an acupressure wristband to relieve symptoms
Does chewing gum help with seasickness?
Potentially. Some studies suggest that chewing gum may help lessen seasickness symptoms. There are different theories about why this is, but none of them have been proven.
Can you combine different seasickness medications together?
It’s best to avoid combining different seasickness medications. Combining them increases the risk of side effects without much added benefit.
For instance, if you take scopolamine and dimenhydrinate together, you may experience more drowsiness and dry mouth than usual. And medications such as dimenhydrinate and diphenhydramine are in the same class. Combining them could worsen spells of drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth.
Instead, it’s safer to combine your seasickness pills or patches with non-medication options, such as an acupressure wristband.
What factors should be considered when choosing a seasickness medication?
Your age should be one part of your checklist. All seasickness medications should be used cautiously by people ages 65 and older. This is because older adults are more sensitive to common side effects, such as drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth. Different medications also have different minimum age requirements.
How fast the medications work can also come into play. Scopolamine patches last longer than the oral seasickness pills. But medications like dimenhydrinate start working faster.
Affordability is another factor to consider. The seasickness medications mentioned above are all available as generic products, and GoodRx discounts are available when they’re filled by the pharmacy. This helps lower costs. GoodRx discounts can even cover OTC medications if a healthcare professional writes you a prescription for them. But some medications will be costlier than others, so your pharmacist can help you determine which medications fit into your budget.
Frequently asked questions
Some data suggests that promethazine is the most effective tablet for motion sickness. However, the data is conflicting. Promethazine also requires a prescription and it’s typically reserved for more severe symptoms due to side effect risks.
If you’re looking for an option that’s available without a prescription, Dramamine is considered the most effective OTC tablet for motion sickness.
Speak with a healthcare professional for a recommendation on the best motion sickness medication for you.
Dramamine is generally considered to work better than Bonine for seasickness. But Dramamine typically causes more drowsiness and other related side effects. The active ingredient in Bonine — meclizine — is formulated under the name “Dramamine Less Drowsy” for this reason.
Seasickness happens when your brain gets mixed signals about how your body is moving. For example, you may be in a fast-moving boat on choppy waters, but you’re actually sitting still in the boat. This mismatch in movement can make you feel nauseated and activate the vomiting center in your brain. Seasickness medication works by blocking the chemicals that activate this vomiting center, therefore helping to prevent motion sickness symptoms like nausea or vomiting.
Some data suggests that promethazine is the most effective tablet for motion sickness. However, the data is conflicting. Promethazine also requires a prescription and it’s typically reserved for more severe symptoms due to side effect risks.
If you’re looking for an option that’s available without a prescription, Dramamine is considered the most effective OTC tablet for motion sickness.
Speak with a healthcare professional for a recommendation on the best motion sickness medication for you.
Dramamine is generally considered to work better than Bonine for seasickness. But Dramamine typically causes more drowsiness and other related side effects. The active ingredient in Bonine — meclizine — is formulated under the name “Dramamine Less Drowsy” for this reason.
Seasickness happens when your brain gets mixed signals about how your body is moving. For example, you may be in a fast-moving boat on choppy waters, but you’re actually sitting still in the boat. This mismatch in movement can make you feel nauseated and activate the vomiting center in your brain. Seasickness medication works by blocking the chemicals that activate this vomiting center, therefore helping to prevent motion sickness symptoms like nausea or vomiting.
The bottom line
There are a variety of seasickness medications available to fit your needs. Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy) are a few over-the-counter examples. Scopolamine (Transderm Scop) and promethazine are prescription-only options. The best seasickness medication for you will likely depend on age, cost, and preferences.
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