Reviewing Bonine Motion Sickness Tablets

My husband Bill and I just took a lovely cruise in the Caribbean. We were aboard the SeaDream I, which is a small but luxurious vessel. Though we had a wonderful time, there was one issue that caused us problems-- the dreaded motion sickness. Luckily, I had already read about other peoples' experiences on SeaDream I and knew that motion sickness could be a problem. Before we set sail, Bill and I visited our local Target and asked the pharmacist for a good motion sickness preventative. The pharmacist handed us a box of Bonine, which for some reason she had stowed behind her counter.

What is Bonine and what does it do?

Bonine is a trade name for Meclizine Hydrochloride, an anti-emetic. Bonine is intended to be used as a preventative or cure for motion sickness. It helps prevent nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Each chewable Bonine tablet contains 25 mg of Meclizine Hydrochloride.

Directions

Adults and children over 12 should chew one or two Bonine tablets an hour before travel starts.

Warnings

Do not take Bonine without first talking to a doctor if you have glaucoma, trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland, or a breathing problem such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also consult a doctor before using Bonine. Bonine can cause drowsiness if it's used with alcohol, sedatives, or tranquilizers. Be careful driving a car or heavy machinery after using Bonine until you know how it affects you. Bonine should not be given to children under 12 unless on a health care professional's advice. Do not exceed the recommended dosage.

My experiences

Contrary to the advice on the package, I neglected to use Bonine until motion sickness was already a problem. On the first morning of our cruise, the boat was rocking in choppy waters. I was lying in bed when the queasiness started. When I stood up, I immediately needed to vomit. After I was finished throwing up, I grabbed my box of Bonine and started chewing the first tablet. To my surprise, before I was finished chewing, the nausea was gone. I took another tablet just to be safe.

The Bonine tablets we used were raspberry flavored. The raspberry flavoring helped cover up the nasty taste of these tablets. Of course, they worked so quickly and effectively that I would happily endure the bad taste for a few minutes. A little later, when my husband and I were confronted by our first tender to shore, I was doubly glad I'd taken the Bonine. The little tender boat was rocking a lot and I think I might have gotten sick again had I not taken some medicine.

I've read anecdotal accounts of some people getting drowsy after using Bonine. Drowsiness was not an issue for me at all. In my case, the only negative to using this medication was the very temporary bad taste. I like the fact that this medication can be taken anywhere because it's chewable. There's no need for water, though you might like to have some handy to wash the taste out of your mouth. If you've never used Bonine, would recommend trying it at home before you board your cruise or aircraft, just to make sure you don't have any adverse reactions.

Overall

I would highly recommend carrying a box of Bonine tablets anytime you think motion sickness might be an issue. Bonine really helped prevent motion sickness from ruining our expensive cruise. I think it's a valuable investment to any traveler.

Sources:

Personal experience
www.bonine.com
www.insightpharma.com