Vitamine C and motion sickness/Sturgeron
Sturgeron (Cinnarizine 25 mg), is one of the class of drugs such as other antihistamines. It shares the potential problem of drowsiness and in some people it may cause epigastric distress. There have also been some other side effects involving abnormal movements of the head and neck. It is one of the drugs where pregnant or breast feeding women should not take the medication.
Stugeron is available in many countries--but not in the USA, because it is not FDA approved. Basically this means that no drug company has felt that it was worth the costs to get approval, or that it offered any significant advantage over other similar class of drugs, such as Mecilizine. As for many medications, you need to know its chemical or generic name, and then the medication can be obtained in places such as Mexico. From my personal observations, it works as well as the other drugs in its class. We have tried it in patients who didn't have good results with Mecilizine, and they had similar poor results with Sturgeron.
In the excellent article which Mike refered to (Post Graduate Medicine, is a "general education" magazine sponsored by drug companies and distributed free to all physicians), The first group of drugs: Promethazine HCl(Anergan, Phenergan) and
Metoclopramide HCl are often the most effective drugs. They are given either by suspository or injection in a person who is at risk of becomming dehydrated if the oral route is not available. The Aerospace program has also used a combination of epinephrine or ephedrine with Phenergan or Compazine. Occasionally drugs with more potentailly dangerous side effects such as Thorazine are necessary.
Although the reference below is sponsored by the makers of Scopace (a scopolaminae oral medication), it offers some further insite into motionsickness and is another alternative.
http://www.motionsickness.net/aboutms.html
Other factors are to eat lightly the day before sailing and when aboard. Drink no alcohol. Stay in a well ventiallated are, or on deck. Use visual cues, by watching the horizon or hand steering the boat. Take the sea sickness RX the night before, as well as the morning of starting the voyage.
The pressure bands may have some benefit--and the electrostimilatory ones seem to be better. The good news is that most people eventually adapt to the motion--at least on the voyage--but it may it may take days.
For those who have a risk of becomming dehydrated, if the oral/chewed Mecilizine does not work, then be prepared to go with one of the injectable combinations.
Regards,
Bob Austin M.D.
FYI - Meclazine is the active ingredient in Bonine. I
have purchased generic meclazine at Costco (some, not
all) for about $0.06/tablet whereas Bonine is close to
$1/tablet.
Generic comes in 12.5 mg and 25 mg tablets. There is
very little cost difference between the two, and since
it is so cheap, I buy the lower dosage (12.5mg)
because its easier to take a prophylactic dose. The
tablets are scored making them easy to break in half,
blunting the severity of side effects (drowsiness,
blurred vision, and cotton mouth).
While I have never been physically sick, I have had
tell-tale, low-level headaches in severe conditions. I
consider myself very resistant to motion sickness, I
suspect I am not totally immune from seasickness. For
me, if sea conditions deteriorate, along with pumping
the bilges and securing hatches, I will frequently a
take prophylactic dose of meclazine.
Peter
--- Bob Austin thataway4@cox.net wrote:
Sturgeron (Cinnarizine 25 mg), is one of the class
of drugs such as other antihistamines. It shares
the potential problem of drowsiness and in some
people it may cause epigastric distress. There have
also been some other side effects involving abnormal
movements of the head and neck. It is one of the
drugs where pregnant or breast feeding women should
not take the medication.
Stugeron is available in many countries--but not in
the USA, because it is not FDA approved.
Basically this means that no drug company has felt
that it was worth the costs to get approval, or that
it offered any significant advantage over other
similar class of drugs, such as Mecilizine. As for
many medications, you need to know its chemical or
generic name, and then the medication can be
obtained in places such as Mexico. From my personal
observations, it works as well as the other drugs in
its class. We have tried it in patients who didn't
have good results with Mecilizine, and they had
similar poor results with Sturgeron.
In the excellent article which Mike refered to (Post
Graduate Medicine, is a "general education" magazine
sponsored by drug companies and distributed free to
all physicians), The first group of drugs:
Promethazine HCl(Anergan, Phenergan) and
Metoclopramide HCl are often the most
effective drugs. They are given either by
suspository or injection in a person who is at risk
of becomming dehydrated if the oral route is not
available. The Aerospace program has also used a
combination of epinephrine or ephedrine with
Phenergan or Compazine. Occasionally drugs with
more potentailly dangerous side effects such as
Thorazine are necessary.
Although the reference below is sponsored by
the makers of Scopace (a scopolaminae oral
medication), it offers some further insite into
motionsickness and is another alternative.
http://www.motionsickness.net/aboutms.html
Other factors are to eat lightly the day
before sailing and when aboard. Drink no alcohol.
Stay in a well ventiallated are, or on deck. Use
visual cues, by watching the horizon or hand
steering the boat. Take the sea sickness RX the
night before, as well as the morning of starting the
voyage.
The pressure bands may have some benefit--and
the electrostimilatory ones seem to be better. The
good news is that most people eventually adapt to
the motion--at least on the voyage--but it may it
may take days.
For those who have a risk of becomming
dehydrated, if the oral/chewed Mecilizine does not
work, then be prepared to go with one of the
injectable combinations.
Regards,
Bob Austin M.D.
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Peter Pisciotta
415-902-8439