Upcoming road trip - what to do for car sickness?

[LadyR]

We will be taking another road trip - driving for about 7-10 hours. My dd (16) gets car sick easily. Is there something over-the-counter I can get for her to help with the car sickness? Or any other tips?

[Tutor]

The car-sickness wrist bands work really well. I've also found that sucking on mint candy works well, too. (I've found spearmint works better than peppermint for me.)

[TXMomof4]

Dramamine has a non -drowsy formula.

 

Benadryl will work as well - but she'll be sleepy. Of course, I prefer sleepy sometimes myself.;)

[T'smom]

I got very, very carsick as a child. By the time I was 12, I never left home without my Dramamine! It worked very well- I usually got the drowsy on purpose though, so I could sleep in the car.

I haven't had the carsick issue as an adult- but I used the travel bands for morning sickness and they helped a LOT- I went from being severely nauseous, to only slightly nauseous! They're definitely worth a shot.

[sparrow]

Just posted on the other road trip thread that our portable DVD player has been wonderful for carsickness. We have a bag that hangs between the two fronts seats, so the eyes are directed toward the center of the car. If we can avoid looking at fast moving scenery we're usually pretty good.

 

Altoids peppermints seem to help, if any icky feelings arise.

[emubird]

Even the non drowsy Dramamine eventually knocks me out. It just takes longer. And it doesn't work all that well for me. It will keep me from throwing up on a plane, but just barely.

 

The only solution I've found for my own carsickness is to be the driver. I try not to fly.

 

I do tend to get more sick in cars that are leaking exhaust into the car. We may not be able to smell it at all. I usually ride with a window open, even in the depths of winter (20 below 0 F ). Air conditioning is a really bad idea for me (and my kids).

 

As a kid I just threw up all the time, until we got a new car which we drove for 6 months. I was just fine -- until we got back our old car. I was sick the first trip out. I assume our old car was leaking something that no one had found.

[elegantlion]

I have severe motion sickness. Dramamine is the only thing that works for me. I have the bands, alone they do nothing. Ginger ale is great, but doesn't work.

 

Here's what I do:

 

1. don't eat a heavy meal before leaving

2. Do NOT sit in the back! I must have a view of front and side to see the motion of the vehicle. I always get a window seat on the plane.

3. Air flow is crucial. Cool air is better.

4. Have a 7up or Gingerale available to sip while driving.

5. No reading, no maps, no videos. I've been known to get sick while trying to look at a map for ten seconds.

6. Make sure you take the dramamine ahead of time. I took 3 before we boarded a small commuter plane. Loved the flight.

7. It's not in your head, you can't just will it away. (took dh a few times to figure that one out)

8. Ironically I can drive unmedicated over the same roads that make me sick while riding.

 

Motion sickness sucks. I can't count the number of times I been unprepared and met with disastrous, embarrassing results. If you prepare right it makes the journey easier.

[cougarmom4]

Ds12 is also very prone to motion sickness when we travel. Dramamine is our friend. Take it at least 30 minutes before travelling. Peppermint gum also helps.

 

My other rec is to have lots of gallon bags available. And baby wipes.

 

Good luck!

[Chrystal]

Ginger candy always helps me. I get extremely carsick if I am not the driver.

I have also use the wristbands that have the nubs that use accupressure. They helped.

I also get drowsy even with the non-drowsy Dramamine.

 

Good Luck on your trip. :auto:

[KJsMom]

The only thing that really works for my dd is Hyland's Motion Sickness formula. As for the portable TV helping, we have found just the opposite to be true. We keep saltine crackers and bottled water within reach. And just in case, we carry one of those ice cream buckets with a lid. Line it with a bathroom trash bag and clean up is much easier!

[hornblower]

We are a family of 4 & all of us get car sick.

 

Road trips are so much fun with us!!!! :lol:

 

Several things really matter:

 

1) the type of suspension in a car

 

I cannot ride in most American brand cars. I kinda get sick just looking at old Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes (& there are tons of them around as they are the "cool thing" among young men of a certain age. Caddies if they can get them, Cutlass Supremes for the wannabees.....They polish & buff them & do something to their engines & then shove HUGE stereos in them......)

 

Japanese cars have a stiffer suspension and German cars are even firmer.

 

So, you may need to buy a new car, esp if commuting, car-schooling, &/or road trips are in your future.

 

2) location in the car. The closer to the front, the better. The last row seats in my Sienna make everyone except the dogs sick so the seats are permanently out & the dog travel crates are in. :)

 

Middle row is ok, but all of us do a lot better in the front. Unfortunately, we don't all fit in the front....

 

3) being the driver is the best prevention. Unfortunately, we can't ALL drive at the same time :tongue_smilie:

 

4) Dramamine & Gravol are good.

Scolopolamine is excellent but don't overdo it as it can cause hallucinations, especially the patch. But if you need to do a long bus trip or a boat trip, scope is your friend.

 

I love boats & ships but like the original Horatio Hornblower, this hornblower is a barfer :). You should have seen me on some of the sailing lessons.....actually, no. Nobody should have seen me.....

 

My motion sickness got WAY better during pregnancy. During my first pregnancy I had to fly to Ottawa a bunch of times for work & normally I'm a barfer on planes too but (after the morning sickness wore off), I was fine!

 

I have high hopes for menopause fixing this for me so I can do offshore sailing while not stoned on meds....

[EKS]

Dramamine

[Jann in TX]

Most health food stores (even the health food section of my local grocery) will have Ginger capsules. Take 2-3 every few hours (for adult) 1-2 for kids.

 

Non-drowsy and it REALLY WORKS...

 

I wish I would have known there were ginger capsules when I was pg with my youngest dd!

[Pretty in Pink]

I take Dramamine if I'm not the driver. Two of my kids also take it pretty regularly. Works for us.

 

A friend once made me some fresh 'ginger ale' in her juicer. I know it had fresh ginger and grapes in it, not sure what else, but not only was it delicious but it really helped to dispel the nausea on that trip.

[Starr]

My ds was so happy to discover dramamine. He says if you are in the car all day you always feel a little sleepy and doesn't notice feeling any sleepier. If she's driving i would take a non drowsy formula. I don't get car sick when I drive. The best thing about becoming an adult is that I get to ride in the front seat! I hope you find something that works for her.

[ChristusG]

If possible, maybe she could sit in the front seat sometimes. My parents used to let me do that sometimes on long trips. Front seat, cold air, Dramamine, clear soda....all of that helps me. I haven't gotten car sick in a long time though. But that's because I make sure I'm always the driver now.

[Mrs Mungo]

We will be taking another road trip - driving for about 7-10 hours. My dd (16) gets car sick easily. Is there something over-the-counter I can get for her to help with the car sickness? Or any other tips?

 

Non-drowsy, chewable Dramamine for kids. That's what we use.

[LadyR]

Thanks for all the tips. I saw Dramamine in Target tonight so I'm thinking I might like to try that for our long trip. Target also had Sea Bands for the wrists so I purchased those for shorter trips.

[seibert4kids]

My son dealt with this pretty often a few years ago, but fortunately seems to have outgrown it mostly now (yeah!). A few things that seemed to help him were ginger candies (we tried to get all-natural ones at the health food store) and sitting near a window. We had a van, so he would sit behind the driver's seat only.

Also, a hand-held battery-powered fan helped him to stay cooled off and not feel so sick to his stomach.

I always felt so bad for him, but he was a trooper and rarely complained :).