seasickness and metoclopramide

gag

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Jan 2006
Messages
107
Visit site
Just got back from the Docs after an appointment to get some Scopolomine patches for seasickness but he recommended metoclopramide 10 mg as it doesn't make you as drowsy as my usual stugeron and if I could put up with the seasickness' dizziness then these would stop me vomiting. But will I be functional , or seasick without puking up , if you get my drift! He said scopolomine wasn't on their health board's list of medicines that they supply.
 
Metoclopramide is a motility stimulant, meaning it keeps the stomach empty, but will do nothing for dizziness. All the drugs that work on the inner ear ( & therefore dizziness), will to some extent make you drowsy, although this effect lessens with time.
Scopoderm patches are available over the counter at Boots, and are what I prefer now, but they do give you a dry mouth.

Rob
 
It is absolutely right that metacloprimide is a drug that will have little or no effect on the sensation of sea sickness (although it just might spot you actually vomiting). Quote from the british national drug formulary, "the 5 HT antagonists, domperidone, metocloprimide and the phenothiazides are ineffective in motion sickness". I'm a vet and even I knew that. Tell you Dr to pull his finger out and read the drug perscribing guide the BNF that is sitting on his desk. Go for the patches. Last about 72 hrs and are great. They contain hyoscine
 
Just a warning re scopoderm patches.
My wife tried these, well actually a half a patch, and the effect was alarming - severe headaches, violent retching and burst eye blood vessels. I dread to think of the effect of a full patch. There are possible side-effects, as it says on the packet.
 
scopoderm patches

Still looking for some for the 1st aid box. Not available in Boots. Pharmacist there had recollection of all production going to forces in Iraq - or on way to. Smaller pharmacists say "Que ?". Might try a google for mail order.
 
As a pharmacist, I'm not at all surprised at your wife's symptoms. When you cut a patch in half, you allow all the active ingredient inside the "pith", or core of the patch, to ooze out in one go, rather than allowing it to diffuse slowly over 72 hours through the fabric of the patch, like it's designed to do; So in effect, your wife would have received over an hour or so, the dose usually absorbed over 36 hours! No wonder she was sick.
Next time, read the leaflet, it's for your own good!
 
Top