I Tried The Seasickness Patch: My Reaction Was Scary and I’ll Never Do It Again

People are often surprised to find that I occasionally get seasick. Not just seasick, I am a travel-sick person in general – I can feel ill in cars, buses, and coaches – and I have done so all my life.

That said though, I don’t go on a cruise expecting to feel seasick. On the majority of cruises, you won’t feel the ship move at all. I only feel seasick if I am caught in a particularly bad storm or am cruising to somewhere like the Arctic Circle in March, or across the Atlantic in January. I’ve done both of those things!

I had heard some amazing things about behind-the-ear seasickness patches and decided to try them for a cruise onboard Norwegian Aqua.

I was sailing from Lisbon in March to Southampton. That is straight through the Bay of Biscay, which has a reputation for rough seas, particularly in the winter months, October to March.

It seemed like the perfect time to give the patches a try, as I really didn’t want to feel ill when onboard.

I wanted to explore the exciting new ship and meet up with other cruise bloggers/vloggers, not be lying in my bed, feeling dreadful!

Where Did I Get The Seasickness Patch?

You can get the patches via an online consultation with a doctor or pharmacist. They are a prescription-only medication in the UK.

I had to fill in a short online form about my health, this was reviewed by a medical professional, then the patch was sent to me via the post. It was all very easy.

I was aware that the patches could have side effects for some, but I was hopeful that this might finally provide an easy answer to my seasickness issues.

They weren’t cheap – four patches coming in at nearly £44 /$57 – so £11/$14 each. Each patch is supposed to last up to three days.

The First Day – It Worked Perfectly

On the first day, I applied the patch and felt completely fine.

There was no dizziness, no nausea, nothing on the long list of common side effects.

I felt relieved and confident that this might actually be a cure for my seasickness problems.

The Next Morning It All Went Wrong…

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I realised something was badly wrong.

My eyesight was badly affected. Everything close up was fuzzy, I couldn’t even see the phone to turn off the alarm.

It was actually really scary to suddenly not be able to see! I rely heavily on my vision for work and travel. I was on a press trip, and there were things I needed to film, work I needed to do, and I was on a quite tight work schedule.

I did know, luckily, blurred vision was a possible side effect, but I hadn’t expected it to be this extreme!

I took the patch off straight away and hoped my vision would return to normal very quickly!

The Rest of the Day

My eyesight stayed blurry most of the day. I couldn’t focus on screens or read, and that made working from the ship far harder than it would normally be.

I tried to stay calm and wait for the side effects to wear off.

Later in the day, my vision began to return to normal. That was a huge relief!

I knew that was it. I would never try seasickness patches again. For me – “the cure was worse than the complaint” – as the old saying goes.

Common Side Effects

It is quite scary reading the number of side effects sickness patches can cause – and it is the same with many other medications you can take.

These, of course, don’t happen to everybody, and like any medication, only your doctor should suggest if you take it or not.

Common side effects include:

• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness/sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision and/or enlarged pupils
• Loss of ability to focus on near or far objects
• Skin irritation or redness at the application site
• Eyelid irritation

More Rare side effects can be:

• Confusion, disorientation, or hallucinations
• Difficulty in passing urine (urinary retention)
• Increased pressure in the eye (possible signs of glaucoma), which may present as eye pain or seeing rainbow-coloured halos around lights
• Hyperthermia (a high or increased body temperature)
• Seizures or fits
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Severe itching of the skin with a red rash or raised bumps
• Memory impairment or restlessness

That sounds terrible!

This Doesn’t Happen To Everyone

Many people use seasickness patches without any issues, and they are a good solution for many.

I was just unlucky. Obviously, the active ingredients in the patches had an adverse effect on me.

It is a reminder, though, to always test new medications carefully and make sure you are aware of the side effects they might cause.

What I’ll Use Instead

I have tried all sorts of seasickness tablets over the years, with varying degrees of success.

Friends onboard Norwegian Aqua suggested I tried Bonine. This worked wonderfully well for me, and it was the first time I had taken it, as it isn’t available in the UK.

You can buy it onboard Norwegian cruise ships in the onboard shop, and it is doubtless available on other American cruise ships too.

When I am buying seasickness tablets in the UK, I buy Stugeron or Kwells. They work ok for me, but make me very drousy. Bonine suits me better as it doesn’t send me to sleep.

I have also tried the expensive motion sickness bands that deliver small electrical pulses to the median nerve in your wrist. This is supposed to block the abnormal nerve signals that cause the brain to interpret motion as sickness.

This didn’t work for me either! The sensation of feeling the tiny electric shocks was far worse than the seasickness itself! It might have taken my mind off my seasickness, because of the pain of the shocks, but it was really unpleasant for me!

I prefer using medication as a last resort and instead, focus on prevention of sea sickness, rather than a cure.

Find out my top tips for dealing with seasickness here:

13 Actionable Tips to Prevent and Treat Seasickness on a Cruise

I should point out that most of the time, I don’t feel seasick. I don’t go on a cruise expecting to feel ill.

On the odd occasion, when the seas are rough and the ship is rocking, I feel bad.

I certainly won’t risk using seasickness patches again, for me the side effects were terrible. Feeling unwell, I am used to, not being able to see properly was a whole new experience, and one I wouldn’t want to repeat!

Despite having problems with my vision, I did have a great time onboard Norwegian Aqua (once the side effects from the patches had worn off!)

Have a look at that amazing ship here:

Before You Go

If you are worried about seasickness, you would be wise to choose your cabin location carefully. Find out more here:

What is The Best Cabin Location on a Cruise For Avoiding Seasickness? (I’ve Tried Them All!)

If bad weather is forecast, the cruise line will do its best to avoid it. Find out how here:

5 Ways Cruise Ships Avoid Bad Weather – and How It’ll Affect Your Cruise