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Original poster

Phenergan - is this the best stuff for travel sickness? Do you need a prescription for it?

15 replies

SixSpotBurnet · 08/07/2008 13:15

My little DS3 (nearly 4, autistic) has started to suffer from motion sickness, which is deeply unfortunate as he is coming on our family holidays this summer!

Will the GP be prepared to prescribe Phenergan for him, do you think? Anyone have any experience of this or other travel sickness remedies?

TIA

OP posts:
PestoMonster · 08/07/2008 13:17

We haven't used Phenergan, but we do use tablets called

Sturgeron

and they really do seem to work. You can get them at any pharmacy.

Original poster
SixSpotBurnet · 08/07/2008 13:29

Thanks PestoMonster!

Do they make your kids really sleepy? Ive heard that is one of the drawbacks of Phenergan (although I suppose it could be an advantage, depends on the circumstances!).

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 08/07/2008 13:31

No idea whether it works for motion sickness but iirc it is travel medicine so I'd have thought so. People do use it sometimes for sleeping (as suggested by GPS sometimes) so you may be quizzed by pharmacist, I was. But it is over the counter I think.

mistlethrush · 08/07/2008 13:32

We went to the doctor recently for exactly the same problem - ds has clearly inherited both my and my dh's really bad travel sickness.

Dr didn't recomment phenergan (although this is the thing that eventually cured me as a child) as it can cause drousiness - or, sometimes, hyperactivity. He prescribed 'Joy Rides' for me - not sure what's in them - can also buy over the counter.

We're quite impressed - if we manage to get ds to have one at an appropriate time he will normally be OK (although we do have bowls constantly in the car now ) and when you get him out, if he has been asleep, he wakes up immediately without being sleepy.

devonblue · 08/07/2008 13:32

We use joyrides. Don't know what the active ingredient is, but it works to a certain extent for my very travelsick DD. Makes her sleepy in the car, but not noticeably at other times in the journey or afterwards.

mistlethrush · 08/07/2008 13:33

BTW, didn't mention, ds 3.6, so these should be fine for your ds....

devonblue · 08/07/2008 13:34

x-posts. I think joyrides are good and definitely work. It's just that DD is so susceptible that it's a real challenge for any drug I think.

PestoMonster · 08/07/2008 13:36

Sturgeron doesn't make my dds sleepy at all. DD2 has taken it today for her school trip to a local fort. She has taken them before and is really excited, knowing she will be OK on the coach.

Previously when they went to Hampton Court Palace she felt ill the whole way there and was sick three times on the pavement immediately they arrived (in front of her whole class )

PrettyCandles · 08/07/2008 13:39

Phenergan and stugeron both worked well on me. But phenergan knocked me out, and stugeron turned me into a complete moron and made me constipated.

janinlondon · 08/07/2008 14:03

Joyrides did nothing for DD (8) - still vommed everywhere. Phenergen administered the night before as advised on the pack is the only thing that works for her. Doesn't affect her in any other way (no drowsiness or hyperactivity). You can buy over the counter in Boots.

Marina · 08/07/2008 14:05

Joyrides do work for us - but as other posts show, it varies from child to child

SSB if you do go the phenergan route, try him out on it first. I believe it can send a minority of children completely wild, rather than have a pleasant sedative effect.

Original poster
SixSpotBurnet · 08/07/2008 14:06

Ooh, thank you so much, everyone.

It is a real bugger for DS3 as he has enough to contend with already, given his autism. The first time he was sick was on a nursery trip to London Zoo. DH was really impressed that he got on the coach and everything with no problem - but then he boaked everywhere (and DH didn't even have any wipes with them ).

OP posts:
Original poster
SixSpotBurnet · 08/07/2008 14:11

Thanks Marina. Given that he is autistic that must be good advice.

Can I just ask - is all this medication in liquid form? As there is no way on earth that I could get him to take a tablet, no matter what it tastes like (this is a boy who won't eat chocolate or sweets).

OP posts:
Marina · 08/07/2008 14:16

Phenergan is a syrup, I believe.
We did try a jelly-sweetie format travel sickness med for dd (gah, cannot remember name but it was not Stugeron), but most annoyingly, the dosage for her age - and she's older than your ds3 - was half a sweetie.
Does he eat chewy sweets like wine gums?

Marina · 08/07/2008 14:17

Sorry, he doesn't, just seen.
I think in the circs you should ask the GP for either phenergan or a syrup prescription for one of the other active ingredients in motion sickness O/C remedies

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