Travelers who don’t feel any motion sickness are indeed lucky. They don’t have to drink medicine to feel good. Most of the time, they enjoy the whole travel time and have time on social media updating their friend on their travel journey.
But for those who have motion sickness, your cruise or sailing trip might be a bad thing for you. Instead of taking a selfie and updating your Facebook stories, you were busy calming yourself. Swaying feeling could kill you if you don’t know how to stop it.
Choosing the best medication for motion sicknesses like Dimenhydrinate and Meclizine is the greatest thing to do. These two medicines could end your agony. However, what are their differences and effects? Let’s know the information about Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine.
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Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine – Their Differences
Before buying any of these two medicines, you must know which one would be best for you. To give you the knowledge, here are the usual things that you must bear in mind that may affect your buying decision. Let’s start the eternal battle for these two medicines.
Effectiveness
Dimenhydrinate and Meclizine are antihistamines that are good for preventing and treating nausea, dizziness, and vomiting caused by motion sickness. You can also use this medicine if you have a loss of balance sickness or vertigo, which lessens your dizziness.
However, Dimenhydrinate is much more effective than Meclizine. The good thing is, Meclizine has a mild side effect and sedating as well. It is also best if taken earlier or at least one hour before the indications appear.
Side Effects
The common side effects of Dimenhydrinate are as follows:
• Dry mouth, nose, or throat
• constipation
• feeling fidgety or thrilled, especially in children
• blurry vision or
• drowsiness.
These are not the final Dimenhydrinate lists of side effects, and some may occur like dry mouth, confusion, and tremors. Remember that people have different body reactions to medicines, so beware when taking one. Call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital to give you more medical advice.
For Meclizine, these are the common side effects that you may expect when taking this medicine.
• Dizziness and drowsiness
• Headache and vomiting
• Tiredness or
• Blurry vision.
Knowing these side effects doesn’t mean you don’t have to take it. Keep in mind that your doctor would never give you a medicine that is beyond your capacity. However, if you experience more and worsen, tell your doctor as soon as possible to provide you with the best solution.
Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine – How to take?
Both medicines advise following each direction on the prescription. Reading and understanding all medical guides is a must to prevent overdose and other adverse circumstances.
Also, both meds are available in chewable tablets and best to chew before swallowing. They can also be taken with or without food, depending on your preference.
Dimenhydrinate’s best result, you can take this 30 to 60 minutes before the trip or any activity that may trigger your motion sickness. The Meclizine has mentioned earlier that you can take it 1 hour before your trip or activity.
Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine – What to avoid?
In taking medicine, we should also consider the triggers and things to avoid that may result in unfortunate scenarios such as adverse side effects and medicine intoxication. Remember that the key here is to let your doctor know that before prescribing you.
However, if uncontrollable factors happen, here is the list that you should keep in your mind so you can avoid it while you’re under the influence of these two meds.
1. Avoid diphenhydramine while taking Dimenhydrinate. These two antihistamines may only increase the side effects.
2. Some medicines might give you drowsiness, so be sure to tell your doctor so he/she may consider this before prescribing either of the two motion sickness meds.
3. Avoid driving. Remember the side effects, and it is not advisable to handle the wheels if you took these meds.
4. Dimenhydrinate and Meclizine affect allergy skin testing, as well. Be sure to inform the medical staff to know you are using these drugs to know if this could affect your test results.
5. Meclizine also has mild interactions with these medicines. They are amikacin, digoxin, donepezil, and more.
6. Ask your doctor first before taking this med if you are a pregnant or nursing mother.
7. Drinking alcohol with these drugs is also not a good idea. It can cause the side effects to worsen.
Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine – Warnings and Precautions
If you are allergic to Meclizine, you have to avoid VertiCalm, Antivert, Bonine, and meclozine because these drugs contain Meclizine.
And if you are allergic to Dimenhydrinate, avoid taking Draminate, Gravol, and Dramamine because they contain Dimenhydrinate.
Warnings and precautions are generally on the package of the meds or inside of it. Always read it before taking it. This is the wise thing to do if you fail to ask medical experts before buying this product.
Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine – Duration and Preference
We also must not forget that Dimenhydrinate and Meclizine have different duration. The travelers who will only take a trip for 8 to 24 hours preferred it. However, Dimenhydrinate offers a lesser period and must be taken every 4 or 6 hours for continuous performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is it okay to take these medicines every day?
Answer: You can take Meclizine every 24 hours to prevent motion sickness. But for treating another sickness such as vertigo, you will be needing this more than that and would depend on the doctor’s prescription.
Dimenhydrinate can be taken every 4 to 6 but advised not to take more than eight tablets within 24 hours, and it also depends on your doctor’s advice.
Question: Who should not take these meds?
Answer: People who have conditions such as overactive thyroid gland, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, blockage of the urinary bladder, and more that may contradict medicine with Dimenhydrinate.
You have to consider the conditions such as liver disease, kidney disease, asthma, and glaucoma before taking Meclizine. They might be harmful to the state.
Question: Are there any effects if I overdose them?
Answer: Yes! Expect extreme drowsiness and sedation if you take too much Meclizine. You could also see symptoms such as dilated eyes, seizure, and hallucinations aside from excessive sleepiness for taking too much Dimenhydrinate.
Final Thoughts
This content didn’t only give you the Dimenhydrinate vs. Meclizine contradicting effects but also made you aware of their purpose: to end the motion sickness and have a calm trip.
As a general rule, always seek professional advice before taking medicine. Follow the doctor’s order to experience the full potential of the treatment. The information we provided serves as a warning and guide. We do hope that we help with your buying decision.
