What’s the difference between compounded and over the counter sea sickness tablets?

Whether you are planning a deep sea fishing trip, a weekend cruise, or a ferry ride across the bay, motion sickness can quickly ruin an otherwise perfect day on the water. While many people find relief with standard pharmacy options, others find that these common remedies simply do not hit the mark. National Custom Compounding offers a tailored approach to motion sickness that goes beyond the standard shelf options. This blog post explores the differences between over the counter treatments and compounded solutions to help you find the best fit for your next adventure.

In this fact sheet, we’ll explore:

• Common over the counter sea sickness solutions
• Why one size does not fit all
• The compounded difference: A triple action approach
• Important considerations and side effects
• How to access compounded sea sickness medication
• Video transcript

Common over the counter sea sickness solutions

Most people begin their journey to “sea legs” at their local community pharmacy. There are several effective commercial products available that work well for many travelers. Common options include:

• Hyoscine (Kwells): An anticholinergic medication that works by confusing the signals sent to the brain’s vomiting center.
• Dimenhydrinate (Travel Calm): An antihistamine used to prevent and treat nausea and dizziness.
• Natural Remedies: Ginger is a popular non-drug alternative that can help settle the stomach for mild cases of motion sickness.

It is always recommended to try these commercially available products first, as they are easily accessible and effective for a large portion of the population.

Why one size does not fit all

Motion sickness occurs when there is a disconnect between what your eyes see and what your inner ear (vestibular system) senses. Because every person’s neurological response to motion is unique, a medication that works perfectly for one person might do nothing for another. Compounding pharmacies play a vital role in healthcare by filling the gap when mass produced medications fail to provide relief.

The compounded difference: A triple action approach

At National Custom Compounding, we have spent over 14 years refining a specific sea sickness capsule based on patient feedback and clinical stability. Unlike standard single ingredient tablets, our compounded version typically utilizes a combination of three different ingredients. These ingredients work through different pathways in the body to provide a more comprehensive defense against nausea and vertigo. By attacking the problem from multiple angles simultaneously, many patients who previously suffered despite taking medication find they can finally enjoy the open ocean.

Important considerations and side effects

While compounded sea sickness capsules are highly effective, they are potent medications. The most common side effect is drowsiness. This is primarily due to the inclusion of a specific type of antihistamine that crosses the blood brain barrier. Other considerations include:

• Dry Mouth: A common side effect of ingredients used to block motion signals.
• Drug Interactions: It is essential to disclose all other medications you are taking, as some ingredients may interact with antidepressants or other sedatives.
• Individual Suitability: Because these are custom made, a pharmacist must ensure the formula is safe and appropriate for your specific health profile.

How to access compounded sea sickness medication

If you have tried the standard “off the shelf” options and found them lacking, a compounded solution may be the answer. Because these are unique formulations, they require a consultation with a pharmacist and, in many cases, a prescription from your doctor. We recommend planning ahead of your trip to allow time for the medication to be custom formulated for you.For more information on the science of motion sickness, you can visit:

Health-direct Australia: Motion Sickness https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/motion-sickness

Video transcript

Hi there! Today I wanted to chat to you about the difference between over-the-counter sea sickness products and compounded sea sickness products. So it’s a really good question that we do get often here at National Custom Compounding. Obviously, we’re a compounding pharmacy that make medicines specifically for a patient, and because of the facilities that we have and the ingredients that we have, as long as it’s safe and effective, we can make a unique sea sickness capsule up for a patient. And we currently do that now, which isn’t the same as a normal over-the-counter one available from pharmacies. Um, so there are some slight differences that I’ll run through. Um, it’s always worth trying what is available commercially. So have a chat to your local pharmacy and your pharmacist. They can talk to you about products such as Kwells or Travel Calm or Ginger, um, as some really good initial points to help. And then what we generally find at NCC is that if people have those products and it doesn’t give them any effect, when you come across to us and have a chat to our pharmacists, we’re able to give you another option which might benefit, um, we do make a capsule that contains three ingredients. Those ingredients do work in different ways, but they obviously work together. And we have had feedback from patients over the last fourteen years that has been really positive. Um, so it could be an option for you. Um, the main thing to keep in mind with our compounded seasickness product, similar to the over the counter, but it can cause drowsiness. It contains an antihistamine. Um, antihistamine, as well as another agent to stop the motion sickness. The antihistamine causes a bit of drowsiness and sometimes people on other medicines. It’s not best to take them together and there will be some side effects, um, as well from the other ingredients in our product. So there’s definitely a lot of options available. And I think the best thing to keep in the back of your mind is that one size doesn’t fit all, hence why compounding pharmacies play such a strong role in pharmacy and in healthcare. Um, and like always, if you’ve got any medicines or you’ve got any things that you’d like to discuss about seasickness, we’re more than happy to chat to you. And we can certainly look at making you a compounded product, so help you go out there and enjoy the open oceans. And like always reach out if you’ve got any questions and we’ll speak to you soon.