Scopalomine Patch Not Working Anymore!

[Taxgeek]

Yikes!

For 2 dive trips now, my Transderm Scop Patch has had zero effect. I'm one of those "see a wave and ralph" types of people, and for 2 years now, I've been using the Scop patch regularly (maybe 2 days per month for local dive trips, and for a week or two at a time for liveaboard trips). It has worked just great the entire time. I've been wearing it on my boob under my bathing suit, since hair gets stuck in it and rips it off if I wear it on my ear. The placement hasn't been a problem - the patch has worked like an absolute charm. The only side effect for me is dry mouth.

Until my last two dive trips. Total green-ness. Yech. Totally ruined the trips. I didn't do anything differently.

Has anybody else of you regular patch users had this experience? I can't find any information indicating that one can develop a tolerance to scopalomine, and my doctor doesn't know much about it (he's not a diver, sigh), but that's almost what it feels like. That or a QC problem, I dunno.

I read the thread about the ear placement being necessary for dosage reasons, so I'll go back to that, but it's been working for 2 years now on my boob (same spot!), so I can't figure out what the problem is all of a sudden.

Anybody out there having the same problem?

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

We'll have to have some photos of the application site before we can come to any definitive conclusions.

 

[Taxgeek]

Doh, I really should have seen that coming!

 

[XJae]

pics would be nice...

maybe you got a bad batch of patches or they expired.
i have a buddy that uses a pill form of the same drug, maybe that would help.

 

[Bratface]

I am allergic to the scope patch, but I do know you have to dry the spot thoroughly before application. You might be one of those unfortunate people who have to use the patch and a pill to stop chumming over the side of the boat.

Try dramamine the night before your dive. Don't have anything acid for breakfast; coffee, OJ, just stick with bland. Eat some Tums the morning of and stay hydrated.

 

[Bratface]

Just read why FishW wants to see the application site. Try placing it behind your ear. Maybe that will work better.

 

[cyklon_300]

I've used that were significantly past their expiration date were completely ineffective...curiously, they produced all the cottonmouth side effects with none of the anti-motion preventative benefits. A real lose-lose situation.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Well, I found the Transdermal Scop patches work great on me for seasickness, but make me 'freaky' underwater - probably an unexpected interaction with one of my other medications. Sigh - no liveaboard dive trips for me. Oh well, I'm in this hobby for fun anyway, I'll continue to be happy with day boat & shore diving stuff.

I thought they reduced the dosage level when they put these back on the market vs. when these were previously on the market - maybe that has some role in the patches working less well thn previously for taxgeek. Expired patches as mentioned are another possibility.

 

[Taxgeek]

Well, I checked the box and they are not old or out of date - supposed to not expire until 2007. I called up the company that makes them and they are mystified, and are probably (?) going to send me some free patches. Like that's a great solution! I just figure it's got to be a QC thing with the patches or else the drifting boat motion (like a fishing boat I guess) was just too much for my poor body to handle, even with teh patch. It's been working fine in it's current application spot for years!

Dramamine totally screws me up, I can't take it, but I just tried Bonine and it only mildly screws me up. I might try that this weekend.

I also got my doctor to get me a Scopace prescription - scopalomine in pill form. Can't decide which to try next weekend - that or Bonine. Or both - I have to ask my pharmacist if they are OK together.

 

[cyklon_300]

a guaranteed solution to sea-sickness. I've blown beets several times while wearing a patch. If the conditions are severe enough, I puke...regardless of whether I'm using meds or not.