I have been having a lot of vertigo lately and had to travel to Johns Hopkins Hospital several hours away, in part, to see if we could zero in on the source of my dizziness.

I worried that the combination of having vertigo and a long car trip would cause me problems. I used to get carsick when I was a kid but haven't in many years. However, I hadn't been on a long car trip since the vertigo began. Just in case, I bought some Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula. You see, I refuse to sleep in a car on trips because I am certain I will be needed to drive from the passenger side. My husband just loves my help and advice as we travel.

This works, but made me drowsy. Very drowsy. I can't even imagine what the original formula would do to me. I might just wake up a week later if I took one! Not to mention that the active ingredient is one you can buy for much, much cheaper in its generic form (which I own and didn't realize was the same thing).

About Dramamine, Less Drowsy Formula

prevention and treatment of these symptoms associated with motion sickness:
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Each tablet contains 25 mg of Meclizine Hydrochloride

www.pfizer.com

Packaging

This medication comes in little travel tubes of eight pills per roll. You can buy single rolls, double, or triple ones. I didn't see any larger sized boxes of these anywhere.

The tubes are very portable and house eight of the small, pale yellow noncoated pills. You can take one or two a half an hour before embarking on an activity that you fear will cause motion sickness or you can take a dose when you start feeling queasy and wait until the ingredients kick in.

My Use

I blame myself somewhat because I take Meclizine all the time for the vertigo and didn't realize that Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula was the exact same thing. The regular Dramamine formula is different with an antihistamine and something to calm your stomach. Meclizine is also an antihistamine but is specially made to fight motion sickness and nausea associated with it whether from moving vehicles or spinning heads from ear problems like mine.

As we started the trip, I took two Dramamine, Less Drowsy's. I wasn't tired and was ready to roll. About 20 minutes later, I felt very heavy lidded. It was almost impossible to keep my eyes open. I tried to shake off the feeling by drinking a large diet Pepsi and by playing music too loudly. I didn't want to sleep in the car. For one thing, I usually wake with a start which makes me dizzy so I was concerned about that.

About an hour into the trip, I was toast. I dosed off and dreamed I was typing on my laptop and actually jumped up when I thought I dropped the laptop - which obviously wasn't on my lap.

I again fell back asleep, so deeply that I had no idea that I even had. Usually, when I drift off, I still hear the radio and still react when something happens or we swerve sharply or whatever. Not so this time. I was a log. Gone. Out.

I would pry my eyes open but they just wouldn't stay that way.

After three hours, I started to feel like I was coming around and my ability to function and think came back. I was still drowsy but not wiped out.

Slowly, I returned to my old self. By the time we reached our destination six hours after we started, I was fully awake.

But! I didn't experience any dizziness or nausea and I didn't have any problems with any sort of motion sickness. From my past experience with Meclizine, one tablet would have been plenty to ward off motion sickness without making me feel like I was slipping into a coma.

Once I saw the ingredients, I knew to scale back and take one if I ever felt the need again.

On the way home, I didn't take any and didn't have any problems. I stayed awake and I also didn't get dizzy or have any nausea so that was a relief.

I can't say that these worked for me on this trip because I didn't have a problem on the way home without taking them. However, I can say that the active ingredient, which I have taken for many years, usually in 12.5 dosages, works well for dizziness, motion sickness, and the yucky feeling that comes with it.

Some people handle antihistamines just fine while others react strongly. I fall asleep when I take Benadryl or its equivalent too when others don't.

I would caution anyone trying these for the first time to start out with one tablet. If that doesn't work for you, you can always add another later. But 50 mg of Meclizine is a high dose and, while it may quell your motion sickness, you may not be awake to even know you went anywhere!

If this is less drowsy, I am scared to think of what would happen if I took two original formula Dramamines. I'd be out cold!

Also, these little vials are expensive. You can buy 25 mg. Meclizine tablets in a bottle of 100 for under $9.00. One vial of Dramamine cost me almost $5.00. That is eight pills for five bucks! I will use what I have when needed then fill the little vial up with the generic version and save myself some cash. And I will take only one 25 mg. tablet when I travel to avoid the "I'm sleeping and I can't wake up!" feeling that 50 mg. of Meclizine gives me.

Precautions

If you take sedatives, ask your doctor before taking this medication. The combination could cause you to sleep for hours.

The same goes with alcohol and this medication.

The Pfizer website says that drowsiness may occur and to use caution when driving or operating machinery so they are aware that some will get drowsy despite the fact that they call these pills "Less Drowsy".

These are not for use for kids under the age of 12.

Ingredients

Active Ingredient: Meclizine hydrochloride 25 mg

Inactive Ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, D&C yellow no. 10 (aluminum lake), lactose, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose

Buying Info

This medication is sold at drug stores and mass-market stores as well as at airports and even gas stations. The price varies but it's quite expensive relative to the number of pills you get in the little vials. You can buy bubble packs with one, two, or three eight count vials in them.

Conclusion

Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula knocked me for a loop! However, it does work for those who get motion or seasick or who have dizzy spells. Many people with Meniere's Disease, a terrible inner ear disorder which causes violent vertigo, rely on the active ingredient in Dramamine, Less Drowsy Formula to give them back a little stability and help ward off nausea.

This does work. Just use caution when taking your first dose to see how if affects you. You may only need to take one pill or you may find that two will do the trick. Some will not get drowsy, others, like me, will. If you are planning a trip, it may be a good idea to take a pill at home to see how it affects you before you leave. That way, you can gauge how much you need and your response to the medication.

For those who have frequent dizziness, vertigo, motion sickness, and the like, buying the generic Meclizine, available at any drug store, is a much less expensive alternative to the name brand.

I give these 4 stars for doing what they do well but I took a star off for not really being less drowsy for me and for being so darned costly! You pay for the pretty little tube and for a coated tablet, not any special ingredient.

Recommended: Yes