Scopolamine

Other Related Names or Treatments

Scopoderm

About Scopolamine

Scopolamine (also known as hyoscine hydrobromide) transdermal patches are commonly prescribed for the control of travel sickness. Scopolamine is classed as an anti-emetic or anti-sickness medicine with anticholinergic properties and is available with a prescription.

NowPatient offers Scopolamine for the prevention of motion sickness only, following an online consultation with a prescribing clinician with appropriate safe-guards.

Key facts of Scopolamine

• For the treatment of motion sickness
• Scopolamine has some common side effects which include dry mouth, blurred vision, and skin irritation
• It can be dangerous if you take Scopolamine with certain medications like sleeping tablets. If you’re not sure if it is safe, discuss this with the prescribing clinician
• Avoid alcohol while using Scopolamine and until its effects have worn off. This may take 24 hours or more
• You should not use these patches if you are pregnant or breastfeeding without advice from a healthcare professional.

Who is Scopolamine not suitable for?

Scopolamine may not be suitable for some people. To make sure it’s safe for you, speak to a healthcare professional before using Scopolamine if you:

• Have glaucoma
• Suffer from epilepsy
• Have liver or kidney disease
• Have a known allergy to Scopolamine patches
• Have a bladder, pyloric, prostate problems, or bowel obstruction
• Have ulcerative colitis
• Have Down’s Syndrome
• Have diarrhoea or fever
• Have myasthenia gravis
• Are an elderly patient

How and where to get Scopolamine?

You can buy Scopolamine safely and securely from NowPatient under certain circumstances and for the appropriate condition. You can start a consultation today for free and if you qualify for treatment, you only pay for the cost of the medication. Delivery is made to your home or office from our registered pharmacy.

Our service is certified, safe and effective, and we only ever treat conditions within our scope. If you book a consultation with a prescribing clinician for the treatment of motion sickness, you can discuss if Scopolamine is a suitable treatment option for you.
At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is suitable for you. If it is, the clinician will issue you with a prescription which can then be ordered, paid for and delivered directly to your chosen address by NowPatient.

Dosage and strength for Scopolamine for motion sickness

Scopolamine is available as a transdermal patch containing 1.5mg of Scopolamine (hyoscine) when used for travel sickness.

Information about how to use Scopolamine for motion sickness

Scopolamine should be applied 5 to 6 hours before travel, for best results, but may be applied during travel to reduce the feeling of sickness. Follow these steps:

• Apply the patch to a dry, hairless area of skin behind your ear, sticky side down
• Wash your hands when applying and removing the patch. Also wash the area of skin where the patch was applied
• If the patch peels off during your journey, remove the patch, clean the area, and apply a new patch behind your other ear

Patches last for up to 72 hours. You may use Scopolamine for longer journeys. Simply remove the patch after 3 days and apply a new patch behind your other ear. Read the patient information leaflet (PIL) provided to you for further information and clarification.

What happens if you use too much Scopolamine?

Scopolamine patches do not contain a high dose, so overdose is unlikely to be fatal but please beware of side-effects. However, it can be highly uncomfortable and could lead to other potential complications, which may be fatal. If you use more than prescribed, then it can lead to some unpleasant side effects such as anxiety, severe drowsiness, mood changes, a fast or irregular heartbeat, and seizures.

You should talk to your doctor or reach out to one of our prescribing clinicians, if you have used too much Scopolamine and you experience any of the side effects or are worried.

What are the side effects of Scopolamine?

Possible side effects of Scopolamine are split into common and serious.

Common side effects include:

• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness, disorientation
• Blurred vision
• Skin irritation

Serious side effects include:

• Hallucinations
• Anxiety
• Mood changes
• Skin rashes
• Difficulty passing urine
• Eye pain

If you experience any serious side effects, you should contact NHS 111 or if it warrants go to A&E or ring 999.

If you experience a serious allergic reaction with the signs shown below, you should contact emergency services on 999:

• Your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• You’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
• Your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
• Your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• You suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• Someone faints and cannot be woken up

Always report adverse effects to the MHRA Yellow Card reporting system. You can read more about this here: How and where do I report side effects of my medication?

Information about using Scopolamine at the same time as other medications or herbal supplements

There is not enough evidence to suggest there are any drug interactions between herbal supplements and Scopolamine. In any event, you should let your prescribing clinician know if you are taking any herbal supplements. Speak to your doctor or clinician if you are taking:

• Treatments for allergies
• Antidepressants
• Parkinsons medicines
• Antiarrhythmics
• Antiepilipetics
• Other travel sickness medication

Why might Scopolamine not work for travel sickness?

Scopolamine may not work properly if the patch becomes detached from your skin. If this occurs, remove the patch completely, clean the area, and apply a new patch behind your other ear.

Can Scopolamine taken for travel sickness be taken long term?

Patches last for up to 72 hours, but you may use Scopolamine for longer. Remove the patch after 3 days and apply a new patch behind your other ear. Read the patient information leaflet (PIL) provided to you for further information.

Is there a herbal Scopolamine?

No. Herbal Scopolamine does not exist. If you have been marketed with such a formulation, it may be fake.

Can women use Scopolamine?

Women can use Scopolamine for the treatment of travel sickness, but should not use these patches if they are pregnant or breastfeeding without advice from a healthcare professional. It is best advised in these circumstances.

Should I avoid any particular food or drink when taking Scopolamine?

You can eat and drink normally when using Scopolamine patches, but avoid alcohol until the effects have worn off. This may take 24 hours or more.

How to store Scopolamine

• Keep Scopolamine out of the sight and reach of children
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date shown on the carton and tube/pump (marked as “EXP”). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month
• Store the patches in an upright position at room temperature, between 20°C and 25°C, away from excess heat, moisture, and direct light. Do not bend or roll the pouches
• Do not remove the patch from its pouch until you are ready to use it
• Do not dispose of unused Scopolamine patches in household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to properly dispose of medicines you no longer use. These steps help protect the environment

Alternatives to Scopolamine

Alternatives for the treatment of motion sickness include promethazine, Stugeron, Scopoderm, and Kwells, over the counter.

Sources

• Motion sickness – NHS
• Hyoscine hydrobromide – NHS