Scopolamine is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness or from anesthesia, narcotic pain medicines and/or surgery.¹

Scopolamine belongs to the group of medicines called anticholinergics. It works on the central nervous system to create a calming effect on the muscles in the stomach and bowels.²

Scopolamine comes as a patch to be placed on the hairless skin behind your ear. When used to help prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness, the patch should be applied at least four hours before its effects will be needed and should be left in place for up to three days.

If treatment is needed for longer than three days to help prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness, replace the current patch with a new patch behind the other ear.

When used to prevent nausea and vomiting from medications used with surgery, the patch should be applied as directed by your doctor and left in place for 24 hours after your surgery.³

RedBox Rx prescribes scopolamine patches at 1 mg strength. Start an online consult today.

For prevention of nausea and vomiting after anesthesia, narcotic pain medicine and surgery, adults should apply one patch behind the ear the evening before surgery and leave it in place for 24 hours.

For prevention of nausea and vomiting from motion sickness, adults should apply one patch behind the ear at least four hours before the effect is needed, and leave in place for up to three days.⁴

Scopolamine begins to wear off nine hours after the patch is removed; however, the body can continue to feel the drug’s effects for days or even weeks after the patch is removed.⁵

If you have used scopolamine patches for several days or longer, you may experience withdrawal symptoms that could start 24 hours or more after removing the scopolamine patch such as difficulty with balance, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, sweating, headache, confusion, muscle weakness, slow heart rate or low blood pressure. Call your doctor right away if your symptoms become severe.⁶

Scopolamine patches are available at RedBox Rx for $35 for four patches ($8.75 per patch), one of the lowest prices available online. No insurance required. Start a low-cost $39 online consult for nausea and vomiting to see if scopolamine patches could be right for you.

Scopolamine patches are only available by prescription and can be purchased online. Start a low-cost $39 online consult with RedBox Rx for nausea and vomiting to see if scopolamine patches could be right for you.

Scopolamine patches and Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) are both effective for preventing motion sickness. One key difference is timing: the study found scopolamine was effective when the patch was applied at least four hours before motion exposure, making it a convenient option for preventing seasickness before a cruise. Dramamine is taken orally and can also be used before travel. Overall, both are effective options, with dimenhydrinate showing a slight advantage for nausea in this study.⁷

Scopolamine patches are not typically used while pregnant and should only be prescribed if your doctor decides the benefits outweigh the potential risks to the fetus. They should not be used while breastfeeding, as the medication can enter the breast milk.⁸

Before using scopolamine patches:⁹

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to scopolamine, other belladonna alkaloids, any other medications or any of the ingredients in scopolamine patches. Ask your doctor or pharmacist, check the package label or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antihistamines such as meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, others); medications for anxiety, irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, pain, Parkinson's disease, seizures or urinary problems; muscle relaxants; sedatives; sleeping pills; tranquilizers; or tricyclic antidepressants such as desipramine (Norpramin), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Tofranil) and trimipramine (Surmontil). Many other medications may also interact with the scopolamine patch, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.

• Tell your doctor if you have angle-closure glaucoma (a condition where the fluid is suddenly blocked and unable to flow out of the eye, causing a quick, severe increase in eye pressure, which may lead to a loss of vision). Your doctor will probably tell you not to use scopolamine patch.

• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had open-angle glaucoma (increase in internal eye pressure that damages the optic nerve); seizures; psychotic disorders (conditions that cause difficulty telling the difference between things or ideas that are real and things or ideas that are not real); stomach or intestinal obstruction; difficulty urinating; preeclampsia (condition during pregnancy with increased blood pressure, high protein levels in the urine or organ problems); or heart, liver or kidney disease.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using scopolamine patches, call your doctor immediately.

• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using scopolamine patches.

• You should know that scopolamine patch may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how scopolamine patches will affect you. If you participate in water sports, use caution because this medication can have disorienting effects.

• Talk to your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while using this medication. Alcohol can make the side effects caused by scopolamine patches worse.

• Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using scopolamine if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should not usually use scopolamine because it is not as safe or effective as other medications that can be used to treat the same condition.

Apply the missed patch as soon as you remember it. Do not apply more than one patch at a time.¹⁰

Scopolamine patches may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• Disorientation

• Dry mouth

• Drowsiness

• Dilated pupils

• Dizziness

• Sweating

• Sore throat

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, remove the patch and call your doctor immediately:

• Rash

• Redness

• Eye pain, redness or discomfort; blurred vision; seeing halos or colored images

• Agitation

• Seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)

• Confusion

• Believing things that are not true

• Not trusting others or feeling that others want to hurt you

• Difficulty speaking

• Seizure

• Painful or difficulty urinating

• Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting

Scopolamine patches may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are using this medication.¹¹

Removing a scopolamine patch can trigger withdrawal symptoms if you have used it for more than a few days. These effects often start 24 to 72 hours after removal and include nausea, dizziness, headache and blurred vision.¹²

Keep this medication in the container it comes in, tightly closed and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Store patches in an upright position; do not bend or roll them.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.¹³

In case of overdose or if someone swallows a scopolamine patch, call your local poison control center. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:¹⁴

• Dry skin

• Dry mouth

• Difficulty urinating

• Fast or irregular heartbeat

• Tiredness

• Drowsiness

• Confusion

• Agitation

• Seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)

• Seizure

• Vision changes

• Coma

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are using a scopolamine patch.

Remove the scopolamine patch before having a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI).

Do not let anyone else use your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.¹⁵

The brand name for scopolamine patches is Transderm Scop®.¹⁶

RedBox Rx offers several treatment options for nausea and vomiting, including:

• Ondansetron Tablet (Generic Zofran®)

• Ondansetron ODT (Generic Zofran®)

• Meclizine (Generic Antivert®)

• Metoclopramide (Generic Reglan®)

1. MedlinePlus

2. Mayo Clinic

3. MedlinePlus

4. Mayo Clinic

5. National Library of Medicine

6. MedlinePlus

7. National Library of Medicine

8. Drugs.com

9. MedlinePlus

10. MedlinePlus

11. MedlinePlus

12. National Library of Medicine

13. MedlinePlus

14. MedlinePlus

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16. MedlinePlus