Scopolamine and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• Cru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2018

For Motion Sickness "I believe this medication is effective for motion sickness as long as you do NOT wear it more than 72 hours. After that time, you could experience severe and debilitating withdrawal syndrome. I was not informed by my doctor of this possibility. I removed the patch 10 days ago and am still having withdrawal syndrome. My prescribing doctor told me after I contacted her about this that I needed to see my family physician. Please exercise caution when using this patch. It made a vacation of a lifetime very uncomfortable for me! Thankfully, I don’t have to go to work now that I’m home, as I wouldn’t have been able to. I don’t even feel comfortable driving."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 27, 2019

For Nausea/Vomiting "If 0 was an option, I’d give it that score. I got this patch put behind my ear before surgery, and it helped my nausea and vomiting upon waking up from anesthesia. After I had taken it off 72 hours later, my pupils were extremely dilated, and I could not see at all since my vision was so blurry. The vertigo sensation is terrible, as it feels like I’m rocking back and forth on a boat. The nausea is terrible now too! I wasn’t told of any of these side effects and would have never had this put on if I knew! I told my doctor about it a day after removing the first patch (because I didn’t know my symptoms were from withdrawal), and he prescribed ANOTHER patch for me to take! Out of confusion on what was wrong with me and being so sick from my symptoms, I wore another patch for another 3 days! My lesson is being learned the hard way. Hoping I’ll get better and back to normal sooner than later. All of these terrible withdrawal symptoms are NOT worth wearing that patch! Never again!!"

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2019

For Motion Sickness "I was going on a trip to France and was prescribed the scopolamine patch for motion sickness. I have Meniere's disease that makes any travel difficult. When traveling, I usually take large doses of meclizine, which controls the nausea, but I end up either sleeping or barely functioning. The patch was a miracle! I was not only able to take several flights but also fully enjoy riding in a car in France, Italy, and Switzerland through the Alps! The only thing I wish I had known about is the debilitating withdrawal that I discovered when I attempted to go back to work the day after removing the patch. I am on day 4 of only being able to stand for minutes at a time before feeling like I am going to either throw up or pass out. I am on meclizine and hoping it passes soon. I wouldn't change using the patch knowing what I do now, but I would have managed my schedule to allow some recovery time. It was the trip of a lifetime."

• mac...
• February 26, 2008

For Nausea/Vomiting "My doctor used this right before surgery and 3 days after. I normally get so sick from general anesthesia, but with this patch on, I never once got that nausea feeling. It worked like a charm! I took it off today and got a slight headache, I'm guessing just slight withdrawal."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2018

For Motion Sickness "I had used this patch that was meant for a 3-day cruise. Once it finally kicked in, I felt so dizzy I felt I was going to fall down. I just chalked it up to the nausea from seasickness. I started to get sick, not able to eat or enjoy any activities on our cruise. My bf suggested it might be the patch causing the nausea, not seasickness. I took the patch off, and it was so much better! I wasn’t nauseous or as dizzy anymore. I was extremely disappointed with this medication. My doctor also mentioned that if you use this medication, you could get withdrawal symptoms once you stop taking it. Glad I didn’t use it for the whole 3 days!"

• ple...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2023

For Nausea/Vomiting "I'm giving this 10 stars, so hopefully, this review is at the top. This medicine is already pulled off the market via pill form due to the side effects, and I believe the patch should also be pulled or at least labeled black box for how dangerous this drug is. I almost died last night from the withdrawals. I had a 72-hour extended release, I had surgery that went fine. While on the medicine, I felt great, however, I experienced urinary retention. I had to go to the hospital to get a catheter. While at the hospital, the nurses informed me that this is common for this drug and not to worry, to take off the patch. So I did, and I went home. A few hours later, I started to have withdrawal symptoms for something that was only in my system for 24 hours. I have never experienced withdrawals ever. My blood pressure dropped, and my heart rate did too, all the way down to 40 bpm. I started shaking and fainted. Once I was awake, I was nauseous and about to puke, then the hallucinations started."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2017

Scopolamine for Nausea/Vomiting "Patch used for second general anesthesia experience since I vomited after the first time. I know they also switched me from a gas/IV combo to pure IV sedation, so although I did not vomit this time (yay!), I don't know if I can attribute it to the patch or to the sedation change, but probably both. Please be aware these patches are NOT meant for long-term use - they will have withdrawal effects! If you rebound, you will have the very effects you were trying to prevent in the first place. For my purpose, after surgery, it's worked great. I wouldn't wear them for weeks at a time."

• Sht...
• June 10, 2021

Scopolamine for Motion Sickness "I used the patch for 5 days before taking it off because it didn’t help nausea, and I was starting to get blurry vision. 2 days later, I was dealing with significantly worse nausea than I had when I was prescribed the drug, my vision was blurrier, I had a strong, painful sensitivity to light, and it felt like my eyes were burning. My doctor failed to disclose withdrawal and adverse side effects of the medication. I feared I was going blind, and I began forgetting things, feeling disoriented, and dizzy. Now it’s been a week since I stopped, and I haven’t been able to keep food down in 6 days. This may be a safe drug for most people—my reaction to this medication isn't common, but it’s an intense drug and can cause debilitating symptoms for weeks after using the patch for only days. Be sure you trust your prescribing doctor and that he or she discloses possible side effects and risk factors, because I assure you that you will prefer motion sickness over the withdrawal symptoms of this medication."

• Bti...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 6, 2025

For Nausea/Vomiting "I have a couple of chronic issues and have been trying to find something to help with severe nausea and stuff from gastroparesis. The new stomach doctor put me on the patches. The first couple of months were a doozy. I had slurred speech, trouble thinking, a mess. I lost my job and couldn't drive. But was told it and I would get better. Flash forward 8 months, I was better with that. But the blurred vision, seeing things, and a few other things were getting worse. Then after researching, finding out that prolonged use caused brain shrinkage and increased your chances for Alzheimer's by 46% (PubMed and NIH). Nope! I wanted off. I'm 5 days out of having it off. The withdrawals were bad, but not as bad as I was expecting. Please only use this for surgery, if then."