Always read the information that comes with your medicine.
The instructions may vary, depending on why you're taking hyoscine hydrobromide and whether you're taking tablets or using patches.
Dosage and strength
Pharmacies sell 2 different strengths of hyoscine hydrobromide tablets:
- 150 micrograms (including Kwells Kids and Joy-Rides)
- 300 micrograms (including Kwells and Boots Travel Calm)
Take (or give your child) a dose at least 20 to 30 minutes before starting your journey, or as soon as you start to feel sick when travelling.
Different brands of tablets may have different recommended doses. Check the instructions on the packet for the dose you need to give yourself or your child.
For long journeys, you can repeat the dose every 6 hours.
How to take or use it
Tablets
Suck or chew the tablets, or swallow them whole with a drink of water.
You can take the tablets with or without food.
Patches for travel sickness
The patches work like a plaster and you stick them on your skin.
- Stick a patch to the skin behind the ear, 5 to 6 hours before the start of your journey (or the evening before you travel).
- Remove the patch at the end of your journey.
For long journeys, you can keep the patch on for up to 72 hours (3 days).
If you're still travelling after 72 hours, remove the first patch and stick a new patch behind the other ear. You can keep this on for another 72 hours if needed.
Important
Do not apply more than 1 patch at a time.
How long to take it for
For travel sickness, you only need to take the tablets or use the patches before and during your journey.
If you take too much
Taking 1 extra dose of hyoscine hydrobromide is unlikely to harm you or your child.
But you may get more side effects, such as a dry mouth or blurred vision.
Taking more than 1 extra dose of hyoscine hydrobromide can be dangerous. In serious cases, you may have a fast heartbeat, you can become unconscious or have a seizure or fit, and you'll need emergency treatment in hospital.
The amount of hyoscine hydrobromide that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person.
Urgent advice: Contact 111 for advice now if:
- you or your child take 2 or more extra doses of hyoscine hydrobromide
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111
If you need advice for a child under the age of 5 years, call 111.
If you need to go to A&E, do not drive yourself. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.
Take the hyoscine hydrobromide packet or leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you.