Kwells: what the travel sickness tablet label actually says

Educational summary · drug class: Anticholinergic / antimuscarinic agent (belladonna alkaloid), 300 microgram oral tablet · last reviewed 2026-06-29

What it is

Kwells is one of the best-known hyoscine travel sickness brands on UK pharmacy shelves. Each tablet contains 300 micrograms of hyoscine hydrobromide (also called scopolamine), an anticholinergic belladonna alkaloid, and the UK marketing authorisation is held by Dexcel Pharma. The tablets are designed to be sucked, chewed or swallowed, which the product information notes allows very rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Kwells is a different product from the Scopoderm patch, which delivers the same active ingredient through the skin over about 3 days, and from Kwells Kids, which contains half the strength for younger children. In the US, oral hyoscine tablets are not a common over-the-counter product: the same ingredient is best known there as the prescription-only Transderm Scop patch.

Availability: Sold over the counter at UK pharmacies. The 300 microgram tablet carries label doses only for adults and children over 10; younger children use lower-strength products such as Kwells Kids. Legal status, brand names, and availability vary by country: check what applies where you live.

How it may help with motion sickness

Motion sickness starts with a conflict between the balance signals from the inner ear and what the eyes report. Hyoscine hydrobromide blocks acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors, which the Kwells product information describes as cutting off stimuli to the vestibular apparatus and acting directly on the vomiting centre. The practical consequence, per the NHS, is that hyoscine tablets take about 20 to 30 minutes to start working, which makes Kwells the reach-for-it-late option among UK travel tablets: cinnarizine, by contrast, is taken about 2 hours ahead. Full ingredient-level detail is on our hyoscine hydrobromide page.

General timing

The Kwells label directs taking the tablets up to 30 minutes before the start of the journey to prevent travel sickness, or at the onset of nausea, with any repeat doses spaced per the label and a stated maximum in 24 hours. This is general label timing only. We do not provide dosing instructions: follow the directions on the pack and ask a doctor or pharmacist whether, and how, to use it.

We don't provide dosing instructions. The exact amount, schedule, and whether it suits you are individual decisions: read the product label and follow its directions, and ask a doctor or pharmacist.

Common side effects

Sources such as the product label commonly list:

• Drowsiness, dizziness, sedation or sleepiness (commonly reported)
• Dry mouth
• Blurred vision
• Constipation
• Difficulty passing urine
• Fast heartbeat
• Confusion or restlessness, more likely in older adults

Who should check with a doctor or pharmacist first

• The label lists glaucoma, prostatic enlargement, paralytic ileus, pyloric stenosis and myasthenia gravis as reasons not to take Kwells, along with known sensitivity to hyoscine hydrobromide.
• May cause drowsiness: the label warns not to drive or operate machinery if affected.
• The label notes the sedative effect is enhanced by alcohol and other CNS depressants, so avoid alcohol.
• Children: the 300 microgram tablet lists doses only for adults and children over 10. For ages 4 to 10 the separate Kwells Kids product exists, and the NHS advises against hyoscine travel tablets for any child under 3. Ask a pharmacist which product, if any, suits a child.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding: the label allows use in pregnancy only where the expected benefit outweighs the risk, and small amounts may pass into breast milk. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
• Older adults: the label advises caution in the elderly, and anticholinergic effects such as confusion are more likely.
• Caution with heart or kidney disease and in ulcerative colitis, and hyoscine adds to other anticholinergic and sedating medicines: tell your pharmacist everything else you take.

Related situation guides

• Hyoscine hydrobromide in full
  The ingredient behind Kwells and Joy-Rides: how it works and its full caution list.
• Kwells Kids (ages 4 to 10)
  The half-strength children's tablet with label doses for ages 4 to 10.
• Travel sickness guide (UK)
  The UK shelf in one page: the three tablet families, their timings, and which sedates most.

Frequently asked questions

This page is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional. Dizzout is not a medical provider: we are not doctors or pharmacists. The information here is a general summary drawn from sources such as the FDA-approved label and other public health resources, and it may not reflect the most current changes; the official product label is the authoritative source. Whether any medicine is right for you, and how much to take, are individual decisions that depend on your health, age, and other medicines. We do not provide dosing instructions: always read the product label and follow its directions. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or your local emergency number immediately.