Stugeron 15: what the travel sickness label says

Educational summary · drug class: Sedating (first-generation) antihistamine with calcium-channel-blocking activity, 15 mg tablet · last reviewed 2026-06-29

Stugeron is the UK brand of cinnarizine 15 mg tablets, marketed by McNeil Products. It is a sedating antihistamine for travel sickness whose label rhythm suits long journeys: a dose 2 hours before travel, then further doses every 8 hours during the journey if needed, which is why the name keeps coming up around ferry crossings and cruises. The label covers adults and children over 12 at full amounts and ages 5 to 12 at half. In the company's own trial data, somnolence was the most common side effect at 9.9%. It is not sold in the US. Whether it fits you is a pharmacist question.

Not medical advice. 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.

What it is

Stugeron 15 is a small white tablet marked S/15, each containing cinnarizine 15 mg: a first-generation antihistamine that also blocks calcium channels, which is why the same ingredient is separately prescribed for vertigo and other inner-ear disorders. In the UK it is sold from pharmacies and on prescription; the marketing authorisation is held by McNeil Products. Cinnarizine was never approved by the US FDA, so there is no American Stugeron: US shelves carry meclizine and dimenhydrinate instead. The label advises taking it preferably after meals, which reduces the stomach irritation it can otherwise cause.

Availability: UK: pharmacy medicine and prescription (Stugeron 15, from McNeil Products). Not FDA-approved or sold in the US. Legal status, brand names, and availability vary by country: check what applies where you live.

How it may help with motion sickness

Motion sickness comes from conflicting movement signals between the inner ear and the eyes. As an antihistamine, cinnarizine damps histamine signalling in the vestibular pathways and the brain's vomiting centre, and its calcium-channel action on the inner ear is the reason it is also used in vertigo. It builds gradually: the NHS notes it can take up to about 4 hours to reach full effect, which is why the label puts the first dose 2 hours before departure rather than at the quayside. Ingredient-level detail is on our cinnarizine page.

General timing

The Stugeron label directs a first dose 2 hours before travel, with a further dose every 8 hours during the journey if needed, preferably after meals. Children aged 5 to 12 take half the adult amounts per the label. This is general label timing only. We do not provide dosing instructions: follow 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:

Somnolence (sleepiness): the most common effect, 9.9% in the company's trial data
Nausea or indigestion (common; taking it after meals reduces stomach irritation)
Headache
Dry mouth
Weight gain with longer-term use (1.5% in trial data)

Who should check with a doctor or pharmacist first

May cause drowsiness, especially at the start: do not drive or operate machinery if affected, and alcohol makes the sedation stronger.
Pregnancy: the label states use in pregnancy is not advisable, and it is not recommended while breastfeeding. Check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Children: not for children under 5; ages 5 to 12 use half the adult amounts per the label.
Parkinson's disease: the label says Stugeron should only be used if the advantages outweigh the possible risk of aggravating the disease.
Porphyria: use should be avoided.
Older adults: long-term use is linked with movement disorders such as tremor and drug-induced parkinsonism; use with care and professional advice.
Known allergy to cinnarizine or any of the tablet's other ingredients rules it out.

Related situation guides

Frequently asked questions

How long before travel should Stugeron be taken?

The label says 2 hours before travel, and the NHS notes cinnarizine can take up to about 4 hours to reach full effect. It is a plan-ahead tablet: if departure is 30 minutes away, hyoscine products like Kwells have the faster label timing. Follow the pack directions.

Can you take Stugeron through a cruise or a long ferry crossing?

The label is written for exactly that shape of journey: after the pre-travel dose it allows a further dose every 8 hours during the journey if needed. Many cruise travelers also weigh the scopolamine patch, which lasts about 3 days per application. Which fits you, and for how long, is a pharmacist or doctor conversation.

Does Stugeron make you drowsy?

It can. Somnolence was the most common side effect in the company's trial data, reported by 9.9% of people, and the label warns against driving or operating machinery if affected. That roughly 1-in-10 figure is one reason it has a milder reputation than promethazine, but it is not a non-drowsy tablet.

Can children take Stugeron?

The label covers children over 12 at adult amounts and ages 5 to 12 at half. It is not for children under 5. For any child, confirm the product and amount with a pharmacist.

Why can't I buy Stugeron in the US?

Cinnarizine was never approved by the US FDA, so Stugeron is not sold there. American shelves use meclizine (Bonine) and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) instead. Our medicine-names-by-country guide maps the equivalents.

Should Stugeron be taken with food?

Preferably after meals, per the label: cinnarizine can cause stomach discomfort, and food reduces the irritation. That is a label direction, not our advice; follow the pack.

Sources

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.