Driminate®

What is Driminate?

Driminate is an over-the-counter medicine that’s one of the most frequently used drugs to help prevent and relieve motion sickness. It contains dimenhydrinate, an ingredient that eases symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and dizziness when traveling by car, plane, train, or boat.

Another brand of the same medication is Dramamine. It contains the same active ingredient, dimenhydrinate, but while Driminate comes as regular tablets, Dramamine is also available as chewable tablets.

Dimenhydrinate is also used to treat nasal allergies, skin allergies and insomnia. It can be combined with epinephrine to manage severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and is sometimes used to help with Parkinson’s-related symptoms, including movement issues.^[1]

It’s also used for Meniere’s disease, an inner ear condition that causes dizziness, ringing in the ears, balance problems and, over time, hearing loss.

How does Driminate work?

Dimenhydrinate, the active ingredient in Driminate, is a mix of two ingredients:

1. diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, and
2. 8-chlorotheophylline, a mild stimulant (like caffeine).

This combination helps prevent nausea while reducing drowsiness, a common side effect of diphenhydramine alone.

Diphenhydramine, the main ingredient, helps prevent motion sickness by blocking H1 histamine receptors in parts of the brain that control balance and nausea (called area postrema and the vomiting center in the vestibular nucleus). Motion sickness happens when the brain gets confusing signals about your movements, causing dizziness, nausea and vomiting. So by reducing histamine’s effects, dimenhydrinate helps the brain process motion more smoothly.^[1]

It also blocks acetylcholine, another chemical involved in balance, which helps calm your stomach and further reduce symptoms of motion sickness, making Driminate more effective.^[2]

What doses of Driminate are there?

Driminate is only available as tablets containing 50mg of dimenhydrinate, which are taken by mouth 30 minutes to an hour before doing an activity that may cause motion sickness.

How to take Driminate

To prevent motion sickness, take the first dose with a glass of water 30 minutes to one hour before traveling or starting any activity that involves motion. Take one to two tablets every four to six hours, but don’t exceed eight tablets per day, unless your doctor recommended otherwise.

How long does Driminate take to work?

Driminate starts working in about 30 to 60 minutes, so it’s best to take your tablet at least 30 minutes before you travel to allow it enough time to kick in.

How long do the effects of Driminate last?

One dose of Driminate works for about four to eight hours.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Driminate?

Like most medicines, Driminate can be harmful in large amounts. So if you take too many tablets, go to the nearest emergency room or contact your local poison control center. Watch out for symptoms of overdose, which can include difficulty urinating, blurred vision, dry mouth, ringing in the ears, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, agitation, confusion, seizures, drowsiness, hallucinations, nausea or vomiting.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s almost time for your next dose, just take that one. Don’t take two doses at once.