[BeetleB]

Regular dose shouldn't cause much drowsiness in most people. I take it all the time when flying (even double dose sometimes). I once took a double dose of regular dramamine and I was out within 30 minutes.

I just checked - Dramamine actually calls it "less drowsy". They have non-drowsy be ginger, which is mostly a placebo (there's a lawsuit about it!).

But this highlights my point: Telling someone "less drowsy" dramamine and there is a good chance they'll buy either the regular or the non-drowsy. Just tell them the ingredient to look for!

[kube-system]

Most side effects don't happen to people taking a drug. The warning isn't because of the likelihood of drowsiness, but the magnitude of risk caused by someone who may become drowsy when doing some other dangerous activity.

Either way, what you describe doesn't sound like a good experience. When I had some issue that necessitated meclizine, the PA wrote a prescription, explained what it was, warned me to be aware of drowsiness until I knew how it affected me, and I picked it up for $1-2 after insurance.

If I had a provider who was anything less than 100% confident and knowledgable about what they wanted me to take, I would be seeing someone else.

[BeetleB]

> Most side effects don't happen to people taking a drug.

Which is why most doctors don't mention them, either.

Look, everything I've been prescribed has a long list of side effects - many quite serious. Just read the pamphlet that comes with it. It's rare that a doctor mentions any, unless the side effect is decently common.

> When I had some issue that necessitated meclizine, the PA wrote a prescription, explained what it was, warned me to be aware of drowsiness until I knew how it affected me, and I picked it up for $1-2 after insurance.

Could it be possible your dose was higher than normal? For me, meclizine is like buying regular ibuprofen - insurance doesn't even enter into the picture. It's not what one normally considers a "prescription medication". Just like being prescribed Tylenol, you typically don't go to the pharmacist with it and say "Give me some" (and if you do, they just tell you to browse the aisles).

> If I had a provider who was anything less than 100% confident and knowledgable about what they wanted me to take, I would be seeing someone else.

I would suggest you re-evaluate your stance. The best doctors (and professionals), are the ones who are always doubting themselves, and the most confident ones are usually the ones who are just faking it - it takes only a few probing questions to expose their facade.

[kube-system]

I agree that you want a provider to be humble. But, not knowing what freekin' meclizine is isn't a healthy level of self-doubt. It's a pretty fundamental drug.