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Sarkmeister
Original Poster
1,074 posts
87 months
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Morning all
I'm off to Thailand (Bangkok and Koh Phangan) and Malaysia (Perhentian Islands) for 3 weeks at the end of the month, and was wondering if PH had any experience with anti-malaria tablets.
We are going to Borneo (climing Kinabalu, pestering Orangutans etc) at the end of the trip so the official line is that we need to take tablets. However, I've read/seen so many conflicting opinions on whether this is necessary,and what the side-effects of the tablets are.
Anyone takend these, if so, which one and did you get any side-effects?
Cheers in advance.
ps I appreciate that asking for medical advice on a car forum might be an odd thing to do. I'll be seeing my doctor next week anyway, but I'm just seeing what experience people have had with these.
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boobles
12,163 posts
84 months
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I had Malarone anti-malaria tablets for when I went to the Gambia.
I felt awful on return & this lasted for approx 2 weeks.
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Saddlebag
147 posts
33 months
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I use Malarone on business trips and have no side effects.
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driverrob
2,956 posts
72 months
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Malarone is what we normally take. In all the times we've used them the only side-effect has been the OH throwing up after taking them in the morning but not eating any breakfast. Take after a meal!
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Bill
26,400 posts
124 months
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Sarkmeister said: Morning all
I'm off to Thailand (Bangkok and Koh Phangan) and Malaysia (Perhentian Islands) for 3 weeks at the end of the month, and was wondering if PH had any experience with anti-malaria tablets.
We are going to Borneo (climing Kinabalu, pestering Orangutans etc) at the end of the trip so the official line is that we need to take tablets. However, I've read/seen so many conflicting opinions on whether this is necessary,and what the side-effects of the tablets are.
Anyone takend these, if so, which one and did you get any side-effects?
Cheers in advance.
ps I appreciate that asking for medical advice on a car forum might be an odd thing to do. I'll be seeing my doctor next week anyway, but I'm just seeing what experience people have had with these. Don't cock about with malaria IMO. If it's the dry season and a low risk area, and you are religious about using nets and repellant and cover up at dawn and dusk then I'd consider taking the chance without tablets but (having taken various anti-malarials without I'll effect) I wouldn't risk it. ETA I have met various people who have chanced it and some have got away with it...
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Use Psychology
9,797 posts
61 months
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i went on holiday to a known malaria-ridden place.
i didn't take any medication and i felt great for the whole holiday.
when i got back it turned out i had contracted malaria, i had a fever for about a week and felt like utter crap. was admitted to hospital. since then i've had further attacks of the infection every few months.
...
whether to take the medicine or not? hmmm, tough decision that one...
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Sarkmeister
Original Poster
1,074 posts
87 months
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Cheers for the replies so far. I'm pretty sure I'll be taking them, just trying to figure out which ones to take. I'd rather not throw up each morning...
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Bill
26,400 posts
124 months
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The medication will depend on the strains of malaria present where you are going.
Good to hear about your experience Use Psychology, although I obviously feel for you, far too many people don't take malaria seriously.
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Sarkmeister
Original Poster
1,074 posts
87 months
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From the guidelines I've read so far it suggests Doxycycline or Malarone. Doxycycline looks the best at the moment (value/side effects)
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Bill
26,400 posts
124 months
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IIRC (it's been a while since I looked into it) they're both pretty benign.
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Use Psychology
9,797 posts
61 months
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Bill said: The medication will depend on the strains of malaria present where you are going.
Good to hear about your experience Use Psychology, although I obviously feel for you, far too many people don't take malaria seriously. don't worry, I don't actually have malaria... I was just contrasting the risk of a small side effect for a couple of weeks vs the risk of the (potential, I think what I wrote was extreme) consequences of catching malaria...
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tj2002
411 posts
62 months
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I took Doxycycline for my 3 months in Asia although I wasn't really in any real jungle. Malarone is very expensive and I've heard the side effects can be nasty. Obviously the side effects vary from person to person but the 17p per tablet compared to £1.50 or whatever for Malarone swung it for me.
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Bill
26,400 posts
124 months
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Ah  The extreme option is death, which I might not have fallen for. A travel writer called Tim Cahill contracted recurrent malaria in PNG. Although I can't remember if that was despite anti-malarials or not.
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N Dentressangle
2,456 posts
91 months
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Sarkmeister said: From the guidelines I've read so far it suggests Doxycycline or Malarone. Doxycycline looks the best at the moment (value/side effects) Doxy gave me raging heartburn, so bad I had to stop taking them. If you're remotely prone to reflux or indigestion you might want to consider this - it's a well documented side effect. Mrs D took Malarone last time, with no ill effects at all. It will be my choice too, in future. When you compare the cost difference with amount you're laying out to actually go to these place then it doesn't seem so large after all...
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APanda
350 posts
16 months
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Had them a couple of years ago, only side effect for me was nausea from time to time and the craziest nightmares/dreams I've ever had, every single night from taking them two weeks before until a week after getting home. I'd do it again as it's not worth the risk.
Edited to add, it was Malarone I took.
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louiebaby
5,338 posts
60 months
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I had some pretty interesting dreams on Malarone...
I'd always take them though, it's not worth the risk.
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LuS1fer
28,497 posts
114 months
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Malarone I think. No side effects, just a bulky tablet to swallow. I went to Kerala which was not particularly high risk but I would never take the risk.
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Truckosaurus
3,529 posts
153 months
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I've always used Malarone on 2-3 week trips. Some of the cost difference is negated by having a much shorter before/after time period that you need to take the tablets.
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The jiffle king
2,885 posts
127 months
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Malarone for me. When in Spain, I have bought this from the pharmacy... for €2.37 a packet... yes really!!! When we were on safari with a British couple, we compared prices and they could not believe it. Anyway, it was very good, no side effects and no malaria
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andysgriff
543 posts
129 months
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Never bothered with them, Dengue is probably more of a problem in South East Asia, be sensible, use repellant, eat loads of garlic and drink loads of beer n smoke, seems to keep them away.. and everyone else strangely enough...
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