Anti-Malaria tablets - Any experience/advice?
Discussion
andysgriff said:
Never bothered with them
Can understand the temptation, but really not a great idea:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282967/...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1380272/...
I mean, if it's not even scared of Cheryl Cole...
Malarone & doxy are equally as effective for most strains. Doxy is a fraction of the price, but carries more risk of side effects. Working in West Africa we had around 3000 people on anti-malarials, most got on fine with doxy, only about 5-10% has side effects needing us to switch them to Malarone. There are various different strains of malaria & it's always worth getting proper advice from a quack as recommended drugs can chang dependng on area.
Working in India for a number of years I never used to bother. In west africa strictly took the doxy. The strain there could kill in 48hrs. A guy on an adjacent site went down with flu symptoms one day, they diagnosed cerebal malaria, he died on the medivac flight the next day.
Working in India for a number of years I never used to bother. In west africa strictly took the doxy. The strain there could kill in 48hrs. A guy on an adjacent site went down with flu symptoms one day, they diagnosed cerebal malaria, he died on the medivac flight the next day.
andysgriff said:
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...
Agree with this. I contracted Dengue once. There's no cure for it once you have it and it can be fatal.There's no tablet you can take to prevent Dengue and the mossies carrying it fly about in the daytime, so I would always advocate repellents (you can get clothing impregnated with repellents now) and sleep under a net.
Anti-malarial drugs are not a guarantee against getting malaria anyway. You're best off stopping them biting you in the first place IMO.
FurtiveFreddy said:
You're best off stopping them biting you in the first place IMO.
OH generally gets bitten or stung by anything that can reach her skin, anywhere in the world. 100% DEET is very effective but it stinks, dissolves the colour from some substances and thus stains clothes. Eventually she found that ordinary, scent-free E45 skin cream was just as effective for her - probably masked whatever attractant it is her skin normally exudes.driverrob said:
OH generally gets bitten or stung by anything that can reach her skin, anywhere in the world. 100% DEET is very effective but it stinks, dissolves the colour from some substances and thus stains clothes. Eventually she found that ordinary, scent-free E45 skin cream was just as effective for her - probably masked whatever attractant it is her skin normally exudes.
Avon 'skin so soft' is cheap, smells quit nice and really does keep them away I have found. I feared it might be an urban myth, but from my experience, it's true!I gave up on DEET as it kept dissolving plastic things I had on my person.
Malarone has always worked for me, though as above, take it after food to avoid any problems! Have done a few trips with people on Larium, and having seen one of them go "happy Larry" I'd avoid it myself. Seems to amplify mental problems in some people. Likewise Dioxy has caused a couple of people I know bad sunburn - one a an Australian sheep farmer who said he hadn't been sunburnt in 40 years, the other a pale English girl - she was sunburnt through a t-shirt!
But the thing to do is to find out what works best where you are going and take proper advice. In my case, I think the Malrone is worth the extra cost, but might consider different if I was away for a long time.
As an aside I believe Malarone is also used to treat people who have Malaria. I may have saved the life of one of our local guides on a trek through West Papua - he came down with suspected Malaria when we were 3 days walk from the nearest town (in the Baliem Valley). I gave him a weeks worth of Malarone and two of our porters carried him out of the rainforest day and night to the nearest town, where he was treated. When we got back he was a lot better, though looked like death.
Don't mess.
But the thing to do is to find out what works best where you are going and take proper advice. In my case, I think the Malrone is worth the extra cost, but might consider different if I was away for a long time.
As an aside I believe Malarone is also used to treat people who have Malaria. I may have saved the life of one of our local guides on a trek through West Papua - he came down with suspected Malaria when we were 3 days walk from the nearest town (in the Baliem Valley). I gave him a weeks worth of Malarone and two of our porters carried him out of the rainforest day and night to the nearest town, where he was treated. When we got back he was a lot better, though looked like death.
Don't mess.
Malerone is the one that I always use. It can give you some interesting dreams, and if you don't take it with food a dicky stomach, but overall it's pretty good. Expensive though! But then when you consider the risk of actually getting malaria it seems cheep.
Avoid larrium it's evil. Seen a few folk go mental on it, and heard a few really nasty stories about it.
Avoid larrium it's evil. Seen a few folk go mental on it, and heard a few really nasty stories about it.
Alfachick said:
Avoid larrium it's evil. Seen a few folk go mental on it, and heard a few really nasty stories about it.
i normally buy malarone even though it is ridiculously expensive in dubai. however i'm currently in nairobi awaiting a transfer to cameroon where i'll be spending 12 days in a malaria risk area. this thread has just made me realise i've forgotten the malarone.
tbh i prefer using 100% deet, never had a bite when using it.
tbh i prefer using 100% deet, never had a bite when using it.
I have lived n SE asia for years, and know many peopel who have been here longer than me. No one takes anti malerials, they cost and make you sick as a parrot.
They are also largely useless as Maleria is not the issue, Dengue is, and there is no jab or tablet for it. Best bet is spray on some deet if you are worried to keep the buggers away.
ETA just saw Dengue alread referred to .... but to back up, i don't know anyone who has had Malaria in the past decade or so. I know plenty who have had Dengue. Once you contract it, you are a "carrier" for life, which means that subsequent clean mozzies that bite you now are dengue carriers also ... hence how it propogates.
Dengue as described by a mate of mine who had it - Worst hangover of his life, lasted for 3 weeks - hospitalised, could not hold food or fluids down, was on an IV drip and basically incapacitated. "they" say the second time is worse and most dont survive the 3rd.
Best advice with mozzies, just avoid being bitten by the buggers!
They are also largely useless as Maleria is not the issue, Dengue is, and there is no jab or tablet for it. Best bet is spray on some deet if you are worried to keep the buggers away.
ETA just saw Dengue alread referred to .... but to back up, i don't know anyone who has had Malaria in the past decade or so. I know plenty who have had Dengue. Once you contract it, you are a "carrier" for life, which means that subsequent clean mozzies that bite you now are dengue carriers also ... hence how it propogates.
Dengue as described by a mate of mine who had it - Worst hangover of his life, lasted for 3 weeks - hospitalised, could not hold food or fluids down, was on an IV drip and basically incapacitated. "they" say the second time is worse and most dont survive the 3rd.
Best advice with mozzies, just avoid being bitten by the buggers!
Edited by XJSJohn on Wednesday 22 August 05:20
I've taken Larium, Doxy and Malerone and was advised that as long as it's appropriate for the malarial area, to stick with Malerone in future as it has the lowest incidence of side-effects.
Larium - went a bit bonkers.
Doxy - had a million mouth ulcers and couldn't eat. Big of a bugg3r on my honeymoon,
Malerone - taken twice and no side effects so far.
Unless you're out for a million years, I'd stump up the cash for Malerone, but you'll never know if you react to it until you try it.
Larium - went a bit bonkers.
Doxy - had a million mouth ulcers and couldn't eat. Big of a bugg3r on my honeymoon,
Malerone - taken twice and no side effects so far.
Unless you're out for a million years, I'd stump up the cash for Malerone, but you'll never know if you react to it until you try it.
Travelling down West Africa and took Larium, religiously
Ended up with carrying the malarial parasite, loads and loads of antibiotics later I was diagnosed sort of free, but still have to go to A&E if I get flu like symptoms.
My view is always take it unless it drives you insane :-P
Malarone has been the safest and most reliable of all when going to out of the way places [for short periods]
Ended up with carrying the malarial parasite, loads and loads of antibiotics later I was diagnosed sort of free, but still have to go to A&E if I get flu like symptoms.
My view is always take it unless it drives you insane :-P
Malarone has been the safest and most reliable of all when going to out of the way places [for short periods]
Sarkmeister said:
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?
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I've been to Borneo and climbed Kinabalu. None of us took anti-malaria medication. Anyone takend these, if so, which one and did you get any side-effects?
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I've taken Larium in the past, initially it made me very dizzy and my vision go green
Others didn't fare as well - terrible nightmares and hallucinations.
The jiffle king said:
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
That's so cheap! UK trade price is about £24 for 12. They are the best ones to take though, and I'd always take them. Malaria can be fatal.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff