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Anti-malarial tabs - your advice experiences sought



Shropshire Seagull

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2004
8,477
Telford
Okay, in about 5 weeks time I'm off on my charity mission to Africa for a month and will need to take anti-malarials.

Been to my GP to see the practice nurse and had my other jabs; yellow fever, Hep B, etc. and she gave me some low-down on anti-malarials.

1/ Larium - not recommend, can have psychotic effects and is positively dangerous for anyone suffering depression [not that I am].
2/ Malarone - most common, but most expensive - £2.20 per tab is the cheapest I've found it, start 2 days before and continue during and for 7 days after - so I need £88-worth. I've heard mouth ulcers and vivid dreams can be expected ....
3/ Doxycycline - basically an antibiotic, taken during and 4 weeks after trip - cost about £15 - I've heard increased skin sensitivity to sunlight - I'm going to be out in the sun for a good 6-8 hours every day - how did you find it?

Your advice, based on experience, would be much appreciated.
If Malarone is the best, I won't mind forking out the extra - can't piss about with your health ....
 




Blackadder

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 6, 2003
16,077
Haywards Heath
I have only taken Malarone. No problems at all. Well worth the extra.

It's worth shopping around. Some places are far cheaper than others. I bought mine in a pharmacy near MacDonalds in Crawley. I was working there at the time. This was about 4 or 5 years ago.
 


Hockley Blues

New member
Feb 3, 2005
523
Southend
Doxycycline - my fiancé and I took it in India and south east Asia for two months last year. We spent a fair bit of time in the sun, certainly in Kerala which was BLAZING, with no probs whatsoever.

I would rccommend going back to your GP too or seek advice from a travel clinic - and be specific with the areas you'll be staying - as there are several areas across the world where some of the above are no longer effective against malaria.
 






SeagullSongs

And it's all gone quiet..
Oct 10, 2011
6,937
Southampton
I've taken Malarone and the only side-effects I had were a few mouth ulcers and some crazy dreams, but the latter effect isn't that bad. I can definitely imagine there being worse anti-malarials out there.
 


Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
12,898
Central Borneo / the Lizard
You can get some amazing dreams off Larium, I had some friends who used to look forward to Larium night!

Where in Africa are you going? There are still plenty of places where the traditional chloroquine / paludrine combination work well.
 


shingle

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2004
3,128
Lewes
Where abouts are you going in Africa.

I've always taken Doxycycline, never had a problem with it.
 




Bedsex

not my real name
Jan 29, 2009
1,855
Flitwick
I've only taken larium, made me feel sick every time I took it but I didn't go mad.

It worked too, definitely didn't get malaria.
 


Trufflehound

Re-enfranchised
Aug 5, 2003
14,104
The democratic and free EU
Taken malarone, larium, chloroquine and paludrine with no problem (although I don't recommend taking a weekly chloroquine on an empty stomach...). Fortunately.

Malarone is definitely worth the money.

As the doctor rightly says, be very careful of larium, and avoid it if you have the remotest history of depression in the family. I know a woman who thought she wasn't prone to depression. Took larium 15 years ago and has been full-on bipolar ever since. Messed up her life in many ways, including losing her her job and ending her marriage.

However, if your mission is taking you somewhere remote with poor healthcare, larium can still be a life-saver. I've often been advised by doctors to carry it but not take it unless I get sick. If you do get malaria (even malarone doesn't guarantee 100% protection), taking 3 larium one day and 2 the next won't cure you - but it will subdue the symptoms long enough for you to get somewhere with a doctor and proper medical facilities.
 


Originunknown

BINFEST'ING
Aug 30, 2011
3,068
SUSSEX
Malarone, always Malarone. Very subtle if any side effects, worth paying extra for. Lloyds pharmacy is the right sort of price and much more convenient than going to GP
 




wendy's tackle

Member
NSC Patreon
Jul 17, 2004
40
East Dean, Eastbourne
I've taken Larium and Malarone on various different trips. Had no problems at all with Larium first time, second time I felt a bit queezy after a few days out. Trouble is you never really know if it's the tablets because there can be so many other potential causes when travelling. Malarone was never any problem for me and it has the advantage of finishing soon after you get home. My misses takes Doxy and she's had no problems with that, but it doesn't suit everyone and doesn't give the best protection. She reckoned Malarone made here feel ill, which is the only time I've heard of this.

I think the fuss about Larium's side effects has been over-done in the media, I've know plenty of people who've taken it without problems. Obviously though steer clear if you have any experience of clinical depression even if quite slight.

Ultimately if they all seem suitable then you have to decide what's more important to you. If you want the best protection and least chance of problems then go for Malarone, if you're on a tight budget but want good protection then go for Larium, or play fairly safe and cheap with Doxy.
 


The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
Malarone, always Malarone. Very subtle if any side effects, worth paying extra for. Lloyds pharmacy is the right sort of price and much more convenient than going to GP

Don't like big stores but I just bought ours from Tesco our shirt sponsors if you listen to my Palace mate drivel .
 


TWOCHOICEStom

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2007
10,546
Brighton
I used Paludrine and Avloclor the three times I've been in Malarial places. Bit of a pain in the arse to have to take it for so long but no side effects at all.

DO NOT take Larium. Heard so many people complaining about it when I was away.
 




nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
17,523
Gods country fortnightly
Think its important to remember no anti-malarials are 100% effective. As good a precaution as any is buy some lightweight cotton clothes and cover up around dawn and dusk with decent repellent, for many longer term travellers / residents this is often the only option..
 




KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,692
Wolsingham, County Durham
Think its important to remember no anti-malarials are 100% effective. As good a precaution as any is buy some lightweight cotton clothes and cover up around dawn and dusk with decent repellent, for many longer term travellers / residents this is often the only option..

Very sensible. Stock up on Tabard, Peaceful Sleep or similar.
 


Trufflehound

Re-enfranchised
Aug 5, 2003
14,104
The democratic and free EU
DO NOT take Larium. Heard so many people complaining about it when I was away.

Certainly larium is to be treated with caution, but a lot of the horror tales you hear on the road are simple cases of 'traveller's hypochondria'. The kids read something in their Lonely Planet guidebooks and they become convinced they have it. The same thing happens with stomach upsets. A lot of people are sure they have giardia every time they get a simple dose of the shits, because they read about it in the book. To catch real giardia you have to drink untreated water from lakes and streams...
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,820
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Spent 4 months working in India. Took Malarone with no mouth ulcers but plenty of strange dreams. 2 colleagues had Larium. One had no effects at all, the other was the first to be sick and blamed it on the larium. Being India it could well have been the food / water if you ask me.
 


Trufflehound

Re-enfranchised
Aug 5, 2003
14,104
The democratic and free EU
Spent 4 months working in India. Took Malarone with no mouth ulcers but plenty of strange dreams. 2 colleagues had Larium. One had no effects at all, the other was the first to be sick and blamed it on the larium. Being India it could well have been the food / water if you ask me.

Ah yes, the mouth ulcers. Forgot about them. But I got them from chloroquine, not from malarone.

In my clearly medically conclusive observations, i.e. based on one case, larium doesn't make you sick as such. If it affects you at all, it makes you virtually catatonic with depression, and you lose the will to do anything.
 



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