Advice for Malaria tablets

cillian95

Hi guys, I'm jetting off to South America (Guyana) next week for 12 months and being the unorganised dope that I am have yet to get malaria tablets. Also, I need to get a year's supply so am VERY interested in getting them as cheap as possible. Looking at getting Doxycycline - have priced it at about €110 for the year. Is this good or does anybody have any better ideas? Advice please and thank you?

mel.b

That spinds like a good price for 12 months supply to me. I got malarone for 11 days in Kenya and it cost €90 :eek: i presume you have spoken to your doc to check that itis safe to take for 12 months and also that doxy is suitable for that region.

Just be aware that doxy can make you very sun sensitive meaning you can burn easily. Also always take it woth a full stomach as it cam and does upset your stomach. You might also want to consider taking a probiotic as well as doxy is an antibiotic.

Daisies

I'm currently in Africa and will be for the next 12 months. I'm taking doxy as malarone is not licensed for long periods and larium can make you a little crazy. I just bought a one month supply at home and am now getting it here. A one month supply in Ireland cost 17.50, here, a one month supply costs just over one euro. So unless you are going to be living in the middle of no where, I say bring a 2 month supply and buy there

cillian95

@Daisies Yes, I'm in the middle of nowhere so I have to take a year's supply with me. What are you doing in Africa do you mind me asking?

@mel.b This is the first I've heard of taking a probiotic to balance out my stomach, any more knowledge on the subject?

FANTAPANTS

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500164_162-538144.html dont take this crap irish defence forces love giving it to its troops!!!

mel.b

cillian95 wrote: »

@Daisies Yes, I'm in the middle of nowhere so I have to take a year's supply with me. What are you doing in Africa do you mind me asking?

@mel.b This is the first I've heard of taking a probiotic to balance out my stomach, any more knowledge on the subject?

some antibiotics can be harsh on the stomach, killing off the good bacteria, leading to thrush and other unpleasentries I don't know how harsh doxy is in this regard as i only had to take it for a short trip but if i was planning on taking an antiobiotic for 12months then taking an acidophilous tablet is something i would consider (or make sure you eats lots of yoghurt!)

Naid23

I took Malerone for about 2 weeks as we were trekking in Northern Thailand for a few days, taking those tablets was the worse part of my travels.

We went to a travel doctor before leaving and got our prescription for the 2 weeks supply - Was told at the time that they were the best ones on the market with the least amount of side affects, think the figure he gave us was like 1 in 20,000 people have a bad reaction to them. So naturally not wanting to disrupt our trip we went with them .

I was the unfortunate 1 in 20,000 side affects people. Nearly ended up in Hosp over them, in constant pain most days. Emailed the doc we went to and was advised to get off them straight way and drink loads of water to flush them out of my system. Was grand then a few days after taking them.

Going travelling for a few months next year and need to take them again (different brand of course) so not looking to it as they couldnt tell me if i was allergic to the main ingredient in all malaria tablets.

Hope you dont have a similar experience. enjoy your travels:rolleyes:

bazingaboom

Naid23 wrote: »

I took Malerone for about 2 weeks as we were trekking in Northern Thailand for a few days, taking those tablets was the worse part of my travels.

We went to a travel doctor before leaving and got our prescription for the 2 weeks supply - Was told at the time that they were the best ones on the market with the least amount of side affects, think the figure he gave us was like 1 in 20,000 people have a bad reaction to them. So naturally not wanting to disrupt our trip we went with them .

I was the unfortunate 1 in 20,000 side affects people. Nearly ended up in Hosp over them, in constant pain most days. Emailed the doc we went to and was advised to get off them straight way and drink loads of water to flush them out of my system. Was grand then a few days after taking them.

Going travelling for a few months next year and need to take them again (different brand of course) so not looking to it as they couldnt tell me if i was allergic to the main ingredient in all malaria tablets.

Hope you dont have a similar experience. enjoy your travels:rolleyes:

You dont even need malaria tablets for North Thailand, awkward....

Daisies

cillian95 wrote: »

@Daisies Yes, I'm in the middle of nowhere so I have to take a year's supply with me. What are you doing in Africa do you mind me asking?

@mel.b This is the first I've heard of taking a probiotic to balance out my stomach, any more knowledge on the subject?

I'm lecturing. With doxy most places use is as part of the treatment as well as a prophalxsis. I would still be of the thinking that you won't spend ALL of the 12 months in the middle of nowhere (correct me if I'm wrong) so you could bring 6 months and buy 6 months over there.

Naid23

bazingaboom wrote: »

You dont even need malaria tablets for North Thailand, awkward....

Went trekking on the border of Thailand and Laos so yeah they were required. I am not just talking bout the silly treks from Chiang Mai.

Wouldnt have taken them if it wasnt required.

token101

Im in South America right now and it looks like Larium is all thats available. So it looks like Im f*cked. I might just not bother with it at all.

KenHy

I wouldn't take anti malarial medicine for 12 months - side effects would be worse than malaria. Just take the usual sensible precautions (deet, long sleeve shirts and pants at night and sleep in a mosquito net). Talk to a Dr. before going about medicines to treat malaria - think Doxy will do that, but check with a dr. anyway!

Louise27

Just wondering do any of you know do I need to take the anti-malaria tablets for Thailand - North and South for about 5/6 weeks. My doctor reckons I do but says Larium has too many side effects, and malarone can't be taken for longer than 28 days. I am extremely fair and burn quite easily so doxy doesn't seem an option either. Any help would be great, thanks:)

number66

Louise27 wrote: »

Just wondering do any of you know do I need to take the anti-malaria tablets for Thailand - North and South for about 5/6 weeks. My doctor reckons I do but says Larium has too many side effects, and malarone can't be taken for longer than 28 days. I am extremely fair and burn quite easily so doxy doesn't seem an option either. Any help would be great, thanks:)

Highly recommend reading

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1040.html

everyone should use this to check out countries they are traveling to

Louise27

:)Thanks for that

t1mm

Make sure you don't take doxy on an empty stomach. It is far from enjoyable

Daisies

token101 wrote: »

Im in South America right now and it looks like Larium is all thats available. So it looks like Im f*cked. I might just not bother with it at all.

Where in South America are you? When I was there doxy was widely available. I was there from September on and I didn't take any as it was the dry season. During the wet season malarial mozzies are more prevelant.

Louise27 wrote: »

Just wondering do any of you know do I need to take the anti-malaria tablets for Thailand - North and South for about 5/6 weeks. My doctor reckons I do but says Larium has too many side effects, and malarone can't be taken for longer than 28 days. I am extremely fair and burn quite easily so doxy doesn't seem an option either. Any help would be great, thanks:)

I'm fair skinned with red hair (ie a postcard Irish person) and I'm having no problem with the sun sensitivity and doxy. I just apply sun cream as I normally would.

t1mm wrote: »

Make sure you don't take doxy on an empty stomach. It is far from enjoyable

+100000000. I experienced what happens when you take doxy on an empty stomach this weekend. Lets just say I'll be taking it with my dinner anymore

Joe Lane

cillian95 wrote: »

Looking at getting Doxycycline - have priced it at about €110 for the year. Is this good or does anybody have any better ideas? Advice please and thank you?

Daisies wrote: »

A one month supply in Ireland cost 17.50, here, a one month supply costs just over one euro. So unless you are going to be living in the middle of no where, I say bring a 2 month supply and buy there

I bought a 10 month supply (on perscription naturally) for stg£21 from a high-street pharmacy in Newry.