I've been reading the recent thread about what you can catch in Africa and to date I have had no problems while taking Malarone with a backup of Cipro if needed. However, the thread has got me thinking about a trip to Zimbabwe this summer. Should I also get a prescription for Doxy or will the Cipro in conjunction with the anti-malarial substitute for that. And if I do need to take the Doxy do I stop the Malarone while I'm on it? Any advice?

What we go through for the love of hunting!

I think you should contact an MD that understands tropical medicine. Most of us I think on AR only know what we have personally experienced. Your mileage may vary.

Mark

IIRC , NJ has a law requiring the issuing pharmacist to check all pescriptions fo any reactions between the drugs. It's a very good idea !

Careful asking for medical advice online. You will get exactly what you pid for!

I take Cipro and Doxy with me, just in case. If you have taken Doxy with no side effects, then it's definitely good to have. If you have not taken it ... Well, just ask your doctor. You have to see/talk to him/her anyway to get the RX.

What everyone else has said.

I have always taken Cipro and another antibiotic with me as well as Vicodin and Morphine for serious pain/injury. If you are in the bush, you may not be able to evacuate quickly - 24 to 48 hours could be realistic - and the closest medical facility may not have appropriate drugs available to give you.

What you don't use will be appreciated by your PH, who is looked to by his staff, and often times any locals, for help when injured or sick.

There is no interaction between Malarone and Cipro.
Doxycycline will decrease the effectiveness of one of the components of Malarone (decreases atovaquone component blood levels by unknown mechanism).

But if you are taking Malarone for malaria prophylaxis, and get into a bunch of ticks and tick fever prophylaxis or treatment is desired,
you will be making up for the loss of Malarone effect by adding the doxycycline effect.

I would take all, Malarone, Cipro, and doxycycline along in my kit.

Malarone for malaria.
Cipro for the squirts (unless caused by eating too many green mangos) or anthrax.
Doxycycline for ticks and other things.
Topical antibiotic ointment/cream for cuts and scrapes.
Antifungal cream for jock rot or athlete's foot or ringworm ...
I would take both Cipro and doxycycline together if I thought a wound was getting infected.
But I might also want to take along some Keflex and Bactrim oral antibiotics if the kit allowed.
And some dressings and Quick Clot.
Heck, throw in a defibrillator and some suturing kits,
and a bottle of Buffalo Trace while we are at it, for antiseptic use only, of course:



Lomotil, Zofran, that's enough, until the Med-Evac arrives.

But I would rather be trifled by pain than carry narcotics around.
I just take some Tylenol if something really HURTS BAD!!!


Larium: US Military quit using it. Doxycycline is their routine issue malaria prophylaxis for Afghanistan, now.

Seems there was this problem with a high profile multiple homicide by someone on Larium a while back ...

Doxy only for both malaria and tick bite fever prophylaxis. no way in hell would i try to take morphine abroad but vicoden with a prescription should pass muster. apparently some folks carry a separate suitcase for their "first aid" kit. i am too lazy.

jdollar the Morphine is for the PH.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Seems there was this problem with a high profile multiple homicide by someone on Larium a while back ...

This doesn't shock me. A lot of people have very bad reactions to Larium, me included.

I put it on a couple of other threads, but taking probiotics should decrease the chance of needing antibiotics for bowel related issues while traveling; and if it doesn't it would reduce the chances of antibiotic related diarrhea if you do need to take them.

In zimb make sure you book MARS. save time and space