I just wanted to pass along some information that has been making the rounds in the press over in South Africa lately. It seems that Malaria cases have nearly doubled this year due to the good rains received in many areas of RSA, Namibia, and Mozambique. The number of cases reported are at the highest level since 2000. Take your pills.

Good advice, Mike.

Does anyone know are many of these cases showing up in the "Malari free zones"?

I haven't seen any published data about whether or not this has impacted the "malaria free zones". My own personal guideline though is if I'm within 100 miles of a known malaria area, I take the pills. Winds can carry the skeeters a long way, and I just feel that it's better to err on the side of caution in this case.

I just heard from my PH that Northwest Zim has also had an unusually rainy season (and more is expected). More rain + less effective government irradication = more malaria. I've seen fulminant cases in guys coming back from Africa and Southeast Asia, and, despite high-tech first-world medicine, these bad cases (admittedly and thankfully a tiny minority) can be life-threatening (or fatal). It infected Americans in the far south into the 20th century, but is now almost forgotten by us as we are more worried about HERPES, AIDS, and whatever new bird-man virus is coming out of Southest China. Still, malaria is nothing to shrug off. One more thing to worry about or, better yet, plan for and deal with.

I think it's worth pointing out that taking your malaria pills doesn't necessarily keep you from catching the illness, but if you do manage to get unlucky and come down with it, the effects will be much less severe, and more easily treatable.

Perhaps a discussion of the relative merits of the various antimalarial pills would be in order here? I know there are a number of you that know far more about this than I do. On my trip last year, I took larium, and had only one wierd dream from the entire regimen. The advantage I saw was only having to take one pill/wk. Some doctors swear by larium, and some swear at it. What are the feelings of those who have had more experience than I?

I've always used Larium, but the last 2 trips I used it on, I experienced vivid dreams and after about being on it for 2 weeks I started developing extreme nervousness and anxiety. I didn't know what was causing it until I got home and talked it over with my M.D. I'm going to try Malarone next trip. Larium is much less expensive than Malarone. With Malarone you have to take a pill every day, but that's no problem for me, as there is other medication I take every day now, so it's no big deal. I'll just take it with my meds and vitamins at breakfast.

I took larium and had BAD dreams every night < !--color--> and it made me VERY MOODY < !--color--> .The next time I will take something else.

You might try a search here. There have been some great discussions about Larium, Malarone and Doxy.

My family all took Malarone on both trips.
No problems with vivid dreams or anxiety.


Only one severe side effect:
An overwhelming desire to return to Africa....



Rick.

i am taking larium for my up comeing trip the only side effect i can think of is i get real horny.......ooppps wrong meds got the blue and the wight pill mixed up hehe

mikeh416Rigby

Perhaps more people shall drink gin and tonic. I'm really skeptic against some of the malaria medicine, side effects are hideous. I know of two persons who died of malaria medicine when I was in Namibia.

Cheers
/JOHAN

I have taken both Lariam and Malarone, the Lariam works best for me....I had a lady in camp last year, a friend of my neice, that got plumb freaky on Malarone..I have seen this with both Malarone and Lariam along with side effects like dreams, dirreahea, headaches, aniety and nervousness...
Strangely enough I do not sunburn, never have, but the one time I took Doxy, my hands got burned and itched terribly, I quit taking the doxy and took Lariam and got fine in a day or two.

I always tell everyone to try Lariam first and if they have problems with that then try Malarone, then doxy...The time to find out what your body tolerates is before you go to Africa, not while you are there....

Malarone is bloody expensive also, compared to the other two...Malarone is $8.00 per pill taken once daily. Lariam is $5.00 per pill taken once a week.

Ray, you're right. The Malarone is expensive. However, I did a quick Google search, and through some of the Canadian Pharmacies it can be had for $3.59 per tablet. So, for a 14 day hunt one would need 14 tablets, plus 2 to take before entering the area, plus 7 for the week after leaving the area. 23 tablets=$82.57 + shipping. Not that I'm advocating getting your meds from outside the U.S., but just exposing another option.

Ray,



A good trick if you ever have to use Doxy again is to take it only in the evening. For some reason, this gave me absolutly no sun problems at all. Even though I used it everyday for almost a year. However, if I took it in the morning I'd turn into a beet! I found this out by trial and error. Several others we know have found the same thing when using Doxy.



My wife used Larium for the same time period without side affects. No vivid dreams (Although that wouldn't necessarily have a bad thing ), or other psyco incidents.



I only used Malarone as a cure when I got Malaria, but that went fine with non of the nasty side affects I've been told of with Larium as a cure. Since I didn't use it as a constant prophylactic, I don't know the long term effects. However my cousin and her husband who are working in Malawi use Malarone. I haven't heard that they have any problems the 3 months they've been there up till now.



Most importantly, it's vital to remember that no pills can guarentee that you'll be Malaria free. Non can protect you 100% unfortunatly.



Erik D.

I guess I get to see the effects of various anti malarials on a fair amount of people and from my observations a lot of people who take Larium suffer more than they know..... You can sometimes be talking to a client and see the Larium effect (confusion & moments of forgetfullness) kick in. I've also taken it myself and have suffered from it's effects...... Larium worries me sufficiently that if a client tells me he's using it I make bloody sure I don't get in front of him while he has a rifle in his hands and I tell my hunting staff to be extra cautious.....And that's without mentioning the more serious psychotic problems it can cause.



If you take Doxycycline for any length of time it's a good idea to also take a daily dose of Acidophilus. Doxy is an antibiotic and it kills natural bacteria (both good and bad) this can result in giving you thrush. Usually it's in the throat which is painful enough, but if you get it on "the old chap" it's agony.......take it from a man that found out the hard way



Malarone might be expensive, but I've never seen or suffered a single side effect and when you compare the price of a few tablets compared to the cost of a hunt or the value of your wellbeing it's worth every cent.



There's also at least one new French product which is reputed to be very good and have no side effects.......I just wish I could remember it's name!

My trip starts in 5 weeks. Our local Doc wrote me out an order for Mefloqine (sp). He told me take 1 a week for 2 weeks prior and 1 a week in country, then for 4 weeks after returning. I was told to take the pill after an evening meal. Haven't seen this medication mentioned. Am curious if anybody has any input on it.

Don

Mefloquime is Larium.... Mike

sent you a private message...

Don,



I reccomend that you try the Larium for 2 weeks a while before going on your trip to find out if you have any obvious side affects. The reason I use Doxy is because Larium gives me random dizzy spells! Had I not found this out before my first african trip, things wouldn't have been so fun...



Erik D.



Edit: Incase I wasn't clear with what I meant; try it a couple of weeks prior to the 2 weeks before take-off...

Groove Bullets:

Your doctor sounds like he is right on the ball in telling you how to take Lariam (and to take it for 4 weeks after you come back) When I took it 10 years ago or so on my trip, I was told to take it for 2 weeks after I came back. Now medical research has shown that the incubation period for malaria can be as long as 4 weeks after last exposure. So your doctor knows what he is talking about. (BTW, although you might never guess it from this thread, consulting a doctor is a wise precaution before you go. All quinine (and chloroquine) based malaria prophylaxis may affect heart action and that's the real reason why we should see an MD (experienced in tropical medicine or smart enough to talk to someone who is)before going. It should make you feel better that I took Lariam for over a month in Africa, at the age of 63, (and for 2 weeks before and after) and never had the least side effect. All medications work differently on many people. (My doctor gives me sample drugs occasionally and I read the fine print in the manufacturer's report intended for reading by an MD. It can scare the wits out of you - until you realize that from the numbers quoted, the people who had side effects are very few. If Lariam is what was prescribed for you and you trust your doctor, go with the odds being in your favor. A guy who spent a lot of years of his/her life in order to put those initials behind his/her name of MD should know what to do better than you or me. (No, I'm not a doctor and don't have any doctors in the family)

Mike,

Thanks for the info, I repsonded to your PM.

Don

Erik,

That is a good idea. I hadn't thought about a trial run to see what affects, if any, I have. Thanks, will do that.

Don

Gerald,

I checked the CDC web site and then called them to find out what ALL was needed/required with regards to vacines and meds. I then called the local board of health. It seems that some of the vacines are given for free by the county board of health. I took advantage of that as well. The only shots I have left right now are for typhoid and my last Hep B shot which I get in July.

When I consulted my Doctor on this matter he did his own research and advised Mefloquine for malaria, based on my physical. He told me "my" side affects should be none to minimal. He also perscribed some meds for diahrea in case I need it. I will take asprin as well as allegry meds, since I have allergies.

I am going to start taking the Mefloquine 4 weeks prior to leaving to see if I have any reactions - good idea, thanks.

Since this is our first Safari, we are naturally excited about it. I hope to be booking more Safari's with Ray Atkinson in the future. Ray did mention something about a 50" Sable - or was I dreaming?

Don