seren
11th January 2007, 11:19 AM
I have a query about this- can anybody provide some advice?
I have recently come back from India and have made hasty arrangements to go back in a month's time with my parents. I have been on chloroquine and proguanil for weeks and weeks now, and have to continue on them until the end of the month, at which point I fly back out to India again. I have decided that I am not going to keep taking them for the next visit as most of it is in the Himalaya and not malarial, they are a bloody pain to remember to take every day, it seems to be generally considered a bad idea to take them long-term, and they give me weird dreams.
My worry is about my parents. They're getting on now (although I don't know if they'd like me saying that! They're in their early 60s). My mother has had malaria before out in Africa. My dad has type 2 diabetes, a history of depression and is on a cocktail of drugs for various things. I have told them that for a 2 week trip with only 4 or 5 nights in lowland areas I don't think it's worth taking malaria meds for 7 weeks. I told them I'm going to rely on DEET, mossie nets, insecticide spray and covering up arms and legs instead, but that's just my opinion.
Anybody out there with more medical knowledge than me have any clearer thoughts? They will be going to see the nurse tomorrow for vaccinations and I don't want them to get scared into a long course of strong medication unless it's imperative they do so. On the other hand I don't want them to take unnecessary risks based on the opinion of their non-medically-trained daughter. Urk.
I have recently come back from India and have made hasty arrangements to go back in a month's time with my parents. I have been on chloroquine and proguanil for weeks and weeks now, and have to continue on them until the end of the month, at which point I fly back out to India again. I have decided that I am not going to keep taking them for the next visit as most of it is in the Himalaya and not malarial, they are a bloody pain to remember to take every day, it seems to be generally considered a bad idea to take them long-term, and they give me weird dreams.
My worry is about my parents. They're getting on now (although I don't know if they'd like me saying that! They're in their early 60s). My mother has had malaria before out in Africa. My dad has type 2 diabetes, a history of depression and is on a cocktail of drugs for various things. I have told them that for a 2 week trip with only 4 or 5 nights in lowland areas I don't think it's worth taking malaria meds for 7 weeks. I told them I'm going to rely on DEET, mossie nets, insecticide spray and covering up arms and legs instead, but that's just my opinion.
Anybody out there with more medical knowledge than me have any clearer thoughts? They will be going to see the nurse tomorrow for vaccinations and I don't want them to get scared into a long course of strong medication unless it's imperative they do so. On the other hand I don't want them to take unnecessary risks based on the opinion of their non-medically-trained daughter. Urk.