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.
Oh, I've just noticed that this thread is in "Pseudoscience", so feel free to tell me which crystals heal malaria, too.
Who needs crystals when you can do the job with waterOriginally Posted by seren
Oh, I've just noticed that this thread is in "Pseudoscience", so feel free to tell me which crystals heal malaria, too.
Sorry seren, I'm not in a position to know the best non-woo advice in your situation. I hope you find someone who can help ...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...r/a682318.html
This is the easiest to read on chloroquine.
The tablets are taken only weekly. When I took them they did give me a bit of stomach ache but this improves if you take them at lunchtime with a meal as opposed to breakfast or dinner.
The dosages used to treat connective tissue disorders are many times greater and the side effects listed are more likely to occur with daily dosing over two years. I have had involvement in this area as I was involved with hydroxychloroquine many years ago
Malaria treatment put far greater demands on the body than does prophylaxis.
Paludrine or proguanil needs to be taken daily, I have taken this myself without any problems but have never been involved with it at work.
I have always taken malarial prohylaxis on trips to India, Thailand, Malaysia even though the risks in urban areas of the latter two are very very small. The recomendations can change on a seasonal basis and I would tend to follow the most up to date advice.
The advice to follow is that given by MASTA but they now charge a small fee.
http://www.masta-travel-health.com/
As my sister can testify, getting malaria is a lot worse than any of the side effects of the drugs. Definately take whatever is recommended in that area.
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