Anti-Malarial Pills?
Jan 21st, 2004, 04:51 PM
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Anti-Malarial Pills?
We're planning a trip to the Philippines (Manila - 2 nights, Amanpulo - 6 nights). We've heard we should take anti-malarial pills in specific regions, but we're not clear what those "specific regions" are. Amanpulo has never had any reported incidents. Anybody know about Manila? Frankly, we'd just assume NOT take the pills and rely on mosquito spray because we've heard the pills have terrible side effects.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Jan 21st, 2004, 05:52 PM
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we used malarone last year for a short trip to cambodia...i think you start taking it the day before you arrive and take it until a few days after you leave the infected area...we had no side affects at all...our health clinic doctor prescribed it and out health plan paid for it with a small co-pay...some plans will not pay and i think it is expensive...
other meds can make you crazy...there have been lots of threads written on this forum in the past about malaria
other meds can make you crazy...there have been lots of threads written on this forum in the past about malaria
Jan 21st, 2004, 06:17 PM
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I don't think you need to worry about malaria in the Philippines, especially the places you are going to. I have been there several times, travelled around the country and have never taken anti-malarial pills. You should however be careful about dengue fever, just use insect repellant containing deet. You'll be fine, enjoy your trip.
Jan 21st, 2004, 06:42 PM
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First of all head to www.cdc.gov/travel and read about malaria in the Philippines. Then consult with a travel med doctor about this issue and about vaccines.
If you need to take anti-malarials, malarone is the one with the fewest side effects. You start taking it one to two days before entering the malarial-risk area, and continue for one week after leaving the malarial risk area.
Precautions to prevent mosquito bites is always wise. Use a repellant that has 25-35% deet. Mosquitos that carry malaria aare most active at dusk and dawn, those that carry dengue bite during the day.
If you need to take anti-malarials, malarone is the one with the fewest side effects. You start taking it one to two days before entering the malarial-risk area, and continue for one week after leaving the malarial risk area.
Precautions to prevent mosquito bites is always wise. Use a repellant that has 25-35% deet. Mosquitos that carry malaria aare most active at dusk and dawn, those that carry dengue bite during the day.
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Jan 22nd, 2004, 06:16 AM
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This is where you need the assistance of a good travel medicine doctor. If you live in the US, your best bet is often the closest medical school. In some areas, your public health service offers travel vaccines and anti-malarials (in some places it doesn't, so check first).
Dry season vs. rainly season does make a difference in some places, but not in others. In some places, a brief rain in the dry season will produce zillions of mosquitos.
Dry season vs. rainly season does make a difference in some places, but not in others. In some places, a brief rain in the dry season will produce zillions of mosquitos.
Jan 22nd, 2004, 11:30 AM
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You do not need malaria pills in Manila. In theory there is some in Palawan. I have never taken malaria medicine (also because of the side effects) and have never had a problem and I have been to multiple islands in the Philippines. Also just remeber, worst case scenario if you did get malaria or dengue fever the doctors out there are very expirenced in treating it.
Check with your doctor; prior to my first trip I went to a travel doctor and she told me it really was optional for the Philippines--just do what I felt comfortable with.
Be sure you give us a report of your vacation when you get back--the resort looks amazing beyond belief!!!
Check with your doctor; prior to my first trip I went to a travel doctor and she told me it really was optional for the Philippines--just do what I felt comfortable with.
Be sure you give us a report of your vacation when you get back--the resort looks amazing beyond belief!!!
Jan 22nd, 2004, 11:31 AM
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I completely agree with Kathy. This is the wrong place to go for advice on medications and illness. Please do as we just did: go to the nearest travel clinic at a hospital and heed their advice. We have taken lariam twice, and our only side effect was vivid dreams. this time we will take malarone because it is the correct one for the area we are going to. The malaria area you go to dictates the proper drug. What prevents malaria in one area may not prevent it in another. Please don't risk your health - go to a travel clinic!
Jan 24th, 2004, 11:24 AM
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Our experience just like epi's. Lariam produced vivid and weird dreams, but no other side effects to speak of. Never even knew we were taking the Malarone -- no effect at all that was noticeable.
Jan 24th, 2004, 01:23 PM
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None of the Malaria meds protect you from Malaria! In addition to the meds you should also use repellent during the hours between dusk and dawn (malaria mosquito biting time) as well as during the day (dengue mosquitos bite during day hours) - on all exposed skin, but not the face. It's suggested you wear long pants and long sleeves during these hours. And do be sure to wash off repellent before going to sleep.
The only thing malaria meds do - if you do contract malaria, it will more than likely be a less toxic case. Yet you would still have to be treated for the disease.
There still is no inoculation for Malaria and until there is you just have to take precautions.
As others have mentioned, Lariam also caused us vivid and strange dreams and interrupted sleep. With Malarone - didn't even know we were taking anything - a great improvement.
The only thing malaria meds do - if you do contract malaria, it will more than likely be a less toxic case. Yet you would still have to be treated for the disease.
There still is no inoculation for Malaria and until there is you just have to take precautions.
As others have mentioned, Lariam also caused us vivid and strange dreams and interrupted sleep. With Malarone - didn't even know we were taking anything - a great improvement.
Jan 24th, 2004, 02:28 PM
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Sandi, your assertion that none of the anti-malarials will protect you from malaria is incorrect. Anti-malarials (like other medications) are not 100% effective, but the effectiveness is above the 95% range, as long as you are using an anti-malarial that is appropriate for the area and are taking it according to instructions.
It is certainly true that in any case, one should use repellants as mosquitos can carry a number of diseases, including dengue and JE. I's suggest that you read the info on malaria and anti-malarials at www.cdc.gov/travel
It is certainly true that in any case, one should use repellants as mosquitos can carry a number of diseases, including dengue and JE. I's suggest that you read the info on malaria and anti-malarials at www.cdc.gov/travel
Jan 25th, 2004, 03:52 PM
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A friend of mine and her husband, a medical doctor, took Lariam while on a scuba-diving trip to some Indonesian islands last year. After they returned home, he became extremely ill. The diagnosis was malaria.
Don't take any chances!
Don't take any chances!
Jan 26th, 2004, 04:06 AM
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Kathie - your point is well taken, but taking Malaria prophylactics (pills) are still no guarantee that one will not get Malaria. It is important that travelers know this.
I happen to know three people who were diagnosed with malaria upon their return home - and did while traveling and upon return take the appropriate meds for the area in which they traveled.
Pills are still not an inoculation.
I happen to know three people who were diagnosed with malaria upon their return home - and did while traveling and upon return take the appropriate meds for the area in which they traveled.
Pills are still not an inoculation.
Jan 26th, 2004, 07:28 AM
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sandi, while there is no innoculation for malaria (and, frankly, even innoculations aren't 100% effective), anti-malarials, taken properly (and the right one for the right area) provide something in the 95-98% range of protection against contracting malaria. The most common reason people contract malaria even when taking anti-malarials is because they discontinue taking the pills too soon after leaving the malarial risk area. For larium and doxycycline, you must continue taking the medication for 1 month after leaving the area, for malarone, you must continue for 1 week. Still, even with the best precautions, some people will still contract malaria. That number is only a handful out of the thousands of people who return home from their vacations with malaria. (There was an excellent recent article on where malaria was contracted and whether people were taking anti-malarials, etc., looking at European travelers. You could probably find it with a google search, if not, use medline.)
I agree that it is important that people have complete and accurate travel medicine information. That's why I always encourage people to read the best of the travel medicine web sites before they visit their travel medicine clinic.
By the way, sandi, I don't know whether you might be from the UK. If you are, there is a non-prescription anti-malarial sold in the UK which many pharmacists recommend (sorry, the name escapes me at present). While the UK travel med website endorses it as effective, no other country does, There have been deaths (from malaria) of travelers taking that anti-malarial. It is considered not effective in any area where there is chlorquinine resistance by the US and Canada, but continues to be recommended by pharmacists in the UK.
I agree that it is important that people have complete and accurate travel medicine information. That's why I always encourage people to read the best of the travel medicine web sites before they visit their travel medicine clinic.
By the way, sandi, I don't know whether you might be from the UK. If you are, there is a non-prescription anti-malarial sold in the UK which many pharmacists recommend (sorry, the name escapes me at present). While the UK travel med website endorses it as effective, no other country does, There have been deaths (from malaria) of travelers taking that anti-malarial. It is considered not effective in any area where there is chlorquinine resistance by the US and Canada, but continues to be recommended by pharmacists in the UK.
Jan 26th, 2004, 01:26 PM
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kathie -
No, not from the UK, but a friend was traveling to "somewhere" (believe it was South America) and the pharmacist recommended this so-called malaria med/pill (it's a combination of two pills, in fact). I strongly encouraged her to verify with the US cdc site and whatever site they have in the UK and contact a tropical disease specialist. Surprisingly, the specialist also recommended these pills. And her sister who is a general practice physician in the UK also recommened these. I don't know whether she ever check the US or UK sites. Fortunately, she was fine with this combination.
Yes, the full script of whichever med is required, for a particular area, has to be taken. And even then, Malaria is known to live as long as up to 3-years in a body. So one never knows.
Not to put the fear of god into anyone, you just have to do what is necessary to be safe when traveling anywhere.
But it would be nice if an inoculation would come on the market and if the areas with malaria were sprayed. A once-in-six-months spraying of DDT (which doesn't kill people) could get rid of these pesty critters. And while the US will not sell the DDT to the nations (under their USAID program)that need it, relying instead on treatments that apparently don't work - the problem persists. In the meantime, thousands upon thousands of people (especially children & the elderly) die yearly of malaria.
No, not from the UK, but a friend was traveling to "somewhere" (believe it was South America) and the pharmacist recommended this so-called malaria med/pill (it's a combination of two pills, in fact). I strongly encouraged her to verify with the US cdc site and whatever site they have in the UK and contact a tropical disease specialist. Surprisingly, the specialist also recommended these pills. And her sister who is a general practice physician in the UK also recommened these. I don't know whether she ever check the US or UK sites. Fortunately, she was fine with this combination.
Yes, the full script of whichever med is required, for a particular area, has to be taken. And even then, Malaria is known to live as long as up to 3-years in a body. So one never knows.
Not to put the fear of god into anyone, you just have to do what is necessary to be safe when traveling anywhere.
But it would be nice if an inoculation would come on the market and if the areas with malaria were sprayed. A once-in-six-months spraying of DDT (which doesn't kill people) could get rid of these pesty critters. And while the US will not sell the DDT to the nations (under their USAID program)that need it, relying instead on treatments that apparently don't work - the problem persists. In the meantime, thousands upon thousands of people (especially children & the elderly) die yearly of malaria.
