Home Health & Wellbeing
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨

Malaria tablets

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
im off to africa in july for 24 days and will be needing malaria tablets...anyone got any experience using them?? i know that malarone are the best because they have no side effects, but i worked out that its gonna cost me over 100quid!!!

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's worth it. It really really is. I had some nasty side effects from other malaria tablets and until I'd stopped needing to take them malarone were always the best. Are you sure it'll be that much though? Last time I went for 3 weeks it was about £70.

    The main thing to make sure of is to GET YOUR JABS. That's more important than the malaria tablets imo. Malaria isn't as much of a risk in touristy areas, it's more around the poor shanty towns that it's a danger.

    Where are you going, by the way?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im off to kenya, uganda and rwanda to see the gorillas in the mountains!! so far the jabs ive had are typhoid, hep a and b, meningitis (all types) and ive got my yellow fever one booked next week. they are the ones i need for visiting those particular areas cos ive had all the other ones. 70 quid wow really?? where did you get them from? i think they are cheaper to get off the internet then on prescription, well thats what ive been told anyway. what side effects did u get with the other ones??
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I got them via my doctor, but this was 5-6 years ago or maybe longer. I stopped bothering to take them after the first few years (my dad lived in East Africa for ten years up til last year) of going because the expense vs. the risk wasn't really worth it.

    I can't remember the side effects I got because this was a looooong time ago and after the first couple visits we just got Malarone. I just remember they didn't make me feel so great and they made my sister feel really sick.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Im currently using doxycylin (probably spelt wrong, sorry!!)

    Ive been on and off them for the last 6 months since ive been travelling in and out of malaria zones.
    Side effects wise - for me, theyve been fine. I always make sure to take them in the morning/midday with a meal though because whenever I dont I get heartburn/stomach upsets. Same goes for when I take them in the evenings - find it very hard to sleep!!

    Ive not really heard much about any of the other brands, but this one seems to be ok :)

    oh, and you can get them on perscription/internet too.
    A guy I met in thailand also had no problem buying them over the counter in Bangkok for extremely cheap (a lot cheaper than back home!), although I wouldnt advise buying them that late. Im not sure if its the same in africa, but I assume so!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just be aware that buying stuff over the counter in places like Thailand contributes to resistance to certain drugs. They're selling stuff which shouldn't be available like that, good anti-malarial treatment is precious stuff. Big pharma aren't going to develop new drugs for malaria and resistance is becoming a huge problem, especially against the more deadly strains, so I'd always recommend going with the initial meds a healthcare professional have recommended.

    Not trying to suggest anyone here would do that, but bear that in mind when travelling. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ^ I'd also be very wary of the quality of drugs bought OTC in Africa as the fake drug trade is massive, and the additional risk isn't worth the saving.
Sign In or Register to comment.