Malaria pills or not?

[ScubaBB]

Just got an email from the dutch manager of the diveschool, she answers: no malaria pills or any injection necessary unless you go into the jungle or to another island.

 

[deathwarp]

as a soldier i have to take them while deployed. one of the guys in my platoon had it and says that it sucks. i take doxycline which makes me have to run to the restroom. i have taken another one that i liked no bad side affects for me but i'd say if your worried about it take it for the time you need just as a precaution.

 

[ScubaBB]

@Deathwarp: welcome aboard, I see you are a nondiver?

 

[racerx_]

i have a friend who is a doctor and before my trip in africa a few years back she gave me this advice, DO NOT take the malaria pills for if you do get malaria it will be harder to get cured since the cure is the same as the prevention, also the pills do not guarantee that you won't get it. malaria is curable quite easily if caught in the very very begining.... just be aware of mosquitos, wear long pants and long sleeved shirts..

Spent some time in Africa.. Agree with this and was the advice we got. Depends where you are too. Seems more common in rural areas. Also keep in mind you have to take malaria pills (the ones I'm familiar with) a certain amount of time before you get there and after so there's a commitment involved to make it effective

 

[Mossman]

Just got an email from the dutch manager of the diveschool, she answers: no malaria pills or any injection necessary unless you go into the jungle or to another island.

Or unless the malarial mosquitos decide to fly from the jungle or hitch a ride from the other islands. Also, kind of a conflict of interest asking the manager. We all hope everyone is honest, but if anyone had an incentive to exaggerate the safety of the place, it would be she.

Are there no travel physicians where you live? You'll probably need a prescription if you do decide on meds, so why not just ask a malaria-knowledgeable doctor for advice instead of asking everyone else and getting responses all over the map?

 

[Mossman]

Spent some time in Africa.. Agree with this and was the advice we got.

"Although anti-malaria preventative medication is not 100% effective it is still imperative not to leave without it. Do not take a chance. Many people have died because they did not see it necessary to take this treatment. Don’t be ignorant. It is not worth it.

Also, do not believe the urban legend that it is better not to take prophylaxis because "it confuses the doctor when he wants to diagnose you".Many who believed that are now dead."
Malaria « Diseases « Health « HunterPX Hunter Personal African Experience Directory​

 

[Kilili]

For all concerned, factor in destination, e.g., Guidelines for malaria prevention in South East Asia
There are drug-resistant strains in many places.

 

[Lost Sailor]

I spent two years in West Africa in the Peace Corps and this was a regular debate among volunteers. Personally, I took the meds because I lived by a river and had a constant threat of mosquitoes. I know a few people who refused to take the meds and all I can say is that a couple of them suffered...

 

[ScubaBB]

Ok, but there is a difference between 2 years living near a river or two weeks on a diveboat in salt water.

 

[racerx_]

"Although anti-malaria preventative medication is not 100% effective it is still imperative not to leave without it. Do not take a chance. Many people have died because they did not see it necessary to take this treatment. Don’t be ignorant. It is not worth it.

Also, do not believe the urban legend that it is better not to take prophylaxis because "it confuses the doctor when he wants to diagnose you".Many who believed that are now dead."
Malaria « Diseases « Health « HunterPX Hunter Personal African Experience Directory​

LOL that's nice, but just saying most of the people we knew that lived in malaria zones didn't do it because they mostly would end up with a strain of it anyway at some point and be a lot worse off.. Me? no pills, no mosquito net, slept with the window open all year and never got sick LOL