Inoculations?

[JillGadget]

Going to Roatan in April 08 and wondered if there were any inoculations required or suggested??? :eyebrow: I know someone who came back from Mexico with Dungee fever.
Thanks, Jill

[Dave Zimmerly]

Check out:
http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/honduras.html

This question has come up many times on ScubaBoard. Some feel they don't need to take the malaria meds others do.

As for myself and girlfriend, we take the malaria meds, and have our Hep A, typhoid and tetanus up to date when visting Roatan.

All it takes is one bite.

Regards,
Dave (aka "Squirt")

[Hank49]

I don't know of any innoculation against Dengue fever.
Call me lucky, but I've lived in SE Asia and Belize for over 20 years, plus traveled to numerous tropical countries in this region (including Roatan) and Asia (Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, India) and I've never had any innoculations other than a Hepa A shot when I first moved to the Philippines in 86.....and the tetanus shot I got after running a fish bone about an inch and a half into the arch of my foot in Malaysia.
Africa and Madagascar...I would take malaria medication there. I know three people (nomads like me) who swore they were going to die from malaria in Madagascar. Africa has some bad strains.

[JillGadget]

I would take malaria medication there. I know three people (nomads like me) who swore they were going to die from malaria in Madagascar. Africa has some bad strains.


Check out:
MD Travel Health - Honduras - vaccinations, malaria, safety, and other medical advice (http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/honduras.html)

This question has come up many times on ScubaBoard. Some feel they don't need to take the malaria meds others do.

As for myself and girlfriend, we take the malaria meds, and have our Hep A, typhoid and tetanus up to date when visting Roatan.


Regards,
Dave (aka "Squirt")

WOW!!!! Thanks A BUNCH to both of you! The furthest we have been was Mexico and had NO idea!!! Boy, traveling in the states is so much easier! :salute: I've saved that travel site to my favorites and am going to print it out and give it to my doc.. gonna have him give me scripts for anything and everything just in case. Always good to have the meds on you just in case you need them.

I noticed another question regarding malaria meds and seasickness meds, I guess I have to look at issues with currently taken meds. I'm a puker so always bring some meds for rough water.:l: MORE RESEARCH!!
Thanks again,
Jill

[peterbj7]

I haven't followed the link, but I'd say make sure you're covered for tetanus, hep a-b-c, and malaria if you're going into the jungle. But be careful what you eat and drink and try not to get bitten - the protection given by vaccinations is NOT 100%. I've travelled widely in tropical places and I've had some unpleasant illnesses that I wouldn't wish on anyone else.

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

Second what Peterbj7 said. We went to Roatan in August and got Tetanus, hep a/b, typhoid and malaria meds. Tetanus and hepatitis are good to have anywhere. Most people probably don't get typhoid but it's recommended by CDC for Honduras. Malaria I am iffy about. We took the pills (one a week for 4 weeks) but I got really sunburned and found out the aloe vera with litocane I was using makes Chloroquine ineffective (the litocane part only). At that point I cared more about the pain relief than if I would develop malaria symptoms. You will get bit but wear longer clothing when not heading out to dive and always apply repellent and it shouldn't be horrible. Knowing and being prepared in advance is the key! It's worth the trip.

[JillGadget]

Second what Peterbj7 said. We went to Roatan in August and got Tetanus, hep a/b, typhoid and malaria meds. Tetanus and hepatitis are good to have anywhere. Most people probably don't get typhoid but it's recommended by CDC for Honduras. Malaria I am iffy about. We took the pills (one a week for 4 weeks) but I got really sunburned and found out the aloe vera with litocane I was using makes Chloroquine ineffective (the litocane part only). At that point I cared more about the pain relief than if I would develop malaria symptoms. You will get bit but wear longer clothing when not heading out to dive and always apply repellent and it shouldn't be horrible. Knowing and being prepared in advance is the key! It's worth the trip.

Thanks UBB, Actually since I am in the medical field I was required to get all the Heps and tetanus phew... that is quite a series. First time I saw Typhoid though..Was going to go to my G.P but CDC recommends to go to a travel medicine doc. Did you use a specialized travel medicine Doc? This is all so new to me!

Loved your photos (still going through them) How did you like Nekton? I get seasick even with the scop patch. Was it really no rock? I wish they went to Galapagos!

Going to look for that Aloe with Lidocaine too!
Thanks, Jill

[oceancat]

A lot of regular drs. don't have the less routine vaccines around, such as typhoid and also most likely don't keep current with the recommendations for less developed country travel like a travel clinic doctor would. I have been to Honduras, and did get vaccines before the trip--the ones recommended. The water and sewage treatment plants (if they exist) aren't to the standards of the US (and even in the US it leaves something to be desired!) so you want to make sure you are protected as much as you can be from food and water borne illnesses. One year we went to Belize, I got a HepA vaccine before the trip, hubby didn't and he got horribly sick with HepA. Put a damper on the vacation. We were eating the same things and I was fine. I would recommend the malaria meds. Easier to take a pill once a week for 4 weeks than suffer through malaria. Probably you would be ok not taking the pills, but why leave it to chance? Get the vaccines recommended on previous posts though--ANY diver should have those.

Enjoy your trip--Roatan is a fun time!

[DiverBizz]

I love it that my doctor and her PA are both divers. I get everything I need without having to do all the research.

[rakay]

We have gone to Roatan the last two years in a row in February.

We took the malaria meds. Where lots of sunscreen with it.

No vaccine for dengue. Just try not to get a bite.

The beaches have no see-ums so we stayed off those. I saw alot of people with bites from laying on and near the beach.

Wear shoes and pants after dark and spray the deet.

We did all this and had no bites for both trips.

Never had the typhoid injection and we have been alot of places. Drs never recommended it since we were usually in a resort area.

Seasickness. I get it bad- I have tried everything. The only thing that works is Promethazine 25mg. It can make some people drowsy and can have a stronger drowsiness effect the deeper you dive. So be careful. It does not make me drowsy at all. Probably because it has to work so hard to stop me from puking. Always check with your MD about the meds.

Have fun. Try to eat at the Argentinian restaurant in West End. They have awesome food.

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

Jill-

We actually got all our shots/meds through a travel clinic. Our regular doctor gave us the number. The travel clinic will likely go over all recommended meds for Roatan. You have to pick and choose how many you want to get, I'm pretty sure we declined to get a couple more that were recommended. Rakay reminded me about the sunscreen. The malaria meds do make you more susceptible to sunburns so make sure you put them on if your going to be exposed for a good amount of time. I didn't put any sunscreen on during our dolphin encounter at Anthony's Key on our last day before heading home. Stupid on my part but I didn't even think about the medicine I was taking. Of course not only does it make you more susceptible to sunburn but then it becomes ineffective with the lidocaine!

Glad you liked my photos. I always try to take a ton to give people an idea of what to expect. I would definitely go back! We just got back from our Belize/Nekton trip two weeks ago and unfortunatly had some things happen which are being discussed in the Accident forum and in the liveaboard forum. It wasn't a horrendous trip but there were some issues. You do feel waves on the Nekton boats but probably a whole lot less than you would on a single hull. That being said, another group just got off yesterday and the waves were reportedly 12 feet tall and they had to cut the mooring line off the boat.

Galapagos is my dream trip, my local shop is going there in July on the Explorer Ventures Eco boat, which is a brand new boat and it looks incredible. Expensive, but it will be well worth it someday when I convince my husband to book it!