You can buy Chloroquin in Roatan for peanuts, but that isn't much good when you need to take it a week before arriving!
Chloroquine /other vaccines?
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UnderwaterBumbleBee
Contributor
Thanks for the good advice, I'll be putting the pressure on my husband to get this done! I don't want to be a bug magnet!
My internist did all mine. I simply took him the printed page for Belize from the CDC website. He read it over, and ordered the vaccines for me and gave me a script for chloroquine. I just stopped back in his office a few days later and he gave me the shots. Best part, my insurance paid in full.
My dive buddy's internist did the same for him. If you've got a good regular relationship with your doc, they will mostly likely accomodate you.
My dive buddy's internist did the same for him. If you've got a good regular relationship with your doc, they will mostly likely accomodate you.
Celeus
Registered
A few things I've picked up on that might be of interest.
1) Roatan is definitely a place you can get Malaria. There have been recent reports (in the last few weeks) of several people picking it up.
2) Chloroquine is the CDC recomended prophylaxis.
3) Most places won't let you donate blood for a fair bit of time after you've been in Roatan.
4) Don't overdose on Chloroquine. Really. Seriously, be sure you remember when you took it earlier in the day. Accidentally taking it twice would be.... bad.
5) There appears to be some disagreement among reliable sources about whether it is of benefit to start the prophylaxis treatment 2 weeks ahead rather than 1. Given I wanted to know how I would react and have time to switch to something else if it was bad, I went ahead and asked my Dr. to give me enough to start 2 weeks ahead.
6) You will need to take chloroquine for 4 weeks after you are back home.
7) You really do not want Malaria. Read the recent Alert Diver article or talk to someone who has had a bad bout. It makes me really appreciate the philanthropists that are taking on this problem in the world.
8) While local meds may be good enough, and it may be protectionist fear mongering, there is reasonable cause to suspect the efficacy of anti-malarial medications you receive in less developped economies.
9) Chloroquine can cause some people side effects, but is generally well tolerated. I, and several others I've talked to have noticed odd dreams.
Obviously it is up to each person to make their own decision. However, I have a hard time imagining a situation where someone healthy enough to be diving would have enough risk associated with chloroquine to avoid taking it. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm saying I can't readily imagine it.
Also, if you haven't had a tetanus shot in the last decade, it probably is a good idea. Thinking about it afterwards, I'm annoyed at myself that I didn't already have an updated one, especially considering that I've seen people scratch themselves on wrecks and such.
Your doc may not reccomend all of the CDC proscriptions, but most people seem to think a Hep-A shot is also worthwhile.
Just what I've learned researching over the last few months.
1) Roatan is definitely a place you can get Malaria. There have been recent reports (in the last few weeks) of several people picking it up.
2) Chloroquine is the CDC recomended prophylaxis.
3) Most places won't let you donate blood for a fair bit of time after you've been in Roatan.
4) Don't overdose on Chloroquine. Really. Seriously, be sure you remember when you took it earlier in the day. Accidentally taking it twice would be.... bad.
5) There appears to be some disagreement among reliable sources about whether it is of benefit to start the prophylaxis treatment 2 weeks ahead rather than 1. Given I wanted to know how I would react and have time to switch to something else if it was bad, I went ahead and asked my Dr. to give me enough to start 2 weeks ahead.
6) You will need to take chloroquine for 4 weeks after you are back home.
7) You really do not want Malaria. Read the recent Alert Diver article or talk to someone who has had a bad bout. It makes me really appreciate the philanthropists that are taking on this problem in the world.
8) While local meds may be good enough, and it may be protectionist fear mongering, there is reasonable cause to suspect the efficacy of anti-malarial medications you receive in less developped economies.
9) Chloroquine can cause some people side effects, but is generally well tolerated. I, and several others I've talked to have noticed odd dreams.
Obviously it is up to each person to make their own decision. However, I have a hard time imagining a situation where someone healthy enough to be diving would have enough risk associated with chloroquine to avoid taking it. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm saying I can't readily imagine it.
Also, if you haven't had a tetanus shot in the last decade, it probably is a good idea. Thinking about it afterwards, I'm annoyed at myself that I didn't already have an updated one, especially considering that I've seen people scratch themselves on wrecks and such.
Your doc may not reccomend all of the CDC proscriptions, but most people seem to think a Hep-A shot is also worthwhile.
Just what I've learned researching over the last few months.
Celeus:
I thought the same - have taken 2 doses. The first time was in the evening and not only did I have weird dreams (when I fell asleep for the few minutes I could) but I found that I did not sleep well that night. Tossed and turned most of the night seems like. Took my 2nd dose 04/28 in the AM. Was a little restless but once I fell asleep, I was asleep for the night. seems like a minor inconvenience to hopefully not get malaria.
LAopul
Guest
I am leaving for West Bay on Saturday. I took the first dose of the Anti malaria med and I did not have any side effects. I also had a thyphoid fever shot and the hep shots. This was all recommended by the Travel clinic.
I took chloroquine for my trip to roatan. I just took the CDC page to my family doc and he wrote the script. He was also happy to give a script for Cipro just in case I got the travelers trots (not needed on this trip fortunately). The Cipro was $4 at local Giant Eagle grocery store pharmacy. They did have to special order the chloroquine so I had to wait a day to get it. (not something that is ordered very often at a grocery store pharmacy.)...
I had no stomach issues, and can't really recall any issues of dreams other than maybe one night and it's hard to say that is related. I did start to feel some stomach upset briefly when I didnt eat anything with it - ate a few cookies and all was well.
It's easy prevention and well worth it.
I had no stomach issues, and can't really recall any issues of dreams other than maybe one night and it's hard to say that is related. I did start to feel some stomach upset briefly when I didnt eat anything with it - ate a few cookies and all was well.
It's easy prevention and well worth it.
cadiver67
Contributor
Hello All,
My wife and I started taking our Chloroquine on Saturday - 2 days later - still no side effects. Hopefully it goes that way for the rest of the treatment.
We are leaving for Utila on Monday the 14th.
We got all of our vaccinations up to date as recommended by Kaiser Permanente which is our health provider. We got lots of shot - tetanus, measles, Hep A - they were not too bad, the tetanus made my arm a bit sore but thats about all the discomfort so far.
I say better safe than sorry since the Vaccines and Chloroquine (so far) are not really that bad.
My wife and I started taking our Chloroquine on Saturday - 2 days later - still no side effects. Hopefully it goes that way for the rest of the treatment.
We are leaving for Utila on Monday the 14th.
We got all of our vaccinations up to date as recommended by Kaiser Permanente which is our health provider. We got lots of shot - tetanus, measles, Hep A - they were not too bad, the tetanus made my arm a bit sore but thats about all the discomfort so far.
I say better safe than sorry since the Vaccines and Chloroquine (so far) are not really that bad.
I leave for Utila in 9 days and I'm living in Costa Rica and there is nowhere in the whole country to get Chloroquine. I even asked my girlfriends mother who is a doctor and she was unable to help. Apparently they consider it too dangerous. You can easily get Mefloquine and I found one pharmacy with hydroxycholorquine. I've read Mefloquine is not recommended for people who will be diving. Does anyone know if there is anywhere in Costa Rica to get chloroquine? Or have any other suggestions?
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