Malaria tablets

[lumination]

going to SE asia. i know there are 2 main ones, doxy and this other beggining with m lol. anyone out there tried any of these and can say which one is best. i hear doxy is really good but can have really bad side effects. also one of then is £2 a tablets and the other is 14p...

[Trotbot]

travelled around SE Asia for 13 years non-stop, never taken a maleria tablet, don't know any expats who have.

[Sqad]

I agree with Trotbot......keep to the tourist areas and you will be fine.

[Zeuhl]

I think the side-effects is a bit of a lottery; certain anti malarials just disagree with some people and if they switch to an alternative they are fine. Mrs Zeuhl had balance issues with I think Larium. We have both been fine with Malerone; no side effects at all.

Personally I think not taking that precaution is silly when you consider how serious the consequences can be. You may be ok in 'tourist areas' but if you are visiting rural parts of Thailand, Cambodia or Laos they are considered 'high risk'.

There are some risks you just have to get on with and others you can remove - malaria is one of them.

In sub saharan africa 3000 children die every day from malaria - i think the tablets are good value!
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[lumination]

thank you all for your answers, i think im going to go with the one that you take once every week.

[Sooper]

Whatever you decide to do, have a nice time!

[Zeuhl]

I think if you go to your doctor's in advance they ncan give you a few samples to try and check they don't disagree with you.

IMHO the only criteria are 1. do they agree with you (can you take them without feeling sh1t) 2. do they protect you

compared with them any other considerations even price are minor: finding yourself somewhere amazing up country in Laos surrounded by mossies, no nets, without protection or with protection that makes you feel weird will rather spoil your trip.

Havbe a great adventure but stay safe
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[KARL]

The routine I/we used (using Baygon we sprayed once every 2-3 weeks) is no more cumbersome than many others one feels one needs to adopt in these and similarly challenging places - such as taking security measures (the armed robbery we neverheless suffered in our home was extremely upsetting). We did not use mosquito nets because we judged they were unnecessary and we no more worried about the statistics for malaria than road casualty statistics in relation to whether to venture out of the house in the UK or elsewhere. I cannot at the moment think of any Europeans living and working in the places I have in mind who continued taking the tablets, etc. but there must have been some. I do not insist others do not take palliatives any more than I interfere in their religious habits.

[carmalee]

haven't read through all the replies but my advice (from one who has lived in malaria areas for twenty five years) is to take the prophylatic recommended for the area you are going to. Just because one brand works in country A does not mean you will be protected in country B. However, no pill will give you 100% protection so wear long trousers tucked into boots and long sleeved shirts from dusk onwards - be liberal with the insect repellent, use a mossie net of the correct size for the bed and tuck it in the mattress, don't leave doors and windows open unless they are gauzed, have a nice holiday!

[carmalee]

just another point - after 11 years surely a very simple ceremony is enough - or is the actually getting married more important than being married?

[lumination]

just thought i would let you know i went with the tablet you take once every week.

thank you everyone! x