again on malaria, what are the risk areas? buying pills in India

barend · Feb 17th, 2005, 19:57

Hi there,

this is probably already asked, but it I will ask it anyway:
I will be travelling in Kerala, Karnataka and Goa for 4 weeks. Is there any risk of malaria in these areas?
And if I want to buy malaria pills can I buy these in India? (because I am in India right now) and...what pills should I get if I buy them in India.?

Any help would be much appreciated, because you here so much different stories.

barend · Feb 20th, 2005, 16:34

I have found some pills at a pharmacie in Pune. It is chloroquine phosphate tablets IP, from Lariago-DS. It is a package of 5 pills and it is only 6 rupees!!
The salesman said that is the only thing you need and it will "protect" (as far as any pill does...) for about 3 months.

My question: is this true??? and do you only need these 5 pills, because with the other pills you have to take much more pills.
I will be travelling in 2 weeks.....so can anybody help me????

goangoangone · Feb 20th, 2005, 19:35

Chloroquine is considered useless by US.Locals in Goa will tell you there is no risk of malaria. I took Doxycycline,a side effect of which is skin sensitivity to the sun.

Nick-H · Feb 20th, 2005, 20:31

Chloroquine was recommended to me by a local doctor here in Chennai. He said the local strain was not resistant to it. The dose is one tablet a week.

This five-day course lasting for six months sounds like nonsense! I think this 'two pills at once, then one, then one a day' regime is for treating an attack. Do Not trust the advice of these 'pharmacists': they are just pill sellers. Advice from a local doctor should be much more reliable.

GemmaB · Feb 20th, 2005, 21:34

hi there,
I am in India at the moment and bought 7 weeks worth of Chloroquine in Delhi. My mate in the Uk got advice from her doctor before joining me and they recommended a combo of Chloroquine (1 a week) and proguanil (1 a day). You can only buy chloroquine over here, but as someone else said 5 tablets costs only 6 rupees.
Hope this helps. Gemma

isabel · Feb 21st, 2005, 00:56

We brought our Malaria tablets called Paludrine (which is Proguanill Hydrochloride) from Spain and took 2 tablets a day. We forgot to buy the chloroquine tablets (1 tablet a day) in Spain, so we bought them in India. We had no problem and they were really cheap, 6Rs. 6 tablets, if I remember well.

readmymind · Feb 21st, 2005, 01:32

the center for disease control has a page about traveling to the indian subcontinent and what to look out for. there is information on maleria, as well as other diseases, and some tips to stay healthy while traveling.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

i'm sorry, but it doesn't list what meds can be purchased in india. i hope this is helpful.

edwardseco · Feb 21st, 2005, 06:42

#5 makes an interesting statement that only chloroquine is available in India. However, all the major remedies are now available at least in some areas of India..

goangoangone · Feb 21st, 2005, 10:41

Some good general travel advice can be found here,
http://www.malaria-reference.co.uk
The chloroquine/proganuil regime is used where chloroquine is meeting resistance.It's 2 a day and 4 one day a week.
More..... http://www.travelhealth.co.uk/articl...iaweek2004.htm

barend · Feb 21st, 2005, 18:27

I have checked with another Indian pharmacist and he said exactly the same as the first one: he also said this strip of 5 pills is enough for 3 months prevention!!!

So now I am really confused!!!!

yole · Feb 21st, 2005, 21:07

hey guys, i 've heard that pills against malaria are really dangerous for your health. do you know the places in india at risk? i'm planning to go there in april (bombay, pune, goa) and i wonder if it is worth taking them or not...

Yole

wonderwomanusa · Feb 22nd, 2005, 10:38

there is risk of malaria all over India below 2000 ft

Malaria is worse for you than the pills

barend · Feb 22nd, 2005, 19:24

Guess what?

I have checked yet another pharmacist (the third now) and he also advised me the same chloroquine tablets, he said it will work for one or two months!

And he also had other pills the name is: pyrimethamine and sulphadoxine tablets IP, I have never heard of it, any of you maybe?? it is a package of two pills. for 3 rps.

edwardseco · Feb 22nd, 2005, 19:57

I think you are getting some bogus info at the pharmacists. They aren't doctors you know. Check out some info first hand..

jolifanta · Mar 4th, 2005, 06:55

Hi - I have heard that people who grew up in countries with malaria can develop some resistance to it. I know this is true of other types of diseases. (And I also know it is true of the Hill tribe peoples living in NE Thailand, who have a degree of resistance to even the new drug-resistant strains of malaria.) My point is, Indian doctors are probably telling you what works for Indians, most of whom were born and grew up exposed to malaria. If you're from N America or Europe or Australia were probably not exposed as a child, so the rules may be different for you.

I may be wrong. And Western doctors sure aren't experts on tropical diseases. But I would go with CDC recommendations.
susan

Feb 17th, 2005, 19:57	#1
barend Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: the netherlands Posts: 15	again on malaria, what are the risk areas? buying pills in India Hi there, this is probably already asked, but it I will ask it anyway: I will be travelling in Kerala, Karnataka and Goa for 4 weeks. Is there any risk of malaria in these areas? And if I want to buy malaria pills can I buy these in India? (because I am in India right now) and...what pills should I get if I buy them in India.? Any help would be much appreciated, because you here so much different stories.

Feb 20th, 2005, 16:34	#2
barend Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: the netherlands Posts: 15	chloroquine tablets I have found some pills at a pharmacie in Pune. It is chloroquine phosphate tablets IP, from Lariago-DS. It is a package of 5 pills and it is only 6 rupees!! The salesman said that is the only thing you need and it will "protect" (as far as any pill does...) for about 3 months. My question: is this true??? and do you only need these 5 pills, because with the other pills you have to take much more pills. I will be travelling in 2 weeks.....so can anybody help me????

Feb 20th, 2005, 19:35	#3
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,492	Chloroquine is considered useless by US.Locals in Goa will tell you there is no risk of malaria. I took Doxycycline,a side effect of which is skin sensitivity to the sun. __________________ GoanGoan......here

Feb 20th, 2005, 20:31	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,811	Chloroquine was recommended to me by a local doctor here in Chennai. He said the local strain was not resistant to it. The dose is one tablet a week. This five-day course lasting for six months sounds like nonsense! I think this 'two pills at once, then one, then one a day' regime is for treating an attack. Do Not trust the advice of these 'pharmacists': they are just pill sellers. Advice from a local doctor should be much more reliable. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Feb 21st, 2005, 00:56	#6
isabel Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: SPAIN Posts: 54	We brought our Malaria tablets called Paludrine (which is Proguanill Hydrochloride) from Spain and took 2 tablets a day. We forgot to buy the chloroquine tablets (1 tablet a day) in Spain, so we bought them in India. We had no problem and they were really cheap, 6Rs. 6 tablets, if I remember well. __________________ VIVE Y DEJA VIVIR

Feb 20th, 2005, 21:34	#5
GemmaB Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: london Posts: 2	hi there, I am in India at the moment and bought 7 weeks worth of Chloroquine in Delhi. My mate in the Uk got advice from her doctor before joining me and they recommended a combo of Chloroquine (1 a week) and proguanil (1 a day). You can only buy chloroquine over here, but as someone else said 5 tablets costs only 6 rupees. Hope this helps. Gemma

Feb 21st, 2005, 01:32	#7
readmymind curious soul Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: california Posts: 137	the center for disease control has a page about traveling to the indian subcontinent and what to look out for. there is information on maleria, as well as other diseases, and some tips to stay healthy while traveling. http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ i'm sorry, but it doesn't list what meds can be purchased in india. i hope this is helpful.

Feb 21st, 2005, 06:42	#8
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	#5 makes an interesting statement that only chloroquine is available in India. However, all the major remedies are now available at least in some areas of India..

Feb 21st, 2005, 10:41	#9
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,492	Some good general travel advice can be found here, http://www.malaria-reference.co.uk The chloroquine/proganuil regime is used where chloroquine is meeting resistance.It's 2 a day and 4 one day a week. More..... http://www.travelhealth.co.uk/articl...iaweek2004.htm

Feb 21st, 2005, 18:27	#10
barend Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: the netherlands Posts: 15	I have checked with another Indian pharmacist and he said exactly the same as the first one: he also said this strip of 5 pills is enough for 3 months prevention!!! So now I am really confused!!!!

Feb 21st, 2005, 21:07	#11
yole Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: russia/italy Posts: 7	malaria hey guys, i 've heard that pills against malaria are really dangerous for your health. do you know the places in india at risk? i'm planning to go there in april (bombay, pune, goa) and i wonder if it is worth taking them or not... Yole

Feb 22nd, 2005, 10:38	#12
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,245	there is risk of malaria all over India below 2000 ft Malaria is worse for you than the pills

Feb 22nd, 2005, 19:24	#13
barend Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: the netherlands Posts: 15	Guess what? I have checked yet another pharmacist (the third now) and he also advised me the same chloroquine tablets, he said it will work for one or two months! And he also had other pills the name is: pyrimethamine and sulphadoxine tablets IP, I have never heard of it, any of you maybe?? it is a package of two pills. for 3 rps.

Feb 22nd, 2005, 19:57	#14
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	I think you are getting some bogus info at the pharmacists. They aren't doctors you know. Check out some info first hand..

Mar 4th, 2005, 06:55	#15
jolifanta Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 14	exposure matters? Hi - I have heard that people who grew up in countries with malaria can develop some resistance to it. I know this is true of other types of diseases. (And I also know it is true of the Hill tribe peoples living in NE Thailand, who have a degree of resistance to even the new drug-resistant strains of malaria.) My point is, Indian doctors are probably telling you what works for Indians, most of whom were born and grew up exposed to malaria. If you're from N America or Europe or Australia were probably not exposed as a child, so the rules may be different for you. I may be wrong. And Western doctors sure aren't experts on tropical diseases. But I would go with CDC recommendations. susan

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