Anti-Malarial Tablets - fatal?

Hamanda

I am currently taking Chloroquine and Proguanil Anti-Malarial Tablets and have, for the last year, suffered from quite bad psoriasis on my arms and legs.

I pointed this problem out to the pharmacist at Boots, when I got the tablets, but she really never passed any comment. Once home, I realised that the leaflet says that these tablets can make psoriasis worse - not something which particularly worried me as I'd rather have a hightened outbreak of psoriasis - as opposed to malaria.

My mother, who has only a very slight problem with psoriasis, went to her G.P for a private prescription for anti-malaria tablets, but was informed that they could not give her one and that they would not recommend that she takes the medication as it could - in conjunction with psoriasis - be fatal.

I am having problems believing this and think that she, or the surgery, have seriously got their facts wrong. I am still taking my tablets, but just wondered is there anyone here who has had any side-effects with these pills which has been linked to psoriasis?.

I'm probabley stupid for even asking, because the whole thing sounds ridiculous to me, but there's a little voice in my head saying "What if....."

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Hamanda

GoanCanuck

You need to take this very seriously. Why don't you ask your doctor to prescribe a different medicine? Have you tried doxycycline?

shanthi

Hi Hamanda, Any chemical preparation, such as anti-malarial meds, will provoke some kind of reaction in our bodies - other than that which they were designed to do - i.e. prevention of a disease, but most of the time it is short lived and doesn't do us any long-term harm. These meds have been known to provoke depression and suicidal tendancies although I believe that no absolute tests have been carried out. I suppose that there is a chance that any existing condition would be highlighted and perhaps made a little worse whilst taking them, regardless of the fact that the makers of them tell us we can "safely" take them for up to....3yrs, 5 yrs or whatever. I personally haven't heard of them resulting in fatalities, despite a lot of research into it I have never, in fact, got a pharmacist to answer any questions I've had about anti-malarial meds properly. I don't believe that they want to put themselves on the spot when pushed! I've never, either, got any of them to tell me what they consider to be "long term" usage of these things (there are warnings about "long-term usage")- I've only had 6 months altogether free of taking the meds in the past 4 years. I think if I were you, I would find the nearest office of the manufacturer of the particular meds you're taking and call them - put them on the spot and demand an answer. An email wouldn't probably be answered sufficiently, but perhaps a telephone call to the appropriate department would put your mind at rest. I'm only telling you what I would do - I worry about these things also. I sincerely hope that you have a wonderful time in India - not long to go now eh?

edwardseco

A year is a bit long for any of the various types of malarials..

GoanCanuck

Pharmaceutical companies will never ever give an honest answer to an ordinary individual. These companies have millions of dollars at their disposal to " hard sell" their product and there is no chance of a private citzen being able to put these companies into a position where they have to give an answer. All you will get is spin from them.

Hamanda

Thanks for your suggestions guys. I am at work at moment doing a 48 shift and won't finish until Monday night. I leave for India on Wednesday night/early hours of Thursday morning, so it's probabley too late to change tablets now.

The good news is that there has not been a post saying that some-one was seriously ill (or worse) under similar circumstances. I suspect that my mothers surgery were just covering their own back and reluctant to prescribe something which they didn't know enough about.

shanthi

For up to date, reliable information on anti-malarial medication and everything else to do with travelling anywhere in the world, please refer to:

http//:www.who.int

vistet

From what I read , a major portion of thes cases came from people who felt that people were trying to kill them - i.e. US soldiers in Somalia, Afgahanistan etc. - a situation that has been known to cause depression. Not trying to be flippant or turning it into a political issue, just background.

shanthi

Perhaps that might well be. But there was an Australian boy of, 19 years I believe. He took the medication for a four week holiday. Almost immediately after he had arrived on vacation with his friends he began to change. At home his parents were worried about him. He took his own life within two months of returning. He had never been depressed before, nor had the slightest intention of ever taking his own life.

That was the 4th death I have heard about, with people having taken the meds. My own pharmacist here in Ireland has warned about taking the "one a week" anti-malarial meds as he said that side effects, i.e. depression, has been known to affect 1 in 4 people with the stuff. Not only people who are prone to depression, but others too. I was going to take the 1 a week meds instead of the every day meds - but have changed my mind now and will stick to the trusty every day meds.

Tashi

Hamanda, what parts of India are you visiting?

Always look out with drugs and if one doctor says they might be harmful in conjunction with psoriasis then it might be wise to seek at least a third opinion. A pharmacist doesn't have the right kind of knowledge or education to make a judgement like that.

Now that you mention it, I've got a mild form of psoriasis too and the first symptoms occured on my first visit to Nepal after taking Lariam. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.

I never take anti malarial drugs when I'm visiting India or Nepal or it must be in areas that are known to be heavy malaria infested (like the terai in Nepal). But this is my own choice and not an advice.

Note that anti malaria drugs are not waterproof. A friend of mine got malaria in Sumatra while on Lariam.


Tashi.

GoanCanuck

You are doing a 48 hour shift? How is that physically possible?

Hamanda

Relax Goancanuck - I am not wonderwoman in disguise - it's a residential home and I get to sleep at night. The clients just buzz me on intercom if they need assistance. Not that I am sleeping much anyway - too excited about trip

GoanCanuck

You had me scared for a moment.
I would recommend that you take a second or maybe even a third medical opinion from a dermatologist about your particular condition. Asking a pharmacist for a medical opinion has its limitations and I would prefer to go to an experienced specialist.

Rob_The_Pom

The same tablets made the mild depression and anxiety that I suffer from far worse when I first got to India. They also gave me some highly unpleasant bouts of the Mumbai quickstep. I stopped taking them and felt much better.
I will never take Chloroquine and Proguanil again.

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The solution to your troubles is at the bottom of a glass

GoanCanuck

I asked three different doctors out here and none of them were keen to recommend these two drugs.