Buying malaria pills in India

Nerrehs · Jun 30th, 2004, 17:25

Just wondering if anyone knows if malaria pills are easily available in India. I am assuming they are, since it is a form of treatment for the disease. I don't want to have to carry a full 6 month supply around with me. For the last year I have just been buying them as I need them. Are they as easy to get as they are in South east asia (as simple as walking into a pharmacy and asking for doxy.) or do you need a doctors prescription?

Thanks for any advice,

shere · Jun 30th, 2004, 18:24

Yes you can get them easily. No need for a doctors prescription. You get one in northern india which you only need to take one pill a week.

edwardseco · Jun 30th, 2004, 22:34

Doxycycline, my choice, is easily and cheaply available. Which type is best for you is an important topic..

cyberhippie · Jun 30th, 2004, 22:56

Doxycycline is unsuitable for a 6 month trip!!
It's recommended you take doxy for no longer than 2 months!!!

Anders · Jul 2nd, 2004, 12:21

Quote:

Doxycycline is unsuitable for a 6 month trip!! It's recommended you take doxy for no longer than 2 months!!!

Where have you seen that?
This site says max 6 months.
http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/tables.htm

cyberhippie · Jul 2nd, 2004, 12:36

As it stands I stand corrected Anders but I assure you I did read this somewhere on another equally impressive site!
There is so much conflicting info on this subject it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff.
For instance it seems to say malarone is only suitable for upto 28 days and chloroquinine for up to FIVE years more conflict??
I'll try and find the info but I'll have to trawl the net again as I have lost the link!
Thanks for the info!

vistet · Jul 2nd, 2004, 16:25

Antimalarials should be started one week before arriving. My suggestion : talk over all your medications with a doc before leaving, get a prescription, and buy the antimalarials . Note the generic (substance) names and dosage of the others and get these in India.

tstan · Jul 2nd, 2004, 19:20

I travel in the sub-continent and SE Asia during the dry season (Dec-Jan) and rely on preventive measures - Deet, nets and coils.

As a back-up I carry a course of Malarone as a TREATMENT. I am suspicious about Doxy for long periods since too much exposure to antibiotics is not a good idea.

There are other mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue and Japanese Encephalitis against which anti-malarials do not confer any immunity and these are more of a problem in the (northern) summer.

Anders · Jul 3rd, 2004, 12:57

Quote:

There is so much conflicting info on this subject it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff.

I agree 100%, it's a complete mess.

Quote:

For instance it seems to say malarone is only suitable for upto 28 days

Yes, and I do remember seeing it recomended for much longer time than that.

Nerrehs · Jul 3rd, 2004, 22:46

Thanks for all the advice everybody! I did ask my travel doctor before coming here and she said there was no problem with long term use. I wasn't aware of all the controversy. I have been taking them off and on for the last year (depending on where I was travelling), and haven't had any problems. My doc. also mentioned that many people take doxy. long term as a treatment for acne.

Shikari · Jul 4th, 2004, 04:01

To sort out the wheat from the chaff it might be worth consulting the British National Formulary (the drug guide used by british health professionals). The page on malaria prophylaxis is available here: http://www.bnf.org/bnf/bnf/current/doc/16019.htm

cyberhippie · Jul 4th, 2004, 06:05

Good site shikari, thanks we now ahave a good rule of thumb to go by.
Oh and I was WRONG about Doxycycline!!

kukurruku · Aug 23rd, 2004, 08:10

I have another question on this: is it possible to use different types of malaria tablets? Ie, I'm bringing with me 7 boxes (28 doses) of tablets 'Savarine' composed by 'chlorhydrate de proguanil' and 'phosphate de chloroquine'. I'm thinking of sharing these with my partner and I wonder if we could buy any more there if we finish them before the 'dangerous' area.
Also, I was told by my doc we could just use them in south India (well, understanding 'South' anything below Kolkata and Mumbai), specially since we're going there from Sept to March, which are not the hottest months. Does this make any sense?

K

edwardseco · Aug 23rd, 2004, 10:17

As I understand it Malarone is only indicated for a month because of too little experience with it so far not because of ill reports. With every treatment there is some probability of problems. One should be aware as one takes it and switch if necessary..

butterball · Aug 24th, 2004, 13:32

I'd be interested to hear about the most effective TREATMENT backup ( tstan mentioned Malarone )

I'm going in the dry season for 6 months and in the past on shorter 3 week trips have used propyhlactics ( Chloroquine etc ) which I didn't really enjoy taking ( weird sleep, queezy feeling alround ) and then more recently none at all & just heavy protection.

I've heard anecdotally that "... you will quickly know if you've been bitten by malarial mosquitos - and then you just 'simply' take huge quantities of pills and that will take care of it.. "

Now that may sound reckless, but I do know of a lot of people who do NOT take preventative drugs.. and for a longer period of 6 months I am VERY reluctant to take Doxy ( basically an antibiotic ) Malarone ( basically not recommended ) or the 'traditional' Prophylactics ( not necessarilly effective, hair loss, etc ).

My gut feeling is to take the 'chance' but carry some sort of back up.

What IS the effectiveness / practicality / regime / reliability of taking the pills AFTER infection? I though this is what will happen in hospital if infected anyway..

What is the sign "... when you quickly know you've been bitten by malarial mosquitos..." ? And quite how MANY ( and which ones ) pills do you take ?

I'd be intersted to hear some more 'anecdotal' coment..

Jun 30th, 2004, 17:25	#1
Nerrehs Nerrehs Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: PEI, Canada Posts: 19	Buying malaria pills in India Just wondering if anyone knows if malaria pills are easily available in India. I am assuming they are, since it is a form of treatment for the disease. I don't want to have to carry a full 6 month supply around with me. For the last year I have just been buying them as I need them. Are they as easy to get as they are in South east asia (as simple as walking into a pharmacy and asking for doxy.) or do you need a doctors prescription? Thanks for any advice,

Aug 23rd, 2004, 08:10	#13
kukurruku Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Spain Posts: 26	I have another question on this: is it possible to use different types of malaria tablets? Ie, I'm bringing with me 7 boxes (28 doses) of tablets 'Savarine' composed by 'chlorhydrate de proguanil' and 'phosphate de chloroquine'. I'm thinking of sharing these with my partner and I wonder if we could buy any more there if we finish them before the 'dangerous' area. Also, I was told by my doc we could just use them in south India (well, understanding 'South' anything below Kolkata and Mumbai), specially since we're going there from Sept to March, which are not the hottest months. Does this make any sense? K __________________ The gift of material goods makes people dependent. The gift of knowledge makes them free. (Dr. EF Schumacher)

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Jun 30th, 2004, 18:24	#2
shere Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England Posts: 1,110	Yes you can get them easily. No need for a doctors prescription. You get one in northern india which you only need to take one pill a week.

Jun 30th, 2004, 22:34	#3
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,142	Doxycycline, my choice, is easily and cheaply available. Which type is best for you is an important topic..

Jun 30th, 2004, 22:56	#4
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Doxycycline is unsuitable for a 6 month trip!! It's recommended you take doxy for no longer than 2 months!!!

Jul 2nd, 2004, 12:36	#6
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	As it stands I stand corrected Anders but I assure you I did read this somewhere on another equally impressive site! There is so much conflicting info on this subject it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. For instance it seems to say malarone is only suitable for upto 28 days and chloroquinine for up to FIVE years more conflict?? I'll try and find the info but I'll have to trawl the net again as I have lost the link! Thanks for the info!

Jul 2nd, 2004, 16:25	#7
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,765	Antimalarials should be started one week before arriving. My suggestion : talk over all your medications with a doc before leaving, get a prescription, and buy the antimalarials . Note the generic (substance) names and dosage of the others and get these in India.

Jul 2nd, 2004, 19:20	#8
tstan power brake keep distance Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: sydney Posts: 195	I travel in the sub-continent and SE Asia during the dry season (Dec-Jan) and rely on preventive measures - Deet, nets and coils. As a back-up I carry a course of Malarone as a TREATMENT. I am suspicious about Doxy for long periods since too much exposure to antibiotics is not a good idea. There are other mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue and Japanese Encephalitis against which anti-malarials do not confer any immunity and these are more of a problem in the (northern) summer.

Jul 3rd, 2004, 22:46	#10
Nerrehs Nerrehs Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: PEI, Canada Posts: 19	Thanks for all the advice everybody! I did ask my travel doctor before coming here and she said there was no problem with long term use. I wasn't aware of all the controversy. I have been taking them off and on for the last year (depending on where I was travelling), and haven't had any problems. My doc. also mentioned that many people take doxy. long term as a treatment for acne.

Jul 4th, 2004, 04:01	#11
Shikari Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: A small country on the edge of europe Posts: 81	To sort out the wheat from the chaff it might be worth consulting the British National Formulary (the drug guide used by british health professionals). The page on malaria prophylaxis is available here: http://www.bnf.org/bnf/bnf/current/doc/16019.htm

Jul 4th, 2004, 06:05	#12
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Good site shikari, thanks we now ahave a good rule of thumb to go by. Oh and I was WRONG about Doxycycline!!

Aug 23rd, 2004, 10:17	#14
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,142	As I understand it Malarone is only indicated for a month because of too little experience with it so far not because of ill reports. With every treatment there is some probability of problems. One should be aware as one takes it and switch if necessary..

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Aug 24th, 2004, 13:32	#15
butterball Mine's a Haywoods... Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: London.. sometimes.. Posts: 686	I'd be interested to hear about the most effective TREATMENT backup ( tstan mentioned Malarone ) I'm going in the dry season for 6 months and in the past on shorter 3 week trips have used propyhlactics ( Chloroquine etc ) which I didn't really enjoy taking ( weird sleep, queezy feeling alround ) and then more recently none at all & just heavy protection. I've heard anecdotally that "... you will quickly know if you've been bitten by malarial mosquitos - and then you just 'simply' take huge quantities of pills and that will take care of it.. " Now that may sound reckless, but I do know of a lot of people who do NOT take preventative drugs.. and for a longer period of 6 months I am VERY reluctant to take Doxy ( basically an antibiotic ) Malarone ( basically not recommended ) or the 'traditional' Prophylactics ( not necessarilly effective, hair loss, etc ). My gut feeling is to take the 'chance' but carry some sort of back up. What IS the effectiveness / practicality / regime / reliability of taking the pills AFTER infection? I though this is what will happen in hospital if infected anyway.. What is the sign "... when you quickly know you've been bitten by malarial mosquitos..." ? And quite how MANY ( and which ones ) pills do you take ? I'd be intersted to hear some more 'anecdotal' coment..