Long-timers use of anti-malarials?

I've read that using anti-malarial medication in India, particularly during the wet season, is wise, but I've also heard that long-term use of these medications should be avoided. So what do long term ex-pats in India do? Use deet, sleep under mosquito nets and hope for the best?

I only took anti malaria medicine on my very first trips
since then I never used them anymore....
if you get sick they will be widly available in india..
I m always taking a good mossie net with me...wearing long sleeves and long trousers in the moring and evening time...
once I took paludrine,this felt a bit like beeing on acid for me..
I got some paranoia attacks and other strong sideeffects
so I immediately stopped taking it...
so whats better getting sick from anti malaria medicine or having malaria?
I really do hope that I never will catch malaria on my next trips!
havin thypoid fever once was enough for me!

stay healthy

I'd echo those comments about Larium. I took it once for about three weeks and it felt like I was living in a dream... at first this sounds like a nice thing, sure, but when things get a little crazy in India it's not so good. Plus, even the manufacturer doesn't recommend that you take Larium for an extended time, I think they recommend maximum 1 year ??? Anyway, if they recommend that you'd do well do avoid even six months of that stuff.

I went traveling for a year and bought the Chloroquine/Proguanil combo in Mumbai. Chloroquine you take once a week but it gave me severe headaches. Progunail is a great alternative, I think it's recommended to take for several years but when I ran out I couldn't find a replacement... so I spent the next 11 months going without.

I'd rather take the (small) risk and go without any malaria drugs than to wrestle with any unknown, long-term side-effects, ESPECIALLY with Larium.

15,999 out of 16,000 people who take it can't be wrong.
Don't believe the Hype!!

The demand for Progunail and Chloroquine is low because these drugs are not effective against the Indian chloroquine resistant malaria strains.

The question was about long-term use of these medications (over the years). This is quite different from a trip to India (even during a few months).
Again tthis points to the need of a seperate expats (oldhands) forum.

The most sensible approach I have encountered is to keep a stock of doxycycline handy, and only take the pills when in a malaria-risk area and/or at the mosquito time of year. In some places that means almost never, but you'd be nuts to be in a place like Madras or Bangalore during an outbreak of cerebral malaria without prophyllaxis.