Vaccinations & Malaria Tablets

Malcz86

Travelling around India in January, handed my form into the doctors so they can recommend vaccinations and they've came back with Hep A, Typhoid and a dose of Malaria tablets.

I had been told that January was not Malaria season so wouldn't need Malaria tablets but I think they may be recommending them because I indicated on the form that I would be sleeping rough but this is only for one night on a camel trek near Jaisalmer.

Do you think I can avoid the Malaria tablets?

goangoangone

Hep A and malaria, yes. Don't think typhoid. Upadate tetanus and get a polio booster.

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andymell

Not much malaria out in the desert, so I don't think the camel safari is your biggest risk. And, Jan is low season for malaria. But, there is always a risk in India, so you are taking some chances. How you mitigate that (insect repellent, nets, long clothing, pills) is a personal decision.

I suggest you read some on the side-effects of whatever medicine they are suggesting you take.

Nick-H

...That's only one night.

Laurendo

I personally would rather take the malaria tablets then risk getting ill and ruining my travels I have been recommended the 'paludrine travel pack' which is working out at about £30 for my 3 month trip - which isn't too bad, even on my tight budget, and not a high price to pay for peace of mind.

If you aren't sure, a lot of pharmacists know their stuff, or you could have a consultation at a travel clinic. Seek some other opinions and see what the general consensus seems to be.

indiaddict

Sleeping "rough" for o n e night in the desert?
I think you are not getting good advice. It will be freezing cold - so no mosquitos. It is a low risk area and season anyway.

I have stopped taking malaria medication long ago because of the considerable side effects which really made me feel miserable.

In any case there is also a so called stand by medication which one can take once symptoms develop - in this particular case I wouldn't even bother to take this along.

dillichaat

The decision about malaria is pretty much an individual one, depending on where you'll be staying, for how long etc. I wouldn't worry about that one night in the Rajasthan desert. As other said, it'll be just a tad above freezing there at that time of the year, no mozzies outside.

Should your travels take you to the east(west-Bengal, Assam) you absolutely need to take something, I feel.

You should know that by deciding to take nothing, you assume a small but potentially serious risk and that risk is yours, no one here will suffer or lose sleep if you're that 1 unlucky guy who catches malaria.

For the other stuff: you went to a dr, don't expect to get better advice on a travel forum. Get the vaccines.

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madzo2009

I had my vaccinations in August for my trip in September and I'm going back again in December. Would I need to get the vacinations again or do they last for a while

machadinha

Most will last for some time; some only shorter though, and all for different durations, and anyway why not ask your doc about it, preferably the same peeps who gave you the shots.

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Sama

immunities last for years.

and an FYI for typhoid vaccines: the immunity from oral typhoid vaccine lasts 5 years; the typhoid shot lasts about 2-3 years. this is according to my doctor who I saw yesterday about my travel meds.

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Nick-H

They last for years, in some instances, only of one gets the correct course of vaccinations. For some of them, one is not enough. Madzo, you should have been given guidance by who-ever gave you the jabs --- but (non-professional opinion) I do not believe that a couple of months is going to make any difference at all.

Interesting to know about the oral typhoid: one less hole in the arm, and it lasts longer!

Sama

well, duh.

of course if someone gets the right course. when someone goes to a dr. for the shots the dr. will say "come back in X months for a booster" or whatever. Hep A needs a 2nd shot about 6 months (or so) later.

but ONE shot does last for years just as I said -- I need yellow fever for Africa and the immunity from one shot lasts about 10 years.

Nick-H

we may be at cross purposes. One-shot inoculations last for years, but an incomplete course of however many shots does not, or, at least, cannot be guaranteed to.

I've had two or three incomplete courses

machadinha

But "years" is rather vague, isn't it, and it would depend every bit on what shot.

While I'd tend to agree Madzo should be safe, all it would take is a logical phone call to their doc/travel clinic. Who can then confirm the same, or tell them otherwise.

You ought to have been given a booklet with your previous shots detailing your vaccination history, and will otherwise likely be in their database. So they can just look it up. (Note to others: less likely so if you've had them say over a decade ago and before widespread computerization where you live, in which case they'll likely just start you up again if you didn't keep those data. You'd probably be due for new courses anyway.) In this case, they'll probably tell you you're fine as it is, indeed. But at least you'll have asked.

wonderwomanusa

I have a wonderful collection of old yellow vaccination booklets! Some of them are more interesting than my passport!

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