Which anti-malarial for 1 yr?

sannna

Better respect the doctor who cured me
It's is really easy to get typhoid though, and many people do not seem to know that the vaccination doesn't give you 100% protection but only 70%!

It is a nasty disease as you loose your reserves really quickly and you cannot get the fever down with paracetamol. Within two days I was not able to walk to the toilet alone anymore and I could not wash myself anymore.

The quick way to know whether your fever might be typhoid is to check your pulse. If you have a fever usually your pulse is faster. With typhoid your pulse (heartbeat) remains normal, though you might have 40 degrees fever. At least, this is what my Indian doctor told me. A bloodtest gives the final diagnosis. And once that is done it can be cured with antibiotics. It took me a week before I felt near normal again.

About whether locals get diarrhea:
Do you read Indian newspapers? Every year so many chilren die of this, and anyone who has seen an Indian toilet knows that it is not just the "forners" who can't handle the bacteria. The only difference, I feel, between foreigners and locals is that locals do not mention it every time when their tummy is upset.

federica

I was told only 50%

So true.

edwardseco

My sis in law says 60% at best but that it may reduce the intensity. I stll respect you for undergoing it since I saw a friend's experience.

And to the latter sentence it always amazes me to hear people suggest self-treatment for severe disease like malaria, etc. Who is in a condition to do that much less carry out the lab tests? When I caught my "disease" I just wanted to crawl into bed and croak. Fortunatel, by brother in law married a first rate doctor..

edwardseco

Missing y..

sannna

The best thing about having had typhoid is that I am now immune to it. Or so my doctor told me. I do not take greater risks now, however, as there are tonnes of other diseases out there which are spread in the same way (unhygienic food preparation/storage), but I do notice that in general my immune system has become better adapted to India. For example, since I had typhoid I have not been ill in India once, despite spending several months here on various visits. And doing stupid things like brushing my teeth with tapwater, eating ice cream, drinking juice from stretstalls, and drinking water at the homes of poor people. (I am an antropologist and had to visit many people's houses - it is impossible to find bottled water in those areas, and when it is 43 degrees you don't care anymore where the water comes from, as long as it takes the thirst away). Of course the occasional diarrhea is there, but I haven't had a fever during my last visits.

About self-medication: I was staying in a homestay for the past couple of months. One time there was a short-stayer there, an middle-aged lady who was on her first visit to India and would staying our house for a week or two. Her tummy was upset about a day or two after arrival. She was given immodium, and didn't had a clue what it was and what it does.I was wondering: how can you travel to India and not have read anything about health and particularly diarrhea?!

The trip when I had typhoid I was so lucky to have my mom with me. She is a nurse and very straightforward in seeking medical help, even though I told her, delirious and all, to wait and see... She was straightforward in other ways as well. I did not had an appatite anymore so when I told her on day three or so that I wanted a banana she was a woman with a mission. In front of our Vijaywada hotel there was a juice stall, where the vendor had banana's on display. He told her they were not for sale, as it was his raw material for his business. She did not take no for an answer and came back with four banana's even though it took her an hour or so. She came back shaking her head at the lack of business sense of this guy. She was willing to pay 100 Rs or more for the banana's and he kept refusing she told me. We laughed so hard!

dhans

Hans

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edwardseco

Dhans has a very solid observation (no pun intended). Forens are potty paranoid. I was too until a pathologist straightened me out with an earful..

Nick-H

Sheesh... I bet you were desperate for an earcleaner after that!

Here's a thought for the bathroom paranoid: your computer keyboard probably carries more dangerous microbes than your toilet seat does.

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edwardseco

I had better bring back some Detol for the keyboard. But, maybe its like a friend who sucks on coins to toughen himself for the microbes found in travel..

GerardKelly

Hey Nick:

I rather lick a keyboard than a toilet seat (not that I would go out of my way to do either). It's the quality of the microbes not the quantity. Most microbes on a keyboard aren't going to make one sick with bacterial diarrhea, unless one is picking more than one's nose at the computer. Cheers. GK

edwardseco

Toilet seat, ooh brings back a memory of a shared bathroom with an eccentric neighbor. Didn't believe in toilet paper when there was a perfectly good seat. A polite discussion solved the proble. An 18 inch monkey wrench helps to focus on achieving a productive result. I think we have meandered a ways though. What was the OP posting about.?

machadinha

What, so you hit him over the balls? Er, what was this thread about again?

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edwardseco

It happens to the worst of us..

edwardseco

What was my old teacher's motto, grab 'em by the balls and the hearts & minds will follow (he was associated with the Nam war)..

machadinha

Yes, tell me about it. It's how I learned to take my balls elsewhere.

<cross-posting> I thought that saying was something about your ass though. No, I don't need to know.>

And I wuzn't in no war either mind.