Malaria tablets

nickstephens

Hi all,

I am in India for the NIM course in September and presently going through the process of getting all of the lovely vaccinations recommended. I have come across some conflicting advice however. Because of altitude there doesn't seem to be a recommendation for Malaria tablets if going to Uttarkashi and beyond. The advice seems to be smoother yourself in DEET from Dehli to Uttakashi and avoid taking the tablets.

Any advice or opinions on this idea?

Nick

PeakXV

The best answer is to consult/discuss your itinerary with your local travel clinic Doctor.

Of course having an extra sense for the landing/approaching techniques of Mossies while applying a good deet based product on strategic areas of the body has been known to be extremely effective in neutralizing them gnats.

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We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time.
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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

nickstephens

To be honest, its the bloody travel advisor that is causing most of my confusions at present. If I had more time and more money I would be seeing somebody else ;-)

PeakXV

I've known people who wouldn't know if 10 mossies were on their arm and drawing blood ..... and people who are acutely aware whenever a mossie is within 3 feet of them. That's an intangible that a Doctor cannot determine or professionally ask. It's also a determing factor in how often you may or may not get bitten. The Doctor is always going to assume that you are totally inept at defending/protecting yourself and thus exercise the better part of caution.

You have to ultimately weigh your travel route/length, activities, accomodations & Mossie awareness/savvy against the simplicity of purchasing & consumption of that little chemical pill ...... and choose the option that gives you the best "piece of mind".

goangoangone

If the mozzie "bumps" into you, so to speak, she'll bite you despite what you're smothered in. Try beer.Firstly you won't feel the bite and secondly you'll be able to splat a half pis*ed mozzie on take off thus saving the next potential victim. Malaria would soon be eradicated if everyone followed this advice.
......or take Doxycycline, cheap and available everywhere.

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GoanGoan......here

Nick-H

The best time to swat a mossie is when it is just getting ready to bite you. They don't think about anything else then.

However, when they are just prospecting, landing on you and taking off, they seem to dribble stuff that makes me feel like I have acid on my skin

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

pundabee

Take a look at the malaria map; it displays the UK recommendations.

For areas where tablets are recommended (about half of India) Chloroquine together with proguanil is usually recommended. For Assam where resistance is more widespread atovaquone/proguanil OR doxycycline OR mefloquine is recommended.

It is worth noting that not all doctors have sufficient knowledge on medicinal travel advice, some are clueless, and, in some countries, they are paid by the medicine industry for selling their products. As a consequence, your can't necessarily rely on doctors providing precise information.

vargoje3

Nick,

When i visited India in 2006 for 4 months i was told and it was recomended by my doctors that i do take anti-malaria tablets while there. The only problem with this situation is that the pills depending on what type you get have some horrible side affects. Mine made me halucinate and really scared me for a couple days before i put two and two together and stopped taking them. Didn't even take them for two weeks in the Andamans and i never caught it but its personal decision i guess.

goangoangone

Doxycycline is recommended by the US medical authority. It is an antibiotic also used long term for treatment of acne without any major side effects, the only one I've noticed being increased skin sensitivity to the sun.

edwardseco

I'll second that and warn that Vargo's experience with Larium is not uncommon. Its a matter of odds, you can go without and probably not be bothered. But, when the dice roll turns agianst you its quite an experience and it still bothers me from time to time a decade later..

vargoje3

Ya i got real paranoid and thought everyone around me was out to get me for a couple of days. I thought i was going crazy. After i stopped taking the pills however those feeling cleared up as well as the halucinations and everything was fine for the next 3 and a half months.

Nick-H

I think that, so far as side effects go, Larium must be the most extreme?

For that reason there are many of us that would never touch it.

double-dolphin

what on earth is DEET? if you want to avoid mosquitoes use ODOMOS cream, or if weather doesn't permit, get one of those ALL-OUT dispensers going. simple.

Nick-H

DEET is the active ingredient of Odomos.