Malaria Medication Next Week in Limpopo - Take or Not

[Andrew62]

I've hunted Limpopo numerous times, never saw mosquitoes and never took any malaria medicine. I'll be back in the Limpopo area this September and I definitely will not be taking malaria medicine.

 

[UpNorthMI]

PROBABLY NOT THE SMARTEST THOUGHT PROCCESS BUT I TEND TO LEAN TOWARD THE SIDE OF I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING UNLESS I REALLY HAVE TO.

Seth I’m with you but the decision here is to take it!

 

[WyoBull]

Personal choice for everyone between themselves and their doctor. For me, if there is any risk then I will be taking the medication.

 

[reineke]

Having had serious side effects from Lariam I switched to Malarone. Never had any side effects
and always took it when hunting in SA, Botswana and Zimbabwe - only in Namibia (except the extreme North) I did not take Malaria prophylaxis. After 25 hunts in these countries I never got Malaria, and
I would never gamble with it, especially not in the Limpopo where you never exactly know what
these bugs are planning. Who wants to be the first to prove there is a risk in risk-free areas when prophylaxis is easily available? And Doxy I would not take as is more of a cure than prophylaxis, and tends to ruin the microbiome inside your guts when taken for 14 days.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Mosquitoes travel just because one is not traveling/hunting in a "red zone" today, doesn't mean they won't be in there'd zone" tomorrow.

June is the start of "winter months" in RSA. Mosquitoes may not be as active, but they are still active. And so are people.

Plus one on using doxycycline.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I took Malarone last year in Botswana, broke out in little red pustules within 2 days all over my arms. Stopped taking the meds and went on with the safari. I went back in July and on doctor's advice didn't take anything. I did have a prescription for Doxy and had the meds with me, but didn't take as a prophylactic. Only if I got fever or achy. My two PHs didn't seem all that worried about it. Maybe they were just playing cool to keep me cool. But they didn't seem all that worried.

Doxycycline or Doxycyclone? Two different meds for two different purposes.

'cycling is an antibiotic for various infections and as a prevention. Malaria and tick bite fever preventative and treatment.

'cyclone is a "pain reliever" /anti inflammatory with added benefits. For aches, strains, and sprains, etc.. Stronger than aspirin. Ibuprofens; ie. Advil, Tylenol, etc. are not are not the same type of meds as asprin or doxycyclone.

I get a prescription for both to take and use in accordance with the prescription and respective recommended use.

 

[grand veneur]

My son and I are traveling for a hunt, trying to decide if I really should take my malaria medicine, it seems we are just out of the area map that I could find for malaria and I also seemed to find information that we are at the end of the risky season.

looking for more experienced input, should I just play it safe and take it Or can I skip it?

If you can't decide how to do it, you should follow the recommendations of the WHO.

It does not help to ask how everyone does it, because what worked well for one person after many stays for years in malaria areas without prophylaxis can end in a disaster for another on their first stay in Africa. Very few mosquitoes are infected, but a single stitch from an infected mosquito is enough to make you sick. The WHO remains on the safe side, but it is better to do malaria prophylaxis without it really being necessary than not to take one and get sick. Don't forget, in most cases you only get sick at home because you are often not long enough in the area and therefore the illness is often not always immediately recognized. Tourists around the world die from malaria every year.

As far as medications for prophylaxis are concerned, there are also clear recommendations by area, because not every medication works in every area.

 

[peacemaker]

My son and I are traveling for a hunt, trying to decide if I really should take my malaria medicine, it seems we are just out of the area map that I could find for malaria and I also seemed to find information that we are at the end of the risky season.

looking for more experienced input, should I just play it safe and take it Or can I skip it?

medication might not be necessary but its better to be safe than sorry... not like its gonna make your bag pack heaver lol

 

[sgt_zim]

PROBABLY NOT THE SMARTEST THOUGHT PROCCESS BUT I TEND TO LEAN TOWARD THE SIDE OF I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING UNLESS I REALLY HAVE TO.

Good policy. You always have to do a cost-benefit analysis.

If you were going to a malarial area, especially one where P falciparum is endemic, the potential benefit far outweighs the potential cost.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Having had serious side effects from Lariam I switched to Malarone. Never had any side effects
and always took it when hunting in SA, Botswana and Zimbabwe - only in Namibia (except the extreme North) I did not take Malaria prophylaxis. After 25 hunts in these countries I never got Malaria, and
I would never gamble with it, especially not in the Limpopo where you never exactly know what
these bugs are planning. Who wants to be the first to prove there is a risk in risk-free areas when prophylaxis is easily available? And Doxy I would not take as is more of a cure than prophylaxis, and tends to ruin the microbiome inside your guts when taken for 14 days.

Doxycycline is used for both as a preventative and a cure with least possibility of side effects unlike Malarone or Lariam.

As for ".....tends to ruin the microbiome inside your guts..." all antibacterial...to including carbonated beverages ie. Coke, Pepsi; etc, alcoholic beverages, antacids; ie Tums, Roland's, etc., even "certain foods", to some degree "ruin"/ destroy the natural (good) bacteria in the intestines, liver, kidneys, stomach the body uses to "break down"/ process foods we eat and drink.

 

[IvW]

Doxycycline or Doxycyclone? Two different meds for two different purposes.

'cycling is an antibiotic for various infections and as a prevention. Malaria and tick bite fever preventative and treatment.

'cyclone is a "pain reliever" /anti inflammatory with added benefits. For aches, strains, and sprains, etc.. Stronger than aspirin. Ibuprofens; ie. Advil, Tylenol, etc. are not are not the same type of meds as asprin or doxycyclone.

I get a prescription for both to take and use in accordance with the prescription and respective recommended use.

Cycline

 

[Saul]

I think the default should be listening to your MD. I am not just saying that because I am married to one so doing what she says is nonnegotiable for me.

 

[Rare Breed]

Thanks for all the input, we are out of the zone but also don't just want to take everything in life. We have treated all of our hunting clothing and will be using bug sprays and wipes. Final decision yet to be made.

I take malarone three days before to three days after. Always take on morning NEVER at night with alcohol. Will give you bad hallucinations. Seriously.

 

[wesheltonj]

I take malarone three days before to three days after. Always take on morning NEVER at night with alcohol. Will give you bad hallucinations. Seriously.

I will second that, except I take for 7 days after.

 

[Ryan]

This is not correct. Locals build a certain level of acquired immunity, and when they do contract it, it tends not to be as severe. The infectious disease doc that treated me said that the only folks who tried to die on him with malaria were ex residents who went back to Africa for a visit. Having lost their immunity (happens relatively quickly) they got hit really hard when infected.

Things I learn. Thanks.

 

[sgt_zim]

I take malarone three days before to three days after. Always take on morning NEVER at night with alcohol. Will give you bad hallucinations. Seriously.

I took mefloquine years ago on a business trip down into the Amazon in Ecuador. Mefloquine gave me some serious night hallucinations/terrors.

I'm allergic to doxycycline. It did wonders in resolving pneumonia the first time I had it about 14 years ago, but I started breaking out in hives towards the end of the course.

Everyone needs to understand that none of the malaria prophylaxis drugs are 100% efficacious. Wear bug-proof clothes and apply insect repellant often.

 

[BRICKBURN]

It is a very personal decision between you and your dr.
..............

Truer words......

 

[Hank2211]

A question of risk and reward. If you don't take the medication, you might come downwiith malaria. Even if the risk is small, it is there and malaria is not something to mess around with.

So what is the risk of taking the medication? Well, when they were handing our Lariam (in my early days of hunting), there was a real risk in taking the pills. Now, with Malarone and the like, I think the risk is minimal to non-existent (unless you're allergic).

On my last hunt in Ethiopia (questionable risk of catching malaria at this time of year where I was), I took pills. Three people who didn't came down with malaria. In Liberia (high risk of catching), one fellow hunting before me didn't take the pills and later died of malaria.

The risk reward equation is clear in my mind. I can accept a realistic chance of a bullet to the leg. I don't accept even small chances of a bullet to the heart.

There's a risk of a bullet to the heart and virtually no reward in foregoing the pills.

 

[Doubleplay]

Absolutely not a medical advice but:
The risk of Malaria in Western Limpopo during Winter is very close to zero.
The risk of having a reaction to chemoprophylaxis might be higher than %20 according to stats.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

My son and I are traveling for a hunt, trying to decide if I really should take my malaria medicine, it seems we are just out of the area map that I could find for malaria and I also seemed to find information that we are at the end of the risky season.

looking for more experienced input, should I just play it safe and take it Or can I skip it?

I've known two men that got malaria. One got it in the South Pacific during WW2. He had bouts of it for the rest of his life. Then there was a PH in Zimbabwe that I met about 40 years ago. He was sick one day when I was hunting with him. Told me that he had bad days on and off and he'd gotten malaria years before. I've hunted in Africa twice. I took the malaria prophylaxis both times. Why wouldn't I?