Malaria Medication Next Week in Limpopo - Take or Not

[cajunchefray]

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.

Now I understand why my doctor recommended a prophylaxis of Doxycycline rather than Malarone. Doesn't work well with alcohol.

My doctor travels internationally twice a year, to some really off the trail places, and researched Limpopo, and the relatively low risk of malaria.
However, for some people, a 20% chance of contracting malaria, can result in a 100% bad experience. I'm not rolling that dice.

The kicker is Doxycycline 7 days before, 10 days in country, and 30 days afterwards. My gut will be in distress, but a much better alternative to malaria with anti-inflammatory issues. Taking probiotics, supplements, and fermented foods will help.

Here in the swamps of Louisiana, mosquitoes find me, like a Bourbon Street hooker knows I just won the Lottery.

 

[375Fox]

Now I understand why my doctor recommended a prophylaxis of Doxycycline rather than Malarone. Doesn't work well with alcohol.

My doctor travels internationally twice a year, to some really off the trail places, and researched Limpopo, and the relatively low risk of malaria.
However, for some people, a 20% chance of contracting malaria, can result in a 100% bad experience. I'm not rolling that dice.

The kicker is Doxycycline 7 days before, 10 days in country, and 30 days afterwards. My gut will be in distress, but a much better alternative to malaria with anti-inflammatory issues. Taking probiotics, supplements, and fermented foods will help.

Here in the swamps of Louisiana, mosquitoes find me, like a Bourbon Street hooker knows I just won the Lottery.

You are not supposed to take doxycycline and drink much alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the effectiveness of doxycycline.

 

[Hammergun]

I've been to Limpopo twice and have taken Malarone both times. The travel Doc I saw was also a malaria researcher who had been to Limpopo. He said the maps are useless and it all depends on the local weather conditions. I hunted along the Limpopo on one trip and was in and near Kruger Park on the other trip and there were mosquitoes. Both trips were in the first half of May. No side effects from the medication.

 

[jlb1036]

I have been there 2 safari and never taken any malaria prophylaxis specially during the winter months june-august no mosquitos and also this area lacks the anopheles mosquito and only the female is the culprit of the transmission .
I would be more concern with thorn bushes causing skin scratches and even lacerations leading to bleeding and infection of such.
I would like to add that I am a licensed physician MD family medicine and tropical disease expertise and training.
If still skeptical you can get Plaquenil as prophylaxis ask your pcp for instructions and recomendations
Dr Jose Benitez MD

 

[Scott CWO]

Malaria is a parasite infection. You want a parasite in your blood? If you get malaria and you are not treated promptly, it will be with you forever and will flare up from time to time. I’ve had PHs tell me they’ve had malaria several times and it goes away with treatment. Wrong. If not treated promptly, it never completely goes away and that’s why they get sick again. I take Malarone every trip.

 

[Doubleplay]

I've been to Limpopo twice and have taken Malarone both times. The travel Doc I saw was also a malaria researcher who had been to Limpopo. He said the maps are useless and it all depends on the local weather conditions. I hunted along the Limpopo on one trip and was in and near Kruger Park on the other trip and there were mosquitoes. Both trips were in the first half of May. No side effects from the medication.

There’s a huge weather difference between beginning May and July in Limpopo. I've never encountered mosquitoes in Limpopo between the months of July- September in my numerous trips and never heard any local taking medicine for it.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I haven’t taken any malaria treatments in all my hunts including to Red Zones during prime dates. Having taking other forms of the malaria pills in other countries and having reactions I decided to take Doxy with me a a Just in Case I get symptoms.

 

[shark_za]

I goto Kruger, hunt all over Limpopo and only take precautions when going north in Mozambique.
The chances of getting it in Limpopo is probably 0.001%

You have more chance of bad side effects of the products.

 

[SRvet]

I’m heading to Zim and will take doxycycline as prophylaxis as I did 2 years ago. It really isn’t worth the risk of contracting a serious and potentially fatal illness. Doxycycline can cause skin to become photosensitised and burn more readily in sunlight.

 

[Philip Glass]

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.

I may be one of the few who has gotten along much better on Larium than the others.

 

[SETH RINGER]

You are not supposed to take doxycycline and drink much alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the effectiveness of doxycycline.

I CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING THAT INTERFERS WITH MY DRINKING.

 

[sgt_zim]

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?

That's how malaria works - it goes through boom-bust cycles. The longer you've had it (you will never get rid of it once you've gotten it), the longer the bust cycles last. It could be years between episodes.

The parasites just hang out in your liver until they've reached critical mass, then rupture the liver cells and get released into your blood stream where they do all the damage.

When I took microbiology years ago, we all had a pathogenic microbe that was the subject or our research papers, mine was malaria. There are 4 species of malaria, and 3 of them just make you some level of feeling really bad, but the 4th, the one endemic to Africa between South Africa and the Sahara, that one is really bad. It kills more people annually in Africa than AIDS.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

That's how malaria works - it goes through boom-bust cycles. The longer you've had it (you will never get rid of it once you've gotten it), the longer the bust cycles last. It could be years between episodes.

The parasites just hang out in your liver until they've reached critical mass, then rupture the liver cells and get released into your blood stream where they do all the damage.

When I took microbiology years ago, we all had a pathogenic microbe that was the subject or our research papers, mine was malaria. There are 4 species of malaria, and 3 of them just make you some level of feeling really bad, but the 4th, the one endemic to Africa between South Africa and the Sahara, that one is really bad. It kills more people annually in Africa than AIDS.

I haven't had it and I don't want it. When I travel to Africa, I take the meds. Same with South America.

 

[Sideshow]

Some up here have quoted that there are no side effects to Doxycycline.
This is not true. Don’t get me wrong take a prophylactic with you!
Have a good talk with your Doctor. One of the side effects of Doxy if you have fair skin is it makes your skin sensitive to the sun. I had this reaction when I first went to Africa working as an overland driver back in the late 90’s early 2000. You will find that most prophylactic have side effects, but make sure that you have them with you. You don’t want Malaria it’s a right barstool of a thing to get. For me it means that I now get cold very easily and have trouble getting warm again. My dose of it was only mild. Sick for 4 days. My currier caught cerebral malaria on a drive from Arusha to Dar. That’s a 12 hour drive back then. She started with a headache and by the end was in a very bad way. Went straight into a clinic in Dar 6 pints of quinine and 8 days later she was out. If I had not gone straight to that clinic she would have died In the camp. I also know of four pax that have died from it. Not mine thank god. New one driver that came down with it on a flight back to Oz. Thought he was just hungover when he boarded the plane. New he was in trouble so told the crew to have an ambulance ready when they landed in Perth….they would not let anyone off till they found the mozie
If you do get it no alcohol for a month! There were tests that you can get. But they used to not show a clear sign if you had taken propylactics. Not sure if that’s changed.
Thats my take on it as an overland driver who used to do trips from Nairobi to Cape Town.
Last word. As soon as that sun is going down shoes socks long trousers long shirt and then repellent on exposed skin.

 

[ActionBob]

Malaria - map of South Africa

Map of South Africa with malaria risk areas This image shows a map with the countries of South Africa. Regions with a low risk of malaria are marked in light pink, regions with a moderate risk are marked in orange, regions with a high risk are marked in r

www.wanda.be

This may be of help for you. May is still high risk time.
I got falciparum malaria ended up in icu for 7 days it was touch and go and not an experience I would want to repeat. Another fellow who had the same at the same time as me did not make it....he was dead on day 4.....

If you are going to any area on the map indicating malaria I would take the meds.

I normally take doxycycline as it has no side effects and is also good for tick bite fever.

Be aware that doxycycline makes you very sun sensitive. So use sun protection more rigorously if taking it. It is our first choice as well however we do not plan to take it while there in July. We will take some with. We are going to Limpopo in the Louis Trickard area.

I completely agree for the casual visitor. Take something if in a malaria area.

There are some new drugs available for Maleria now, if you get symptoms take them ASAP! In RSA your PH should be able to get you to a pharmacy quickly if needed. It was 10 years ago but I was feeling off and wanted some antibiotics and went to a pharmacy where they had a doctor in a back office who wrote me a prescription and charged a $10 fee. She did ask me how i felt and touched my forehead to check my temp....

 

[flying sailor]

My county travel clinic advised Malarone for me. I took it as prescribed. Was in Limpopo last August. Did encounter mosquitos at dusk sitting in hides waiting for Bush pigs. Not risking a disease that keeps on giving. My PH had it in his system just because you can't take the meds all the time. Clothes are treated with Sawyer and have bug wipes. Do all you can to prevent, Malaria is not a bragging item!

 

[Daisy]

I think soaking cloths in permethrin and allowing to dry before going, keeping skin covered, and using picardin on exposed skin is just as important.

 

[sgt_zim]

I haven't had it and I don't want it. When I travel to Africa, I take the meds. Same with South America.

As I mentioned previously, no prophylaxis is 100%. Doxycycline is probably somewhere around 90% effective. If you are bitten by enough malaria-carrying mosquitoes, you're going to get it. Fortunately, not all mosquitoes carry it (nor even most, I would imagine), and the only way they're going to carry it is if they've taken a blood meal from someone who has it.

Along with the chemoprophylaxis, wear long sleeves and apply insect repellant often.

FWIW, malaria is only a thing at altitudes below about 6500-7000 feet/2000-2300 meters, give or take a bit. If you're spending all your South America time in Bogota (8500 feet), Quito (10500 feet), La Paz (12000 feet), Sucre (9100 feet), et al, you don't need to risk the side effects of the drugs.

I didn't need it when I was in Quito, but I did down in Esmereldas and in the interior around Puyo.

 

[Sideshow]

Interesting the altitude one. Think it was Uganda where a tribe was moved by the government from the highlands to the lowlands. Pretty much wiped them out.

 

[Sideshow]

Ask your PH to also have your mozie nets dosed with repellent as well. Helps if you roll up against it whilst asleep. Fairly sure that’s how I caught my bout.
You can also try Vitamin B1 some cases say it helps keep the biters away……some cases say no. But it won’t harm you so hey why not