Posted: 28/March/2006 at 00:58 | IP Logged

I really don't know what to do...

The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London (off Tottenham Court Road) told me that there is no way I should go on my journey without regularly taking a prohylaxis against malaria. (But as this is a private hospital, I guess they could be saying that just to make money...) As I said I wanted a to take a weekly antimalarial (I know I would screw up a daily one!), they said the only effective choice is Mefloquine (Lariam).

I tried taking Lariam for two weeks to check for side-effects. The nausea was unpleasant but acceptable, and the vivid dreams are just a bonus! So I wouldn't have a big problem with taking Lariam, at least for shorter periods of time. If you look at my route you will see that I would get regular breaks from taking it, as I will be swerving in and out of areas at risk.

But then I went to see my GP (General Practitioner - regular doctor). (I had to go to the other place in any case to get my yellow fever shot.) That was the first time I met Dr. X (cencored, see update below)... judging from his name, appearance, accent and knowledge, he seems to have grown up in an Asian country with a risk of malaria. God knows why I didn't ask which one... oh yes, I know - I had so much to ask him, and I was already making him late. Anyway, he told me not to worry, to go without taking anything but to go to a local doctor as soon I noticed symptoms. If treated, I would then develop some sort of resistance to malaria. This seemed very obvious to him.

When I told him what The Hospital for Tropical Diseases had told me, he said that he would look into it and that I should book another appointment. Which I did. I'm going back on April 14th, and I will keep you posted. Seems like he suddenly got worried about professional misconduct etc...

Nevertheless, I think that Dr. X's view is widely held amongst "serious" travellers. What are your experiences??? Have you successfully pulled off this practice of not taking a prohylaxis, contracting malaria, being treated, becoming resistant?? What sort of treatment did you have to go through?

Thanks for your help!

Martin

Posted: 10/July/2006 at 01:32 | IP Logged

Dr. X is from Malaysia, by the way... Have removed his name as I don't want him to get into any kind of trouble.

Went to see him again, and he completely changed his tune. He fell in line with the official advice in Britain on this matter - he gave me a printout of everything I needed to know, which I will scan and post in the Planning section when I find the time, and he prescribed me 6 months' worth of Lariam. (Which by the way is surprisingly cheap when you go through the NHS!) 

In certain areas I may have to take Malarone instead, because of resistant mosquitos.

Martin