Malaria vs. Suicide ???
I am leaving for Kenya on Friday so last weekend I started taking Lariam, an anti-malarial drug which my doctor prescribed for me. Tonight I read this on the website of the drug's manufacturer:
"People taking Larium occasionally experience sever anxiety, feelings that people are against them, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there, for example), depression, unusual behavior, or feeling disoriented. There have been several reports that in some patients these side effects continue after Larium is stopped. Some patients taking Lariam think about killing themsleves, and there have been rare reports of suicides."
OK, so Malaria is not the funnest disease around. But I am beginning to wonder if the alternative is better. Does anyone out there had any experience taking Lariam?
Please make me feel a little better...I am feeling a little ANXIOUS and DEPRESSED about the whole situation :) :)
I'm off to listen to the giant lizard with the bongo drums sitting in my living room..I mean, I think he's real...or maybe I am just HALLUCINATING.
8 Comments:
So my travel doctor is like...
"And this malaria drug makes you halcinate"
And Im like "COOOOOOLLLL"
But some people comit suicide..
"OoooOoooooo"
And then they are like...
"Malarone has no side affects and its the best drug on the market"
And I'm like...
"No suicide? Ill take it"
Get Malarone. I don't know why the other drugs are on the market.
2:24 AM
When I went to India, the nurse said I had 3 options:
1 - the one that makes you hallucinate and have bad dreams (probably larium)
2 - one that often gives women yeast infection
3 - we haven't seen side effects in this one... well, no one's complained about it YET...
...I took option 1, and suffered from no side-effects whatsoever. I was quite happy, from what I see in the photos.
2:48 AM
Well Trent, other drugs are on the market because the malaria strains in some parts of the world have built up immunities to certain drugs. So which one is best to take also often depends on exactly where you are going.
Personally I think all this suicide talk and warnings are just a consequence of your over-litigous society. When I was discussing malaria medication with my travel doctor in Australia a few months back, I don't think the talk of side effects was anywhere near as dramatic.
10:13 AM
Personally I never take any kind of pills, shots or drugs... but I do carry "man pills" with me in case someone (ahem, Drake) gets sick.
Drinking tap water in India is like taking a shot anyway. :)
10:18 AM
I took Larium before and while I was in Ghana. I was fine for the first few weeks, but then crazy dreams kicked in (HALLUCENAGENIC dreams, that is). I have always dreamed vividly and been able to recall them in the morning, but this shit was messed up. I'd have dreams so real that I'd wake up exhaused from doing whatever I'd been doing in my dream all night.
If there's a way around it, I'd look for one. I continued to have dreams like that for almost 6 months or more after I got back and discontinued using the stuff.
12:43 PM
Thanks for all the advice!!
I called my doctor and asked him to put me on Malarone instead. I feel a little less psychotic now :) Just a little...
3:50 AM
Oh, Suzaaaaannnne! Larium, BAD, BAD, BAD!!! I had the crazy dreams and on top of it all I GOT MALARLIA ANYWAY!!! Doxycycline is the drug of choice for me. And it only cost me $7 for 10 weeks worth, versus the $250 I spent on Larium.
11:45 PM
enoug medicine!!
Take some good mosquito repelent with you!!
what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!
5:06 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home