Think that it's between Malarone or Doxycycline, shall do some more research tomorrow and then when we go to the docs we should be armed with as much info as possible to ask for the right prescription. Certainly don't fancy Larium with the side effects which have been reported here

Myself and O/H took Larium for a trip to Kenya in 1997. At the same time Esther Ranzen was presenting Watchdog or similar progamme and was heading the campaign to get them banned because of the side effects some people experienced with them. After much deliberation I decided to go ahead with the course. Decided better to have some possible nasty side effects than getting malaria. O/H was fine with them, I just felt nauseous the day after I took them. Took them again the following year for another holiday. Unfortunately, I guess no-one can predict how each individual will react to them.

ps United Chemist in Calangute sells Larium (mefloquine). Approx £3.50 for 8 weeks.

What is wrong with doxycycline? it seems cheaper than malarone, hardly any side effects, cost £9.50 for 2 weeks, so is there something I have missed why people are not taking it

After reading about it, it would appear that it's not as effective as malarone with regard malaria, hence cheaper

Is there anywhere we can buy the new lot over there? I have bought malaria tablets over there for the last 3 years, alvocor/paladine - or whatever they are upset my stomach from here but i don't fancy having malaria!!! we are going for 3 weeks - 12 sleeps time. my friend is allergic to penicillin, which may influence things!

On several sites that I have cheked out it said Malarone, Larium or Doxycycline were all equally effective against the Plasmodium Falciparum strain. I do agree Malarone looks like the best option (least side effects) however at around £65 pp for 2 weeks the price is downright crazy,especially as 7 of us are going that would cost £455
The out of date advice by GPs and practice nurses is scary, they all seem to be still saying that Proq&Chlor is the thing to take

when i went to the doctors on fri the nurse looked at a chart on the wall and said Proq&Chlor!i still have the ones left over from march which i did not take!!!i said to her are they the right one's as there has been a bigger presence of marlaria out there and she said has there?????so now i am confused as to what one's to have..i have a pack of malaclor ec-50 which i got in goa for some reason but cannot remember what this are for or how to take them i.e...once a day/once a week

Have checked on the Travel Doctor site and it says

Edit
sorry- due to copyright this has been deleted but the info can be read on the link below
Fiona ht mod
This is the link http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/asia.htm#1stc

My sister and I took Lariam when we went to Kenya some years ago. I was fine and had no side affects but my sister had a very bad headache the day after taking them and felt sick and also had nightmares. As she said at the time though it was better than getting malaria - she could cope with the side effects for one day.

Sorry Fiona,

Chloroquine and Proquanil for Goa and most of rural India.

Doxycycline, Malarone and Mefloquine for Assam (North East India).

This came from the travel doctor site.

If there is more information can you point us to the site.

Sorry no it wasn't that site. I have tried to find it again but to no avail
It was a site that said there have been 5 reported cases recently of people in Goa having contracted the strain, Plasmodium Falciparum resulting in the death of a young German women, and that WHO information distributed had been limited .It clearly stated that P&Q was ineffective in the prevention of this strain of malaria which is now present in Goa and that Malarone,Larium or Doxycycline are recommended although no medication is 100%. Travel doctor does recommend these drugs for this particular strain however it doesn't state it is present in Goa.

It is up to people to decide if they want to take P&Q, however I just feel that if it is this particular strain of Malaria we are trying to protect ourselves against then it is best to take one of the recommended products.

I have taken Larium on at least four seperate occasions now and up to date haven't had any adverse reactions. If you can take them only having to take one pill per week is a real bonus to me.

Any readers of our age group may remember the terrible activities that occurred in Viet Nam in the 60s when US troops were taking Larium.

As far as taking anti malarials in India, we take Malarone for 2 distinct reasons

• 1 It is effective against all types of malarial parasites
  2 It has minimal side effects

Can someone please tell me if/what jabs you need for Goa, had a brief look through this thread but mainly sees to be about Malaria.
I don-t think I had any when I went in 97

Thanks in advance

Hi Samtheboater

I have found one of the websites that says you need to take either Malarone,larium or Doxy for all of India(looked at that many) it is CDC Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hope this helps

Hi beachy just got back from having my jabs, typhoid and hep A booster as had a jab just over 3 years age.You also need polio.

Beachy, sorry meant 3 years ago!

OOOps, better get to the docs in the morning, we go on Saturday

Just when you think you've got everything ready.

It is recommended that you should have the jabs 2 weeks before travelling to allow them to become effective