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09/16/2005 05:19:58 AM · #1 |
Came home from our Wales holiday early as my dad collapsed at home after a few days of fever, was hospitalised locally and then transferred to the infectious disease unit at another hospital, in London.
He has malaria. It ain't pleasant.
Because he's been away SO often he seldom takes anti-malarials (partly because it's not recommended to take them too often/ long in any period and partly because he doesn't want the faff).
Even if you're in a malaria region for only a day, remember that it only takes a moment for one mosquito carrying the disease to bite you and transfer it to you.
TAKE YOUR ANTIMALARIALS.
I'm sure he'll be fine but your good thoughts will be appreciated.
Kavey
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09/16/2005 05:31:20 AM · #2 |
Hope he is soon OK, Kavey! So easy to be complacent about such things - we all do it!
Pauline
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09/16/2005 05:37:23 AM · #3 |
I come from a Malaria zone. Saw it a lot. Unpleasant is an understatement. It still kills a lot of people in Africa, especially children.
Antimalaria tabs are good, but I never take them. It can mask the disease in blood tests, which means you get treated for the flue untill you get very sick.
I use garlic and parsley tablets and lots of bug repellant.
Good luck and best wishes to your dad. |
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09/16/2005 05:40:29 AM · #4 |
Best wishes to your dad Kavey, hope he gets better soon (((hugs)))
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09/16/2005 05:43:06 AM · #5 |
I hope he gets better as quickly as possible.
I did take my tablets when I went to india, but the side effects were unpleasant( depression, nausea, mouth ulcers). I gave up about two and half weeks after I came home. Though I did go in the hot season and didn't really get bitten much.
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09/16/2005 05:49:54 AM · #6 |
There are newer antimalarials such as Malarone which are expensive but tend not to cause side effects for the majority of takers. For those of us on holiday from countries with strong economies, it's a false ecomony to dismiss Malarone just because of cost.
Blackdot, for those who live in malaria zones, I believe these drugs are not suitable anyway, as they cannot be taken for long/ indefinite periods. In those cases, I think one is best to do as you do and look for alternative ways to repel mosquitos.
Thanks for best wishes... will be going in to see him again in a couple of hours.
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09/16/2005 07:32:47 AM · #7 |
Sorry to hear your news! Quite relevant, as Kate has spent lots of time in Indonesia without taking tablets, as the side effects can be worse than the Malaria itself!
BTW, did you know your penguin film is the main gala event at the London film festival? Your first chance to see it... |
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09/16/2005 08:48:02 AM · #8 |
I've been all over and being in the health field and having many nurse and doctor friends, I've been discouraged to take these pills. Because they DON'T prevent you, or even lower the risk of getting malaria. They only mask the symptoms. What I've been told is to have them with you and if the malaria symptoms surge then take them and go straight to the hospital.
Just my 2 cents. :-) |
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09/16/2005 11:07:03 AM · #9 |
| I'll be thinking of you guys... hope all is well soon. Keep your chins up :0) |
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09/16/2005 11:15:54 AM · #10 |
| Man, I still remember some of those Mefloquine dreams. Not so pleasant at the time, but I'd still rather take it than get malaria, the #3 killer of humans in the world. You don't want to mess around with a disease significant enough that evolutionary pressure came up with sickle cell anemia as a way to avoid it... |
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09/16/2005 11:21:04 AM · #11 |
So sorry to read that !
My very best wishes for a prompt recovery.
Warmest regards ,
Mambe
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09/16/2005 11:38:29 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by kosmikkreeper:
I've been all over and being in the health field and having many nurse and doctor friends, I've been discouraged to take these pills. Because they DON'T prevent you, or even lower the risk of getting malaria. They only mask the symptoms. What I've been told is to have them with you and if the malaria symptoms surge then take them and go straight to the hospital.
Just my 2 cents. :-) |
Uh taking the right type of prophylactic medication CAN save you from getting Malaria. Now if you are staying in an endemic zome for a long time, there is no point because the side effects would be bad; but for short trips it is absolutely essential that you take the right kind of prophylaxis diligently. I spent a month camping in Southern Africa back in 1999-2000 and took Mefloquine once a week and had no problems while a couple of girls in the group took the wrong type and got Malaria 2 weeks into the trip...So it works!
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09/16/2005 11:49:18 AM · #13 |
Travellers often come up with interesting reasons why not taking anti-malarial medication is a good idea, Untill they or someone they know get malaria. The pills are dangerous, but they bloody work, and they are a fair measure better for you than Malaria. Once you have spent the night up with some one pouring out sweat so fast you cant give them enough water, shaking so hard that half the water slops onto their chest, you think that Doxycycline and DEET are a real good idea.
If you are a permanent resident, the choice is tougher, but if you are travelling, take the meds. Up to six months or so and the side effects are minimal, particularly compared full blown malaria.
the Center for Disease Controll's Advice. |
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09/16/2005 12:13:58 PM · #14 |
Hi Kavey, sooo sorry to hear about your father :-( How's he doing today?
Just a note about anti-malaria pills, my cousin's hubby lived in Zimbabwe all his life and never had malaria until he went to visit last year after being gone for a few years. Him and my cousin both went, both got all their vaccinations and both took the malaria pills - and he got malaria. Doctors over there told him anti-malaria pills don't stop you from getting it - in fact, it just makes it harder to diagnose if you do contract it.
His parent's long-time servant died of malaria last Christmas. There's just no telling who and where it comes from I guess. |
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09/16/2005 12:32:25 PM · #15 |
Oh my gosh that's terrible....and scary!! Hope everything turns out okay.
When I talk to the big guy upstairs I'll ask him to send good vibes to "Kavey's Dad"! I'll say a prayer for him now!
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09/16/2005 01:09:27 PM · #16 |
At first I thought you were gonna say you got malaria from Wales. I dont think we're that exotic there!
Sorry to hear about your dad, hope everything will get better soon. It's just another part of the adventure for him. |
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09/16/2005 06:01:24 PM · #17 |
Thank you so much for the well wishes.
They have established which strain and are treating but he is not yet responding to treatment as expected. Complicated by some related problems with leaky/ overfluided lungs which are quite serious. Will be back at hospital again tomorrow. It's incredibly difficult to see him in this condition. :o(
Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Edit: Sad to see how much misinformation there is (here and elsewhere) about antimalarials, even being given out by the medical community! I suspect the advice not to take medication for fear of masking the disease is not being given out by those who are experts in the subject. When the world experts in malaria tell me that antimalarials do nothing to prevent and simply mask the disease, I'll consider not taking it. When it's just a few doctors who are drawing poor conclusions purely from their own inexpert interpretation of a few cases they have dealt with you'll forgive me if I'll choose to ignore them. And can I add that malaria - full blown malaria - is not just a case of unpleasant fevers for a night or two and then you're OK but a bit weak for a few weeks; some people, even when diagnosed quickly, die from it, even in the UK. I can't even say right now that it's definite that my dad will actually make it though that thought scares me rigid. His condition is extremely serious, it was touch and go whether they transferred to ICU for the night but they decided in the end to provide some ICU treatments in his own room in the infectious diseases ward instead.
Just because it isn't always that serious, doesn't mean that malaria is never extremely serious.
Message edited by author 2005-09-16 18:21:16.
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09/16/2005 08:22:40 PM · #18 |
| Sorry to hear about the pulmonary edema, I supose the bright lining on the cloud is that your dad has you, and modern medicine to help him throught this. My thoughs and prayers are with you and your dad. |
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09/16/2005 10:57:05 PM · #19 |
| Good luck to your Dad. He'll be in my thoughts and prayers. I'm headed to a malaria zone shortly. Mefloquine is my friend. |
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09/17/2005 05:37:52 AM · #20 |
Thanks again... this morning's report is that the feeding line has restored a little of his strength. In terms of the malaria cycle today's meant to be a bad day, though yesterday was meant to be a good day and wasn't but I'm hoping today will be better than the last couple of days anyway.
DQ, glad to hear you have your prescription ready... have a great trip.
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09/17/2005 06:46:23 AM · #21 |
Ive been living in Indonesia for about 4 months now (7 weeks in remote villages), before i left my doctor recommeded not to take antimalarials as they are only good for about 4-5 weeks until your body has a tolorance to them. So instead she prescribed me with some Malarone tablets which are only taken when malaria is contracted. But as these still are not fool proof i just use a lot of mosquito reppelent.
Best wishes to your dad |
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09/17/2005 07:29:15 AM · #22 |
Originally posted by kosmikkreeper:
I've been all over and being in the health field and having many nurse and doctor friends, I've been discouraged to take these pills. Because they DON'T prevent you, or even lower the risk of getting malaria. They only mask the symptoms. |
You may wish to suggest to your "many nurse and doctor friends" that they do a little more research before coming out with such dangerous advice - for example, this WHO Report quite explicitly states that, while no antimalarial gives complete protection, "good chemoprophylaxis (adherence to the recommended drug regimen) does reduce the risk of fatal disease"
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09/17/2005 07:52:47 AM · #23 |
Anti Malarials DO HELP.
They significantly reduce your chances of catching the disease. It is worth sticking it out through the side effects. As I said I stopped takling them two and a half weeks AFTER I got home(they advise four weeks.)and only because I was pretty sure i hadn't been bitten.
Malaria is not like a bad flu, it isn't worth taking risks. |
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09/17/2005 07:57:45 AM · #24 |
My goodness! Kavey, your dad is so in my prayers as are you and the rest of you family!!!! Keep us posted.
Message edited by author 2005-09-17 08:01:09. |
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09/17/2005 08:59:03 AM · #25 |
Kavey - Sorry to hear about what's going on with your dad. My wishes are with you and with hopes of better days to come. Hang in there.
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