Hey everyone! This being my first trip to Kenya can people recommend whether they've had a better experience with Doxycycline or Malarone? The travel dr. recommended both but I don't know which is better!
Thanks in advance!
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3 comments:
Sarah,
I'll throw in my 2 cents for what its worth. I've taken doxy in SE Asia and am now on Malarone in Malawi. Both seem effective, so far anyway. The big diff b/w them is that doxy is an antibiotic and malarone isn't.
Doxy will reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills, may make you susceptible to yeast infections and sunburn. I was burned bad in Cambodia, but it might not necessarily have been doxys fault...
Malarone doesn't have those side effects. But it is exceedingly more expensive than doxy, which seems to be the reason less people use it. If your health plan will cover it I recommend going for malarone. Personally, I haven't had any side effects with it.
The dr's I've spoken to here swear that malarone is better than doxy. Other than that I'm not sure what else to say. Good Luck!
What dates are you going to be in Kenya? I'm stopping over there from Dec 7-23 on my way home.
Hi Sarah,
In Canada, Malarone runs at aboyut $5 a pill, and needs to be taken everyday. Doxycycline is much cheaper. Kelly did a pretty good job of outlining the disadvantages of doxycycline. I would go with Malarone, especially for shorter trips.
We have Malarone, but we don't take it because (a) we are here long-term (and I think some of the negative symptoms of long-term usage outweigh the advantages) and (b) we live in a desert and it's dry and hot as hell(mosquitoes are not a problem in Khartoum. We don't use a bednet at home). In other parts of Sudan (especially in Darfur and Southern Sudan), malaria can be a problem (although this is also seasonally affected). I'm not on malarone on my field visits (I just returned from a week in the south) - My strategy is to sleep under a bed net, and I have 12 malarone pills with me. Malarone can be used as a treatment for malaria - if you become infected, take 4 malarone a day for 3 days.
That's my malaria-management strategy.
Enjoy your trip! Kenya is on our 'to-visit' list while we are in the neighbourhood.
Tim.
Thanks guys! Malarone it is then! I'll be in Kenya from Dec.29th to Jan.6th or 8th and then to Zanzibar! I hate that I'll be close to people but not get to see anyone!
Hope you're both well!
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