Can anyone point me at the best place to buy anti malaria tablets? I’ve been recommended ‘Malarone’ and high street prices are about £60 per person to cover our five day’s of malaria risk.

I’d like to pay less of course but I need to be sure I am getting the genuine article, I’d rather pay £60 than take a chance.

So, anyone got a reliable cut price supplier?

Be absolutely sure you need them where you are going. All Maleria tablets have nasty side affects, i’ve used both Malarone and Doxycycline (doxy when i was in Afghan**) and had to stop taking both because of some freaky weird dreams and stuff i was having. It may be worth getting a course of both in case you don’t get on with one, but consider how long you need to ake them for before you travel!!

however to answer your original question – no idea on cheap places.

edit to add ** pointed out due to location and the consideration/consequences about not taking them!

I was given Lariam for a west africa trip. This is known to be a very dodgy drug.
I went back to the med centre for a re-up, and was asked why I needed more. Turns out I’d taken one a day for over a week, when the dose was 1 per week. A very nervous doctor had to call the london school of tropical medicine, they gave him a bollocking 😀

I’ve always used malarone when I’ve needed to take anti malarials. It’s not the cheapest but is certainly the best. £60 seems steep for five days worth though.

The cheapest place I ever got it was at the Asda pharmacy. I paid about £2 per tablet last time I got them.

Talking to expats in Africa, they generally don’t take them and just get tested for Malaria the minute they get any cold / flu symptoms. The anti-malarials won’t stop you getting Malaria, they just mask the symptoms for longer and then you come down really sick. Whereas if you get treated at the early stages, its no worse than a mild cold. NB The treatment is just a large dose of the same drugs over a few days.

Pretty much all our Nigerian staff have had Malaria whilst taking the anti-malarials, one guy thought he had flu so ignored it until he passed out at a concert. Spent three weeks in hospital as a result!

I was given Lariam for a west africa trip. This is known to be a very dodgy drug.
I went back to the med centre for a re-up, and was asked why I needed more. Turns out I’d taken one a day for over a week, when the dose was 1 per week.

Wuss. I took 5 weeks’ worth in a day as a treatment for malaria*. Not sure I was right in the head for about 9 months after that.

*Caught it in Zimbabwe (where taking chloroquine religiously). Had it diagnosed in Australia – this was the hospital’s prescription. IIRC it was 3 tabs, wait 8 hours, then 2 tabs.

spent a fair while on these as i work in areas at high risk of P. falciparum and malarone gives me least trouble.

they can all have issues it depends on you your self. the damage malarone does to the livers less risky.

“Malaria is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, which passes the malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) into the bloodstream. Malarone prevents malaria by killing this parasite. For people who are already infected with malaria, Malarone also kills these parasites.
“
http://www.antimalariatablets.co.uk/malaria-tablets/malarone/

Only folk i know who have got malaria are the folks in country live in and havnt been taking anti malarials OR are locals. Same live in people who say its due to the liver damage but happily pickle their liver in alcohol every night.

I have to use doxy instead of peniclilin based drugs so dont fancy risking building an immunity to it.

Does Tonic water still have Quinine in it? That would be my suggestion. Mixed with gin.

All advice taken on board but I intend to follow what my Dr says and take the Malarone. The price I quoted was from Lloyds Pharmacy so I will check the supermarkets and Boots pharmacies as £2 per tablet would be better, I need to take about 14 in total.

I will back the tabs up with this though

samuri – Member
Does Tonic water still have Quinine in it? That would be my suggestion. Mixed with gin.

as I know I can handle the side effects from a G&T 🙂

I’ve been taking Doxycycline daily for the past two and a half years with no issues. I get a private prescription from my GP, six months worth of tablets costs just over £10. Be aware that you need to keep taking them for four weeks after you get back (for Doxycycline anyhow).

I used Malarone. Doxycycline just made me feel sick all the time.

ourmaninthenorth
Wuss

Let’s be fair; you took yours under orders from the doc. I took mine of free will 😀

Well actually it was stupidity but whatever. They nearly pulled me off the tour.

Let’s be fair; you took yours under orders from the doc. I took mine of free will

Well actually it was stupidity but whatever. They nearly pulled me off the tour.

Not surprised if you went around like this: