cocopop which tablets are you planning on taking? we took avloclor the first year we went and then didn't bother after that.then last year were told by the pharmacy that you don't need malaria protection for goa anymore.if you are taking malarone are you buying them here?
thanks

Hi
We take Mefloc which are 1 a week and got from our Doctor in Goa.They are 167 rupees for 4. Hope this helps.

Well I have tried all times of day, with or without food, to take the P&C and they just make me feel bloody awful. We took them for the week before arriving in Goa, and within a couple of days of being there stopped taking them.

I was bitten to deaf, but at the beach from the dreadful sand flees. Next time I shall take the repellant to the beach and make sure the sun bed is well and truly coated before I lie out.

We only saw a couple of mozzies in the 2 weeks we were there, and as I say, the bites I had were all inflicted during the day at the beach.

From what I have read, it seems to me that it is mainly the immigrant workers who have been suffering with malaria and those that are living near stagnant water.

Miccie, mossies are not fussy who they bite!

According to the HPA website, a number of tourists got Malaria during the 2006/2007 season.

http://www.hpa.org.uk

Spinner I do understand that, and I did read all the reports prior to going, that was why this year we decided to try the P&C again. However when we got there and having spoken to a lot of friends there, the risk did not appear to be greater than previous years and we took the decision to discontinue the tablets as they disagree with us.

I would not recommend our decision to anyone else, it is very much a personal choice and you must read the facts and make your own decision, and be guided by the health authorities.

If in future I do decide to take an anti-malarial then it will be Malarone, regardless of the cost.

We like many of you have suffered in the taking of proguanil and chloroquine tabs and we did not take them over the last few visits but on the reading of this new strain Plasmodium falciparum, my wife and I decided to go with Doxycycline this year at a total cost of £21-60 for a three week coarse for the both of us, this on a private prescription, also we both covered up with odamos before going out at night and before going on the beach of a day sprayed with jungle formula, not to much just enough to keep sand flies off. I can tell you over the years we have had some bad experiences with the little blee***s but this year only three bites.
We found no side affects in taking the Doxycycline and I will again will be taking this drug on our next visit to Goa.

I have read this year that there has been one fatality and I would implore anyone now visiting Goa to take the recomended medication for this disease....jxk8.

Thanks jxk8. Didnt feel great after taking the usual tabs for malaria but the ones you got on private prescription do seem like a better option. Would I ask my own doctor to give me a private prescription for them? I dont like not taking anything at all especially when theres been increased cases of Malaria reported in Goa.
Its a bit worrying isnt it and better to be safe than sorry I say.

Miccie, Ive been prescribed C+P and like you have read thousands of negitive posts about the side effects. I'm actually quite worried that it will spoil our long awaited for holiday.

So I think what I'm going to do is to take the C+P a week before hand and if there is anyside effects I'll still have time to switch to Malarone.

Anyone else done that?

my doctor suggested that.

Spinner, that was exactly what we did, but unfortunately they just don't agree with us, and we have tried more than once to perservere with them Perhaps you should consider either the Doxy or Malarone alternative, I would definately recommend that ideally some form of anti-malarial is taken.

Same dilemma for me, May well go for the Doxycyclene as it seems a halfway house between the Symptomless Malerone and the C & P ( not good for me in the past).
Apparently the Doxycyclene makes you more prone to sunburn, no change for me there then I usually go bright red in the sun anyway.

Cheers
Pinky Rog

Think I'm going to try the Doxycycline next time, the Avloclor and Proguanil made me ill too, so much so that I stopped taking it, which made it a bit worthless.

Can you buy insect repellent that contains Deet out in Goa? (We're staying in Baga) None of the shops here seem to sell it this time of yr, wondering whether to buy it on the net or wait til we arrive, i want to get 50% cheers

Spinner I started taking P&C for my last trip to Goa in January 07. After 2/3 days I had excrutiating pains and decided to stop. As I recall the pains wore off after a day or so of not taking them. My GP had told me no need to take anything although Boots had recommended P&C. I will check with my GP again tomorrow as due to return in 2 weeks....
Jackie

OMG....you must take precautions!!! Quite a few Malaria cases last season.

I just wish there was one type of tablet for Malaria

Still I think the option of trying P+C for a few days and if it doesnt suit switch to Malarone is the best option for me.

Need to go back to the docs now to get another prescription

I just hope the holiday is all worth it

hi jxk8 did you get that prescription from your own doctor and is £21.60 each or for both of you? if so that seems very reasonable.is that a once a week tablet and enough for a 2 week stay?
thanks

Bushbaby & Gemma33, it was a private prescription off my doctor and the total cost of £21-60 was for my wife and I both for the three weeks we where out there, taking 1 tablet 2/3 days before we go and 1 tablet each, each day out in Goa and when we come home 1 tablet a day for 4 weeks.

Habanalibre, are you not reading these posts do yourself and your family a favour and take either the Doxycycline or Malarone, that's if you want to be safe, sorry if this post seems aggressive but prevention is better than cure.

okitsme, I can tell you that this year I possibly achieved the best tan I have had in all my visits to Goa, and this was with the taking of the Doxycycline tabs, it effects people in different ways, but it tells you on the instructions that you could have a prob with the sun causing skin irritation but I and the wife where fine.

Hope this info helps.....jxk8.

Thanks for the info jxk8, Very much appreciated.

Cheers
Rog

I think when you look at the small print for the P&C it makes mention about taking precautions in the sun, the same as doxycycline. It sounds to be me like the doxycycline is a better option, especially as there does not appear to be the same reports in terms of upset stomachs etc whilst taking that.