Thanks for the advice....I've just bought my malaria tablets over the counter, Avloclor 250 mg and I have to take 2 a week from the week before I go.
The pharmacist recommened I take them for the DR, so yes I will be having a chat with the nurse when I go for my jabs.

Thanks again,
nearly sorted now,

sam

Hi,

The most probable reason as for why the practice nurse suggested you have the Diptheria vaccine is because it is now bundled in with the Tetanus and Polio! You'll only need one jab for all 3 and it probably won't cost you anything as they'll have it in stock for their child immunisation programme. Most of us will have had the Diptheria vaccine as kids but it doesn't give lifelong protection and though it is extremely rare in the UK now it is still common elsewhere and like polio can be waterborne. So if you're going anywhere where polio might be a risk then it's probably best to get your immunity to Diptheria topped up at the same time. It's a nasty disease and elsewhere still kills a lot of kids especially but it's no picnic for adults either. 'Better safe than sorry' is always my motto.

SM

Hi all

I've read most of the posts in this thread and picked up on loads of great advice. However, has anyone any experience taking a baby to the DR? I asked the health visitor about the jabs which the baby can have (she will be 18months), but there has been some confusion about Malaria medication. Anyone help?

Arghh.I'm going for my jabs this afternoon

I hope they dont make me ill as I'm going to Amsterdam tomorrow for the weekend.

sam

Hi Molliemoo

I havn't taken any babies to DR personally - mine are both in their twenties and would object to nappies !!! However quite a lot of folks do take youngsters.

If you look on :

http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/namerica.htm

and click on Dom Rep it will take you down to tabs and jabs recommendations. If you then scroll down to the bottom of the page you will find a table with childrens malaria dosage.

If you need Chloroquine tablets I suggest you seek out those branded Nivaquine rather than Avlochlor as the latter has widely been reported to taste foul whereas Nivaquine does not taste at all.

Be safe - be healthy and enjoy

Scubaman

Hi Scubaman

thanks for you help, it has been a little complicated to decide what to do, but if we are organised it will be ok.

Babies are ok to have the vacs and take Malaria preps, as long as it is not within 3 months of the MMR vaccine. They can have any tropical vacs before MMR or 3 months after. And the other recommendation, (and for adults) is to increase your sun protection factors (total block for under 2's) as the Malaria meds can make you skin super sensitive.

Had my jabs for Mexico a few weeks ago and asked her about Malaria tablets for mexico.......she said they're recommended but then this shocked me a litte. She asked if I was on the pill because the malaria tablets recommended could affect them and make them not as effective!! She also said that if we were then to get pregnant not to take the malaria tablets as they can be harmful to the baby.

As I don't want to get pregnant as I get married in 7 months I'm not taking them. She said this should really be a problem as we're not planning on going in the jungle (staying at Riveria Maya) and if the hotel is air-conditioned they also can't get into the room - which it is.

Just wondered if anyone else had heard about the above??

Hi Molliemoo

Normally different immunisations using live vaccine should not be given less than 3 weeks apart but that may be different for kiddies and there may be extra caution being taken for MMR following recent concerns.

I am only aware that Doxycycline ( of the anti-malarials ) can cause photosensitisation but better safe than sorry with kiddies and yourselves to avoid holiday spoiling sunburn. In DR I seldom go below SPF 25.

For mosquito repellants, after 8 Caribbean trips, we have now settled on Ultrathon, ( Buy from The Hospital for Tropical diseases website ) which is a 12 hour sustained release formulation and is used by the British and US Armies, for the high risk period between late afternoon and early morning ( my wife who is very sensitive to bites mixes it with sun cream for daytime use ), and Autan active spray for lower risk daytime use as it is not sticky and so more pleasant to use.

I applaud your caring attitude for kiddy care.

Enjoy

Scubaman

Hi

I know we've posted on this before but if you missed it then it seems no harm to re-iterate...We posted several pages on our free travel info site (for visitors to the DR - see sig file) about malaria, what it is, how you can avoid it and best tips and advice...but it bears mentioning that as the previous poster says the areas that generally have a higher incidence of malaria risk are in the West near the Haitian border (Haiti is generally a high risk malaria zone). These areas are not likely to be on most holiday makers/tourist visits list (though there are interesting aspects to the far west of the DR the country is more than big enough to occupy most travelers with is varied delights around the coast from North, around the East and to the South...not to mention the lush tropical interior).

True - the risk of insect bites increases in the moist and humid verdant inland areas (though the malaria risk is generally rated as low/no-risk).

An outbreak of malaria that affected a number of tourists occurred last year in the Eastern coastal region (Punta Cana/Bavaro) in the last quarter due to a febrile (infectious) individual (thought to be a Haitian building site worker) which led to the cases amongst some Canadian and a few European visitors mostly developing on their return home.

The incidence of cases compared with the many thgousands of tourists is very small, and generally the risks have receded through the year...However it is important that you should not take any unneccessary chances of cotracting what can be a severely debilitating and as you probably realise potentially fatal disease. It is still by far the best thing to take GP's advice and take recommended pre-trip medication as well as continuing meds as recommended throughout and after your visit. Malaria can lie dormant a long time in the system and may not show iself for months after initial infection.

Some do not tolerate the anti-malarial meds too well and you need to consult your GP over this if the case for effective alternatives.

We know that malaria is NOT an issue that visitors to the DR should get too worked up about...the risk is very low, and the main tourist resorts are generally well treated with insecticides to keep mosquito population down...BUT don't take risks, do avoid bites by following sensible precautions...and have a safe healthy trip..see our free info site if interested to read detailed info.

Kind regards

bizzy (ruth)

Had my jabs on thursday, diptheria/tetanus/polio combined one injection and hepatitus A/ typhoid one injection and I've had no side effects from them at all...... apart from a bit of swelling on one arm.

Hopefully the malaria tablets I start taking in a couple of weeks wont effect me either

sam

Hi Liza

My pet Pharmacist ( the wife) has checked on Malaria tabs which affect the effectiveness of the pill and only Doxycycline is listed as reducing its effectiveness. The appears to be no problem with the all the others.

http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk confirms there is no malaria risk in Mexico unless you go to remoter rural areas when Chloroquine or Proguanil are the recommended anti-malarials. These are also shown as being OK to take if you are pregnant whereas Larium, Doxycycline and Malarone are not.

So if you are staying in main tourist areas it seems that you dont need any malaria tablets but if you do venture inland then the 2 recommended tablets are both OK to take if you are pregnant.

It is not true that mossies dont get into rooms with air conditioning - as chambermaids normally leave the door open so they can get to their trolly in the corridor and they routinely get in - I have despatched many mossies in air conditioned rooms in the caribbean. Keep your flip flops handy and scan the room every evening. Even if you cant get malaria you can get very itchy bites which can easily be an inch across if you are sensitive to the anti-coagulant they inject so they can feast on your blood !!!

Be safe and enjoy

Scubaman

Thanks for your response Scubaman - will ensure that I take a bug-plug with me (note to self to get US plug type at the airport) and take plenty of spray with me.........have found that Avon Light Oil Body Spray (natural Fern) works best for me - also smells alot better than the normal stuff you buy. Also the army use it in the jungle as its very effective.

I've got to start taking my malaria tablets a week before I go and then carry on through the holiday and 4 weeks after my return and I'm supposed to take them on the same day each week.
What I was wondering though is would it be ok to start taking them about a week and a half before I go in case I suffer any side effects?

I dont want to be taking my second weeks doseage on the day I fly and start feeling poorly on the plane.

Any help would be appreciated,
samx

We take ours 8 days before and then you are not taking them on the days that you are travelling which has always been a good system for us as it is one less thing to worry about whilst travelling.

You should take them with or straight after food which minimises the possible side effects - we have never had a problem with Chloroquine in 8 trips to the caribbean.

It is important that you keep taking the tablets for 4 weeks after you return so if you do start them early it would be a good idea to get a further dose so that you are taking them for 4 1/2 weeks rather than 3 1/2 weeks.

Scubaman

Thanks for the advice, I'll get another packet on my return to keep myself covered.
As you say it's one less worry whilst travelling.
thanks again

samx

Hi Sam

If you go to an independant Pharmacy you may be able to buy the exact number of tablets that you need, as they may have a split pack from when they have dispensed them against a prescription. Might save you a bit although if you have to buy a full pack it is a small price for peace of mind as they are cheap anyway.

Scubaman

Cheers Scubaman, thanks for all the help, it's greatly appreciated.....

Only 19 days to go but no doubt I'll be asking more questions....

samx

Hi sorry for all the questions, but I was wondering if I have to take the malaria tablets at the same time of day each week, do I have to take into account the time difference.

If I take my tablets at 4 o'clock in the afternoon here it will be 11 o'clock in the morning over in the dominican , for example, so which time do I take them by or doesn't it really make a difference as long as it's the same day of the week???

sorry for all the silly questions ...

samx

Hi Sam

We always take ours after breakfast regardless of the time zone. When you are taking them weekly a few hours difference doesn't matter and as you are best taking them with or after food I should stick to the same meal as the routine is easier to remember.

Scubaman