In Reply to: Immediate reaction/symptoms ?? posted by Jenni C. on Tuesday, 6. April 1999 at 11:12 Bali Time:
My father had life long Malaria symptoms, after picking it up in Corsica in about 1920 odd, it isn't a very nice disease... but nor are the symptoms of Larium if it doesn't agree with you. My son who is a life long traveller, says that the least these things do to you are make all your hair drop out if you take them for long enough. As for diagnosing Malaria, it can indeed be very difficult and the results from tests can take a long time. The last time my father was in Africa before he died, he was extremely ill, tests were taken, and they thought that it MIGHT BE (??) definately might be, a form of reaction to Larium or it might be Malaria itself, it turned out to be cancer of the ascending bowel. But the point was that the Doctors said that the results of tests can be very confusing and sometimes have to be done many times before any conclusive results.
Having said all of the above, I also have a friend who is a retired RAF Tropical disease doctor, and he says... "Which do you prefer? The symptoms of Larium or to be dead?" I think that he has a point don't you? However, strong deet insect repellent (at least 15%) should do the trick if you are somewhere like Bali, or only somewhere touristy for about 2 weeks... that's what I've been told anyway. Anbody have any more information? They say garlic vitamin B and strong blue cheese have an effect too..anybody heard??