My wife wants to buy prescription malaria medicine
(Lariam or Mefloquine) here before we go to India. Wow,
though, is it expensive! Does anyone know if this is
available in Delhi? It must be less expensive than in
America. If so, would they fill an American prescritpion
for the stuff? Thank you a lot for your suggestions.
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you can buy anything over the counter in pharmacies in india.
i'm pretty sure that mefloquine will be there.... beware the awful side effects though!!! (quite psychodelic)
have you considered doxycycline for areas of chloroquine resistant malaria? much less toxic although you do have to
take it every day and also if you've had a reaction to it in the
past it may not be that good
There is a pharmacy on the outer circle of Connaught Circus
on the side towards Pahar Ganj / New Delhi train station.
The exact name exscapes me at the moment, but it contains
the word "Brothers". Lariam was quite a bit cheaper. Both
my son and I took it for 10 weeks with no side affects, but
we did hear some scary stories of folks whos systems weren't
as tolerant. It may have to do with the consumption of
alcohol.
I don't think it has anything to do with Alcohol !! You
don't even need Larium in India, using it in India will only
create resistant strains that aren't prevalent yet there.
The only possible reason for taking Larium in India is
Laziness !! I profess to this myself, after being attracted
by the once weekly pill, but ended up regretting it as I
have never been the same since. I had horrendous side
effects, hallucinations, loss of balance, no sense of
reality, panic attacks, nausea etc. etc. I presume you are
from the US, as it seems that all the Americans are
recommended Larium, but it really is a terrible drug and is
not even needed in India. If you must take Larium I suggest
you buy some at home and take it for a few weeks before hand
to see if you have any adverse side effects, if you do then
change it straight away. Remember that Larium stays in your
system for at least a year, and I hope that you aren't
planning a family, as Larium causes defects in foetus', its
true, you ask your doctor. Don't bother with Larium.
Your best bet is to wait til you get there, check with local
health officials, find out what they recommend, if anything,
for malaria in the area you're travelling.
If you're afraid of side effects of Larium, try
doxycycline. I took it when I went to South Africa, and
experienced no side effects. Guess where I got it? A girl
who went with us worked as a veterinarian's office, and she
got it for us for less than US$5 a bottle! You do have to
take it every day, but apparently it's worth looking into,
esp. according to Lol (above)! Lol, you've got me afraid
to take the Larium I've got for my India trip!
And yes, they are recommending it to us in America. The
Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends it, and that's
the source most of us consult, along with our doctors.
I took larium for a month in india and had no problems, I
have also taken doxy. I also had no problems. Larium is
recommend though. The cdc recommends it and I would go
with them not someone with a name like LOL
I took Larium for 4 months in india then stopped taking it
in Nepal. I suggest not taking it, There were harldy any
mosquitoes except in Konark. Abnd I bet the chances of
getting malaria from the few mossies you is is pretty low.
Besides the Larium serious messes with your head i now it
did for me...Its not worth it.
After a lifetime of travelling, I no longer take anti-
malarials because one pill and I am into serious
depression. I've also had a perforated stomach from Larium.
I've had several trips to India with no protection other
than repellant and had no problems. I do take an emergency
supply of Larium which the Traveller's Health Centre says
will save my life if I catch it. I've had malaria while
taking the pills (New Guinea) so I really don't think they
are worth mucking your body up with.
All drugs are readily available over the counter in
thousands of pharmacies and are dirt cheap and good.