Lariam Mefloquine anti malarial drugs and your thoughts?

[Skaman]

I am soon to be taking Lariam and have heard of numerous adverse effects including debilitating anxiety, paranoia, dizziness and suicidal inclinations. My question: has anyone taken this drug for an extended period of time, and what kind of response to the medication did you have? Any insight is appreciated.

[Royal]

Yes. Don't take Larium.

In my experience - nightmares, paranoia, shakes.

I've had to physically disarm a Marine on larium carrying a loaded weapon in Africa because I had a serious worry that he'd kill one of us.

[California Joe]

Do you mean "debilitating" anxiety? That stuff sounds seriously bad.

[Aerosoul]

let me just tell you. DO NOT TAKE IT. PLEASE. for yourself, and for those you know.

[Hollis]

The professional Soldiers forum in the medical section has a current on going discussion on anti- malarial medications, you can read them with out registering.




I am soon to be taking Lariam and have heard of numerous adverse effects including deliberating anxiety, paranoia, dizziness and suicidal inclinations. My question: has anyone taken this drug for an extended period of time, and what kind of response to the medication did you have? Any insight is appreciated.

[Skaman]

Hello, thanks for the reply. Can you provide a link?

found it.

[EvanL]

I've heard ****ed up things about it from my dad who took it at one time.

[Skaman]

Yes. Don't take Larium.

In my experience - nightmares, paranoia, shakes.

I've had to physically disarm a Marine on larium carrying a loaded weapon in Africa because I had a serious worry that he'd kill one of us.

Regarding Lariam, bad news seems to travel fast. I had 24 weeks of dosage prescribed by my doctor, but I am questioning his sound judgment following some personal research: class action lawsuits, suicide, soldiers killing their wives, epileptic seizures etc. While the occurrence of these adverse effects is supposedly infrequent, prevalence appears in a “sizeable” minority. I have been thinking of returning my Lariam for doxcycline or Malarone. Does anyone have experience with these types? I thought the forum would be a great place to check on experiences, as there are an active number of soldiers who have operated in malaria endemic areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

[Royal]

I've used Doxycycline (correct spelling, I think) with no real problems - I know people with fair skin who've had real sunburn problems with it through.

We normaly take Proguanil or Nivaquine and I've never had a problem with them.

Proguanil is Paludrine (the name of the junior ranks club at Hereford BTW ;)) and there are a lot of deaf ex-UKSF guys who blame it on the long term use of Paludrine and not the bangs - take your choice.

[shorty]

I've used Doxycycline (correct spelling, I think) with no real problems - I know people with fair skin who've had real sunburn problems with it through.

Correct spelling. I too have taken Doxycycline and had no problems with it.

[usa320]

last time i was at school the UofR had some poster up on the bulletein board looking for people to test a new Malaria drug for $50 a day... i dont think anyone was willing to do it...that stuff can fug you up bad.

[Skaman]

I am looking at Malarone as an alternative to Lariam and Doxycycline. Doxycycline would be my default choice if not for increased photosensitivity to light exposure. (I am rather fair) Malarone is argued to have high efficacy rates, but is extremely expensive. I am certainly in a precarious position. Any malarone users out there?

[Clete Torres]

My brother knows a guy who took Lariam when he was in the Peace Corps and now the guy is part of the class action lawsuit against the people who make it. I met the guy once and he's a freak. Facial ticks, rambling incoherently, he stops mid-sentence and starts sobbing uncontrollably. With those kind of side-effects I'd prefer a little Malaria instead.

[Skaman]

My brother knows a guy who took Lariam when he was in the Peace Corps and now the guy is part of the class action lawsuit against the people who make it. I met the guy once and he's a freak. Facial ticks, rambling incoherently, he stops mid-sentence and starts sobbing uncontrollably. With those kind of side-effects I'd prefer a little Malaria instead.


Makes one think twice about anti-malarials. Then again, malaria kills you...

[Marsuitor]

Longest i've been on Lariam is six months while in the Solomons some three years ago, as a civvy. When i first started taking it, some two weeks before travelling to an exposed area, i didn't have any problems, but after a month or so i started getting really wierd dreams and eventually i reached the point where i got scared faecesless for stupid things. At the worst point i found myself clinging to my knife and almost pissing myself when i was woken up by howling dogs in the middle of the night. I stopped taking the stuff after this, and after a week or two the side-effects ended.
Last deployment we were set to receive a Chloroquine prophylactic IIRC, but only if the "alert state" for malaria was heightened, which it never was. We also had huge stockpiles of Malarone ready for use. The latter apparently agreed on as being the best anti-malarial drug available due to few to no side-effects and effective prevention of the disease.

Take care,
Marcus

[KG200]

Makes one think twice about anti-malarials. Then again, malaria kills you...

First, I hope you realize this is a wrong place to ask such questions - you most definitely should talk to a competent tropical diseases specialist.
Second, from my short experience with anti-malarial drugs (5yrs in clinical biochem. lab), I'd say malarone is the best prophylaxis drug around. It's a combination drug consisting of atovaquone and proguanil. You may want to check this link:
http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_malarone.pdf

Proguanil combined with chloroquine is also supposedly very efficient. There was a talk about something called artemisinin, but I don't know if it is approved yet. Doxycycline is the third choice but, far as I know, it is not currently recommended for antimalarial prophylaxis in UK and Australia. As you mentioned, it may cause severe sunburn.
Third, lariam is allegedly very efficient malaria treatment drug, but for prophylaxis, IMHO you should avoid it. Bad sh!t, really.

Best regards and good luck - you'll need it wherever you're going.

[dave81]

What country are you planning on going to that you need this drug? It gave some folks in my unit nightmares, but the worst it did to me was give me sudden dizzy spells that lasted about 5-10 seconds. we all pretty much stopped taking that crap after a few weeks. Six months later I come across an Air Force memo on the internet (by the way I'm in the Army) that says Iraq had zero risk of malaria. Boy it woulda been nice if they told us that earlier!

[Deuterium]

I always took Lariam in the past 15 years or so when traveling in malaria areas. I probably took the drug at least 10 times during this period. I never experienced any side effects but I know people who did. Vivid dreams seamed to be the norm. I always wanted to experience this for myself but it never happened.

My .02 cents is that a few vivid dreams are a small price to pay for not getting malaria.

The longest I was on Lariam at one time was 4 months.

[Skaman]

First, I hope you realize this is a wrong place to ask such questions - you most definitely should talk to a competent tropical diseases specialist.
Second, from my short experience with anti-malarial drugs (5yrs in clinical biochem. lab), I'd say malarone is the best prophylaxis drug around. It's a combination drug consisting of atovaquone and proguanil. You may want to check this link:
http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_malarone.pdf

Proguanil combined with chloroquine is also supposedly very efficient. There was a talk about something called artemisinin, but I don't know if it is approved yet. Doxycycline is the third choice but, far as I know, it is not currently recommended for antimalarial prophylaxis in UK and Australia. As you mentioned, it may cause severe sunburn.
Third, lariam is allegedly very efficient malaria treatment drug, but for prophylaxis, IMHO you should avoid it. Bad sh!t, really.

Best regards and good luck - you'll need it wherever you're going.
I have consulted a doctor and travel clinic as indicated in my earlier posts. My intent was to gauge the extent of these adverse effects by speaking with some individuals who have likely taken Lariam. Thank you for your advice, it is much appreciated.

Oh, for those interested. The malaria region is Mombasa, Kenya.

[KG200]

Iraq had zero risk of malaria

Not according to this:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/mideast.htm

I wonder why they wanted you to take that sh!t anyway.
If it's bad for car drivers, then I don't see how it could possibly be good for combat soldiers.

[digrar]

I used Doxy for 6 months, the sun burn thing was a big one for us, also there was the occasional "doxy day" where you just felt bitter and twisted and a little bit cranky. It's better than a dose of malaria though.

[James]

I used Doxy for 6 months, the sun burn thing was a big one for us, also there was the occasional "doxy day" where you just felt bitter and twisted and a little bit cranky. It's better than a dose of malaria though.

Ja. I'm on doxy right now. I sunburn easily anyway, so I always wear long sleeves or SPF50 sunblock.

[Roy Batty]

I took Mefloquine for 6 months while deployed to Afghanistan. The only effects that were really noticable were the damned dreams. We used to have mefloquine mondays where we would all take our pills and crash out and the next morning compare dreams. It gave me very vivid dreams, some guys had nightmares and others had really dirty dreams. I got fairly lucky and had the latter of the two.......come to think of it I recall a few that were both scary and dirty...lol

[dave81]

Not according to this:
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/mideast.htm

Hmm..Interesting. I was going by this (USAF memo, .pdf file): http://www.afpmb.org/coweb/guidance_targets/vector_and_pestcontrol/CENTAF%20Policy%20on%20Malaria%20Chemoprophylaxis%2020050112.pdf
For those without Adobe reader, here are the parts I was referring to:
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND AIR FORCES (USCENTAF)
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL CENTAF MEDICAL UNITS
Malaria chemoprophylaxis for USCENTAF forces stationed in Iraq:
Anti-malarials are not required for personnel deployed to Iraq based on current vector surveillance and disease trends. The memo, of course, is much longer than this and even includes a chart of different countries and the risks they possess, which reiterates that Iraq has no risk of malaria. That being said, this memo *is* over year old, but it was current at the time of my deployment.

[Flyboy]

in '02 I took it for around 4 months, even though we were supposed to take it for 6. I don't get any sleep when I take it, unless I take it pretty damn early in the morning. The weird-ass dreams happen too. I am currently deployed and haven't taken mine until today, 2 months after I was supposed to start taking it. I don't think it works or you should take it.

[ibstolidude]

I am soon to be taking Lariam and have heard of numerous adverse effects including debilitating anxiety, paranoia, dizziness and suicidal inclinations. My question: has anyone taken this drug for an extended period of time, and what kind of response to the medication did you have? Any insight is appreciated.
I have taken it over several periods (the longest period was about 8 months); I have felt no negative effects. I even know a guy who, confused, took Larium everyday for a week (or so) and noticed nothing more than restless sleep. Other guys stated they could recall super vivid dreams w/great clarity or had trouble sleping, I do not recall experiencing it to the degree many describe. I have known two people who took Doxy (or sisters) as they felt that Larium caused their joint/tendon problems to be inflammed. The only odd events I, myself, witnessed in others were most likely fatigue, stress, and good old fashion exhaustion or a comnination of all w/the drug - but they atleast were interesting.

[SamHamam]

there are a lot of deaf ex-UKSF guys who blame it on the long term use of Paludrine

Well they should turn the bloody music down!

[Royal]

Well they should turn the bloody music down!

If they did that we'd all be able to hear the conversations about the super sneaky team jobs they'd just come back from ;)

[a_very_ex_STAB]

I've taken Lariam numerous times in Africa and India. Never had a problem with it

[marktigger]

As a healthcare professional I have to advise that here is not a good place to get balanced advice. You need to speak to a doctor with expertise in the area (tropical medicine)and or a pharmicist. Lariam is a very effective drug against some forms of Malaria and from memory (and we're going back 10 years) it is the most or only effectie drug against 1 form of malaria. Royal is correct in the side effects are prity serious for some people and this is well documented it is also well documented in UK forces the effect of Not having effective antimalarial cover post sierra leone and for the USMC liberia,
There is 3 types of malaria and they do not always occur together and the medication requirements vary from region to region. The drugs used for each type of malaria vary fom strain to strain and drug resistance of the strains in a region.The Best advice I can give you is yes read what is said here take it on board then forget the bull**** and speak to a medical professional explain your concerns and see what your treatment options are. But for god's sake get antimalarial cover and observe the basic rules about dress mosquito nets insect repellent etc.

[Skaman]

Thanks for the reply Mark. I am dealing with the most dangerous strain of malaria, called p. falciparum, conveniently chloroquine resistant. The only anti-malarials that are deemed effective in Kenya, according to the travel clinic and my doctor are Malarone, Lariam, and Doxycycline. The latter two I want to stay away of, in light of some academic science journals I have comes across, and accounts of other users, suggesting the two as “no goes”. Despite my doctor prescribing Lariam, I want to persue Malarone as an option, the newest preventative on the market and regarded as having the least side effects. I was contemplating Lariam, but I am questioning my GP’s sound advice concerning tropical diseases. I seemed to know more about malaria then he did… Anyways, I’m going to try and get in-touch with a few others “in the know”, but it was interesting reading your responses. Thanks again,

Skaman

[gilgoul]

I `d defnitely advise you to consult your doctor, but malaria can be way worse than the adverse effects of Lariam.
Paludrine is a good alternative when effective (not every where), the princept is a coktail of proguanil hydrochloride, and I took it for more than six month without side effects, neither noticeable ones on my comrades.
But man, really don`t forget that malaria kills millions of people yearly.

[Skaman]

I just picked up 92 tablets of Malarone.