Lariam

27 02 2008

Yes I am back in a Malaria area and boy am I looking forward to another good old solid dose of Malaria! It is a terrific weight loss program. Your body literally “rejects” (for lack of a better polite word) EVERYTHING from EVERYWHERE! The last 2 times I got it I lost about 10-15kgs per bout!

Ok so there is a down side too. You also feel like you are being smashed in the back of the head with a sledgehammer with every heartbeat, suffer from pain in your body like you are being bodyslammed by a WWF champ, and have extreme hot and cold sweats for the entire duration of the illness which can last up to 2 weeks if not caught early enough. Oh yes, it can also kill you in about a week if left untreated. Fun and games.

mosquito_bite

As part of the conditions of the assignment, we have been instructed to take anti-malarial drugs, of which I have chosen Lariam and although it’s known to be a son-of-a-bitch option, it’s the only effective drug out here that can be taken weekly. All the others are drugs with daily doses and I’m that useless at remembering to take medication that I have always said if I was a female relying on the pill, I would fall pregnant every 9 months. Anyhow, back to the amazing weekly drug Lariam which has some amazing effects too. Lets take a look shall we?

lariam

How does it work?
This medicine contains the active ingredient mefloquine, which is a type of medicine called an antimalarial. It is used in both the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Mefloquine works by attacking the parasites once they have entered the red blood cells. It kills the parasites and prevents them from multiplying further.

Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine.

  • Headache
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor)
  • Visual disturbances
  • Balance problems involving the inner ear (vertigo)
  • Pins and needles (paraesthesia)
  • Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations)
  • Changes in blood pressure
  • Sleepiness (somnolence)
  • Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia)
  • Chest pain
  • Skin reactions such as rash and itch
  • Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain
  • Psychiatric reactions such as depression, mood changes, anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, panic attacks, restlessness, forgetfulness, psychosis, paranoia, emotional instability, aggression and agitation (see warnings above)
  • Fits (convulsions)
  • Dizziness

Sounds like the average hangover to me! I will let you know how I get on. If you see me shaking and bawling my eyes out uncontrollably, please send me home!
You cant pay for this kind of entertainment. I told you living in deepest, darkest Africa was fun.

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Categories : Africa, Angola, Project, Travel