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.
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?
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.
You convinced yet? Apply within:
Apart from that though….Malaria’s not that bad is it?
Billy – I don’t recommend it as a first option activity but it certainly is worth talking about later… It’s a hoot. So when do you get here? I’m sure we can use some plumbing skills out here now that you done with Antwerp? Come on!
Billy,
I remember you saying that you were destined for a certain north Sea installation. Did you meet Katie when you were there?
WG
So Hoox,
How does one get involved in these sorts of projects?
I have the hankering to get involved in an African project of sorts.
How would I go about looking or getting involved in something like this?
TP – I was just unlucky I guess. I’m kidding. It’s what I always wanted to do. I actually started with my company in the UK that just happens to do these projects worldwide. I am looking into further options shortly as I have heard a few names dropped around. I am just a bit hectic at the moment so cant do anything about it now but would appreciate it if you could drop me a reminder in a short while and I can get some information to you. If I hear anything further before I will get in touch with you.
i’ve been reading your blog — just ask for help when you see a random guy outside your window with a machete. it not real– another side affect. still jealous.
Payne – This is Angola. The machetes are REAL! Hahahaha.
How many times have you had malaria HooX?
I guess I’ve just been lucky – never taken any of those pills and the nasty mosquitoes just seem to pass me by – but my uncle lived and worked in Botswana for a couple of years as a pharmacist and he told us that taking certain of these pills will actually make it more difficult to diagnose it if you do get it and cause you to build up some sort of resistance to the medicine that they use to treat it?
Anyway, that was a while ago – not sure if that still holds true now? We just used to take Aloe crystals instead, it will make both mozzies and ticks run a mile to get away from you (fun to watch).
Lou – I had it twice. It’s real fun and games. You know the kind of fun and games that make grown men cry and brings commandos to their knees. I would love to hear more about these Aloe Crystals. Do I just go and pick them up from my local Sangoma?? Hold 3 Aloe Crystals above your head and chant while the smoking bones reveal the can of fucking Doom to destroy the evil bastard, parasite carrying, good for nothing, blood sucking, FEMALE, Anopheles mosquito! Or just a swift “smack and wipe”?
Ta muchly Hoox,
I work for a projects company in the UK, but most of our projects aren’t going very far at the moment and I have the feeling to work on something more fulfilling.
Any info would be very appreciatively received.
The Pete
You can pick it up at most semi-decent pharmacies. It’s pitch black, bitter-like-you-have-never-known-anything-can-be-bitter, little crystals. You need to take a teeny tiny one about the size of a match-head every day, and the bigger ones you should break smaller and keep to this dosage to avoid any unpleasant side (and bottom) effects.
Now…to sneak this crap past your tongue is a whole other mission (did I mention how bitter it was?), best way that I’ve come across so far is either stashed in a round slice of banana (the soft ripe kind so that it can sort of slide past all your natural gag-reflexes) or a big spoon of yogurt?
I never said it was easy – I just said it worked.
Or you could get one of these?
mosquito killing bat
chris – feck the aloe crstals – drink rum daily. the mossie buggers cant stand the stuff….. its like galic to a vampire.
Lou – Im with Mark on this one! And this boy knows. He spent a couple of years in Angola. Not on holiday though.