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Old Aug 28, 2016, 5:30 am
  #17  
Bakpapier
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC, IB+, TAM multi+
Posts: 453
Don't get malaria profylaxis unless you absolutely have to (go to a very high malaria incidence area). And even then, only take Malarone, never ever take lariam. Especially not if you are a young male (<30 years of age).

One of my friends became absolutely totally bonkers crazy due to that stuff, even becoming aggressive, getting very strange dreams etc. It has reportedly even killed people.

Don't buy expensive anti mosquito stuff in your home country. Instead, buy the stuff that is used by locals. Spray repellant, use one of those things you plug into a power outlet while you are sleeping which emits anti-mosquito stuff, and cover yourself during the night even when it's hot with a thin blanket, and use a fan rather than AC (the fan tends to upset the mosquitos a bit). If you are truly going into the bush bush, use a mosquito net (buy it locally for cheap), and use one of those poisonous 'spirals' which you can light with your lighter and which slowly burn during the night, emitting anti-mosquito stuff. I don't think the latter stuff is very good for your for an extended amount of time but it's an option. I used them in the Brazilian bush bush lacking other options.

Zika, chikungunya and especially dengue are almost as dangerous/unpleasant as malaria and you can't do anything about them anyway, so I don't see why it makes sense to spend hundreds of euros on malaria profylaxis (though even the fact that my insurance would have covered it, I didn't use it) which is also very detrimental to your body in the long run. Of course if you really are going to malaria hotspots it could be necessary, but avoid it at all costs.

Last edited by Bakpapier; Aug 28, 2016 at 5:36 am
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