We’re going to India next week, and so have to have malaria medication, and here’s the warning, laminated that I’m supposed to carry in my wallet, that came with the prescription:
Mefloquine can cause serious mental problems in some people. If you take mefloquine and you have sudden signs of serious mental problems (such as: severe anxiety, feelings of mistrust towards others, seeing or hearing things that are not there, depression, feeling restlessness, unusual behavior or feeling confused), you should contact a doctor right away as it may be necessary to stop taking mefloquine and take different medicine to prevent malaria.
As I told the pharmacist when she pointed this warning out to me, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to recognize these side effects from my normal mental state. But there are potential physical problems as well as mental problems with the drug:
Other side effects from Mefloquine may include: convulsions, liver problems, and heart problems. The most common side effects of metfloquine include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness or loss of balance (vertigo) which may continue for months after mefloquine is stopped, headache, and sleeping problems (sleepiness, unable to sleep, bad dreams).
So just how is this better than malaria? George Clooney has had it (twice) and he seems to be just fine. Better than me, truth be told.
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