Anti-Malarial in Belize???

[Otter]

OK...so we are diving on a liveaboard in Belize this February....I don't feel a particular need to take any anti-malarials....however.....we may take a trip to ruins or cave tubing the day before the trip....now, do I play the conservative route and take the anti-malarials before, during, and after or not?

 

[Dive-aholic]

The CDC recommends it:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm

They say you should take it the week before you go, while you're there, and for 4 weeks afterwards. You only have to take it once a week.

Or...you could just drink lots of gin and tonic. The tonic is the anti malaria, the gin just makes it taste better.....

But since you are going to be on a liveaboard, it might not be necessary.

BTW, thanks for posting this. We'll be in Belize next month too and hadn't even thought of it. Also, I do have a coworker who's been there a couple of times already and is also going next month and I don't think he or his wife have taken any precautions.

 

[Gaz]

You have to follow your doctors reccomendations but I can say malaria is not prevalant here in belize although it is here but in 15 plus years i can say i have maybe heard of one case.

better safe that sorry though so take your medicine

Gaz Cooper
www.diveBelize.com




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[Hank49]

I know of 4 people that have gotten it here in the south in the last two years. But we're much closer to the rain forests. Live aboards whould be much safer. I have never taken anything ...but everyone tells me I'm lucky. Hank

 

[Otter]

If I were just doing the liveaboard, I wouldn't bother. But going to the ruins...thats the issue. Now I understand that malaria is worse further south than where we will be. One of the group had decided not to go with the treatment. His reasoning is that it takes 9 days before your are symptomatic....he will be home by then and can receive treatment....

 

[Hank49]

If I were just doing the liveaboard, I wouldn't bother. But going to the ruins...thats the issue. Now I understand that malaria is worse further south than where we will be. One of the group had decided not to go with the treatment. His reasoning is that it takes 9 days before your are symptomatic....he will be home by then and can receive treatment....

The people I know that had it were completely cured so it's not the kind that stays with you for life like some of the nasty African strains. But still it was no fun. They were pretty sick. The medication must be taken for a full term and it will knock is out completely. One of my guys on the farm got it up in Orange walk so it's not confined to only the south. I don't know how the pervention med reacts with diving every day.

 

[SueMermaid]

It's not gonna hurt, except that you can't take it and then drink the same day. Alcohol, I mean. But otherwise, it's just a pill a week, as I recall.

 

[Otter]

The people I know that had it were completely cured so it's not the kind that stays with you for life like some of the nasty African strains. But still it was no fun. They were pretty sick. The medication must be taken for a full term and it will knock is out completely. One of my guys on the farm got it up in Orange walk so it's not confined to only the south. I don't know how the pervention med reacts with diving every day.

The CDC recommends chloroquine...which is supposed to fine for divers. A former student just returned from Belize and had no ill effects. I'll probably try it. If we go in to see the ruins, do you have any suggestions on who/what/where?

 

[Hank49]

The CDC recommends chloroquine...which is supposed to fine for divers. A former student just returned from Belize and had no ill effects. I'll probably try it. If we go in to see the ruins, do you have any suggestions on who/what/where?

The ruin that I've heard is big and really nice is up toward Cayo. You turn off the Western Hwy and go up the Mountain Pine Ridge. It's pretty far on a mediocre road but the drive is beautiful and there are nice resorts up there to stay in.
Altun Ha is about 20 miles or so from the International Airport and that's the only one I've been to. It's pretty nice but they're renovating it with new cement to make it look "whole" again I guess.
There's also nice hiking at the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve. If you get that far you're close to my neck of the woods. PM me if you want to hook up. Hank

 

[Otter]

It's not gonna hurt, except that you can't take it and then drink the same day. Alcohol, I mean. But otherwise, it's just a pill a week, as I recall.

If it were just pain, it wouldn't be an issue. I have never been a big fan of meds and recent findings of over the counter meds having longer-term side effects just reinforced my distrust. With all due respect to very learned medical professionals, I think medicine is still largely art over science.