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Shots & medications

jhogsa

We are looking forward to our Tanzania-Zanzibar trip in August. What shots did everyone get? What about malaria medicine & any other medicines??? We would appreciate any tips. Thanks. jhogsa

Comments

British

Read the archive posts on this, it’s been discussed to death.

AshvEd

It’s been discussed in depth too.

Sealord

jhogsa wrote:

We are looking forward to our Tanzania-Zanzibar trip in August. What shots did everyone get? What about malaria medicine & any other medicines??? We would appreciate any tips. Thanks. jhogsa

Just noticed the date of your trip, so I’m going to repeat ‘ourselves’, cuz you may think you have lots of time to do this. First, everyone will say, “check with your doctor”. That being said, we are returning for our third visit to Africa, and in addition to all the normal stuff we get for the U.S. we have hep A & B, typhoid, yellow fever, and we take malaria pills. If you don’t already have some of those, you are short of time. Something to research on Tuesday. (;-)

AshvEd

Yes, the clock is ticking down and get this taken care of ASAP.

jhogsa

AshvEd wrote:

It’s been discussed in depth too.

Thank!

jhogsa

Thanks!

swicegoodsteven

Just returned from Tanzania. We got Hep A before leaving US and nothing else. Several on our tour were taking the malaria medicine but said it caused them to feel "off." We did not take the malaria medicine. Some friends of ours who lived in Africa at one time suggested we NOT take the precaution. Their advice was if you develop symptoms on your trip, the tour director will very easily be able to get the medication for you (does not require a prescription in Tanzania) and it's cheap.

By the way, our Tauck Tour Director is American but lives in Tanzania now. He does not take malaria precautions.

British

No-one is actually likely to show signs of Malaria until they return home, the minimum incubation period is 7 days! My husband’s infectious disease and tropical medicine Dr says he sees people who have travelled to Africa and not taken Malaria meds with Malaria quite frequently. Trouble is,because it can hide for a year it is often misdiagnosed by general doctors and there is delay in treatment. Remember if you get a fever up to a year after travel, remember to tell your Doctor you were in Africa and did’t take Malaria meds.
See this CCC link

https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/disease.html

We had CHRIS on our Botswana, Zambia, South Africa tour, he is a lovely guy. One of our other tour directors who we have had on two Africa tours did take Malaria meds and left Africa for a while because her Dr was not too happy she was constantly taking the meds so she had some time out of Africa. But is now back as far as I know.
We have never had any reactions to Malaria meds and have taken them for quite a few different countries now, it’s no big deal to us, we value our health and want the nearest to zero one can have from getting Malaria. I remember my father telling me about when he got it in Africa, he was hospitalized and was very ill.

Sealord

I took malaria meds for a couple years in Vietnam, and we both took them on our two previous Africa trips, and they are on the shelf waiting for our trip next month. We have had no problem with them. Malaria does not always go away if one is afllicted and the treatment is not completely effective. I have spent years in the Middle East, and have been in at least twelve countries in Africa. It is my opinion that one should do everything possible to protect yourself. It is an unfamiliar environment for those of us from the other side of the world.

AlanS

I think the key to the malaria meds is first get the right med for you- there are 5 main ones. Also, follow the instructions- if it says take it with meals, do it, otherwise it can affect your stomach.

British

I just copied this from the South Africa forum here. Finally, someone who was on a Tauck did get Malaria

So, many years ago my husband and I and two other couples took Tauck's Tanzania trip. We did not take Malarone. We took the recommendation of someone who is a doctor, but who did not specialize in travel or infectious diseases. One of the people came down a few days after our trip with the symptoms and tested positive for falciparum type malaria. Luckily, we live near a lot of retired Vietnam vets and the pathologist recognized the slides right away and they were able to get quick treatment. No repeat episodes for that type. SO - they say in S. Africa you don't really need to and I haven't looked up Zimbabwe on the CDC site yet - BUT each of you should consult a travel doctor just to be certain about what they recommend for YOU. Despite many trips since and before - that trip is still my husband's #1 best trip and last year, it was supplanted for me by the three week India Tauck tour.