Take your Malaria meds

[Asante Maroon 0]

Ahem....

I would like to say that I agree that malaria is a very serious condition in many areas in sub-saharan africa and that it is our personal responsibility to insure that we contain this epidemic and do not transpose the possibilities of infection to our compatriots within american borders. I support the use of mood enhancing malaria preventive medications for all citizens travelling within these regions on a weekly basis unless they are not travelling within these regions wherein they should probably be redirected to our intervention scheduled at Asante's place in NYC. Everyone should bring a dish as paper products will abound.

Thank you for your support. Did I get it back on track Omoba?

Z

Omoba, excuse me for a second while I jump for a second. Zainab, I am so happy to help you out by having your intervention at my home in NYC. Trust me its no trouble at all!

The first step to recovery, however, is admitting that you do in fact have a problem. Yes...now is when you admit it... still waiting ... ...Ok,...maybe next time.

At any rate... "Just call my name... and I'll be there"

Malaria will have you "weak in the knees [you] can hardly speak. [you] lose all control and something takes over [you]..."

I had it and wasted a whole week of my trip. Be safe ya'll! Make sure you take it EVERY week or as often your doctor prescribes!!! I forgot a dose or two and then BAM!!!! ...I was done

See Omoba...I told you I would get back on topic

[Zee Bee 61]

C'mon people. Malaria is not THAT bad.

This coming from someone who has it more times than I care to remember

[LovinLiberia 0]

Stevi, thank goodness you didn't get Malaria while you were there. Last time I was prescribed a daily pill. This time I will ask for a weekly one. I'm not good with keeping up with pills...especially not while I'm vacationing.

[Ta Ta 1]

There is the chronic not so bad Malaria that most sub-saharan regions deal with and then there is acute Malaria which can kill you............remember also different strains of Mosquitos, different levels of illness. Thousands die daily, especially children and the elderly. It can really whip your butt

for not days but weeks.

[LovinLiberia 0]

....Which leads to the question:

Why does everything over there get diagnosed as Malaria? If someone has a cough and a sore throat...it's Malaria. A headache? Ohhh, that's just Malaria. LOL, if someone breaks their leg, it seems that somehow it relates back to Malaria. The people I talk to in Liberia seem to get Malaria weekly.

[Zee Bee 61]

....Which leads to the question:

Why does everything over there get diagnosed as Malaria? If someone has a cough and a sore throat...it's Malaria. A headache? Ohhh, that's just Malaria. LOL, if someone breaks their leg, it seems that somehow it relates back to Malaria. The people I talk to in Liberia seem to get Malaria weekly.

I think its because (1) the symptoms are pretty common for anything and (2) they use the malaria treatment more as prevention than treatment. I guess they assume that if you are in less than stellar health then you are more likely to contract malaria, so why not head it off at the pass?

Unfortunately this has lead to strains of malaria becoming resistant to a lot of medications making the more deadly strains of malaria that more dangerous.

[LovinLiberia 0]

I think its because (1) the symptoms are pretty common for anything and (2) they use the malaria treatment more as prevention than treatment. I guess they assume that if you are in less than stellar health then you are more likely to contract malaria, so why not head it off at the pass?

Unfortunately this has lead to strains of malaria becoming resistant to a lot of medications making the more deadly strains of malaria that more dangerous.

That's what I assumed and that's what I've been told when the hubby and I discussed it one day. I can understand the idea behind them trying to prevent it early on. The fact that it leads to more resistant strains is very unfortunate. I definately won't take that chance next time. I only saw one mosquito the whole time I was in Liberia, but I was torn to pieces in Ghana.

[Ta Ta 1]

Yes exactly , and I want to add that in S/L the costs of identifying if and what type of Malaria it may be, is too high, the processing often not available

so therefore the assumption it is Malaria and the motivation for preventative measures if the immune system is already compromised.

If only more children had access to nets ...........it costs only $ 5 per net........too much for poor families but more efforts should be made to raise money for this.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

C'mon people. Malaria is not THAT bad.

This coming from someone who has it more times than I care to remember

Labor isn't that bad either, but at least at the end you get a baby!

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

I think its because (1) the symptoms are pretty common for anything and (2) they use the malaria treatment more as prevention than treatment. I guess they assume that if you are in less than stellar health then you are more likely to contract malaria, so why not head it off at the pass?

Unfortunately this has lead to strains of malaria becoming resistant to a lot of medications making the more deadly strains of malaria that more dangerous.

That's what I assumed and that's what I've been told when the hubby and I discussed it one day. I can understand the idea behind them trying to prevent it early on. The fact that it leads to more resistant strains is very unfortunate. I definately won't take that chance next time. I only saw one mosquito the whole time I was in Liberia, but I was torn to pieces in Ghana.

Well in many west african countries malaria is the equivalent to the common cold in the US. Just about everyone has had a strain of it at some point in their lives. My friend in Ghana (american expat) told me that if you get malaria you are more likely to die if you go home without having been diagnosed because they recognize and treat regularly in Ghana and in the US, they wouldn't react as quickly and realize what's wrong with you.

[Ta Ta 1]

Whenever Stephen gets here and comes down with " flu symptoms ' I will be all over it ......... insist on malaria tests and other parasite testing.

[Perseverance 1]

Whenever Stephen gets here and comes down with " flu symptoms ' I will be all over it ......... insist on malaria tests and other parasite testing.

I asked for them to test Justice when he was so sick several months ago and they would not test him.

[Ta Ta 1]

why noooooooooooot ? They will for me ...I am known to be a very assertive patient advocate ! It will be easy with the Gastroenterologist, he is my client . For the other docs I just insist or go elsewhere unless they give me a good reason of why they won't test.

They know I want to be involved in the decisions of my care or my families care.

I don't like know -it -all- stuck- up doctors who do whatever without communicating the whys and hows.

[Perseverance 1]

why noooooooooooot ? They will for me ...I am known to be a very assertive patient advocate ! It will be easy with the Gastroenterologist, he is my client . For the other docs I just insist or go elsewhere unless they give me a good reason of why they won't test.

They know I want to be involved in the decisions of my care or my families care.

I don't like know -it -all- stuck- up doctors who do whatever without communicating the whys and hows.

I have no doubts that you would sit your German butt in that office until they tested him or the police came to arrest you!!!

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

Whenever Stephen gets here and comes down with " flu symptoms ' I will be all over it ......... insist on malaria tests and other parasite testing.

I asked for them to test Justice when he was so sick several months ago and they would not test him.

Are you serious? That's insane. You have good reason to request a malaria test so it's not like you pulled it out your tooktook! Doctors think they know everything! They make me sick!