India trip 1 - made it through 3 days of Malarone (Sleepless, flue-like symptoms, small anxiousness) - Forgot to take it and felt fantastic and therefore, never took it again.
India trip 2 - Mefloquine (Weekly dosage) - Same kind of feeling as above on first dose. Dose 2, re-invigorated the crappy feeling with a bonus yesterday at work and continuing when I had to abort boarding a plane back to Hyderabad. Good thing I did! At the airport clinic:
BP reading #1 160/100
BP reading #2 155/95
BP reading #3 150/100
The gave me an Alprax - Knocked me out within about 15 minutes of taking it. In any event at least my BP was 140/90 this morning which is high, but not ridiculous. The nurse gave me about 6 lectures about my eating habits, salt intake, exercise, heavy drinking. Thankfully the Dr she talked to on the phone must have had access to google and came to my preferred and expected conclusion: Mefloquine induced anxiety attack. My BP on June 4 was 134/85 when I visited my Dr. before the trip (Taken around noon after eatin' a burrito). I mean, I'm out of shape, but I also don't eat crappy food because my beautiful wife takes very good care of me.
Let's just say I managed to "hit the jackpot" on side effects! I don't know whatever possessed me to finally take this stuff given this is my 9th trip into a "malaria zone."
Getting this ECG was an experience too... If nothing else, it was entertaining. For those of you who think I'm heartless, I present to you exhibit A :)-P
7 comments:
I am glad you are over your temporary psych disorder.
Heh, now if I can only fix my permanent one...
-P
How ya doin' Mr. Patrick?
Other than my chest looking like it was attacked by an Octopus, I'm ok :)
-P
Just sorry it wasn't a hockey-topus
I hope you have a serene trip home, read some junk and I hope the movie's good.
A
Sounds bad, glad you found the solution.
Mike and I have both taken lariam with no ill effects. Interesting.
KC
Every person I have run into said they quit taking Larium for the same reasons. the kicker is that apparently, Dr's have since determined that there's no point intaking Larium since it doesn't prevent one from getting malaria and if you do get it, they give you mega-doses to kill it even if you've been taking the prophylaxis.
I had another weird episode yesterday and went to the ER with Heart-Attack symptoms. They ran a full screen for Heart enzymes (check for heart attack) and full chest X-ray's to look for a Pulmonary embolism. I was told that I will pretty much have to ride it out of my system.
-P
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