malaria pills or not

[okmaestra]

My daughter is traveling to Nicaragua (Granada) for 3 weeks (first 3 weeks of June) to study at a language school there. She will be staying with a local family. We know that it is the rainy season and the mosquito bite risk will be high. She plans to take plenty of repellent, wear long sleeves, long pants, etc., but should she also take the malaria pills? The side-effects are a little daunting.

Any advice on this will be very much appreciated.

[a601mom]

I  would go with the CDC recommendation= I have taken Chloroquine for the last five years with no side effects.

[Joshua Berman]

I took it for two years during my Peace Corps stint (1998-2000), never got side effects, but have not taken it since and never had a problem. I have one friend who got malaria though, in Chinandega, and his first words when I saw him was, "Dude, take your chloroquine."

[tleamond]

I am traveling to Nicaragua in late June.  I have enough chloroquine to get me started but not enough to complete the regime recommended by the CDC.  Can I buy chloroquine in pharmacies in Nicaragua without a prescription?  Is is reasonably priced.  I normally go through my doctor, but there is a hefty co-pay.

Any recommendations? 

[Joshua Berman]

Yes, it is available down there, but not sure about needing a prescription or not. Probably very cheap.

[a601mom]

No prescription needed- You buy Aralen 250mg- take two -10 for $1

[DMinar]

Hi, just to clarify, if we will be in Nicaragua for two weeks in December, the risk of malaria is lower? Or should we take the chloroquine anyway? I am a mosquito magnet.

[a601mom]

CDC recommends Chloroquine for rural areas and the outskirts of Managua- not very specific- It appears to me that few people have reactions to Chloroquine.