Malaria pills

My other exciting adventure today was filling the prescription for Malaria pills. The pills that will hopefully, keep me from coming down with Malaria. Mind you, even with the pills, there is still a chance that I could get Malaria, so I will be carrying my DEET and some spray for the room (just in case). And every place we stay will either have good screens in the windows or bed netting. I'll take a picture of a bed with netting when I get to Africa and post it here so you will be able to see what I am talking about.

The organism (a protozoa) that cause Malaria are resistant to the old standard Malaria medications, so I am left with fewer alternatives. The inexpensive one, mefloquine (Lariam), is taken weekly but has a host of very scary side effects including neurological and psychotic effects. I decided that there was no way I would take Lariam.

Fortunately, there is an alternative, a newer drug called Malarone. The problem is that Malarine is taken daily, so it is more expensive. Many health plans do not cover it. I decided that it was a no brainer, it is worth the extra money ($200 or $300).

So, I go the pharmacy this afternoon to pick up the drug figuring on having to charge it because I did not have that much cash on me. I was pleasantly surprised when my pharmacist told me that he had a conversation with my provider and was able to get them to cover it. So, I got it for $10.00.

So, I have my Malaria pills and the antibiotics (Cipro) in case a get a bad case of the runs. And I will need to get Imodium AD to counter the side effect of the Cipro cause Cipro kills all the good bacteria and gives me the runs. I am hoping that I won't need the Cipro, but I have it.

And I have two prescription bottles with two labels for the two bottles of thyroid pills that I am taking with me. I don't have a thyroid, so I need these pills. Two bottles, one to carry in my pocket and the other in my carry-on. In other words, a spare bottle in case I lose one.

Yeah, not exciting. But that is what my life has been like recently. Taking care of all kinds of details.

Stay tuned.