Malaria Drugs

Despite the fact that we do no have Malaria in the United States it is still a very serious disease in many parts of the world today. Rwanda, being in Africa, is one of the places. Sadly this lack of exposure to Malaria as children actually leaves us American Peace Corps volunteers at a significant disadvantage when it comes to staying healthy. Our body has never seen Malaria and thus doesn’t have the defenses necessary to ward it off. To counteract this effect we take drugs that remain in your system on a constant basis that mimic the resistance native Rwandans, or Africans, would have to Malaria. Since you will probably see it mentioned here many times the name of the medication I take is Mefloquin, and it is a bitch. For starters the mefloquin causes increased levels of paranoia, anxiety and insomnia. Most of the time the effects are mild and thus not cause enough to switch to one of the two other malaria medications (more on those in a minute). So basically when you are searching for a pen and can’t  find it and it makes you wanna cry? Mefloquin. When waiting for dinner feels like the end of the world? Mefloquin. And when you go for a run in the morning and your heart feels like its pounding out of your chest? Mefloquin. In a post conflict country far from home, you can imagine the kind of thoughts that can race through your mind when you’re having a bad day and you’re on mefloquin. The whole thing really becomes  an issue of mind over matter and its very interesting when your body is experiencing all the physical symptoms of anxiety but your mind is perfectly calm because you know its just  a chemical reaction. Now if only I could master the physical effects we’d be fine and dandy, ihangane. There are 2 other approved Malaria medications in the world today, doxy and malerone, and as a PCV you must be on one medication at all times to remain an employee. The side effects of doxy is extreme sensitivity to sun – well looks like I’ve already got that so I won’t be taking doxy anytime soon. There are almost no side effects that I have heard of from the last drug, malorone, but it is expensive so you have to be resistant to the other two drugs first. Anyways this a super boring post but it is a crucial aspect of my life and maybe it will help everyone understand a little better how Mefloquin effects my everyday life and why I hate it so much.