Malaria Pills for Leticia - where can I pick some up in Medellin?

I went to a doctor in Clinica Las Vegas who was a little clueless about malaria pills. All that she offered was Aralen (a type of chloroquine), but that's no good for the leticia region according to http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/destinations/colombia.htm#colombma... .

I need Atovaquone/proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine - anyone know where I can pick some up in Medellin?

Cheers.

By PaisaTours.com on May 7, 11:02 in Friendly Talkzone.

island girl says on May 7, 11:56:

Hey PT
I might be going to Leticia - if you have info on how to et there etc ... that would be great. I was looking into the Reserva Marasha on the Peruvian side but they never to back to me, any tips about where you might stay, guides etc etc .... thank you and sorry if I am highjacking your post ...
Cheers IG

Gator says on May 7, 12:45:

doxycline and mefloquine shold be available everywhere OTC. Also ask for ASMQ which is being used with good effect in Brazil

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

bufalo says on May 7, 13:54:

Lived there for 6 months, never took any Malaria pills.

DON´T FORGET SUNBLOCK!!!!!!! very hard to itch your bug-bites if you're beet-red.

How to get there? Only way in or out is plane or boat (OK, you can hike it from Tarapacá, but train a bit first.)

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

bickerss says on May 7, 14:54:

I buy doxy over the counter - problem is that here its used for STD's so you get a few funny looks!!

HolandaPaisa says on May 7, 15:24:

You do not need malaria pills for the Leticia area! Palmari Ecolodge 4 hours from Leticia is great place and they state specifically on their site they do not recommend them. You need yellow fever though.

VACCINES & PROPHYLACTICAL MEASURES
YELLOW FEVER: It is mandatory that each visitor carries his valid yellow fever vaccine certificate.

MALARIA: Prophylactical measurs against Malaria are to be decided by every visitor (We do not recommend it!)

http://www.palmari.org/vcd/en/visas/index.htm

I also recommend not to take any pills as they can have nasty side effects...

romy says on May 7, 15:59:

wow I can't believe chloroquine was prescribed in Colombia... usually only north american docs are that clueless about malaria.

jonas says on May 7, 17:12:

In that case may I repeat what the Queen Mother recommended: Gin&Tonics, plenty.

What I have, I do not want to lose, but Where I am I do not want to stay, but those I love, I do not want to leave, but those I know I no longer want to see, but Where I die, I do not want to go;I want to stay where I have never been

bufalo says on May 7, 19:11:

"YELLOW FEVER: It is mandatory that each visitor carries his valid yellow fever vaccine certificate"

mmmmmmm the ecolodge or the people that run Leticia because that's news to me.

forget the eco crud and lodges, get with the natives already. (nothing against you personally, just how I feel when I "eco", it still comes down to being a business)

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

adrimm says on May 7, 22:25:

I didn;t take any Malaria pills - but I was there less than a week. The Colombia Malaria map that my doctor had indicated that although it is Malaria climate, Leticia has low incidence, and is low-risk.

jonas says on May 8, 07:35:

Yellow fever certificate has been mandatory in Puerto Inirida. They checked every single passenger arriving and leaving.
What really annoys me sometimes are tourists that will take their malaria pills even after learning that in the area they travel there is NO malaria. The reason: They paid a lot of money and don´t want to see it wasted. Wooohaaaaaaaa.
Malaria spreads out during the rainy season, so it also depends on the time of year. Then it can be present in one town but not in the next, only a few miles away.

romy says on May 8, 07:49:

but jonas, other than at altitude people are at risk of malaria anywhere in the country (even if it's minimal). If you're saying people are taking malaria pills when in Bogota, la Sierra Nevada, parque de los Nevados, etc. then yes that is very extreme.
In my opinion malaria pill use in Colombia is for the weary though. I've never used them, though they beg me in Canada to take them.

jonas says on May 8, 08:08:

but that is a very "theoretical" risk. When there are no actual cases of malaria reported in the place you are going then I would not recommend taking them. I have seen people suffer severely from the side effects, especially when returning back to altitude. I have never taken prophylaxis myself. I have friends who have had malaria but will not take the pills if there is no acute risk.
So the best is to call ahead and talk to the local clinic at the place you plan to visit.

romy says on May 8, 08:14:

In the end I agree. I just wouldn't judge the people that are obsessive in this matter because it's their health and not mine.

Mr. Hollywood says on May 8, 13:57:

I've had malaria, and I've seen someone very near and dear to me suffer from terrible malaria drug (larium) side-effects.

Neither one is pretty, but if I had to choose, I'd take my experience with malaria over my loved-one's bout with larium side effects.

Doxicycline won't do that to you but I think it does make you sensitive to the sun. On the other hand, it will clear up the clap if you get it in Leticia.