Bali and Lombok with kids - Anti-Malarials?

[BedHeaded]

We're visiting Bali and Lombok this August.

If we were just going to Bali I wouldn't, as the current advice is that it's malaria free.

However, on the NHS travel website, Lombok is showing as low risk.

I know Malaria is very serious but anti-malarials can have horrible side affects too - would you give them to your kids (mine are 9 and 7) for a low risk area?

Both accommodations have a/c and we'll be using spray on ourselves.

I was more worried about the daytime Dengue mozzies until I started researching the malaria ones!

TIA

Not sure on giving it to kids (have no kids myself) but have you both taken it before? It's very important you do take Malaria tablets in lombok, it was a high risk area a year ago. My dh reacted terribly to them and was advised to come off them and not spend much time outside after.

It depends which ones you take. When we went to Indonesia the anti-malarials we took didn't cause any problems at all.

I would take Malarone which is more expensive then the doxy ones but is supposed to have less side effects, especially with children.

Can you remember which ones your dh took Four?

No, none of us have taken the before.

We took Malarone. I was absolutely fine, but my dh was nearly hospitalised from the side effects. He has never been ill in the ten years we have been together so his malarone reaction was a shock. A friend of mine also took malarone for her trip a year earlier and reacted badly getting purple circles all over her hands and arms.
Don't want to scare you, but definitely something to be aware of.

Oh no, sounds awful.

We're definitely going to take them and just hope we don't get any side effects.

So we take them for less time, I was thinking of taking them when we're in Bali, but 2 days before travelling to Lombok.

However, now you've said about your dh having such a strong reaction, I wonder whether it would be better to start taking them when we're in the U.K.?

Thanks for your help.

I'd maybe chat to your doctor about taking them early. We took ours two days before travel to lombok, also when we were in bali. Have an amazing time!

You need to take malarone 2 days before you visit the malarial area and for 7 days after you have left. My dd is 10 and has taken malarone several times since she was 3 and has never had any side effects.

Recently she was prescribed one half of the adult tablet - be aware - do not let the tablet start to dissolve on your tongue as they taste vile!

Thanks all!

We are going to see the nurse at our doctors but she said to book in 8 weeks before we go.

Now I'm worrying about whether or not to have the rabies vaccination!

We chose not to have the rabies vacc and consciously stayed away from the monkeys and other stray animals etc.
But for peace of mind it could be worth having. We were warned rabies vaccine/treatment was rarely accessible in lombok and there was a national shortage when we went. But we took the risk as it was so expensive and we have no kids to worry about.
Its only a delay mechanism, it doesnt prevent rabies.

I'd 100% take anti malarials and have the rabies vaccine too (to give us time to get to somewhere to treat us if we were bitten). I took anti malaria tablets for a year and still ended up with it. It was hideous and no side effects came close to that feeling. Enjoy the trip-we loved Indonesia!

^We took Malarone. I was absolutely fine, but my dh was nearly hospitalised from the side effects. He has never been ill in the ten years we have been together so his malarone reaction was a shock. A friend of mine also took malarone for her trip a year earlier and reacted badly getting purple circles all over her hands and arms.
Don't want to scare you, but definitely something to be aware of.^

Are you sure it was Malarone? Because this sounds more like the side effects of Larium.

I've taken both (and my son too as a child) and we had no ill effects from either, but I stuck to Malarone as Larium has such a bad reputation.....

Anyway, op, do your research. Both online and at a reputable tropical health clinic. My gp knew fuck all about tropical vaccinations, but then they are not qualified to.