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[yafnaf]

According to the CDC I need all sorts of vaccines but I just wonder if its really necessary? The countries I am visiting are Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Laos and China.

I am going to get the routine stuff plus Hep A and B because its free, as well as typhoid ($52). But Rabies ($200) and Japanese Encephalitis ($125), just quite a bit pricey, so I was wondering if other travelers feel it really is necessary or if CDC just tries to scare you?

Thanks for your input.

[jeremystravels]

I dont think those are necessary myself. I am going to skip them when I go over to that region as well. I will also get yellow fever if I go to South America since it is required. Some of those and things like the malaria prevention, I will skip on and deal with if I actually get sick.

[ScottWoz]

If you're going to get them get them while you're here, they're far cheaper. I did get Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies but in hindsight I could have saved a lot of cash. Up to you, there's naturally plenty of scaremongering going around..

[starlagurl]

Scott, you got rabies?? How? Was it terrible?

[raniroo]

Scott, you got rabies?? How? Was it terrible?

Louise, I think Scott meant that he got the vaccines for rabies not that he got rabies (although we know he is a little crazy LOL)

[starlagurl]

Ohhhhhhh, yeah I read that wrong, sorry.

[yafnaf]

Scott, you got rabies?? How? Was it terrible?

haha, its like an episode of threes company.

Anyhow I went and got the hep A and B and a couple of other vaccines today, and my doctor started asking me if i was going to get some prostitutes in thailand (haha) Then proceeded to tell me about the time he got a prostitute in Germany. I know this has nothing to do with vaccines but every time I see my doctor he says something to shock me. I dont know why I am surprised anymore, but he is a doctor at a family clinic and it seems most doctors wouldnt talk about their drug and sexual activities to a patient.

I also got a prescription for anti-malarial pills, he prescribed me 20 pills (to be taken weekly) of Melfoquine (Lariam) which are very pricey ($220), dont know if other anti-malarial drugs are cheaper. Just wondering has anyone taken this specific drug? Since I am traveling through SE.A for at least 3 or 4 months I really like that they are to be taken weekly and not every day, but it does say side-effects include insomnia and anxiety which I already have issues with both. Should I go with a different drug?

[raniroo]

[quote name='yafnaf' date='May 4 2009, 11:20 PM' post='100545']

[/quote]



I also got a prescription for anti-malarial pills, he prescribed me 20 pills (to be taken weekly) of Melfoquine (Lariam) which are very pricey ($220), dont know if other anti-malarial drugs are cheaper. Just wondering has anyone taken this specific drug? Since I am traveling through SE.A for at least 3 or 4 months I really like that they are to be taken weekly and not every day, but it does say side-effects include insomnia and anxiety which I already have issues with both. Should I go with a different drug?
[/quote]

Larium can have major issues if you suffer from depression, anxiety etc. The doctor should not have prescribed larium if you suffer from anything related to the above.

I take doxicyclon (sp?), it is a tablet a day and cheaper, just need to make sure you have something to eat before taking it otherwise you will throw up with a very nasty aftertaste! You also do need to be careful in the sun because your skin becomes more delicate when taking them.

I am sure there are other alternatives out there too....

[ScottWoz]

Yafnaf,

How long are you spending in Indonesia and how far off the tourist trail d'you think you'll get? If it's not long and not too in-depth I'd say don't bother with the anti-malarials. 3 to 4 months in SEA is fine without them. But that's me.

Rani's advice is good too, if you do go ahead take it (the advice as well )

[rbisset]

Larium's side effects include suicidal tendencies!! I took Doxy the whole time I was in SE Asia but I reckon the amount of alcohol I drank negated the usefulness. I got bitten to death my mozzies in Koh Pha Ngan but never got sick, well until I got to Singapore airport on the way to Sydney anyway.

[ScottWoz]

I've been a living pin-cushion over here for a good while now, you can't really prevent it..

[sianeth]

One of my friends got bitten by a dog in Vietnam and hadn't had the rabies vaccine so she had to be airlifted to hospital, and she said it was touch and go whether she was going to be able to get there in time to get the shot she needed. I don't really know what the deal was in the end, but she turned out okay. Anyway, I don't really think you can put a price on your health, because if you don't have that then what do you have? So I would get the rabies jab but probably not the Jap E.

[yafnaf]

Hey Rani, thanks for the advice and thats exactly what I was thinking, Doxycycline seemed to be the best alternative, and on a side note, it also treats the plague haha, just in case I pick that up.

Scott I will probably only be in Indonesia for 30 days as thats the standard tourist visa, I plan to stay on Java most the time which is malaria free apparently, but I did kind of want to take boats to a few islands, maybe as far as Kupang. And then the plan is to go up to Malaysia, Thailand and Laos, for a total of maybe 3 months in the region. I suppose I could take my chances and not worry about it, just load up on repellent the whole time.

Rbisset and Sianeth thanks to you as well, I appreciate all the input.

[ScottWoz]

That's what I'd be doing mate. Unless you're going to spend any lengthy time in the jungle there isn't too much to worry about. Good luck..

[wakingdream]

You can get so many different things from mozzies that I reckon the way to go is prevention. Light clothing, repellent and all that jazz. Never took a thing, never got sick and have been there and back a handful of times. I think Hepatitis is a good one to get. I did get Hep A & B.

[papayaprincess]

Hey!

I've always taken anti-malarials (except for a time or two when on the road...couldn't stomach them)...but I'm lucky and have a great health plan, so they cost pretty much nothing! When I have to start paying for them myself, I don't know that I'd really get them! I know several people that have got malaria despite taking anti-malarials and they haven't really had any problems after the initial bout.

When I went to Southeast asia, I only got Typhoid...I didn't bother with Rabies because it's really pricey and I wouldn't be interacting with too many animals (besides, you still have to get several more rabies shots after a bite, regardless of bites). I have never got Japanese encephalitis either...haven't had any problems...

Cheers