Just dug the tablets out for a count up and to put some in my wallet so I can take them with food tomorrow if I decide to. I have 15 tablets (which if memory serve cost me about, probably over, sixty quid!), which is enough for one week's active cover (you have to start one day early, then continue for a week after). (I remember now - I was going to get two weeks, but I didn't have enough cash on me and also because of that "keep taking for a week after" business you can't say "I have a two week supply, so I can go to two distinct malaria-prone locations and have a week's cover in each.)
I had a look at the leaflet and as well as confirming all the rare but scary side effects (nightmares and hallucinations are rare - they don't give exact statistics - but possible, one in ten people get "strange dreams" but as long as they don't fall into the nightmare class I can live with that) it also incidentally mentions that the same tablets can be used for treating malaria and the usual dose is 4 a day for three days. I know it's flippant and malaria can kill etc, but I can't help thinking that I'd be better just saving the tablets up and treating myself with them if I get malaria rather than risk the side effects.
My GP has told me in the past with other medications that they actually sometimes advise people not to read the leaflet as all this "we are legally and morally obliged to tell you about these rare side effects" stuff just worries people. I can't help remembering reading years ago that Immodium can in rare cases cause "ulceration of the eyeballs", which put me off taking it in cases of minor need for ages. But now I happily shovel the stuff (or a generic equivalent) down without worrying about it, my eyeballs mercifully having failed to ulcerate the first time I was desperate enough to take it.
Anyway, maybe a quick surf and then I shall enjoy possibly my last night of non-Malarone-induced hell for a couple of weeks. ;-)
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