malaria meds
 

We are scheduled to leave for safari on 4/25.
My travel doc prescribed doxycycline for malaria. Just found out that the couple we are traveling with were prescribed Malarone.
They went to the same travel clinic/doctor as we did.(?) Now I find out the doxycycline is an antibiotic not a malaria medicine. Will we still be protected? And why would they prescribe something different for us than our friends? I am very confused and just want to be sure whether I should call and change our meds.

I'd call your doctor and ask him/her why.

ebrad:

Doxycycline is an antibiotic which also works as an antimalarial. It is much cheaper than Malarone. Not all drugs can be used on all people, depending on previous medical history. It may be that one of you had something in your history that would make using Malarone not advisable.

Like Matnikstym said, you could call and double check.

Jan

There are many reasons why you would be prescribed different medications - the most obvious being interaction with other medications that you or the other couple is taking. I recall from our research before our trip that Doxy is quite commonly used.

Thanks everyone for your help. It all makes sense now.

It might make sense to you, but I'd still inquire of your doctor why one med for you and another for your friends.