Hello - Leaving for Peru in 5 days and have last-minute questions.

1. Can someone please confirm that yellow fever shots are given at the clinic in Lima airport?

2. Are ATMs or bank windows at the airport open on Sunday after 5 pm?

3. If I take cipro (antibiotic) pills, is it necessary to also take Pepto Bismol, Immodium, etc.? Won't cipro cover all the ills that may occur?

4. Should cipro be taken as a preventative or should it be taken only after a problem occurs?

5. Are the Sorojche pills purchased without prescription in Peru about as effective as Diamox? Is it also a diuretic?

6. If anyone has been to Pto. Maldonado, are hiking boots necessary (or are sneakers OK)? Do they provide Wellington-type boots?

Anything anyone else can suggest will be most welcomed. Thanks in advance!

Traveler:
I was going to ask where in Peru you are going, but your mention of Puerto Maldonado tells me you WILL be going to a YF risk area. I would recommend you get the YF vaccine as soon as possible (don't wait until you get to Lima) for your own protection; it takes 7-10 days for you to make antibodies.

Cipro will help traveler's diarrhea ONLY if the cause is a bacteria (not virus or parasite) -- typically in that case you have copious watery diarrhea + cramps. IF the cause is a bacteria, Cipro will generally work in 1-2 doses, but you should take it (twice daily) for 3 days in order to kill the bacteria good and dead (rather than allowing the bacteria to develop resistance to Cipro as it has in India).

As a general rule of thumb, you don't want to stop diarrhea for the first 4-6 hrs. Your body is trying to clear out; let it do that (but drink plenty of liquids so you don't get dehydrated). THEN take Immodium or Pepto as needed to calm things down. (Don't use Immodium or Pepto in cases of dysentery, i.e. blood or mucus in the diarrhea.)

ATMs are open at the airport in Lima around the clock, and currency exchange windows keep long hours.

I'm not sure anyone knows how or if the Sorojche pills you see for sale all over Cusco work. I wouldn't take them.

Ask the place you're staying if they provide boots for hiking.

I agree with skibumette. Get the yellow fever vaccination now. Unless you have 10 days between your first arrival in Peru and your arrival in Puerto Maldonado, waiting until you get to Lima may be too late.

Another reason for not waiting to get vaccinated against yellow fever is that some people fell kind of crummy for a day or so afterwards. Not a good way to start your vacation.

Got to go along with what has already been said.

Let me just add that when you are sick, you usually do not feeling like eat much if anything....
since sometimes just taking fluids is a major chore...

I would get the 1000 mgm tablets of Cipro....because you only have to take these Once a Day....

so 3 tablets for 3 days

I would take the Imodium if you have diarrhea that is not enough that you are very sick...but rather that you are "uncomfortable...and donot want to miss some show or event because you are afriad you willhave to keepruning tothe bathroom.

If you do use PeptoBismol ..then just remember that you can(and perhaps will) get a black tongue....if you do .. it goes away when you stp the Pepto Bismol

Also if you quite sick and have taken Pepto Bismol.... it will give you dark tarry stools.... you just might think you have a blood mixed in the stool....

Don't worry..

should you have blood in your stool, you for sure will know just by the amount of cramps/pain/and fever you have.....this is not the time to treat yourself..so get to the hospital.

Of course you will NOT get sick and you will have a great time in Peru.

Yeah..I agree get the Yellow Fever vaccine.
Then you are home free for the next 10 years.!
Good Luck and enjoy Peru

Percy

www.mdtravelhealth.com Peru

Good info from real travel MD's

for your journey...

That cipro has saved us a few times but it's scary-strong - definitely only take it if you are really sick, not for the disagreeable sort of diarrhea caused by strange food and travel stress. Cayenne pills work incredibly well for that kind, by the way - we swear by them. We also take a good probiotic daily when we travel, especially helpful after taking an antibiotic which will kill all your good bacteria, too.

Here's a link to the CDC site for Peru. Happy trails!

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationPeru.aspx