Malaria

[jbecker]

I am afraid I have malaria. Symptoms refer to that. Anyone suffered it? Could I buy medicine any pharmacy. Do they test it any hospital. Thank you in advance. jb

[Antonio]

I am afraid I have malaria. Symptoms refer to that. Anyone suffered it? Could I buy medicine any pharmacy. Do they test it any hospital. Thank you in advance. jb

It could also be Leptospirosis or Dengue Fever very similar.

I have had Dengue twice here,first time i spent 6 days in the private hospital in Buriram,second time i had 6 days of hell at home,but saved myself 14,000 Baht.

Best of luck.

[jbecker]

Thank you Antonio for your prompt reply. What kind of medication you used at home if any?

[Eric2012]

Hi Jbecker,sorry to hear about your health issues.If you are worried about cost at the private hospital,the public hospital is pretty good and even has private rooms for about 900 baht a day.They allow for  someone to stay with you as well.Hope you get yourself sorted soon,but I think you should get yourself looked at right away.Either hospital ,private or public ,would be better than trying to self-medicate.Good luck,Eric

[JimNasium]

Malaria is unlikely from the Buriram area unless you traveled recently. Especially up North to the border with Lao where malaria is still a problem. Do NOT self medicate or buy any medication in a little bag from your friendly local shop. Please have yourself checked out by a reputable doctor or at the hospital where they can do a proper blood test. The only acceptable medications for malaria are ACT's (artemisinin combination therapies) and a physician will be able to prescribe the right stuff. The malaria parasite developed a resistance against the older drugs such as Chloroquine and quinine.

[Antonio]

Thank you Antonio for your prompt reply. What kind of medication you used at home if any?

Just try to drink as much water as possible,not much more you can really take.

But i would advise you to find out for sure what you have,then if it is Dengue just stay at home in bed until the fever breaks,with a little help from your wife/girlfriend you will be fine in about 6 days.

At the hospital they will probably ask you if you want to stay ,i would say no because it's just about getting money out of you,all they done to me after the tests was to give me a saline drip.

Good luck.

[Starman]

I would go to a hospital. It is most likely Dengue. If you go quickly you will be out in 2 days. I would not advise the Private Hospital. As Antonio has said they only seem interested in getting money out of you. 6 days is excessive.

Dengue can be serious if it is not treated. The hospital will most likely advise you to stay the first night. 4 hourly checks need to be made for the first 24 hours. Stay.

Like someone mentioned before, go and get checked.

My daughter was sick a while ago. We took her to a clinic for a blood test first, mainly because of time. The test came back in a few hours, positive for Dengue. We then took the test results to the Government hospital, the Doctor at the clinic also phoned the hospital to say we were coming.

They got the treatment underway and she was out in 48 hours.

[jbecker]

Thank you all who replied and 'concerned'. Will go tests tomorrow. As a matter of fact I visited Lao recently. Let you know later what I was suffering.. Cheers jb

[Speros]

while in PNG i had bouts of malaria a few times every year, generally a bout of malaria will come when you are run down, symptoms vary from fever, general flu feeling, sore joints. it is always best to go to a doctor to have a quick blood test and prescribe medication. the first bout i had was bad, i thought i had flu and ended with big fever and hallucinations the doctor injected me with fansidar (not sure of spelling) hurt like buggery but did the trick...after that i used to self medicate with chloroquine and a couple of panadol...rest for a day...then would be fine.
its symptoms can be similar to Dengue fever, and Ross river fever (not sure if Ross river fever is in Thailand), also there is cerebral Malaria that is a killer or lead to brain damage if not treated asap...lost one staff in the New Guinea highlands to cerebral malaria.

go to a doctor, do not delay.

[nookiebear]

Nong Ki hospital is currently overflowing with dengue cases.

[nookiebear]

while in PNG i had bouts of malaria a few times every year, generally a bout of malaria will come when you are run down, symptoms vary from fever, general flu feeling, sore joints. it is always best to go to a doctor to have a quick blood test and prescribe medication. the first bout i had was bad, i thought i had flu and ended with big fever and hallucinations the doctor injected me with fansidar (not sure of spelling) hurt like buggery but did the trick...after that i used to self medicate with chloroquine and a couple of panadol...rest for a day...then would be fine.
its symptoms can be similar to Dengue fever, and Ross river fever (not sure if Ross river fever is in Thailand), also there is cerebral Malaria that is a killer or lead to brain damage if not treated asap...

go to a doctor, do not delay.

Aussies must be 'immune' if it can lead to 'Brain Damage'....................I see Eric 2012 has escaped from his cave!

[Speros]

while in PNG i had bouts of malaria a few times every year, generally a bout of malaria will come when you are run down, symptoms vary from fever, general flu feeling, sore joints. it is always best to go to a doctor to have a quick blood test and prescribe medication. the first bout i had was bad, i thought i had flu and ended with big fever and hallucinations the doctor injected me with fansidar (not sure of spelling) hurt like buggery but did the trick...after that i used to self medicate with chloroquine and a couple of panadol...rest for a day...then would be fine.
its symptoms can be similar to Dengue fever, and Ross river fever (not sure if Ross river fever is in Thailand), also there is cerebral Malaria that is a killer or lead to brain damage if not treated asap...

go to a doctor, do not delay.

Aussies must be 'immune' if it can lead to 'Brain Damage'....................I see Eric 2012 has escaped from his cave!

[Eric2012]

Cheers JB,hope you have recovered from your illness.What did it turn out to be,dengue fever or malaria?And what treatment did you get-if any?