Atovaquone / proguanil for Malaria Prevention User Reviews (Page 2)

• Fam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2022

Atovaquone / proguanil "I had read these reviews before traveling and was really worried as I am quite sensitive to random things and have odd reactions to things in normal life. My husband, myself, and 3 teenagers (youngest is 15, 5ft 8 and 54 kg) all took these tablets with no side effects at all. We took them for over 3 weeks, a few days before, 2 weeks on holiday, and then 1 week after."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2020

Atovaquone / proguanil "On about my fifth day of Malarone, I had extreme faintness. Feeling like I wanted to faint frequently, trips to the bathroom, and severe brain fog. After not improving, I cut my trip short and came home, and after doing research, I saw that this was one of the big complaints among many people. Because I’ve had a couple of mosquito bites, I continued to take it for the recommended time, continuing to have the side effects. It took around 24 hours of being off the pill before I started to notice the brain fog decreasing and the lightheadedness disappearing. As an RN, it was my decision not to read the side effects before I took it because I feel like I would rather not be influenced in any way. It was a big mistake taking this drug, no one else in the group had any problems, and they all took a very wide range of anti-malaria tablets. I would highly recommend not taking this drug."

• Tya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2021

Atovaquone / proguanil "2nd round of preventive Malarone treatment for me. 1st time into West Africa 2013/14, no significant major health challenges/concerns with taking 1 x tab/day pre/in-country/post trip. This time now, more ‘ringing in my ears,’ some headaches, diarrhea (but could also be the food?), some weird dreams. Vaccines, et al, are a personal journey/choice. Risks are noted for a reason. Cancel the trip? No, I don’t think so. But be “smart.” Be aware of the potential challenges. You can always start the treatment well before your trip, where you are closer to medical professionals/medical help, and see how you fare. God bless."

• Fai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2019

Atovaquone / proguanil "Just returned from a week's safari in Kenya, I was absolutely fine for the first five or six days, and then the drama started. I felt absolutely dreadful coming back from Mombasa, had to sit on a plane for 7 hours feeling like I was either going to faint or throw up any second. I've been home for 2 days now, and I'm still having to take it, I still feel lightheaded and nauseous, my throat is so painful I can't speak for too long, my head is bunged up completely, and I have headaches and interrupted sleep... and to top it all off, it even managed to cut through my IBS-C and give me rotten diarrhea!! And yet there was not a single mosquito in sight the entire holiday. Considering I soaked myself in DEET insect repellent 24/7 and wore long sleeves, etc., every single day, I don't think there was much chance of even getting bitten at all. In hindsight, it wasn't worth the difficulty."

• Mik...
• April 10, 2017

Atovaquone / proguanil "Took this for 10 days during a trip to S. America. No side effects. Realized, as the rest of my group experienced episodes of stomach distress and I had none, that this anti-parasite was probably helping there too. No complaints!"

• Bil...
• February 12, 2020

Atovaquone / proguanil "Took Malarone for malaria prevention but got severe sensitivity to the sun (I have never had sunburn in my life, I don’t even usually tan) and burned an awful shade of purple after sitting in the shade for an hour. After a few days, I started getting skin blistering and scaly skin on my arms, which started peeling and causing immense pain. Stopped taking it at that point. Worst medicine ever."

• Puf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2018

"I envy people who rated 10. I am an unlucky one. I took one for the first time today to prepare for a Peru-Amazon River trip. I got sick immediately: shortness of breath, stomach ache, nausea, and overall weakness. I've been in bed all day. I don't have the courage to take the second one. Forget about Peru. I just want to feel normal."

• SBW...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2017

"I started on this medication preventatively, two days before going to Cambodia and Thailand, through the 21 days I was away, and another 7 days till the pills were finished. Two days after completion, I broke out in hives. I also had the following other symptoms: elevated temperature, nausea, sore throat, body aches, exhaustion, and swelling. After an evening and day of itchy hives, I went to Urgent Care. I was told I was having a 'systemic reaction to an allergen.' Ten days later and I am still suffering from all the ill effects. My PCP diagnosed me with an allergic reaction to the malarial medication and started me on two medications to combat the symptoms. He obviously had seen this before. Horrible medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2022

"I took Malastad (atovaquone/proguanil) for a total of 23 days (1 tablet each day). On the second day, I experienced severe nausea, as well as trouble sleeping and fatigue (though that might also have been stress from traveling). I did not experience any severe side effects like most of the reviews I’ve read, and I’m pretty sure that nausea, fatigue, and headaches were the only side effects I got, since I experienced that when I went back on the medication after I forgot a dose. I had a better experience taking them at nighttime before bed than in the morning, and even though I did not always take them with a meal, I was completely fine. I was also bitten by mosquitoes severely during my stay in DRC, and I was terrified that I had gotten malaria, but I'm pretty sure that’s not the case. Though I would say that the thought of having to take a pill for so long without any idea of what it could do to you is scary, and I would avoid it if I could."

• mou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2014

Atovaquone / proguanil "This will be my third time on Malarone. Never had any side effects, and even though I missed days taking it, no problems at all."

• Hau...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 16, 2013

Atovaquone / proguanil "I have taken Malarone on the last 6 trips to the Papua New Guinea jungle area and also Liberia, Africa, with good results. I am very well satisfied with it as a prophylaxis and treatment also."

• Cmc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2015

Atovaquone / proguanil "Back pain, lethargic, pains in right leg, short of breath, sense of sadness, diarrhea"

• CM4...
• June 29, 2016

Atovaquone / proguanil "I take low-dose aspirin, and after several days on Malarone, I developed small bruises all over my extremities. I stopped taking the aspirin, and the bruising cleared up."

• Kim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2022

"This medication has made me feel sick, nauseous, with cramping and diarrhea. I’m currently taking it, and this time is the worst. I will never use this medication again."