Mefloquine User Reviews & Ratings

• Rol...
• December 19, 2012

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "I took one of these and felt nearly suicidal within a few hours. The warning labels say if you have previously experienced 'certain psychiatric conditions,' then you should not take the medication. Well, those conditions include garden-variety depression, which a pretty large percentage of the population has experienced."

• a...
• September 23, 2015

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "As an A-Detachment medic, I was forced to use this drug for over two years straight. I was also in charge of malaria chemoprophylaxis for my team. During the loading dose, my guys started complaining of weird dreams and depression. Returning from South America, at least 3 out of 11 of the team guys divorced their wives. By the time I raised the BS flag and started a new preventive treatment, another 3 were on their way to divorce or had separated from spouses due to depression and other issues like anger and other issues directly associated with Lariam. I wrote an extensive report and passed it along to the 7th Group Surgeon, but did not even get a courtesy reply. Today I walk around with multiple issues: depression, other mental and physical..."

• not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2018

Mefloquine for Malaria "Had the worst nightmare of a snake (my absolutely worst fear) after taking Lariam. The nightmare was in vivid color, and the sounds were sharp, which made it worse. It has been over 8 years, and I can still remember the sound. I had never had a nightmare like that before and haven't had one like that since. I had malaria tons of times as a child. Malaria itself comes nowhere close to having this type of nightmare! Should a drug with this kind of side effect really be on the market?"

• RNa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2018

Mefloquine for Malaria "This drug should not be on the market and should not be distributed. There are better alternatives over this drug. The side effects of this drug are life-altering. Many others and I have experienced horrific side effects from this drug. If you have any family history or personal history of mental health conditions, even minor depression, do not take this medication. There are also reports of suicidal ideation."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2017

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "My boyfriend and I were prescribed Lariam for a trip around Asia, both 25, fit, and healthy. Both have taken various malaria medications for other trips and have never reacted, always been fine, even on months' worth of doxycycline. After the first tablet, I was experiencing very vivid dreams-which was fine and had no issues, even though some were quite frightening. However, over the next two weeks, I have had all the symptoms including extreme nauseousness, consistent diarrhea (sometimes seven times in one day), insomnia, panic and anxiety attacks, a faint feeling, and worst of all, tingling sensations and slight numbness in hands and legs-very scary at times. A can of Coke helped. Please don't take this medication and look for other alternatives-not worth it."

• Ste...
• June 17, 2013

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "I took this for two years while in East Africa. Although many people told me it was not good, I found no side effects and never have suffered from malaria. I had regular liver function tests and no adverse symptoms were found."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2019

For Malaria Prevention "I've taken many medications over my 25 years in the military. This Larium is the biggest nightmare that ever happened to me. I wasn't the only one, and I now warn anyone who needs to travel to stay away from this very dangerous drug. All of the side effects they list are not as 'rare' as they say. Nightmares, extreme paranoia, and panic attacks, hallucinations, it's like being in a true nightmare. I took several more medications just to recover from this mefloquine. Funny that the military forbids pilots and aircrew from taking it. Wouldn't want to lose an airplane now, would we (but what about the rest of us)?"

• Mak...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2020

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "Lariam caused side effects of horrible visual hallucinations after only one use! Saw many green crocodile-like creatures hopping up and down from the floor in my bedroom, all night, with a saw sound in the background as they went up and down, popping their heads from the floor. It was beyond a nightmare. Can't find words. Couldn't sleep. I prefer malaria to this. Never again!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 30, 2020

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "Was issued this drug for a deployment to Afghanistan. Took it for a year. Now I have a stutter in my speech, anxiety, depression, and a bit of paranoia. I've been told it's PTSD, but I spent the entire time over there stuck on the base doing paperwork. I didn't experience any traumatic stress at all."

• Anonymous
• July 20, 2015

For Malaria Prevention "I was supposed to take it for six months, but I did stop using it after two months, as I suffered from strange dreams, paresthesia, numbness, fasciculations, sleep jerks, and panic attacks. My symptoms did not disappear, but they did improve with time. I think the reason was using other drugs while using mefloquine, such as tramadol for migraine."

• Buf...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 18, 2017

Mefloquine for Malaria "Used this for 7 months in Central Africa during a UN mission. We were a contingent of 150 soldiers using it. Out of the 150 soldiers using it, only a few experienced some side effects. The good thing is that you only have to take it once a week."

• ski...
• September 20, 2016

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "Took Lariam on a trip to Indonesia and had huge, vivid, excruciating nightmares each night. I never usually remember my dreams, but this trip was disturbed each night by bolting out of my bed with my heart pounding and sweat all over my body. It was a truly horrible experience. Next trip, I took Malarone, and all was good. I met a fellow traveler in another part of Indonesia on this second trip, and she had the same experience with Lariam that I had. I did not get malaria, but the drug's side effects were not worth it to me."

• tig...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2013

For Malaria Prevention "After taking mefloquine, I suffered from 'sleep starts.' Although I stopped using it, a new symptom arose, like anxiety, paresthesia, hyperreflexia, muscle twitching. It has been two years now, but I am still having these symptoms, but to a lesser extent."

• Meh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 12, 2017

Mefloquine for Malaria "I have been using Lariam for many years now, but I haven't had any issues. I heard that some friends couldn't use it as they had health issues after taking it, so I guess it is different from person to person. What I like about it, apart from protecting against malaria, is that you take just one tablet a week (Malaria day I call it). Unless you protect yourself all the time from being bitten by mosquitoes, none of the medicines out there will have 100% efficiency. Good luck!"

• jon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2017

For Malaria Prevention "Took them a week before a 10-day trip to Ghana and continued the 4 weeks after. Noticed a slight dizzy feeling, but more like a mellow buzz as if I'd had a gin & tonic the day after, which seemed to come and stay a few days after the weekly dose. Did not notice anything else, and the other side effects I have had with Malarone and Doxycycline (fatigue, headaches, and slight nausea) were not present at all. No strange dreams of vertigo as many others have described."

• gig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2020

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "In 1996, my husband and I took Lariam before traveling to Zimbabwe and Botswana. I noticed I was very jittery on the flight all night from London to Zimbabwe. Had difficulty sleeping and wondered why, as we were in First Class and very comfortable. My husband felt shaky most of the time we were there, which was 12 days. When we returned home, I had nightmares, and he felt worse every day. I finally went to our doctor, and after I reminded her what I had taken every day, I think for 14 days, she said, 'It is the Lariam!' After that, I told everyone I knew not to take it! Friends had told me originally not to take it, but I figured it would not bother me, but it did. Thank you."

• san...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 16, 2018

Mefloquine for Malaria Prevention "I had zero problems with this medication. Used it for about 7 months, while on a year-long world trip...used for India, Africa, and the South Pacific. I picked this strictly for convenience--1x/week much easier than daily. I bumped into about 20 other travelers who also were taking Lariam. 19 also had no problems, and one did. She had the weird dreams, and so she stopped taking the Lariam right away. I'd tell a friend: Start taking this while you are still at home, and see if you're one of the few who have significant reactions to this. (If so, of course, discontinue and pick a different anti-malaria Rx) [Note: I had to fight with my insurance, pre-trip, to get enough pills to last for my extended travels. Finally got Blue Shield to cover them, once I pointed out the huge medical coverage costs to them if I ended up getting malaria due to not having sufficient pills."

• Bil...
• March 19, 2020

For Malaria Prevention "My best friend was a lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He was well-liked and had no underlying mental issues that any of us knew of. He hung himself in the bottom of a naval vessel within 36 hours of taking it. He had gone to the ship's infirmary dozens of times within those 36 hours. Some people have no side effects, some people have vivid nightmares, and other people experience a physical change in the brain stem, causing them to sink into a deep, permanent depression. Taking it is like playing Russian roulette. I’d much rather just take doxycycline every day."

• All...
• March 22, 2017

For Malaria Prevention "I used mefloquine for malaria prevention in India. While I was in India, I didn't experience any side effects, however, after I returned to Canada, I developed flu-like symptoms such as chills, fatigue, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Several days after developing the flu-like symptoms, I developed a skin rash on my face and neck. It has now been a week, and I still have congestion, diarrhea, and the rash, but the rest of the flu symptoms have gone away. I saw my doctor immediately, however, my doctor hasn't told me to stop the medication, and we're currently doing blood tests to monitor the side effects."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2025

For Malaria Prevention "Chose mefloquine because it was a once per week drug for 4 weeks. I figured better compliance. I started the drug 1 week before travel, and doses 2-4 were during my 3-week stay in Liberia. While there, I was wondering why I could not sleep or even nap. Finally, I looked up the side effects of mefloquine. One of the ones listed was problems sleeping, which I had during and after the trip. I've been back two weeks and still having trouble sleeping. The reason I am up writing this experience at 1:40 AM. Having to take Ambien just to get some sleep; melatonin was useless. Would not recommend this drug as there are other antimicrobials to choose from without this possible side effect. The convenience of taking it once a week was not worth the risk of insomnia."

• Xan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2024

For Malaria Prevention "First of all, I read all negative comments, but mostly from either military or US/CA/Aus, basically, 'western' countries. People havt to understand that there are several pharmaceutical companies producing mefloquine and each has a different name. Also, bear in mind that army personnel usually get crap as pills due to 'budget needs,' so they will always go with some shady variant and are also most likely to be a contractor that pays side money to your Army HQ. Lariam is made by Hoffmann-La Roche, which has done the most harm with this medication. Indian, Middle Eastern, and African pharmacies are the ones you want to get your mefloquine from since they are the ones encountering malaria the most. Also, it's a doctor-prescribed medicine, 2-4 pills (1 per week) before the trip, 1 each week of the trip, and 4 weeks (4 pills, 1 per week) after departure. And it's taken after food. So people not following these things are probably all the down-vote comments. I was taking the pills, and I didn't have any side effects."

• For...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 16, 2023

For Malaria Prevention "The first time I took this drug was also the first time I had my first bout with sleep paralysis. That was in Somalia, 1993. The symptoms never went away. I used to hang out of aircraft as part of my job. After taking this dreadful pill, I have since been deathly afraid of heights and have problems with balance. The nightmares are horrific. For me, they never stopped. I sleep three to four hours a night and have since taking it weekly in 1993. I believe this drug ruined my life."

• Sal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 19, 2020

For Malaria Prevention "I took this drug, mefloquine, for two years straight while stationed in Angola. Never experienced any of the side effects or had any problems thereafter. However, many others stationed with me had to stop taking the drug due to bad dreams, insomnia, and depression problems."

• She...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 25, 2019

For Malaria Prevention "Read the side effects. Mefloquine caused permanent brain injury for me. The side effects ruined my life. I posted my real name for a reason."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2016

For Malaria "I was prescribed to take 6 pills at once for the treatment of malaria. Can't sleep, I keep having hallucinations when I close my eyes and can't focus when my eyes are open."