Lariam for Malaria Prevention User Reviews

• Rol...
• December 19, 2012

"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

"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..."

• Ste...
• June 17, 2013

"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."

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

"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."

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

"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

"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."

• ski...
• September 20, 2016

"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."

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

"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

"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."

• Tsi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2016

"Used Lariam in Zimbabwe for periods of up to six weeks in-country. Have taken this medication on 15 trips to Zimbabwe, I have not experienced any side effects."