1

I wouldn't bother. I've done Rio San Juan and Selva Negra without doing any pills and survived quite well. I have been on Corn Island for about 9 months and have not heard of any maleria here. Sometimes the cure is worse then the problem.

2

As you say,official advice is that you should take them.There is a possibility of malaria in Nicaragua.Particularly in jungle areas.So,for me its an easy decision....take them.

Of course some people don't take them and have no problems.Like #1...........that is the classic ''Its never happened to me so it will never happen to you''Unfortunately its not always true!

Is it worth the risk? Depends on you....

3

BTW the side effects are often greatly exaggerated.

I've taken anti-malarials almost every (European)summer,for about 3 months every year,for most of the last 20 years.In rain forests,jungles,tropical places.

I've never had anything worse than some vivid dreams (with Lariam)...and I've never had malaria either.

4

I have never taken them. I suppose if there was an epidemic in the areas that I was going to I would be forced to or I just wouldn't go there.

5

Don't bother taking them. I have been living in Bluefields for four years, travel regularly to the jungles and indian communities and feed mosquitoes on a daily basis. I have never had nor known anyone to get malaria while I have been here.

I know one woman who got malaria when she was a kid...twenty years ago. And do you know what the doctors give malaria patients? The same medicine you take to avoid malaria.

Be more afraid of getting an intestinal bug or perhaps dengue (if that makes you feel any better).

6

Thanks guys,

I would definitely be safer than sorry, but it doesn't really sound like there is any serious danger there. Your feedback has been helpful and much appreciated, though I admit to still being undecided!

XC

7

Malaria risk is very low, especially for a tourist. But Dengue fever is a greater issue in rainy season.

8

re: 2
As you say,official advice is that you should take them

I seem to recall "official advice" not to travel in Nicaragua.

9

I'm talking medical advice (presumably by health specialists).

Personally I value doctor's opinions higher than those of government officials...and certainly a lot higher than a group of unknown people writing on an Internet blog ;-)

10

Here is the official list of risk in Nicaragua-

Sunburn 85% chance
Hangover 75% chance
Bug bites 70% chance
Rip Tides 50% chance
Bats 10% chance
Rabid dogs 5% chance
Car accidents 2% chance
Mugging/express kidnapping 1% chance
Dengue 0.5 % chance
Malaria 0.005% chance
Aids 0.000005% chance
falling into a sketch stich 99% chance

Edited by: SoloHobo

11

Plus......which official advice are you talking about?

Even the US travel advisory (while detailing a list of possible dangers) does not say you shouldn't go to Nicaragua.In fact it states that 'Nicaragua presents many opportunities for tourists'!

And that is the USA site...maybe the most biased and over protective of any government site.....

12

Pretty good Solo!

I've got the sunburn and the hangover......

13

Flor de Cana delusions 65% chance.

It is interesting the hottest Malarial areas of Central America are Belize and Panama. More so than vast areas of the western Amazon basin.
http://cdc-malaria.ncsa.uiuc.edu/

14

Only you can balance the risks against the consequences.

There will always be loads of people who "went there and was fine" and a few who "went there and caught it" (which is presumably why the official advice is what it is). So given there is a risk and that you don't consider the official advice worth of taking then you have to look at what evidence you can collect to access your risk. Official advice is undoubtedly based quite a bit of collected data (in order to make it statistically adequate). Access the data you use in the same light. Ask yourself why your data suggests a different route to the official advice and ask why your data is more reliable that that collected by official bodies.

If your reservation is because you react badly to malaria pills them maybe se your doctor/pharmacist and see if there are alternatives that you don't react badly to - hence taking that aspect out of your decision.

Personally I tend to follow the "Official Advice" as I know it is based on far more data than is available to me which is then assessed by people with far more knowledge about that sort of thing than I have. But everybody has to make their own decision and live with any consequences - which is why I tend to assess a lot of things in terms of risk against consequences. If something is unlikely and even if it does happen the consequences are trivial it can be a different matter to something being unlikely but with devastating consequences ...