Africa, eye problem, anxiety, Malarone

Any help or sggestions from anyone would help greatly. I went to Africa this last Febuary when I was 20 years old and stayed there for two months. While I was there I was taking the antimalarial Malarone, which was supposedly the best one one the market. Everything was going fine for the first month, even though i was under so much stress from being in a third world country (Tanzania), being the only white person, and just the stress of being by myself and feeling hoemsick. But about a month in I had a panic attack and then about a week later I felt like my eyes started to focus on my nose all the time. I have never had anxiey before and now I have mild case of anxiety you could say. Just worrying about things that I would never usually worry about. But the eye/ nose problem is the absolute worst thing and that is what keeps me in a state of anxiety. My nose is doubled in my vision and its extremely bothersome. At first I just told myself it will go away and then it didnt, so then I told myself it will go away when I stop taking the medication, and it didnt. Now it is like 7 months later, I have had my eyes checked and all that good stuff and they say nothing wrong. I also get dizzy spells sometimes when I'm really worrying about the eye/ nose problem and anxiety..........any ideas, suggestions, help, anything would be great. Thank you.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I believe it's unlikely your problem is related to Malarone (although an army of trial lawyers would like to blame the drug for everthing from the current drought in the south to plantar's warts).

I would suggest you see a strabismus/pediatric ophthalmologist for a comprehensive medical exam and strabismus evaluation. I think it is necessary to do that but I think your exam will likely be normal.

You should discuss your anxiety and other problems with your family physician and/or a psychiatrist. Medical treatment of anxiety disorders is one of the great success stories of modern medicine and you may benefit from medication.

JCH III MD

[Binque]

I just returned from 2 weeks in Africa and have been on Malarone for 3 weeks, off now for two days. I have felt like there's a motor inside of me that I can't shut off and have had a "throat tic" and a dry occasional cough.Otherwise I feel fine. I suspect it's from the Malarone as I never had this before. What do you think and how long might these symptoms persist?
Thank you.
Candice

[mscharity45]

I agree about the Malarone side effects. Same situation happened to me when I was in India for a month. I had to stop taking Malarone because I was stating to get dizzy and then felt panic attacks. I heart was beating so fast it felt like I drank 5 cups of coffee and 3 Red Bulls. I thought I was going to die in India from a heart attack. That is also when the Anxiety began. I never ever in my life experienced Anxiety before. Now, since i've been back 6 months later i am still have mild cases of Anxiety. I'm not imagining it and believe 100% it is related to Malarone. To get Anxiety at 28 when I am a very outgoing, social, fun-loving person is very strange to me.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[allmymarbles]

I see that there is another entry that describes the same side effects, and under similar conditions. That makes me think there is no coincidence involved. The problem with FDA information is that the agency does not conduct any of its own tests. The testing (and the test results) are carried out by the maker. That looks to me like a conflict of interest. Well, I have never been impressed with the FDA, nor with the ties of the pharmaceutical industry with Congress.

I have had an extremely nasty experience with Advair, and if I had not stopped taking it it would have killed me. The people with the most information on the side effects of Advair that I suffered, are those who have had them. Strangely enough their complaints are the same as mine.

People are not stupid, although the medical community would like to think we are. My condition, caused by Advair, was treated by a physician who has one foot in alternative medicine. I got no change from my pulmonologist, who just kind of shrugged when I told him I stopped taking the poison. He did not offer any treatment.

Look for a good diagnostician, preferably someone who also practices alternative medicine, and who is not an eye doctor. Your eye problem, your anxiety and your panic attacks are merely symptoms - they are not the cause of your problems.

[busybee28]

I agree about Malarone and anxiety. I'm travelling in India at the moment and have been taking Malarone for almost 4 months. Everything was fine to begin with (apart from headaches and very vivid dreams) but then one day about 2 months in, I was lying on the beach in Goa and out of nowhere my heart started palpitating, I was hyperventilating and it turned into a full blown panic attack. It lasted for 8 hours and I actually thought I had lost my mind and was going to die of a heart attack. The next day, the doctor prescribed me alprozalam (zanex) to calm me down. I also went off the Malarone for two weeks as he said we were in a malaria-free zone. I started to feel like my self again and everything was fine UNTIL we left Goa and I started taking Malarone again. Now the anxiety is back. Some days it is worse than others but armed with Valium, beta blockers and zanex, I feel I can just about beat it. It know it seems absolutely ridiculous to still be on malarone but I'm not sure I want to take the Malaria risk. I hope the effects of these recent panic episodes don't lead to an anxiety disorder when I am finished travelling and off the malarone. Just thinking about how out of control I have felt mid-panic attack can send me into a panic. It's a horrible viscious circle - my feelings go out to others who have experienced this.

[sarahemilie]

Hi,
I am now in India ( kolkata). It's the second time. I always take malarone. I don't feel anxiety at all. I feel very confortable in this city. But 1 week ago my left eye become something like blind. It is very trouble vision or black. I t is not very funny. Does the malarone can do a thing like that? Can I stop to take it? I am here for again two months.
thank
sarah.
P.s. Every little thing is a big story here... please if you can tell me other thing that : you need to see a doctor, I appreciate...

[youngwiz]

I just returned from 2 weeks in belize.  I had to take malarone everyday and developed a painful stomach ache along with nightmares.  Study up on the side effects before taking Malarone again, http://sideeffectz.com/effexorsideeffects