LARIAM Reviews (MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 1.2 (149 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare LARIAM with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender males first. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on LARIAM: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LARIAM | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | African Travel | None whatsoever. | My wife and I have taken courses of Larium for 15 years at least for all our Travel to Malarial area. We have never had any doubts as to its efficacy and have never suffered any of the 'famous' side effects. This is NOT to play down those that have had problems, but the same can be said of Malarone. Many many people of my aquaintence have taken Larium without any problems at all. There is no doubt that some people are affected but many many more are not. As to the comments regarding not taking whilst pregnant, and contraception whilst on Larium, this is just common sense and clearly marked on the leaflets. ANY drug that goes into the blood stream will of course pass to a child in the womb and the same applies to Alcohol and Nicotine. My suggestion to those asking is "try a tablet" well ahead of your trip and this will give the opportunity to switch if you are one of the unlucky ones that do suffere a reaction. | M | 70 | 15 years | 5/25/2009 | 4 | 5 month stay in Ghana | Light nausea at times, usually just after taking the pill. | Had no effect on me, and wanted to add this comment for all the people still thinking about taking this drug. It works fine for many, and is bad for a few... it seems however that it is only the bad stories you hear.. Take it with caution, and follow your doctors instructions!! | M | 25 | 6 months | 4/2/2009 | 4 | Employment in West Africa | No problems other than unpleasant taste when taken. | Have used intermittantly for around 20 years, but currently 2 years continuous. | M | 54 | 2 years 1X W | 5/20/2014 | 2 | Bali,Indonesia trip. | Heart Palpitations. Most Vivid somewhat Horrifying dreams I've ever experienced. Somewhat like i was dropped in the movie "Inception." Increased anxiety. Skin rash on palm of hands that gradually went up arm. Some minor visual distortions on the day of the week id take it. I was also a raging "b****." I did not contract Malaria though =) | My Uneducated doctor prescribed it to me without reading that my chart that says I suffer from anxiety and depression. Later realized it was a side effect when I came back from my trip. I thought was going crazy until i realized "its just the drugs man" | M | 21 | 8 weeks 250 1X W | 2/7/2015 | 2 | Two weeks in Uganda | Recurring Nightmares/Night terrors | My advice would be to avoid this medication unless there's no safer alternative. I took some for a few weeks for a fortnight trip to Uganda when I was 11 and I quicly began having terrible recurring nightmares nearly every day which lasted for at least 8 months to the point where I felt quite traumatised by them. Every night I would dream that I had fallen onto subway tracks as a train was arriving and was paralysed so I couldn't get up off the tracks, waking up as the train crushed me! | M | 11 | 4 weeks | 2/3/2010 | 1 | travel | sick dizzy panic vivid dreams health and wellbeing destroyed going on 10 years | do NOT take this crazy drug it will ruin your life . | M | 47 | 2 months 1X W | 2/4/2010 | 1 | Liberia West Africa 2006 | impaired speech. extreme nightmares. dizziness. depression. loss of libido. short and lomg term memory loss. loss of concentration. hypertension. | 4 years later and i am still suffering with the side effects of taking lariam.forced to take this drug by the military while on operational deployment. this drug has really damaged my health and it will be something i will have to live with for the rest of my life. STAY AWAY FROM LARIAM!!!!!! | M | 27 | 8 months 250mg 1X W | 2/17/2010 Patient History | 1 | Vacation in East Africa | Fatigue, brain fog, speech problems, vivid dreams, suicidal thoughts | I was supposed to take for 8 weeks; stopped at 3 and symptoms are fading after missing 2 doses. Fatigue: felt so sleepy I thought I might fall out of my chair. Brain fog: thinking was slow and deliberate. Speech: occasional stuttering. Dreams: one night of frantic, fast-paced dreams after stopping the lariam. Suicidal thoughts on one day that concerned me. | M | 44 | 3 weeks 1X W | 2/18/2010 | 1 | Required for work | I experienced insomnia, paranoia, mania, psychoses, and have vivid dreams. | Do not take this drug. It is poison. | M | 42 | 140 days 250 mg 1X W | 6/17/2010 | 1 | Doctor prescribed for anti-malaria | Insomnia, nausea, headache, burning in the brain, noise in the brain, anxiety, depression, body alternating between cold and hot temperatures, body drying-up and scaling, visual aberration, lights too bright, body aches. | I am much better now. It has taken nearly 7 months of treatment using extensive alternative therapy - Ayurveda medicines, Yoga, Pranayam breathing, body massage, Chinese medicine, accupunture, etc. My GP (doctor) and the neurologist here in Australia were unable to determine the cause. | M | 54 | 9 weeks 250mg 1X W | 6/17/2010 | 1 | As a preventitive | Traumatic brain injury (TBI) with permanent injury to the vestibular system and to the brain centers that filter out stimuli. Acute insomnia, major depression, and brain seizures. | As a 30-year federal agent in the peak of physical and psychological condition, I took this drug as a prophylaxis. It is a chemical poison whose creators, the researchers at the Walter Reed Army Research Institute, fully admit that they have NO IDEA what the drug does inside the human brain. Those of us who have suffered its horrific toxicity know well that it causes permanent damage to multiple areas of the brain. Avoid it at all costs as a malaria preventative and choose either MALARONE or DOXYCLYCLINE. | M | 63 | 9 weeks 30 1X W | 6/19/2010 | 1 | Anti-malarial | I took this drug during a month long trip to East Africa in 1999 per recommendation from my doctor and I have never been the same since. Unbelieveable anxiety, shaking, confusion, paranoia, delusions, manic episodes, the list goes on.... | It took me 5 years to recover 90% from this drug. I cannot believe that this drug is still on the market. Remember, this drug was produced to prevent malaria for the purposes of keeping soldiers in the field, so if they "lose a few" to side effects, it's better than a brigade out of action from malaria. This drug is poison. I will never be the same. Do not take this drug. | M | 42 | 3 weeks standard 1X day | 7/1/2010 | 1 | Malaria | Depression, suicidal tendencies, sleep problems, haluciniations, memory loss | I took it in 1998 for a trip to South America. Started having sleepless nights, memory loss and getting terrifying hallucinations but didn't even consider it to be conneceted because I wasn't warned about any side effects by the doctor. Then developed depression and spent hours lying in a dark room feeling like killing myself. Was prescribed Prozac, but the doctor still didn't mention any connection to Larium. It wasn't until I mentioned to a friend who told me about Larium that I checked on the web and started ticking off the side effects that I realised what had happened. Larium nearly destroyed my marriage. If I owned a gun I would be dead by now. The serious side effects lasted at leats six or seven years but I still get the odd hallucination and my short term memory is still affected. DON'T TAKE IT. USE SOMETHING ELSE | M | 44 | 1X day | 7/9/2010 | 1 | trip to vietnam | I only took one Larium tablet, later that day i experienced fatigue, strange thoughts dizziness and confusion, 6 weeks later i am still suffering from severe headaches and fatigue, loss of concentration, i went from being an active outgoing person to just going to work and coming home really tired and dizzy, unmovitivated and left with no energy to do anytthing but sit around. | it should be banned | M | 31 | 1 days 1 tablet 1X day | 7/13/2010 | 1 | Trip to Kenya | Within days of arriving in Kenya my body became one enourmous blister. From head to foot every inch was covered with bubbles of blisters. For the first week I had to keep my entire body covered and remain in the shade. I stopped taking it and things subsided quite quickly. It does say on the packet that a skin reaction is a side effect. | There have to be better drugs. | M | 70 | 4 weeks 30 1X day | 7/13/2010 | 1 | for a mission trip to Africa | Had a severe psychotic episode. Depression, anxiety, nightmares, thoughts of hurting myself, constant crying, fear I was losing my mind. Had to cut my trip short. Got Valium form a doctor in Africa to make the trip home. The pharmacist asked why Americans are still taking this drug because it drives people crazy. Still having depression and anxiety attacks weeks later. | Do Not take this drug. Others are much safer and a lot less expensive. | M | 21 | 3 weeks 1X W | 7/16/2010 | 1 | trip to Guyana to prevent malaria | Felt revved up for a couple of days with some confusion. Then became so sick with flue-like symptoms couldn't get out of bed for a day. Seemed to get better in the morning but that night couldn't sleep because of non-stop indigestion that didn't respond to over-the-counter meds. Quit taking after one dose. | I'd say stay away from this one. It's the worst experience I've ever had on any medicine by far. How the heck it's on the market is beyond me. | M | 55 | 1 weeks standard 1X day | 7/27/2010 | 1 | One-week trip to Rio, Brazil | Mental: panic attacks, severe constant anxiety, anxiety loop thinking, nightmares, depression, suicidal ideation, social anxiety, agoraphobia, anhedonia (lack of interest), thanatophobia (fear of dying), rage, aggression, anger, mood swings, paranoia… Physical: severe insomnia, weight loss (~12kg), weight gain (~20kg) inability to eat, severe fatigue, headache, severe liver pain/gall bladder pain, “toxic feeling”, agitation, sweating, tremor, postural orthostatic tachycardia, faintness, dry eyes, malaise, weakness, tremor, numb limbs… Vestibular Dysfunction: dizziness, loss of balance, vertigo, poor cognition, motion sickness, confused thoughts, jumbled speech, photo-sensitivity, sound sensitivity, “brain fog”, low stress tolerance… | The horrors of Lariam are beyond the comprehension of any friend, family member or medical professional. Those who truly understand are those that have taken and reacted. My story is much like many others; no history of any psychological problems, feeling great and enjoying life. After the 4th tablet I "broke" in March 2009. Collapsed at work with a BPM of 180PM. Then came the long, long, long struggle with trying to regain my sanity, perspective and life. Severe debilitating anxiety consumed me for almost 6 months. After just 4 weeks off work I went back to work, everyday the same, shaking and sweating in the office trying to cope with running my own business, with my friends and colleagues watching in awe and horror. Had to deal with idiotic psychiatrist who put me on 2x different drugs (Pregabalin + Escitalopram) telling me I had an "anxiety disorder". Got myself off these drugs after 6 months and continue to improve with rest, supplements, ayurveda and *time*. Still suffer with thyroid issues (shaking, agitation, tremor), vestibular issues (brain fog) and fatigue, but I am continuing to improve. Lariam completely changed my personality and I have fought to change it back. This drug is Satan's accomplice. It is the worst form of torture and it is a suffering that one shoulders completely alone. I am in the process of setting up a website at lariam.org to help others identify Lariam toxicity and recover from it. I am determined to make a full recovery, a | M | 25 | 4 weeks 250MG 1X W | 7/28/2010 | 1 | Africa -- Victoria Falls | Peripheral Neuropathy -- atypical GBS Burning pain in legs, trouble urinating, weak erections + painful ejaculations, trouble emptying bowels, muscle atrophy, loss of balance, depression, suicidal ideation etc. etc. etc. | Do not take this medication - EVER!!! | M | 29 | 250 MG 1X W | 9/14/2010 Patient History | 1 | PLasmodium P.vivax (Malaria) | Shortness of breath after 2 hrs.(Like couldn't take a complete breath)closed throat,mainly on the left side of my throat, Anxiety,hallucinations,solid loss of appetite,lights appeared flashy. | Well i was diagnosed with p vivax malaria and I live in India(Bombay) I was a much stronger than any of you guys here..the day I took this crap it really damaged my body ,I had no option and i didn't know the side effects.I took 4 pills before dinner the day i was diagnosed and soon started to feel that I couldn't take a complete breath I got real panic and then I realized this has caused epigastric distress and stomach has gone all dead and sore coz it kills the good bacteria in the stomach and makes the stomach sore.then again 4 after 6 hrs i took the first dose of 4 pills and then later 2 after 6 hours again..that day my life changed and I got depressed ..its been a year the anxiety has subsided a lot but it has damaged my stomach ..my appetite came back after 2 months ..but taking a complete breath and closed throat is still the same..I know what u ppl might be going thru..i feel it subsides over time..just keep ur self's hydrated...avoid alcohol till the side effects r completely gone..eat lot of vegtables and fruit.. ty to avoid non veg as far as possible.do NOT EAT SPICEY>>> the stomach issues will come up again making u feel nausatic. ALL I recommend is keep ur self busy doing something like playing video games,reading or walking and doing some mild exercise.This shit will fade over time..and the BEST ..Just pray to GOD>.its all in his hands.we were destined to get this and I feel God just wants us to pray to him. Everything will be alright Love and lig | M | 24 | 1 days 30 mg 10X day | 9/10/2010 |
LARIAM (MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE): Treatment of mild to moderate acute malaria or for prophylaxis of malaria (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)