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Can anyone help me with solid info regarding the interaction on the body between recommended vaccinations for Peru and the Amazon, and drinking Ayahuasca soon after the immunizations.?
A group of us are having a retreat in a little more than a month and we are a little uncertain. Last year when I took part in the Amazonian Shamanism conference in Iquitos, the advised *against* getting the Yellow fever vaccine and taking anit-malaria pills. I followed their advice and I was fine. This time we will be spending about 2 weeks away from any towns in the heart of the amazon. I am wondering if we should all take the precautions and get the Yellow fever vaccine and Malaria pills.
If so, does anyone know if there is a adverse reaction if drinking the medicina soon after getting the vaccine?
Another woman from our tribe has not had any of her immunizations, including Hepetitus A & B, Tetenus, and Typhoid. She is concerned about putting all these things in her body along with the medicina... We need to figure this out soon...
Does anyone know what we should do?
Thank you!
~erika
A group of us are having a retreat in a little more than a month and we are a little uncertain. Last year when I took part in the Amazonian Shamanism conference in Iquitos, the advised *against* getting the Yellow fever vaccine and taking anit-malaria pills. I followed their advice and I was fine. This time we will be spending about 2 weeks away from any towns in the heart of the amazon. I am wondering if we should all take the precautions and get the Yellow fever vaccine and Malaria pills.
If so, does anyone know if there is a adverse reaction if drinking the medicina soon after getting the vaccine?
Another woman from our tribe has not had any of her immunizations, including Hepetitus A & B, Tetenus, and Typhoid. She is concerned about putting all these things in her body along with the medicina... We need to figure this out soon...
Does anyone know what we should do?
Thank you!
~erika
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Sun, May 7, 2006 - 3:07 PMGuess no one knows about this topic.... I ended up getting the yellow fever vaccination and it should be fine.... the only thing I heard that is not a good combo with drinking the medicina is the malaria prevention drug called "Doxycycline" because it is an antibiotic...
So I am going to be taking Mefloquine (Lariam)for malaria....
Last year for the Amazonian conference I had none of these preventaives and I was fine, but now that we will be in a more remote jungle area I thought it should not hurt... you know how mosquitoes are and they seem to like me...so....
I thought I'd pass on the info I have required....
~e -
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Sun, May 7, 2006 - 3:33 PMThe mosquito thing depends a lot about whether you are on a white water or black water area. The black water areas don't have many mosquitoes at all. Not getting bit is the best prevention. Check out Cutters Advantage and/or Buzz Off clothing. Sleep in a treated mosquito net and apply the replant. Personally I wouldn't trust herbal or essential oils to deep the buggers off.
I'd really suggest doing some research on Lariam before taking it. It's a pretty scary drug for some people. Has a lot of possible and highly negative psychiatric side effects. www.lariaminfo.org/
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Sun, May 7, 2006 - 7:00 PMdon't take lariam! I've had multiple friends start to take it and then get such bad suicidal depression and psychotic nightmares that they stopped. That with aya sounds like bad time. -
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Sun, May 7, 2006 - 9:02 PMO wow! Thank you for that info on Lariam... I just cannot afford Malarone at this point and the other medacations do not seem to be an option... I definitly do not the pschotic depression and nightmares...life has been intense enough...
I will be In at the Tucan lodge www.tucan lodge .com 1 1/2 hours by boat from Iquitos... I wonder if that is a white water area or a black water area???
Thanks for your helpful advice!!! -
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Mon, May 8, 2006 - 9:46 PMwhat does that mean? white water, black water?
and does anyone know what the chances are of contracting malaria in this area?
I had not even thought about this while considering making the trip. I'm still very interested, but obviously i have a lot of homework to do before making the commitment. -
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Mon, May 8, 2006 - 10:29 PMHi Folks,
Mosquitos really like me, so I slathered on the bug juice and wore long sleeve shirts and slept under a net. And I STILL got malaria last summer in the Amazon. Wouldn't wish that on anybody. So if you are the kind of person that gets bit no matter what you might want to take the pills. I haven't had a problem mixing mefliquine with aya.
good luck and stay malaria free
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Mon, May 8, 2006 - 10:45 PMBlack water and white water describe water with with a lot of vegetable matter in it that contain tannins vs. water that has less tannins. The colors are white and black. Mosquitoes don't easily reproduce in black water areas.
The Amazon is a white water river, most of the smaller tributaries that feed into it are black water.
As to chances of disease . . . well, less in black water areas cause there are less mosquitoes. But it's often a matter of luck. Also the time of the year. The winter down there is the dry season. From what I've been told this means less of the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite. -
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malaria homework....
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 8:00 AMSoooo.... as I *am* going on this trip and I feel that because we will be in a more remote area...and after talking to a doctor friend... I just feel that I need to take more precautions than just making sure they don't bite me... because they are tricky little buggers for sure!
So, we will be in a white water area which means there are more mosquitoes than the black, however, I got word from the host at the lodge that there will be no mosquitoes if any at that time. After doing my homework mainly on the CDC website, I still feel that it is wise to take a preventative.
It seems that the only safe option of the three malaria prevention medications is the newer "malarone". It is the most expensive option. I called Costco last night to get a quote. Figure out how many days you will be in the malaria area and then tack on 9 more days (2 before and 7 after) because you must take 1 pill per day for that duration. Then call Costco and get a quote. For how many pills my partner and I are getting it averages out to $4.78 for each malarone pill and as I hear there are really no unpleasant side effects...
I do not wish to take the slight risk of my psychological well being just to save a little money on taking the cheaper "Lariam"...it's just not worth the risk because you never know if you will have that reaction... The other cheapest option is the Doxycycline which not only makes your skin sensitive to the sun, but I have read DO NOT take this if you will be drinking aya....
It all seemed confusing to me at first too, but it is a bit more clear. I had no probloms last year without these preventative medacations, but I was mainly in the town of Iquitos and not too much time in remote areas... no boat trips or anyhting...
It would be Aamazing if you can join us!! Don't let a few little nasty critters keep you from an experience like this... because if you take the precautions that feel right for you, then it is all well worth it...
Salud!
~e~la -
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Re: malaria homework....
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 9:09 AMThe other possibility is getting the malarone in Peru. Probably a whole lot cheaper.
As to joining your group - sounds wonderful. Are you going to Toucan before or after the conference?
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Wed, May 10, 2006 - 6:42 PM"So I am going to be taking Mefloquine (Lariam)for malaria.... "
I damned sure wouldn't take this stuff for a couple days before the ceremony. This is a poisonous alkaloid and MAOIs may not be a good idea.
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 10:19 AMI would not take any medications while drinking ayahuasca. You are supposed to keep your system as clean as possible and western medicines have many adverse reactions too. I have been to Tucan Lodge, which is very pleasant and well protected, so mosquitos should not be a problem. It is not in a difficult place to access and there is a village nearby, so there is less mosquitos. If you are careful and try to not get bitten you should be fine. And the area generally is not a very dangerous one (for malaria).
But if you do decide to take the drugs, buy them in Peru. They are cheap and you don't need a prescription.
Like I said the area is not big on malaria but what everyone gets is parasites, so you might want to research that a bit. A water filter is good to have when travelling there.
Who are you drinking with at Tucan (I mean shaman)? -
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Re: Vaccination reactions...
Wed, May 10, 2006 - 4:48 PMEven though I agree that you have a very strong point about taking medications with drinking aya, I am following my instincts and I will be taking Malarone for prevention (along with doing what I can to not get bitten. ) I will not take anything that could negativly interact with the medicina...which is why I rule out the doxycycline and the Lariam (I also don't want to risk losing my cool permanently)... and from what I read, Malarone is safe to take with aya...
Also, I am a bit like Sky (who replied above) and even though he did all he could to not get bitten, he still got malaria, because the 'scitoes like him for dinner... As I hear it it is way cheaper to get malaria *prevention* rather than malaria *treatment*...and not to mention it does not sound like a good time...
I keep hearing my doctor friend saying "it only takes one"... so for peace of mind malarone it is for me...
So, do you know of a definite and reliable source for Malarone down in Peru? We only have 1/2 day in Lima before we head to the lodge in Iquitos... So perhaps someone might know an address and how much it is for Malarone down there?
I really appreciate all this amazing and diverse info... It has been like a ping pong match researching this... but it all has been really helpful in clarifying this... please feel free to keep it coming if you know of anything else....
~e
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