I Spoke Too Soon.. Malaria Part 2

I blogged two weeks ago about my desire for a problem-free last month of placement. I discussed some of the health problems I have experienced including having malaria 6 weeks ago and falling in a gutter. Personally, I don’t recommend doing either however both seem to be a right of passage of being in Ghana. 

As I wrote the post, malaria was brewing again in my liver and the day after I posted, I started feeling horrible at work and left work early to go home and rest. Just like last time, I had recently returned from a week field trip (this time in Western Region), and I noticed that I was sleeping more than usual and chalked it up to being exhausted. Unlike last time, I listened to my body and didn’t wait three weeks before seeking treatment. I decided against going back to the doctor and chose to buy the medication and rest. I didn’t have the time or feel the desire to go see a doctor again and spend money when I could treat it myself. 

Yet again, I appeared to be the healthiest person with malaria as I wasn’t throwing up or having difficulty moving around. I was suffering from muscle pain, muscle weakness, general discomfort, a headache and stomach pains. It’s hard to describe how malaria ‘feels’ but having gone through it once, I recognized the discomfort and crabby attitude. I knew as soon as I sat down at my desk that Friday that something wasn’t right with my body.

Because I have wonderful friends, a friend went to the pharmacy for me and picked up the malaria treatment and brought it to my room when I got back from work. She spoke with the pharmacist about my symptoms and that I had malaria within the last 6 weeks. Last time the doctor prescribed Coartem but it didn’t work very well for me. When I told my co-workers that I had been prescribed Coartem they all told me that it wasn’t an effective medication and that the parasite has developed a resistance to it and to try a different medication. The Coartem made my symptoms worse and it took me well over a week to bounce back and feel mostly back to normal after completing the three days of medication. All things considered, I’m not sure why I was prescribed Coartem however it seems like everyone is given Coartem the first time they have malaria.

This time I took Lonart which was half the price of Coartem and worked amazingly well. I wasn’t prepared for the nausea which was pretty bad during the first two days of treatment however eating soda crackers and drinking lots of water seemed to help. By the last day of Lonart I was feeling much better and I was able to move around and eat normally. I decided to take the Monday off work and work from home to allow my body to heal a bit more as I was still feeling mentally fuzzy and simple tasks were taking me longer than usual to complete. Tuesday morning I was back at work and feeling much better.

The weirdest part of malaria for me is the emotional chaos that seems to follow taking the treatment. Both times I’ve experienced emotional breakdowns and I struggle to control my emotions and mood swings for about a week after I finish the treatment. Someone told me that this isn’t uncommon in the recovery process however I couldn’t find any resources online about what to expect after completing malaria treatment.

I should point out that I have been taking my anti-malarial medication as directed by my doctor since I arrived in Ghana. I decided that after two rounds of malaria, that it wasn’t worth continuing the anti-malaria medication for the last few weeks. It is true that the anti-malaria medication doesn’t guarantee that you won’t contract malaria but it was a sound investment.

I found this video on youtube about malaria. It provides a general overview of malaria and the lifecycle of the parasite. 

FUN FACT: Did you know that malaria was common in North America? Malaria has since been eradicated.

It is true that malaria isn’t something to mess about with and seeking prompt treatment is key to a successful recovery. Most Ghanaians (and indeed, most Africans), have developed a resistance to the parasite and many adults don’t take the malaria medication and instead treat it the same way we in North America treat the common cold (lots of rest and fluids). It seems to affect small children and the elderly more than the average healthy adult because they have weaker immune systems. If you present with any of the usual symptoms (fever, headache, muscle pain), doctors assume that it is malaria and will treat for malaria before exploring other possible causes for the symptoms. Prevention is important and sleeping under a mosquito net is the first line of prevention. Avoiding mosquito bites altogether is virtually impossible if you are someone who tends to get bitten at home. 

Staying healthy is not so easy.