Welcome dear Lariam!

I will continue writing this blogg in English, at least partly, as quite a few people have asked me to do so. So what is new? Have I received my passport? No, not yet… still waiting and hoping. Seven days until take off. My mind is filled with emotions. I am excited, happy and nervous about arriving in Grand Popo, meeting my colleagues, finding a home, copying with the heat and simply making a new everyday life for me there. I am also realizing that I am leaving, which includes good-byes. Most of the times I don’t find it that hard, as I always come back and I am used to leaving Åbo, and leaving in general. The close people around me are also used to it. It is moi moi, see you later. This time it doesn’t feel quite the same. People seem to worry about me more and I seem to worry about the fact that certain things simply won’t be the same when I return. But that is one part of leaving and returning, sometimes things are the same and other times everything seems different. Life goes on, right?

I started taking Lariam today, which is an anti-malaria medicine. You have to take it one week before arriving to the area and 4 weeks after, so all in all I am stuck with Lariam for 8 months, oh joy. Why is that bad? Well Lariam is a heavy drug that makes most people feel bizarre in several ways. Last time I took Lariam for a few months I had hallucinations and paranoia. Not often but always once week at the so called Lariam pill day, as you only take it once a week. Being at the Cambodian country side with paranoia is not something I recommend. Luckily I wasn’t alone.

I found an information site that is fully devoted to Lariam but mostly against taking it. This is what is said about Lariam: “Mefloquine may have severe and permanent adverse side-effects. It is known to cause severe depression, anxiety, paranoia, nightmares, insomnia, seizures, peripheral motor-sensory neuropathy, vestibular (balance) damage and central nervous system problems. For a complete list of adverse physical and psychological effects — including suicidal ideation — see the most recent product information. Central nervous system events occur in up to 25% of people taking Lariam, such as dizziness, headache, insomnia, and vivid dreams. In 2002 the word "suicide" was added to the official product label, though proof of causation has not been established.” What a lovely drug! Other Nordic countries actually don’t prescribe it anymore. There are other anti-malaria medicines that don’t cause this many side effects but the down side is that they cost about three times more. It is impossible for me to pay 500-600 euro only for anti-malaria medicines, so I am stuck with Lariam. If you are lucky all the side effects you get are exceptionally powerful erotic dreams.