QUESTION

Hi, I have malaria, after every 2 to 3 months.  I had malaria positive when I was pregnant at 3 mnths I was hospitalized, it was P.vivax, it aggravated my pregnancy symptoms even, I had blood transfusion as Hb was 7, then aftr completion of 10 tab chloroquin course on discharge doctr advice me to take 2 tab chloroquin once a week for my whole pregnancy, I stopd taking drug at my 7 mnth as I got fed up of treatment, n hyperemesis whenevr I took chloroquin, then I had malaria in last days of my pregnancy again, it was vivax again then I had premature delivery with antepartum hemorage following c.section, after one month I had p.vivax malaria again, I am breast feeding mother, doctor again after completion of 10 tabs chloroquin advice 2 tabs chloroquin a week til I breast feed, I am fed up of taking chloroquin, its effects and malaria again and again, pls help me to ERADICATE from my blood, can I take Primaquine to help myself even I am breast feeding? And is it sure primaquine stop relapsing malaria?
I dont know why but I also had chest pain these days, I have enlarged spleen tip, Hb. 9, trophozites again in blood.
how to completely get rid of it? pls help me!

ANSWER

Thanks for your question – it sounds like you have had a very grueling time getting through these malaria episodes! I have forwarded your question to the medical experts who advise us here on malaria.com, but in the meantime I will try to at least partially answer your question.

As far as I am aware, there is not a lot of safety testing of primaquine in breast-feeding mothers. The main concern is with hemolysis, if either the mother or baby is G6PD deficient. However, I have heard of breast-feeding mothers being given primaquine in some cases, if the G6PD status of her and her baby has been determined to be normal. Primaquine, when taken for the full dosage period, is very effective at killing hypnozoites, which are the latent form of malaria that cause relapses. If you are interested in taking primaquine, you should talk to your doctor about the risks associated with taking the drug, and certainly have yourself and your infant tested for G6PD deficiency before starting treatment.

If you have taken medications for malaria, please help Malaria.com by taking our Malaria Medication Side-effects Survey: Treatment and Prophylaxis. Thank you!