Originally written on 10/25 To prevent malaria, I have been taking a drug called mefliquine. There are no negative physical side effects, but the pill has been known to cause depression, hallucinations, paranoia, and vivid dreams. I was TOLD that the vivid dreams are the only common side effect. I have experienced these, and they are often quite amusing. Ask me about them sometime. I would write about them here, but I might get censored for sounding like a crazy person.
I take the pill once a week, and I am supposed to take it with a meal. Yesterday I was supposed to take the pill, but forgot to do it until bed time. I did not have any food handy, and I didn't want to wait until morning (I have it in my head that I take the pill on Tuesday. Why switch to Wednesday?) so I took it with just a glass of water and went to sleep.
I woke up at three am with a funny swollen feeling in my nose. It felt very large. I went to my mirror, and noticed that my nose was indeed very large. It seemed about as big as a small melon. I was unsure what to do. I didn't have any ice. My mom had given me an entire pharmacy of medicine to bring on the trip, but I didn't think there was any swollen nose medicine. After a few minutes of thinking, I decided I was tired, so I went back to sleep after opening and drinking part of a bottle of water.
When I woke up in the morning, I immediately checked my nose. It was normal again! I was very confused about what had happened, but then I stopped to think (this time fully awake). If my nose had indeed been the size of a cantalope, how would I have been able to breathe through it? Also, how would I have even seen past it to see the reflection in the mirror? Clearly it was a dream. But no. The bottle of water that I had opened was still sitting on my bed side table. So it wasn't a dream, but it didn't happen. Wierd.
I guess I will never take those pills without food again...
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6 comments:
Uh, I think i caught you just as you posted this, kinda weird, and creepy, perhaps wreepy? Anyway, you said one side affect, hallucinations...perhaps you were hallucinating, which i find quite amusing and wish i had the pleasure of doing it myself, without taking prescription/illegal drugs. Also, i've never heard of the medication you are using, which i went to Haiti, it was either malarone, or something else with and A that was once weekly. And i'm sure nobody was hallucinating.
Haha, this is great. I love stories about malaria pills.
I love it...you make me smile.
Uh, i'm commenting on the comments. Sarah, who I don't think I know, although i appologize if I do. Her story actually brings to mind when i was in Haiti, on weekly malaria meds. Anyway, I thought i saw someone coming in our bunk room in the middle of the night and stand over one of the other guys and just stand there as i stared at him for what seemed like 5 minutes. As i told everyone this the next day they thought i was crazy, and i started to think so myself, but it turns out ro-ro, the pastor did come in in the middle of the night, kinda creepy, but alas, i wasn't hallucinating.
Uh, i'm commenting on the comments. Sarah, who I don't think I know, although i appologize if I do. Her story actually brings to mind when i was in Haiti, on weekly malaria meds. Anyway, I thought i saw someone coming in our bunk room in the middle of the night and stand over one of the other guys and just stand there as i stared at him for what seemed like 5 minutes. As i told everyone this the next day they thought i was crazy, and i started to think so myself, but it turns out ro-ro, the pastor did come in in the middle of the night, kinda creepy, but alas, i wasn't hallucinating.
er, sorry for the repeat, my internet in DC is screwy as well....so you don't have to go to bangladesh to experience that.
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