Skip to main content

Malarone User Reviews & Ratings

Malarone has an average rating of 5.1 out of 10 from a total of 39 reviews on Drugs.com. 45% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 43% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Malarone

  • Menia
  • April 11, 2010

For Malaria Prevention "We used Malarone during our trip in Tanzania. To tell the truth, we were afraid of some bad comments about this drug. In fact, nothing happened to us. We were taking Malarone every day after our breakfast, so as to avoid an upset stomach. I think that, for malaria, Malarone is a very safe and without serious side effects."

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
51 Report
  • malab...
  • December 22, 2009

For Malaria Prevention "I have used Malarone for the past 3yrs, you have to take it 2 days prior to leaving the U.K. and for 5 days after returning. I find I get upset stomach and or nausea both on the 2nd day and 5 day period. When using it in Africa, I sometimes ended up with nightmares, but all round I find it is a good drug, and so far I have not contracted malaria."

7 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
47 Report
  • ion...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • March 19, 2019

"For those who had brain fog lethargy etc - I take it because I was bitten by a tick and ended up with Lyme disease. I also ended up getting from the same tick bite babesia - babesia is treated with malarone. Many people are walking around with babesia and are asymptomatic. It is possible you started to kill off the babesia or something similar and had a herxheimer reaction - just the throwing it out there that it may not be side effects but die off (Herxheimer reaction)- I had the weird thoughts brain fog etc when I first started it from the die off and toxins that are released - it went away"

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
21 Report
  • rettga
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • March 11, 2013

For Malaria Prevention "Malarone is as safe as you can get. I have used it for 12 months without any symptom at all from the medicine or the parasite. My wife has taken it for 7 months and likewise no problem at all. The best part, while 12 colleagues have fallen and become hospitalized with the prevailing malaria in West Africa they were not taking any anti-malarial."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
35 Report
  • cuhul...
  • March 1, 2011

For Malaria Prevention "I used Malarone for two years in Uganda and found it to be very effective and with minimal side effects. Having used other prophylactics against malaria in other African environments long term I would recommend it for those who do not like the side effects of Lariam (mefloquine). "

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
37 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

  • ccjo
  • November 20, 2011

For Malaria Prevention "I found that my trip was overruled by the dizziness, vertigo, insomnia, lack of appetite, and general feeling of unwellness this medication caused. I quit taking it on day 5, in order to be fully aware of myself and surroundings for the remainder of my trip."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
34 Report
  • Bud
  • September 1, 2018

For Malaria Prevention "My 8 yr old son and I took Malarone for 30 days, stopping 2 weeks ago. We both had loose stools and got mouth ulcers while on the medicine. I would consider those side effects mild. However, my son started having unwanted, intrusive dark thoughts while on the medicine and he started obsessing over them, feeling very guilty and confessing them to me. He had never acted in this way prior to taking the medicine. He is also having some weird dreams which make him feel bad. I have to wait 3 weeks to get an appointment with a child psychiatrist in our area but did see a pediatrician today who said his OCD-thought like difficulties were likely due to the antimalarial meds. I had not realized the association. I do hope the thoughts go away soon as they are all consuming to him and extremely worrying to both him and I. I feel helpless and don't know what to do."

2 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
18 Report
  • Nyc
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 28, 2018

" was on this for Babesia. I was fine on this drug for the first 2 weeks then started getting dark thoughts and felt sad and flat. My advice to anyone who needs to be on it long or short term is to take COQ10 same day but far away from the dose. This will help mood. Please remember this, if you are taking these drugs and begin to feel deeper anxiety, tearfulness, depression, suicidal thoughts, disconnectedness or dramatic personality changes, you should stop the drug immediately and call your doctor to get something else. You will feel better once you stop and add CoQ10 back into your diet (supplements of ubiquinol restore the deficiency). Mepron and Malarone can weaken your immunity and your cellular function by depleting you of CoQ10."

5 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
17 Report
  • Anonymous
  • September 25, 2011

For Malaria Prevention "I used Malarone for over a year while living in West Africa and found it to be effective with the only side effect being the occasional bad dream. It would be my choice for an anti-malarial were I to return there."

8 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
30 Report
  • cosmic
  • December 18, 2011

For Malaria Prevention "I have been taking Malarone for the past 6 weeks while in Zambia. I take it after meals in the evening. I can't say I have had any noticeable side effects at all. Whether it is effective against getting Malaria only time will tell, I am here for another 5 weeks. I also use a net, repellent, etc."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
27 Report
  • Matt
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 17, 2018

For Malaria Prevention "I experienced quite a few side effects over the longer term that left me in quite a depressed state. Worst of which being heavy lethargy, racing heart anxiety and depression after using for several shorter trips. For me it's not so bad shorter term but certainly wasn't great in the longer term. My Doctor said to stop taking the drug and generally after a couple of weeks I felt fine again. From my experience I would be cautious and more aware with future use as I know it can effect my moods and cause me to feel extremely tired."

5 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
15 Report
  • Tea
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 19, 2018

For Malaria Prevention "I was fine taking this medication when I was in Africa but a year later, I’ve been having all sort of health issues. I finally went to see the infectious disease doctor and she informed me my neuropathy, (involving seizures now) GI problems, memory problems, confusion, and other problems are from taking this drug. The dosage was way too high for somebody my size she said. I weigh about 116 and am 28 years old. I’ve never had problems before. Research before you take something. Oh, my neuropathy? Will reverse on its own or I’ll probably have to live with it for the rest of my life!"

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
14 Report
  • 7...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 24, 2017

For Malaria Prevention "Do not take this medicine. After returning from a week long trip to Haiti, I was constantly nauseous, dizzy, had brain fogginess and was fatigue to the point that I couldn't even get through a day of work. I was 20 at the time and had never had any health problems. I also experienced severe depression. It was very scary as I had never struggled with any type of mental health issues prior to taking this drug. I went to multiple doctors after my trip trying to figure out what was wrong, and it took at least a month to realize it was from this medicine. At the time I read from other reviews that some users experienced the same symptoms . Two years later I am 22 now and from time to time have trouble with dizziness, nauseousness, fatigue, etc."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
16 Report
  • Komekid
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • May 19, 2020

For Malaria Prevention "I was in a 35/35 rotation to an oilfield camp near Doba, Chad for 4 years. We had to take Malarone and we were tested for its presence in our system. This medication gave me diarrhea, incoherent dreams and sleep loss. I backed off the daily tablet dose to every other day in order to still pass the drug test. The diarrhea abated and the incoherent dreams diminished. I didn’t contract malaria."

7 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
10 Report
  • Hingu
  • August 20, 2020

"I have been taking Malarone this now for 3 days (2 pills twice per day) and then after that 3 day period, just 1 pill twice per day) and will continue to do so for about 4 months. It is used to treat babesiosis (for me, alongside doxycycline, cefuroxime and disulfiram for lyme disease.) However. I want to add here that many people seem to get very sick from this, very quickly. Too many for it to be a common side effect. One other post mentioned this. The symptoms of nausea, brain fog, balance issues, heavy fatigue and lethargy, etc is all VERY common in the lyme disease and coinfection world. If this drug is "herxing" you so quickly, producing such typical coinfection-type symptom clusters, you MUST get checked for babesia and if you have babesia, chances are you may have other co-infections too. (50% of those that get borellia from a tick bite, also get babesia, like me!) Long term dangers of these conditions if left untreated are terrible. (Think alzheimers, dementia, etc) Do not risk it!"

9 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
9 Report
  • Karen
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 3, 2016

For Malaria Prevention "After taking the 2nd pill I developed raised red welts on my neck, shoulders and upper chest. I immediately stopped taking Malarone. The next day the raised welts were replaced by another rash where the skin was cracked, dry and felt hot to touch....like a bad burn. After a week of the new rash continuing to spread I went to the emergency room. I was immediately put on predisone and I was told if my rash continued to spread and develop blisters I would then need to seek immediate emergency medical treatment. I was endanger of developing Steven-Johnson Syndrome. It has been four weeks since I first took this drug. The rash is gone and my skin has peeled but I am now being tested systemic damage/ liver damage."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
15 Report
  • James
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 25, 2018

For Malaria Prevention "Took for 10 days for a 3 day visit to Kruger National Park. Was totally bricking it after readying all the scare stories. Zero side effects. No nausea, no weird dreams, nothing. Took with breakfast, including dairy."

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
12 Report
  • cbgaja
  • February 8, 2018

For Malaria Prevention "I was so scared to take these after all the bad reviews. I was in South Africa with a group and we were 8 people taking malarone and we were all without side effects luckily. We always took the tablet after eating and only for 14 days. but it was all fine :)"

10 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
12 Report
  • Sierra...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 13, 2015

For Malaria Prevention "I traveled to Sierra Leone with my two-and-half year old son in 2005. He and I took Malarone. He broke out in hives that required medical attention and I experienced severe dizziness and bad dreams. I would NOT recommend this drug to anyone. We were immediately taken off Malarone and put on Daraprim which worked fine as we stayed there for six weeks and we never got sick."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
14 Report
  • MANYANA
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 14, 2020

For Malaria Prevention "My husband and I took Malarone on a recent trip to Namibia and South Africa. My husband started having Deja Vu 2nd day then on flight to Namibia he told me the clouds were waves and there were surfers out there. Then left the hotel room in the middle of the night in his PJ's shouting at other guests to leave his house! Had to lock the room every night on holiday. Said people on tour were a religious sect. He is 69 by the way. I had vomiting and diarrhea on 3rd and 4th day but stopped taking as I had to look after my husband. I felt fine when I stopped taking them. Would NOT recommend."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
8 Report
  • No...
  • April 14, 2016

For Malaria Prevention "When I tried Malarone around 2007, I became nauseous, stomach hurt, I could not eat at all and could not get out of the hotel. I had to stop the medication because I could not enjoy the vacation. However, in 2015 on another trip, I was given the generic version of Malarone. I felt fine during the whole stay and felt fine after the 7 days after the trip ended. While my friend, on the other hand, tried the brand name Malarone version and started to feel nauseous, swollen during the first day of the trip and had to stop. What do I encourage you to do? Please try the generic version of Malarone - Atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
12 Report
  • lilan
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 3, 2015

For Malaria Prevention ".Scariest drug reaction I have ever had. Started with being awakened by difficulty breathing (middle of night). took some antihistamines, and tried slow controlled breaths; then used an inhaler. Frequent urination (really frequent with some leakage!). By morning had sores in mouth from the swelling, red tissues in mouth, swollen eyelids, lips and face. Started a fever which went up to 103, Then got big leopard spots all over (why not, in Africa?) a pharmacist in our group insisted this must be anything but the Malarone because even he and his wife were taking it.!!! Don't listen to people like that, almost continued to take it. Horrible experience, quit it and did not get malaria which would have been preferable."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
12 Report
  • eubean
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 17, 2016

For Malaria Prevention "Be advised that any medication can have averse reactions on anybody. My experience with Malarone was when I traveled to Cambodia for 2 weekw. It took about a day before it started but Malarone completely incapacitated me with a constant level of nausea. I could not eat nor was it worth leaving the hotel because I was weakened by it. l, too, had to discontinue its use for the entire trip, completely soaked in deet instead. It would be advisable to try malaria medicine several days before you leave for a trip to any questionable location. Ironically, in the middle of 105° F temperatures,in November, in full sleeves and pants, I never encountered a single mosquito."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
11 Report
  • Carol
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 4, 2020

For Malaria Prevention "On about my fifth day of Malarone I had an extreme faintness . Feeling like I wanted to faint frequently ,trips to the bathroom and severe brain fog. After not improving I cut my trip short and came home and after doing research I saw that this was one of the big complaints with many people. Because I’ve had a couple of mosquito bites I continued to take it the recommended time continuing to have the side effects. It took around 24 hours of being off the pill before I started to notice the brain fog Decreasing and the lightheadedness disappear. As an RN it was my decision not to read the side effects before I took it because I feel like I would rather not be influenced in anyway . It was a big mistake taking this drug no one else in the group had any problems and they all took a very wide range of anti-malaria tablets. I would highly recommend not taking this drug."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
7 Report
  • 18229...
  • February 2, 2017

For Malaria "I'm usually pretty tolerant of drugs, but this one was awful! Hot and cold flashes, sweating, abdominal cramps, headaches.The tablet form was much better. The scariest side effect for both forms for me is that my period stopped for 3 months and I've never had any variation with that kind of thing. Felt like I was going through menopause even though I'm very young."

1 / 10
Was this helpful?YesNo
10 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.