Apparently, my travel clinic didn't look closely enough at contraindications for the oral typhoid vaccine. I am allergic to dairy and casein. Casein is used to make the vaccine and an allergy to it is a contraindication. I learned all of this after the symptoms grew progressively worse - severe stomach cramps, upset stomach, nausea, fever, worsening asthma symptoms, etc. I consumed an allergen into my system in a capsule that ensures it made through my stomach and directly into my intestines to be absorbed. People who are lactose intolerant are also more prone to issues with the oral vaccine, which only causes ~6% of people (per manufacturer) or ~25% of people (per my clinic) to have side effects. So, if you have any issues with dairy, you may want to stick with the typhoid injection vaccine, even with the shorter immunity period!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Guatemalan Tours, Typhoid Vaccine Choices & Sudden Fears
Due to safety issues in Guatemala, I decided that taking all tours would be best. Unfortunately, most companies will not book a tour for one person. On the up side, Guatemalan Adventure worked with me and offered me tours that were the closest to the ones I was interested in. So, very excited that I will be seeing all of the places that I want to! This is something for single travelers to keep in mind though - this was the only tour group I found who would accommodate a single traveler at all.
I have traveled alone before, but never to a "third world country." For some reason, I've suddenly gotten very nervous about the trip. Maybe it was a novel I'm reading where they described how truly AWFUL Malaria is. I also decided to take typhoid pills instead of the shot (I'll get into that below) and it can have some unpleasant side effects. I've never been a "nervous" person about travel, but the combination of exposure to illnesses unlike anything I've ever experienced and the crime rate in Guatemala had me suddenly thinking that this trip wasn't such a great idea!
Of course, I'm still going and the opportunity to meet my sponsored kids outweighs the above, but I did have second thoughts, which I'm sure is normal.
As for typhoid, my health insurance doesn't cover travel immunizations and the oral vaccine is cheaper. It also lasts for 5 years instead of 2 years. This turned out to be a great idea because the shot was over $100. The pills would have been ~$75, but my prescription insurance DOES cover travel medication and so I only paid $25. Much better! My fears about the side effects were based in reality. I didn't have any serious issues, but I definitely did not feel 100%. I've had some unpleasant stomach pain and a strange taste in my mouth (not really nausea, just weird taste). Overall though, it hasn't been super terrible. I'd recommend taking the first on a weekend so you know how it will affect you. I'd still recommend the oral vaccine for the longer immunization period, but also if prescription coverage will cover it and your medical won't cover the shot.
I have traveled alone before, but never to a "third world country." For some reason, I've suddenly gotten very nervous about the trip. Maybe it was a novel I'm reading where they described how truly AWFUL Malaria is. I also decided to take typhoid pills instead of the shot (I'll get into that below) and it can have some unpleasant side effects. I've never been a "nervous" person about travel, but the combination of exposure to illnesses unlike anything I've ever experienced and the crime rate in Guatemala had me suddenly thinking that this trip wasn't such a great idea!
Of course, I'm still going and the opportunity to meet my sponsored kids outweighs the above, but I did have second thoughts, which I'm sure is normal.
As for typhoid, my health insurance doesn't cover travel immunizations and the oral vaccine is cheaper. It also lasts for 5 years instead of 2 years. This turned out to be a great idea because the shot was over $100. The pills would have been ~$75, but my prescription insurance DOES cover travel medication and so I only paid $25. Much better! My fears about the side effects were based in reality. I didn't have any serious issues, but I definitely did not feel 100%. I've had some unpleasant stomach pain and a strange taste in my mouth (not really nausea, just weird taste). Overall though, it hasn't been super terrible. I'd recommend taking the first on a weekend so you know how it will affect you. I'd still recommend the oral vaccine for the longer immunization period, but also if prescription coverage will cover it and your medical won't cover the shot.
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