Arthritis Forum - plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis

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Q: plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis

asked by: dawnleonardi on February 27th, 2008

New User

I'll try to make this short. I'm 38, have rheumatoid arthritis (otherwise, in excellent health). I have heard/read horror stories about this disease (and have my own unfortunate stories) but I want to tell EVERYONE about the medication my doctor prescribed. It's called GENERIC NAME: hydroxychloroquine / BRAND NAME: Plaquenil. Unlike ALL the other medications with serious side effects, mortality rates, etc. etc., this one works for me. Virtually no side effects (a very, very small percentage of people will have eye problems. I spoke with my eye doctor and in his 25 years of practice, he has NEVER some across anyone who is on plaquenil to have contracted any eye problems).

Please talk to your doctor and really press the issue if they don't agree with giving this medication a try. It's been around for decades. Why ALL doctors don't recommend it is still a mystery to me.

Replies(4)

MandMs

replied on March 5th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

Plaquenil belongs to group of drugs known as disease-modifying, anti-rheumatic drugs and is usually used as second line in therapy of RA like slow-acting medicine.

Did the treatment with NSAIDs fail?
For how long you are using Plaquenil?

dawnleonardi

replied on March 6th, 2008

New User

plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis

My first doctor prescribed mobic (didn't work) and then was recommending steriods and a myriad of other medications. I switched doctors and he prescribed 8 mg of medrol for two months, simultaneously taking 400 mg plaquenil a day (my doctor stating that it takes approximately 2 months for the plaquenil to take effect). After 4 months of 400 mg plaquenil a day, I'm now at 200 mg a day (total 6 months so far). I go back to the doctor in June 2008 for a check up. I don't know if everyone will have the same effect - but before plaquenil, I was immobile (everything from my ankles, knees, shoulders, fingers - you name it, couldn't move it).

MandMs

replied on March 17th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

Retinopathy (irreversible retinal damage) are dose-related, and has been observed in some patients who had received long-term or high-dosage therapy of Plaquenil.
Have you been examined by ophthalmologist before starting the treatment?
Are you aware that you need to do periodical exams of eyes at least every 3 months?
Have you been tested for your knee and ankle reflexes after months of Plaquenil use?

kirbygirl

replied on May 14th, 2009

New User

Eye Exams on Plaquenil

Eye exams for RA patients taking plaquenil are recommended once a year, not once every three months. Blood should be tested once every three to six months for changes in platelets. Plaquenil is basically the safest drug treatment for RA, with fewer side effects than the other typically prescribed RA drugs. It is also, however, the lowest level of treatment and may not work for some people with more severe RA. I'm 30 years old, and it has worked great for me so far. Before treatment, I could barely walk or lift my baby when I had flare ups.

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