Do you take Plaquenil?
My doctor called earlier and told me my blood work shows I have Rheumatoid Spondylitis. He wanted me to start on a sulfa drug, but any form of sulfa makes me vomit violently, so he prescribed Plaquenil. I read the side effects and frankly, I'm afraid to take it. If you take Plaquenil, please tell me how it affects you and whether or not you have problems with it. When I take Prednisone, I experience severe mood changes and at high doses experience psychosis, and I noticed these symptoms are possible with Plaquenil also. I'm also afraid of the eye problems related to this drug. I don't know if I even want to go get it! Also, if you take it, how do you do with it and your WLS? Any information or advice you can offer me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Dawn P.
In search of the ballerina........
In search of the ballerina........
Thanks you for your answer. My eyesight has really worsened over the past year, and now I'm reading the Plaquenil can make it worse. That's a little scary. I did start the drug two days ago, and boy am I dizzy. Did you experience dizziness and if so, how long did it last?
Dawn P.
In search of the ballerina........
In search of the ballerina........
Dawn: Firstly, there isn't anything called rheumatoid spondylitis (except back in the old days, like before 1960). I suspect that he meant that you either had rheumatoid arthritis (for which Plaquenil is an accepted treatment for mild cases), or ankylosing spondylitis (for which Plaquenil doesn't work so well in most cases.)
Plaquenil is by far one of the safest medicines used for arthritis. It is much safer than medicines such as sulfasalazine, Motrin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.. It "calms down" the immune system without actually suppressing it.
The eye problem scare is definitely blown out of proportion. It stems from the days when much higher doses were used and it could deposit in the back of the eye causing blurred vision, but it was reversible with stopping the medicines. Now, much lower doses are used and it is rare to get an eye problem. It is mainly seen in those who have been on it for 9 years or more, and even not very common in that group at all. As long as you see your ophthalmologist once a year, they'd notice something anytime you would. You can also download an "Amsler grid" off the internet and use it monthly as double insurance. It picks up any type of retina problem.
Otherwise, the vast majority of side effects are mild and dose dependent. Stomach upset is the most common... goes away on a lower dose.
Take it, it is much safer than anything else your doc may use. The bigger question is... will it be enough to control your arthritis? It can take up to a year to work.
Good luck!
Plaquenil is by far one of the safest medicines used for arthritis. It is much safer than medicines such as sulfasalazine, Motrin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.. It "calms down" the immune system without actually suppressing it.
The eye problem scare is definitely blown out of proportion. It stems from the days when much higher doses were used and it could deposit in the back of the eye causing blurred vision, but it was reversible with stopping the medicines. Now, much lower doses are used and it is rare to get an eye problem. It is mainly seen in those who have been on it for 9 years or more, and even not very common in that group at all. As long as you see your ophthalmologist once a year, they'd notice something anytime you would. You can also download an "Amsler grid" off the internet and use it monthly as double insurance. It picks up any type of retina problem.
Otherwise, the vast majority of side effects are mild and dose dependent. Stomach upset is the most common... goes away on a lower dose.
Take it, it is much safer than anything else your doc may use. The bigger question is... will it be enough to control your arthritis? It can take up to a year to work.
Good luck!
Don
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