Plaquenil 400mg taken at once or split into 200mg twice a day?

[joannebond360]

Hi. I have been on plaquinal for 3 months and since upping the dose to 400mg I just take them in one go but have read that many people split the dose! Panicking encase I'm taken them incorrectly! Does anyone else take them together?

[grannyjogger]

I split the dose but sometimes forget the later one so I asked the advice of the Rheumie nurse. She mmmmm-ed a bit and said it was probably better to take morning and evening. My prescription says 1xtablet twice a day so I guess splitting into two doses is better. Sometimes I don't realise I've forgotten the morning dose so I take both in the evening!!

[joannebond360 in reply to grannyjogger]

Thank you. Think I will call the nurse tomorrow and ask to be sure. Been taking them together for 2 months, oops!

[kittykat68]

hi hun , your suppose to take one in the eve and one at night not altogether im no dr but i do take them ,ive been on the 3 years now and i used to take them al2gether but then swopped it around and found i had more energy throughout the day and no headaches and less side effects , i dont think you done any harm as the time period is not enough but plz spread them out now hunx

[uzi41]

Hi when I started taking them I was told 1in morning and 1 in the evening but they made me drowsy, so doc said take together in the evening. Take care.

Uzi

[joannebond360]

Thank you. I have split the dose starting from today, can I take one with breakfast then one with dinner or does it have to be later evening?

[Mainshah]

Hi I was taking 400mg together for 6 weeks with breakfast, docs said it was fine, but nw reduces them to 200mg taking that in the morning with breki nw.

[Hidden]

Hi i am on this twice a day. I take mine together in the morning with food. Purely because i forget my evening ones. I did get tummy ache at first but i am fine now.

[joannebond360]

Thank you for all your advice. Split it today to see if it helps with the fatigue a bit. Im sure when I saw my consultant he said after a month on 200mg up it to 1 tablet twice a day then when I went to the gp for my repeat prescription he told me to take 400mg at once. Confusing! Lol

[gazorpf in reply to joannebond360]

It is not going to help with your fatigue, at least not that quickly. It takes 4 to 6 months to reach full therapeutic levels in your blood. Your GP is totally wrong. Call your rheumatologist.

There is some excellent information about the drug here nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dru... You might want to pay special attention to the dosing instructions.

[lowicklady55]

I take mine together about 1/2 hour before I go to bed. Sometimes get upset tum but not very often

[Olibop]

I take mine morning and evening seems to suit me best !!!

[Coppernob]

I take both of mine together just before sleep, no problems after 8 years. (Though my hair's starting to fall out in the shower, which may be a side effect of Plaquenil, or could be something else entirely.) I think I found when I took it in the morning initially that I felt a bit nauseous, which is why I switched to evenings, but that may just have been introductory issues.

[joannebond360]

Thank you everyone

[gazorpf]

You need to take one in the morning and one in the evening in order to maintain the proper therapeutic levels in your blood stream. If you are in doubt, then the best thing to do is call your doctor and ask.

[puneet123]

Ask your rhemie. I take mine twice a day according to instructions by my rheumie.