Injections

[LouLamb]

I went to the hospital on Monday to see the nurse. I have to go back on 4th April to see both nurse and consultant. That is when i will be starting Methotrexate injections. They have prescribed me hydroxychloroquine. Which i will start next week after i have an eye test. They want me to take 7.5mg steroids for 6 weeks to start which i will also start next week. I am half term now and i think that will be the best time to restart taking the tablets if i can manage.

[Barnclown]

Thanks so much for this update, loulamb!

Sounds like a good plan!

How do you feel about all this? Am glad you're on half term with a bit of space to concentrate on restarting meds

Take care & please keep us posted

🍀🍀🍀 coco

[LouLamb in reply to Barnclown]

Bit nervous about starting the injections, just the thought of having to inject myself. I do not like needles.

Worried about restarting tablets as before when i was taking any tablets i was being sick. I can only take tablets with milk because its the easiest way for me

[noonoo52 in reply to LouLamb]

Hi LouLamb, which Hydroxy are you taking. Nx

[LouLamb in reply to noonoo52]

What do you mean? Like dosage ?

[noonoo52 in reply to LouLamb]

Hi LouLamb, no QUINORIC or PLAQUENIL.

[LouLamb in reply to noonoo52]

I'm not sure I'll have to have a look

[Tinksie in reply to LouLamb]

Hi Lou Lamb. I take methotrexate injections weekly. The idea of it really is much worse than the reality. It is similar to holding a ball point pen against your leg and pressing the end. You cannot see the needle unless you're looking for it and it hardly hurts at all. I have found its the one thing that has helped with the pain levels. Hope this helps.

Love Tinksy

[LouLamb in reply to Tinksie]

Thanks . Once I get use to it I'll be fine . It will be like what was I even worrying about !!

[Barnclown in reply to LouLamb]

i like the way you're thinking loulamb: you're v self aware...you're not hiding from your feelings of anxiety, and you're open to good advice from yourself as well as from respectable others. took me a lot of life to learn how to be the way your are! well done, keep it up...and hang in there

xo

[Barnclown in reply to LouLamb]

it's tough, for sure.

in case it helps (apologies if you know this already) some suggestions re hydroxy:

see if you can be prescribed:

hydroxychloroquine sulfate from ZENTIVA

which comes in film coated 200mg tablets

(this is the closest to what used to be called Plaquenil)

these should always be taken with something in your stomach already - I take 200mg with breakfast & 200mg with supper. your plan to take with milk sounds good to go

these are the easiest on those of us with a predisposition to nausea etc. i have chronic gastritis & oesophagitis....my stomach & oesophagus spent a few weeks grumbling while they adapted to hydroxy. then i was fine.

xoxo

[LouLamb in reply to Barnclown]

I have to take 200mg tablets

[Barnclown in reply to LouLamb]

👍 That's fine: these tabs are each 200mg.

[noonoo52 in reply to Barnclown]

Hi coco, I was told not to take Hydroxy within 4 hours of my Omeprazole so how do you get on with those same time. It's says on my box take two daily I have always taken them together at lunchtime maybe I should split them up and take one morning and one tea time. Can't wait to change back to the new PLAQUENIL as had no problems with that and felt really good on those. Take care Nx

[Barnclown in reply to noonoo52]

Yes, tricky one...I was told 2 hrs is ok.... ( i had better double check this ASAP...)...I get up @ 6:30 a.m. Anyway & sip a big mug of ginger tea + manuka honey for an hour or so waking up (you know how it is...lupus) while I read a bit & visit this forum. So, I take oesomeprazole with that cup of tea. I do find I tolerate oesomeprazole better on an empty stomach! Breakfast isn't until 8:30ish, and that's when I take my lupus meds. 🍀😘

[GloomyEeyore]

I take the ZENTIVA brand of Hydroxychloroquine. Was given Quinoric to begin with and didn't get on very well with them. No problems with ZENTIVA. I was told PLAQUENIL is no longer available but that ZENTIVA is the same rebranded. At the moment I take two 200mg for two days, then one 200mg for one day on a repeating cycle. I always take them half way through a meal and on a two day take one with lunch and one with dinner.

[Circles in reply to GloomyEeyore]

I take Plaquenil 200mg just once a day at midday after my lunch and just before I leave for work.When I started on it last year I felt a bit lightheaded for a while but got used to it and fine now.Its always Plaquenil I get from pharmacy.It definitely helps with some things.