Plaquenil questions

[Jodirae]

Hello for those of you on plaquenil, I'm just wondering if you find you get sick more often now, than you did before you were on the medication? Just wondering what I can expect come flu season. Thanks

[Lupiknits]

I've had a few colds and coughs, but don't get out much! The flu vaccine is a must for me, though.

Not long before being diagnosed I caught hand foot and mouth disease from my adult son. It isn't the animal kind! Sometimes we call it "slapped cheek disease"

This took me by suprise because I always thought of it as a small child disease, and his brother had had it as a tot. It was not fun, and everyone avoided me as if I had bubonic plague ( not that I blame them).

[Treetop33]

In the past few years I spent most of winter being sick - chest infections and all. That was way before diagnosis and treatment. What I understand is immune suppressants can leave you more vulnerable (but hydroxy/plaquenil isn't an immune-suppressant), but correcting your immune system can mean you catch fewer viruses because your immune system is functioning as it should. Not sure of the science behind that, but that's what I read.

I've been coughed on my many a sick child since diagnosis and treatment and seem ok thus far. So I'm hopeful for the coming winter.

I'd love to hear people's experiences though.

[Jodirae in reply to Treetop33]

Good to know! Thank you

[starbook13]

I stopped using plaquenil for that exact reason.

[Boxxietrolls]

I never really got sick before I had lupus or after i was diagnosed. Even using plaquenill, I still don't get sick. I don't get vaccines because I feel that if i get them, then I will get sick because it is a live virus.

[SjogiBear]

Despite having an overactive immune system, when I do catch some infection it proves very difficult to shift and can persist for weeks or even months occasionally. However, this happened both before and now subsequently after treatment with hydroxy. Taking the drug hasn't made any difference to this for me.

[webar4780]

I stopped hydroxychloriquine after 4 months, because I suffered, 3 back-to-back, combined, sinus, ear, and chest infections. Each time, I needed antibiotics. GP was surprised, as I have not had to use antibiotics often, previous to hydroxychloriquine use.

I can never be certain that the med further lowered my immunity, but I personally, didn't fare well on that drug. Many people do though. It must be a personal choice to keep taking it, or to stopping it.

Good luck.