I have been a member here for a while but have not posted until now. I was diagnosed with SLE in June and was initially put on steroids but sadly had to come off as I did not get on with them. I am now 2 months into Hydroxy but am now having a problem with this too... I think ?
To all you ladies who are taking this medication, have any of you been late with your menstrual cycle ?
I have been trying to research this but am not having much luck. I really appreciate your help
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llewelyn2405
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I'm not on Hydroxy and also unlike you have taken steroids for years and suddenly went into early menopause !. Prior to this my periods were very regular and then started becoming later and then had a heavier one and then stopped !. They've stopped now for 8 years!. Steroids have been blamed for this but you've not taken them for long enough!. Sorry that you didn't get on with them.
It might help if you keep a diary of your periods and see if there are any patterns as this could be what's happening to you. We're very prone I think to go into early menopause because of the illness as well as the drugs. Hope I've helped as also being newly diagnosed must be very daunting!. X
Early menopause can happen because of the immuno- suppressive drugs and the illness but not a lot is written about it!. It's another tough thing some of us have to face up to, not easy!. Your GP can test your hormone levels to see if you are in early menopause if you want to know. Good luck. X
Here is what The Lupus Encyclopedia by Donald E Thomas Jr, says about lupus and menstrual issues;
"...it is not uncommon for women who have SLE to have irregular menstrual cycles. These irregularities primarily occur when their SLE is more active and is manifested by changes in how often they menstruate, how long the menstrual cycles last, and how much menstrual flow they have. The exact reason for these changes is not known, but it may be related to the stress the body is going through during lupus flares. When SLE is less active, the menstrual cycles generally tend to be more normal."
Changes to the menstrual cycle don't appear to be listed as a known side-effect of hydroxychloroquine, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't be involved. It may be worth discussing with your doctor.
I am 3 weeks late tomorrow and its driving me nuts ! Keep thinking its going to happen but nothing. And you the opposite... can't win can we. Thanks for your help
Your response has been very helpful. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that I am starting the beginnings of the menopause, I have always had a bad time with the girly stuff, endometriosis, miscarriage and ectopic. I never thought that SLE would be to blame for any of this. I will have a proper read up on its link.
Thanks again
My cycle has completely stopped since I started taking Plaquenil. I have not had a period in 2 years. I'm not pregnant. Good luck. I'm following your post to keep up with others responses.
Yes, I have been on plaquenil for a little over two months. My last period came on time, but I spotted the whole time, no actual flow. I am disturbed by this because my cycle was regular and consistent. I begin to research and this thread is all I could find.
Well hello there. I've been on Apo Hydroxyquine for 3 years. Since then I've been late countless times. This time as the year started, I've had no period. No symptoms of menstrual cycle and it seems like it's completely done for. So I thought I was the only one dealing with this.
I do not have SLE, but I do have RA and take Hydroxychloroquine. I’ve been on it for almost a month now and this is my first period since taking it and it still hasn’t shown up. I’m about 4 ish days late?
I haven't been diagnosed with SLE. I'm on hydroxychloroquine for another diagnosis. But this post came up when googling about menstruation issues associated with hydroxychloroquine. I've been on hydroxychloroquine for about a month. I noticed a total change- early by 3-5 days and only lasting 2-3 days. I'm not exactly complaining, but it's reassuring to hear that this is the medication, not yet another weird thing my body decided to do.
I started hydroxychloroquine about 3 weeks ago and my period is late now by 6 days. I’m usually perfectly regular. It’s helpful to see others have had a similar experiences.
I’m starting my second month on Hydroxychloroquine and am having the same experience - currently 8 days late compared to a normally regular cycle (and not pregnant).
A search online said that that it is not known to cause menstrual cycle changes… but of course women’s health research is generally not prioritized, so it may be something not studied/documented.
Hi llewelyn, my periods are regular but that’s because I’m on the pill. Hydroxy hasn’t changed that for me. I am on the pill for endometriosis, which I believe is correlated with lupus and AI in general—I also have lupus. But I can confirm that you can find out about menopause by having a blood test—so long as you’re not on the pill like me—and/or an internal ultrasound. I had one earlier this year, and they were able to confirm I’m not yet in menopause, although they admitted there was still a chance I might be pre-menopausal. Good luck
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