Round 2 - Hydroxychloroquine

[InnerBeauty]

Since the Sulfasalazine did not agree with me, my Rhemy has given me Hydroxychloroquine to try. I'm planning on starting it tomorrow, I just hope it doesn't make me ill. Has anyone been on this drug? and did it work for you?

Many thanks.

Jennifer

[Livingston]

It worked well for me early on & I still take it in combination with MTX & leflunomide.

It gives me a headache if I take it on an empty stomach but, other than that, no problems. I take 400mg one day & 200mg the next as I don't weigh enough for 400mg every day.

You need to make sure you have your eyes tested annually & that the optician knows you are taking hydroxy.

[InnerBeauty in reply to Livingston]

Thank you x

[Livingston in reply to InnerBeauty]

I know not everybody takes to it, but in the DMARD world, I think it is one of the gentler options (if there is such a thing ) One good thing is - no blood tests required.

[Caza in reply to Livingston]

I've been taking it for three years & never been weighed?? Never heard of this before.

[helixhelix in reply to Caza]

If you are very small/petite & skinny then many docs prefer to give you a slightly lower dose. I've never been weighed - but then it's very obvious that I am neither small or skinny!

[Livingston in reply to Caza]

Dosage is calculated based on weight - this helps reduce potential complications with the eyes.

[Caza in reply to Livingston]

Do you have the calculations?

Just hope he's guessed correctly. I'm not under or over weight.

[Livingston in reply to Caza]

Here's a link:

retinareference.com/disease...

[Caza in reply to Livingston]

Thank you. Just slightly under the guidelines for weight but over for height. So reckon he's got it right, always good to know for sure.

[hatshepsut]

I've been on it for 5+ years, with no real problems. You do need to get your eyes tested regularly once a year, but it's a small price to pay, and it can be quite effective. Hope it suits you. M xx

[KB-Fibro]

Have been taking it in combination with sulfasalazine for about 2 yrs. It works well for me although my eyesight has been affected

[dtech]

I'm on this along with methotrexate and sulfasalazine. I've not had any problem. Good luck.

[Caza]

Hi I've been taking this drug for three years & not had any problems.

I had my eyes tested before I started on them & again every nine months. I take one in the morning & one in the evening always with food. I've found I'm a lot more sun sensitive & need to use sun cream

It's worked really well for me up until now, I'm very stressed out as I am moving & things have not gone to well, do they ever 😡

The rheumy wanted to put me on something stronger but I'd sooner wait & see if things calm down once I've moved in two weeks time. So he's keeping an eye on me.

Hope they work as well for you as they have for me.

[Libluce8]

Take care in the sun, in fact keep out of the sun. It caused large blister on the skin and also blister in the mouth and on my husbands lips. He was on it for about a month when this happened and the rheumy blamed sunlight - the specialist told him to stop it immediately saying he'd had a bad allergic reaction. So take care x

[Nurseratchette]

I was on it no side effects but did not work so well for me

[flowers89]

Hi ive been on Hydrox for a year now but have got to start on Mthx as well starting Monday as pain and inflammation got worst i had bad nausea and itchy skin to start with but went after a couple of months,it did work for about 8 mts but now not enough on its own,im sure you will be fine with it ,take care ,x

[Seashoreshanty]

hi, I am on 8 Methotrexate on a Tuesday and take Hydroxyc every day taking two tablets (and folic acid on a Monday just two). I must say at first the hydroxyc did make me feel a bit nauseous, but I have stuck with it and now it is ok. I am feeling so much better now. I have been taking the methotrexate since Nov 14 and the Hydroxy since around January this year. The make I take is Quinoric film coated tablets 200 mg. hope that helps.

[Annielouisem]

Hi I've been on it for nearly 10 years with no problems although I have blood tests every three months to make sure no liver damage and eye tests yearly as that can also be another side effect. It has worked well but has not been sufficient in the last year so I am now on lefumonide and voltaren for foot and knee arthritis. So on the whole my experience has been good and no side effects

[Hidden]

Hi

I was on hydroxy for about 11 years without any problems whatsoever, even took it all the way through a pregnancy.

Hope it does the trick for you

Kiki x

[Hidden]

I take it morning and night along with savella. I take methx, 6 tablets one day a week, and a folic acid once a day. Also a shot of humira every two weeks. This regimen of drugs has done the trick with getting me back to leading a normal life. Hands are stiff in the morning and my bones do a lot of creaking, but I golf 2 days a week and can crochet. I have been on these for 3 years. Eyes are tested once a year, although both the rheumatologist and the eye doc have never seen anyone with a problem. I have blood tests every two months. No side effects.

Good luck!

[carotopgal]

I have been on it since I was diagnosed a year ago. The only problem I've had from it is diarrhea. We stopped it for 3 months because of the severe diarrhea, but my pain got so much worse the rheumy wanted me to go back on it. And it does really help me, so now I just live with the side effects and take Imodium. Hope it helps you like it has helped me!

[Cat111]

I've been on hydroxychloroquine since January and had no side effects but I also take 8 methotrexate once a week.

Don't feel that the Hydroxychloroquine does anything for me really still in daily pain so back to the rheumi for me in a couple of weeks.

Good luck to you x

[medi52]

Hi. I've been on hydroxychloroquine and leflunomide for 5 months now and have nothing to complain at all. No illness, no tiredness, it's great. I did notice I'm loosing a little bit more hair than usual, but that may be the leflunomide.

Hope this works for you!

[Azabat]

I haven't had any problems with the hydroxyquine, and I think it has helped with my energy levels, but I'm not seeing any great results, either. Don't let that dissuade you, though, because many people benefit from it. Sulfa didn't agree with me, either (chronic stomach problems). Best luck!!

Bats

[Steffi16]

Hi, I have been on Hydroxychloroquine since being diagnosed a couple of years ago. I spread the dose ie one in the morning and one in the evening and you do need to take it with food. My ophthalmologist said it is rare for it to affect the eyes but he does monitor them closely as I am also at risk from glaucoma. I used to take MTX in tablet form and folic acid once a week but now they have swapped it to Metoject pens and folic acid six days a week. Recently I started Sulphasalazine and have never felt so ill, so after a couple of months and the symptoms not abating the consensus was for me to come back off it. The only real side effect I have had from Hydroxychloraquine is my skin gets very itchy so I have been prescribed Loratadine which is an antihistamine.