Well much debating I have had my first Hydroxychloroquine tablet

I'm sure you understand that not every drug suits everyone - & if a drug really disagrees with someone they are far more likely to post on here....because they are so disappointed.

I must agree we rarely see posts saying what a wonderful drug X,Y,Z is.

I think that is because if a drug works we happily get on with our lives & don't bother to post here.

So try to ignore what happens to other people ...& concentrate on looking forward to the Hydroxy working well for you.

You know that eventually most of us find the drug that will work for us.

However, realistically we all know most drugs don't work overnight......it's not unusual for a drug to take 3/6 months to work & then you will be able to go forward & start doing all the things you want to do.

Fingers crossed Hydroxy is the right drug for you.

I've been on hydroxy now for 11 days and haven't had any adverse reaction *touches wood* Hope it's the one for both of us

Dear VeronicaF

Well done

Glad you did it

You never know it may give you absolute benefit this time

I have definitely known people who have benefited from it.

I too have been on all fours to be mobile so I understand how utterly rubbish it is.

Take care and wishing you all the very best

Hi Veronica - I too am walking around the house like a cat due to excruciating pain in my feet ☹️ brings tears to my eyes quiet frankly.

It’s such a frustrating feeling when you are left wondering, was it the food or light foot exercises I did yesterday. I couldn’t venture to work today, and felt pretty glum as taking biologics since August and wondering what's the point right now as doesn't seem to be helping. In fact I keep wondering is it the biologic that is making things worse. I am praying things heals as I must go in tomorrow.

Now I use to take hydroxy and felt it did help me somewhat, it was combined with mtx, however, was swiftly put onto biologics. I really hope it works for you. Take care, Hessie

Well done! That is such a big step for you, so you should congratulate yourself hugely for jumping in the swimming pool. I really, really hope it works for you.

I also live in Wales, so going by what you say about the difficulty in obtaining Zentiva then it's highly likely that I've been mistaken thinking that Teva and Zentiva were the same stuff.

Anyway, hope hydroxy does the trick for you. It certainly helped me get through a rough patch lasting a couple of years when I was taking it.

I would say well done but you promised me 10 days ago you were starting them the following day! Only kidding. I hope it's the start of something good for you. Remember though you won't feel better straight away, as with all DMARDs it's slow acting but you should feel some positive effects before the 12 weeks or so it takes to be fully effective.

Remember as well that even though meds can come with side effects you're not guaranteed to have any, or if you do they're more likely to be the more common & copeable ones. Also forums are generally used by people having problems, so the percentage of the ones you've read here really is very small, minute, diddy, few, not many compared to how many take HCQ without any problem at all.

I took HCQ for the first year following diagnosis. I had headaches to start with & light sensitivity but I just wore sunglasses & all was well, I responded very well & stayed on it with no further issues. I had to stop wearing contact lenses because I had dry eyes but again it was no real problem, I just used comfort drops & saw the Opthalmologist in hospital.

I got steroids to have, but scared to take them, as so many people on here strugle to come off them, and again worried about hair, silly I know but am going on steroids

I just didn't like the diagnoses at all

painkillers cause stomach problem for me

at moment I have heated been bag over my shoulders, feet in eptom salts, hot water bottle behind my back and one for comfort on my lap

look a right state,

Veronica I have been taking hydroxy for 20+ years and steroids for nearly that long too with no side effects from either. Trying to reduce the last few mg of steroids now but only because the benepali is helping so much I’d like to be taking less tablets if possible. Well done for taking the plunge and I hope you get the benefit of it soon.

thank you kitty, its really helps me what your saying, a I feel really depressed and down tonight as if this is how its going to be my life full of pain in every joint, feeling a bit sorry for myself tonight

so thank you very much kitty

VeronicaF I've been on steroids a while now and am tapering off them. So long as you keep the course short you will be fine, they will help in the short term until the HCQ begins to work. I hope you feel better soon.

Hi!

well done on taking that step and swallowing that first tablet, I think I waited about two weeks after collecting my prescription to take my first dose of Hydroxy and I was so nervous, never having been on long term medication before... I started taking it just after the Easter bank holiday and it has calmed my symptoms no end.

I take 200mg morning and night with my breakfast and evening meal, and I have had no noticeable side effects this far, only the benefits.

This and ibroprofen are all I currently take, and the last big flare I had was just before that Easter weekend when I started the meds, I slowly noticed things calming and less morning pain week by week and I’m now just hoping this continues for a good while yet! I get what I would call “niggles” in my hand joints, a little dead and stiff in mornings but it doesn’t last long now, and unfortunately my feet were already effected before I got my diagnosis so they are a little deformed but there’s worse off than me!

I never intended to make such a long post here but I hope you’re a little reassured by it, all the best to you it’s one of the milder DMARDS to be on, and I hope you reap it’s benefits as I have xxx

well five days in and I been feeling less pain in the day its too early days with that but its back by evening, but today I felt really dizzy a dizzy moment and had to lie down fell a sleep,and just had the most horrendous upset stomach ( sorry to much information)

I hope that's all I have?? I had the same horrendous stomach on the S drug too

I will plough through it in the hope I get to the other side

Hey Veronica - I am sure going through what you are - doing the cat walk thing as my feet are soooo inflamed 😬 ouch. I was told to double up my meds - inflammation markers are worse 😱.... I did use to take hydroxy and to be honest I felt it did help. But then I kept thinking I was getting more floaters... plus he changed my meds to biologics. Hope you are on the mend.