hydroxychloroquine side effects

[Stowe]

Hello everyone,

I have been on methotrexate for 5 months and bar a few mild symptoms haven't come off too badly. Am still on 7ml of steriods a day, which will be tapered in a month or so, at the moment with the two drugs I don't have hardly any pain, but do get frequently tired. My problem is I have been asked to start hydroxychloroquine, which I started on Sunday, first day went well, then started to feel sick at work today, then developed a banging headache tonight. Has anybody else had these symptoms and can you take headache tablets whilst on this medicine?

Many thanks in advance for your replies.

Stowe

[PinkLamb]

Hi Stowe,

Sorry to hear that you are not feeling too well..

Whilst we are not trained to give advice, I just wondered do you take folic acid??

If this was me, and these symptoms continue I would get some advice from my rheumy team...

Good luck

[Stowe in reply to PinkLamb]

Hello Pinklamb,

Thanks for the reply, yes I am on Folic Acid 6 days a week, yes I thinking yoo that I would ring the nurse in the morning, not really that happy about continuing on these as I seem to be getting a lot of symptoms fairly quickly and at once. Problem is when your working and driving it makes in difficult to deal with these problems. Hay hum, onwards and upwards. Hope your ok.

[PinkLamb in reply to Stowe]

Hi Stowe,

Hope that you get it sorted out soon....

Your health is much more important than your work!!! I used to be like that, not anymore... Our health is priceless...

All the best love

X

[Stowe in reply to PinkLamb]

Yes you are right, at the moment I try to be fair and go in if I can, but equally don't if I really don't feel well. To be fair to my work they have been really good and very kind, which is probably why I will go the extra mile for them. Thankfully the headache is easing but still don't feel great. Hoping to feel better after a good nights sleep. It's funny but most of the time I forget I have RA and then I have a reaction to a medication and it's a wake up call. I hope your health is ok.

[PinkLamb in reply to Stowe]

I'm glad to hear that your headache is lifting..

I hope that you soon get relief 😌

I haven't been feeling well for some time now, but I won't bore you with it all... Haha 😂

Best wishes x

[Stowe in reply to PinkLamb]

Sorry yo hear that you haven't been feeling well, you more that welcome to tell me if you want yo talk about it. X

[PinkLamb in reply to Stowe]

Good morning Stowe.

Aw thank you for your kind words, that means so much ❤️, I'll be OK thankyou, you try and not let it get you down don't you??

It's not gonna get me down today, even though I'm in a lot of pain...

I hope that you are OK this morning...

Have a good day..

X

[Stowe]

Hello Dspooky01,

I wasn't advised that I could take anything and I think because I have had minimal symptoms with the methotrexate I didn't think to ask. 😣. That will teach me. Thanks for replying.

[Hidden]

Aspirin is contraindicated with Methotrexate ie you can't take it. Paracetamol is OK though

[Stowe in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[purl]

Hi, I take both. Do you make sure you take hydroxy with or after food? Same for methotrexate, tends to stop any sick feeling for me.

I also take ibuprofen for inflammation and paracetamol for pain.

Contact rheumy nurse to ask which one they recommend.

[Stowe in reply to purl]

Hello Purl,

Thanks for replying yo me, yes take the medication with food, I am going to ring the nurse and ask for the medication to be reduced or stopped as the side effects, were coming thick and fast last night.😥 not pleasant. I think it took me by surprise as I haven't had that with the methotrexate or steroids.

[Jackadoodle]

Hi, the Rumy consultants in this area are recommending that we taper off the hydroxychloroquine and I think that there has been a paper relating hydroxychloroquine and eye problems, any other information I would would be interested as well to see if an other persons have any more details about this.

[Stowe in reply to Jackadoodle]

Hi jackadoddle,

Thank you for the reply, thankfully I haven't had any eye problems on the Hydroxy, but had only taken the tablets for 2 days, will see what the nurse / consultant says, not happy yo carry on with it to be honest.

[JFlay]

Hi, I take my hydroxychloroquine with a cup of milk, not had any problems since doing that. Worth a try?

[Stowe]

Hello Jflay,

Thank you for letting me know this, I'll see what the nurse has to say and if I do have to continue on it I'll give the milk a try, anything is worth trying to not have any side effects.

[Hidden]

HCQ may have been a cause of my tinnitus - or it could have been the Sulfasalazine, or both! If you get it, contact your consultant and ask to stop the HCQ.

[Stowe]

Hello, thank you for replying, I just waiting to hear from the nurse and what j can do.

[Quiltergirl]

I don't take methotrexate, but i have been taking hydroxychoroquine for 1 1/2 years. I've don't remember any problems with headaches when I started. It has caused alopecia (hair loss) as does methotrexate. You need yearly eye exams , as it can cause severe eye damage. I was told by my eye doc that this is rare, and usually just found in higher does for malaria. RA is what causes my fatigue. I hope this helps and you feel better.

[steveholmes101]

an I tell u a story, I have had RA for 7 years and all the time I have had it I have been so sleepy and if I brushed the drive I needed a sleep, i moved house it was to much it gave me shingles.

I was told by my nurse to stop all medication .then I got my energy levels back so one of my pills was doing it, I ouldent stop methertrexate, so I stopped hydrocoliquine and never looked back, it may not work for you