does anyone who has RA suffer with itchy skin taking Hydroxychloroquine?

[alada]

[Hidden]

I don't now but I did initially for a few weeks. Tilda

[alada in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tilda, funny i was the other way round, they never bothered me to start with, now they drive me crazy, so im going to docs, see what he has to say about it.

[saha]

Hello, I am new to this site. I have been taking Hydroxy for about a year. Over the last six months I began to experience extremely itchy skin - I just wanted to scratch my skin off - sometimes without realising I made my arms bleed. I checked this with GP and was told it was common and to continue taking them. I then, about 5 weeks ago, began to experience my eyes becoming very itchy, on the inside, they became very red and watered continuiously. I put up with this for a few days and then thought enough was enough. I could not go to work looking as I did, so I stopped taking them. About 2 weeks later I was given an appointment with my Rhumy - via video link - I said what I had done and he has now put me on Sulfasalisdine. I have yet to start them as his letter has not reached my GP! I hope you are ok taking them as every one is different.

Regards, Lesley

[alada in reply to saha]

Hi saha, well im not going to put up with it, i have an appointment with my GP next week so i will see what he has to say about it, surely their has to be an alternative tablet i could try, its driving me nuts!!!

[AndiLee in reply to saha]

Wben you stopped taking them did the itching stop?

[megant]

Hi, I've been on Hyrdroxy for about 4 months and I never experienced itchy skin until the last couple of weeks. Can you let me know Alada what your GP says??? Like me it took a while before the itchy skin started so perhaps this means that the drugs are now working ??!!

Wear some scratch mits that might help lol

xx

[Hidden]

I was dropped from 400mg to 200mg Hydroxy about 6 weeks ago at the same time as I switched to injectable MTX instead of the tablets. I asked why the drop in dose and my GP read the rheumy's email and apparently Hydroxy works cumulatively so that it may be fine but can build up in your system after a period of time and that's why I was put on the lower dose as a maintenance dose so that the toxicity doesn't eventually build up and give me eyesight trouble. It's determined by body weight too.

I did find that the MTX gave me little trouble until I reached 17.5mg and then wham I could barely function for sickness and exhaustion. So it's possible to tolerate a dmard for a while and then to develop side effects. But then I couldn't tolerate Sulphasalazine at all - itchy didn't begin - we are all so different in the way these drugs affect each of us though. Tilda

[earthwitch]

The funny thing with a lot of the DMARDs is that you can actually get allergic hypersensitivity reactions quite a few weeks down the track. They are every bit as serious as if you got an immediate reaction. Sometimes dropping back to a previous dose level for a bit longer can help get over it, but if that doesn't work you really need to report it as an allergic reaction and give up on it.

[Angharadbw]

I have suffered terribly with my itchy skin, I always seem to get it when I get out of the shower. At first I thought I was going mad, it seemed to stop after about 30/40 minutes and it was only on my legs. I tried changing everything, soap powder, cream, shower gel, types of clothes I was putting on. I stopped taking my hydro and it stopped after a couple of weeks. I recently was told to start taking it again and wishing days I have experienced the same itching. So I stopped it three days ago and I'm still getting the itching. I really hope it goes in a few weeks as it's awful!

[AndiLee in reply to Angharadbw]

Ivebeen on hydro for about 2 years and like you thought I was going crazy. Glad I found a site that mentioned the hydro can cause aquatic pitruitis which led me here. Wow i hope if I stop the hydro this itching will stop.

[Jen_3 in reply to AndiLee]

AndiLee did you stop the plaquenil and did it help? I am having the exact same issue with the itching especially after a shower. I have been off for 3 days and the itching hasn't improved yet.

[AndiLee in reply to Jen_3]

I stopped 3 werks ago but have been told by my dr it takes about 2 months to get out of my system so i have another month or so to go. For me specifically, tanning helps immensly.