I’ve been taking Plaquenil for 14 years . Two years ago I was on Plaquenil generic by the manufacturer Prasco Labs. They stopped making the hydroxychloroquine . So in my search for another generic I found that some of them caused itching but no rash. I finally found one made by the manufacturer Bayshore that I was good with. Then Last month I had Covid and I stopped the Plaquenil because I was put on prednisone because it triggers my a fib. Then when I resumed the Plaquenil now I am getting itching again. Not sure if I should maybe cut the pill in 4’s and take an antihistamine with it to see if I can get back on it . I really dread the fact of having to search again with different pharmacy’s to find a generic that works. Has this happen to anyone ? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. This is really stressing me out. Thank you.
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Jances13
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Hi, I’m sorry you’re going through this! Come this March, I will have had Long Covid 3 years and was diagnosed with Sjogren’s in March 2022. I’ve had lots of rashes, itching etc, off and on with Long Covid or perhaps it was Sjogren’s? My Rheumatologist said the only way to know for sure was to have a dermatologist look at it and perhaps do a skin biopsy. The last time it happened, my dermatologist simply looked at the rash and put me on some antibiotics. That took care of it within 2 days and it hasn’t reoccurred for months. If you just had COVID, the virus could still be in your system. Just something to think about.
Thank you , you're right it could be Covid causing all of this . The only thing is I don't get rashes just feel like I am itchy even my scalp . I will wait awhile and try the Plaquenil again . Am seeing my Dr. This week to see what they say . Best of luck to you !
I take Hydroxychloroquine and have taken it even through COVID. I don't have the afib issue but did stop my Methotrexate. I get my Hydroxychloroquine from Walgreens and they have been exemplary to work with, they always made sure I had my refills, even in the beginning of Covid when there was a run-on Hydroxychloroquine. Have you worked with the pharmacist directly? My bottle says the Mfg. is AMNEAL. perhaps that will help identify a different mfg. to test. I believe if you ask the pharmacist to help and in tandem with the doctor, they could order a smaller dose for you to test so you might find one that doesn't use either a filler or additive that causes you the dermatology issue. I hate for you to add yet another medicine with drying effects if you don't have to. Keep us posted.
Thank you for your advice. I greatly appreciate it. I went to my Rheumatologist , she gave me a few 1 week prescriptions so I can try different generics and if not then to search into the brand from Canada because my drug plan won’t cover the brand. I have encountered that a lot of the pharmacies like Walgreens etc. are limited to what generic they carry so am going to ck the independent pharmacies. I pray that I can find one that works. Plaquenil is my miracle drug and it’s been very good to me . To my surprise today I spoke to an independent pharmacist he said he was from Ghana. He told me that most of his life he took chloroquine to prevent Malaria. He said that chloroquine which now it’s called hydroxychloroquine is known to cause itching especially if you had been on it for such a long time. He told me to buy chlorpheniramine an antihistamine and take it 30 min before the hydroxychloroquine to see if that would help. That’s what they would do back then and eventually the itching would stop. He said it’s like you go into a flare and when it blows over you are good to go. It was a very interesting conversation. So this weekend am going to try with the one I was taking to see. Hopefully it will work. Thank you.
I have Sjögren’s and as a few tag along to my as main autoimmune disease, Antiphospholipid syndrome. ( blood clotting evil twin of Lupus.)
We are very sensitive ( just like all Sjögren’s patients) to fillers , or excipients, in medications.
The offenders in Hydroxychloroquine are PVA ( polyvinyl alcohol in the film coating, and talc.
Zydoz is a manufacturer that notoriously makes us sick.
Sandoz is excellent, and does not use these excipients. ( compare the manufactures inactive ingredients to “Brand” Plaquinil.)
Walgreens list their contract with Sandoz, sadly. So did CVS.
I found a small little independent pharmacy- and they order it for me and I pay full price, which is $150.00 US Dollars ( I see us are in US also) for 90 day supply. ( 200 mg tablets ).
A bargain compared to Brand plaquinil ( also without offending excipients) .
FYI: my Knowledge of this is from my autoimmunologist, Dr Jill Schofield , Denver Colorado. ( Center For Multi System Disease)
She did a fellowship under Dr. Graham Hughes at the London Lupus Centre, and he was my consultant Rheumatologist for APS when I was first diagnosed. ( APS is also known as Hughes syndrome, after Dr Graham Hughes.)
Dr. Jill Schofield is also a MCAS specialist- mast cell- with Sjögren’s our mast cells can flare up / ( react incorrectly with medications.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my post . This makes alot of sense. The generic by Bayshore that I was recently taking has talc but not PVA . An independent pharmacist had mentioned Sandoz to me but I choose a manufacturer by Rising Pharma to try because they didn't have Sandoz in stock . Rising does not have PVA or talc . It has Crospovidone . Not sure how this will affect me . I just picked some up today and am going to try it on the weekend . I used to take The manufacturer by Prasco Labs for many years and it was the authorized generic version of Plaquenil manufactured for Prasco by Concordia Pharmaceuticals . They stopped making the generic Dec. 2020 . I've been checking around to different independant pharmacy's in my area for Sandoz but they don't have it . If you don't mind sharing with me the pharmacy that helps you get the generic Sandoz maybe I can get it from them . The price is reasonable compared to the brand . I had a pharmacist tell me yesterday to get the brand from Canada but I want to try first here in US . Plaquenil has been a miracle drug for me and am going to try my very best to try so I can continue to take it . This has been so stressful trying different generics to see which one works but am hopeful . Thank you again for all your help . I wish you the best .
Also , povodone and crospovidone are known mast cell activation offenders. ( on the no fly list for activating mast cells.)
It’s in a lot of oral prednisone. For this reason I by pass the tummy and get solumedrol injections as a three day pre med prior to my rituximab infusions or IVIG.
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