Plaquenil

[ptcbelle]

so torn! Dr wants me to start taking Plaquenil. I am VERY cautious about meds.....even OTC meds. Guess it may be due to the fact that I am a nusre and tend to know all the bad things that meds can cause. I am really struggling with this decision. Have meds but can't seem to make myself take them yet. No definitive diagnosis which makes it even more difficult to convince myself to take them. Dr says it seems to be a "serum negative" autoimmune issue of some sort. Have had numerous steriod injections and been taking prednisone for few months now. Continue to have flair ups despite all these treatments. Any one on this med that can offer me advice? Experience with drug?
Thanks in advance

[TrudieC]

I have been on Plaquenil since last April.  It has done wonders for me.  I am still waiting for a definitive diagnosis of RA and/or Lupus but is looking most like Lupus.  

I am usually very sensitive to meds and easily react.  I have tolerated this drug quite easily.  In the first month or so I did have a bit of nausea and very vivid dreaming but once I was used to it that has disappeared.  It will take 2 or 3 months before you start to see improvements.  I have found that I am continually improving with time.  I can go much longer between flares and the flares are not as severe.  My fatigue has greatly reduced and is so wonderful to have a few weeks at a time without severe symptoms.  I have had my eyes thoroughly tested and will continue to do so every 6 months to ensure no issues there.  If there will be eye issues they happen after quite a lot of time and your doctor will monitor by how long you've been on it.  For me, knowing that this drug is giving me back my life and helping to keep other organ damage at bay has been a huge blessing.  If you take it and improve it will help your doctor determine a direction for diagnosis.  Good luck.

[ptcbelle]

Thank you for the encouraging words! I really needed to hear them! Thank you again :)

[babyde]

Also Trudie, inspite of all the drugs having side effects how will you ever find the correct cocktail that does work. It takes alot of trial and error to find the right combination and alot of patiences. If you do have adverese reactions and can't handle the side effects then thats one you can cross off the list. I was on Plaquenil for 8 months and it didn't work at all. Since then I have tried many others. I was very scared to as I am also  a nurse but I needed something to help me go into remission. I'm not there yet and now I'm on Cellcept and still waiting to see but this one is better than anything else I've tried. Don't let your fear keep you from trying. Good Luck and I hope it works for you.