Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Arthritis (Expert Forum)
Coming off plaquanil
Answered by
Enoch Choi, MD - Family Medicine
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Urgent Care
Palo Alto - CA
This forum is for questions and support regarding arthritis issues such as: Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease, Bursitis, Fibromyalgia, Gout, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Myositis, Neuralgia, Osteoarthritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica, Tendinitis, Vasculitis.
Coming off plaquanil
by Bec374, Feb 07, 2008 03:26PM
I have recently been diagnosed with Behcets syndrome, having been diagnosed with Sarcoidosis for 7 years prior to that.
I have been on 200mg of Plaquanil per day to help my joints, for over 6 years now. I have been advised to come off it now, as my symptoms are less, and as a sufficient amount has built up in my system to potentially cause eye problems...?
My problem is that on the 5 occassions I have attempted to come off it, or reduce it to alternate days, or half a day, over the past 3 years...I have experienced changes in my vision and/or pain in my eyes within a day or two!
No one seems to think there should be any problems coming off it, yet I am experiencing this consistenly, and have had to visit the eye hospital on 2 of the occassions.
Do you have any advice with regards coming off plaquanil? Should this be happening? What should I do?
I have been on 200mg of Plaquanil per day to help my joints, for over 6 years now. I have been advised to come off it now, as my symptoms are less, and as a sufficient amount has built up in my system to potentially cause eye problems...?
My problem is that on the 5 occassions I have attempted to come off it, or reduce it to alternate days, or half a day, over the past 3 years...I have experienced changes in my vision and/or pain in my eyes within a day or two!
No one seems to think there should be any problems coming off it, yet I am experiencing this consistenly, and have had to visit the eye hospital on 2 of the occassions.
Do you have any advice with regards coming off plaquanil? Should this be happening? What should I do?
Doctor's Answer
by Enoch Choi, MD, Mar 20, 2008 11:57AM
, Mar 20, 2008 11:57AM
To: Bec374
hydroxychloroquine is plaquenil, which can cause eye problems
it's uncommon to have eye symptoms coming off of the medication
ask your doctor for evaluation of other causes of eye discomfort and vision changes
it's uncommon to have eye symptoms coming off of the medication
ask your doctor for evaluation of other causes of eye discomfort and vision changes
Member Comments (3)
by danhowitt, Mar 21, 2008 05:32PM
I didn't know there was this connection between hydroxychloroquine and eye problems, though uncommon. Interesting.
by danhowitt, Mar 21, 2008 05:33PM
I wonder how uncommon, Dan Howitt.
