PLAQUENIL Reviews (HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE SULFATE)Average Rating: 3.2 (667 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare PLAQUENIL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 |
More on PLAQUENIL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR PLAQUENIL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | RA | Irritated previous stomach ulcer, causing severe stomach pain and bloating/gas. Itching on torso. | As far as taking care of my RA symptoms, this drug worked wonders. I had an ulcer that was brought on by previously prescibed etodolac (NSAID) and recently had to go off Plaquenil due to stomach problems mentioned. The Plaquenil did not cause the stomach issues, but did irritate the problem that existed. I just went off of it 5 days ago and stomach has been fine now, but the torso itch is still there, no visible rash, just itch that I will have to wait and see if it is related. | F | 47 | 1 years 200 mg 2X day | 3/14/2010 | 5 | RA | Interesting dreams but occasionally violent. (I am a very calm person and have been told I have nice humorous personality.) Strong metallic taste. Urine has metallic odor. Increased sensitivity to light, taste, smell. Minor change of hair color from light gray to reddish-brown. | This is a fantastic drug and has allowed me to manage my RA with minimal flair-ups. I was originally treated with prednisone. After six months I was given both the prednisone and 200mg x2 daily for about 16 months until I had sufficient plaquenil onboard. For the past four months I have used only the plaquenil and tolerate it well. This has been a perfect drug for me. I had very debilitated and severe pain in my hands, wrists, shoulders, upper arms and hips which came on very suddenly at age 75. I had difficulty sleeping more than an hour and then usually only in a chair. Walking, showering, and any exercise was very painful. Today I walk and do moderate exercise, build furniture, work in the garden and just about anything I like. | M | 77 | 2 years 200 mg 2X day | 3/13/2010 | 2 | Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia | LOUD ringing in the ears, gas and major bloating, dull headache, very weird dreams, acne(?) | Was not told about any of these side effects from the doctor or pharmacist. I read the info sheet that comes with script, and still was willing to try the drug because of the promise of relief of the severe daily pain I am in. I am so glad to have found this website, now I know that the (new) things I am experiencing are indeed side effects. I may d/c the med for a week and see if they subside. The ringing in the ears is the worst. | F | 49 | 10 days 100 mg 2X day | 3/3/2010 | 4 | SLE | Major itching of upper arm, one side only | It took approx 4 months before I noticed any effect of the drug then all of a sudden I felt better. My joint pain had reduced and I reduce my cortisone down to 10mg (from 50mg). At the start of the 5th month I started getting itchy on my left arm and now at night it actally wakes me and keeps me awake for hours on end with the itch and tingling. It it like it is really deep in my arm, not just in the skin. No other symptoms. Had eyes checked and all good. | F | 37 | 5 months 400mg 1X day | 3/1/2010 | 4 | Eosinophilic Fasciitis/UCTD | Had some appetite loss at first, took some getting used to. Some activation of Psoriasis in several different areas of the body. Not unbearable in that regard, but annoying. Tried taking Methotrexate with the Plaq to control psoriasis, but that didn't seem to do anything | Generally, Plaquenil has been very helpful. I have had quite a bit of wrist and elbow pain and constriction (bad but not severe), and the pain has definitely eased with the plaquenil. The flexibility really has not improved much. Still, I seem to feel much better when i am on PLQ than when I am not -- particularly with regard to morning wrist/elbow pain. | M | 44 | 3 years 200 1X day | 3/1/2010 | 1 | Lupus SLE | SEVERE HIVES ALL OVER MY BODY AFTER TAKING PLAQUENIL FOR 2 WEEEKS. | I thought this drug would be the answer to my lupus problems and was happy to take the dosage recommended by my rheumatologist (400mg per day). I awoke on the 14th day to see hives covering my neck and chest, I watched as they then spread within an hour to the rest of my body. Only my palms, soles of my feet and most of my face were spared; it was terrifying as I'd never experienced anything like it before. I saw my GP who told me it was a reaction to Plaquenil but a VERY RARE one. I have been taking anti-histamines for 2 weeks and the hives are now almost gone. I'm now worried about taking anything for my lupus ever again. | F | 44 | 2 weeks 200mg 2X day | 2/27/2010 | 2 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | First week experienced diarrhea, cramping, bloating, and gas. Nightmares started right away as well. Around the third week, muscle weakness in legs and hair loss. Now after 4 1/2 weeks I have anxiety and severe chest pain. I also have a strange inner shaking. | I take 100 mg a day at my rhem's suggestion. I have many drug allergies, but felt I had no recourse. My RA was getting so unmanageable. I have been avoiding this drug for years. I also have fatigue that is worse than it is with the RA. I already had acid reflux, but since I have been on Plaquenil, it is off the charts painful. I am going to decrease to 50 mg a day and hope these side effects go away. If not I may have to discontinue med. | F | 54 | 4 weeks 200 mg 1X day | 2/10/2010 | 4 | Undiff Connective Tissue Disease | I think it made me depressed. Prior to taking it, I'd have said I was prone to low moods sometimes, but always knew how to tap in to the things that gave me a lift, and looked forward to life in general. Slowly over the last 5 years or so, I think Plaq flattened my mood to such an extent that I looked forward to nothing - I had lost my exuberance totally. Also think it made my hair lose its colour - but that's hard to say as I am middle aged now! | I'd say it helped me greatly initially, but then the effect reached a 'plateau' and I never got back to my pre-UCTD self. Guess that's expecting too much. I stopped taking it a couple of weeks ago, because I was still aching daily anyway and I wanted to see what I'm like without it now - to see if my mood can be lifted. I feel I pretty much dragged myself through life during my 40s and I can't face doing that into my 50s too. Also, worried about potential effect on eyes and liver with such long term usage. | F | 49 | 5 years 400mg 1X day | 2/8/2010 | 4 | DISCOID LUPUS | UPSET STOMACH PAIN LOWER BACK BAD DREAMS SOME DAYS OK | RASH HAS CLEARED 50% WILL WAIT UNTIL CLEAR WILL CUT TABLETS DOWN TO 1 PER DAY | F | 54 | 7 days 200 2X day | 2/8/2010 | 1 | Grannuloma Annulare | none that I am aware, but have to take quarterly eye exams. | so far I've seen ZERO benefit from this medication. In fact I dare say my condition has worsened. | M | 48 | 7 weeks 200 mg 1X day | 2/8/2010 | 5 | RA | In the beginning I had some stomach upset and nausea -- but that only lasted for the first month or so. I was on a high dose at first and I was also taking other meds that affected by stomach at that time. | This has been a good drug for me. I have almost no visible RA symptoms now, and my doctor has cut back the medication to a low maintenance level. I feel really good and consider myself very lucky. | F | 56 | 2 years | 2/2/2010 | 2 | unpleasant side effects | Experienced all side effects mentioned by others, which made it almost impossible to continue. | I also have fear of this med.; after all, it is suppressing the immune system! Have any of you tried the Antibiotic treatment for all rh. diseases? Although few doctors use it, and med. schools don't really teach it, research has revealed that these diseases aren't "immune systems gone haywire," but they are the result of tiny Micro. bacteria which hide deep within cells. Even tho they can't always be seen on slides, when treated with PARTICULAR low-dose antibiotics, the diseases respond greatly; most go into remission, and some patients declare themselves cured. (Doctors don't, however, because of the ability of the bacteria to hang on.) Long-term treatment with THE antibiotic has not proven harmful, when the patient is properly observed. And, the doctor doesn't even have to be an RH one; any who will agree to use this protocal is fine. (Dermatologists already use this antibiotic in treating skin diseases.).....Go to link, "The Road Back," for more info. With all the harmful drugs you are or will be on, it makes no sense not to give this a try. (This research was conducted primarily in the 80's & 90's, but was successfully used by the doctor who 'discovered' it as long ago as 1948! | F | 40 | 4 weeks | 1/30/2010 | 2 | SLE | I have been taking 400mg Plaquenil for 4.5 yrs. Up until recently not too many side effects. Have noticed over the last year mild hair thinning along base of scalp and behind ears. and ringing in my ears. | I have had no eye problems I have them checked every 4-6 months. | M | 32 | 4.5 years | 1/29/2010 | 4 | UCTD (lupus-like), Fibro | Have been taking for almost 1 year. The drug was nothing short of a Godsend and I experienced more relief from inflammation and pain than in years, even though there was a mild adjustment period of a few weeks with dizziness and some nausea. Now, am experiencing moderate hair loss and inability to grow my hair beyond a certain length, experiencing odd reactions to the way my hair responds to hair color when I color my hair, and now an overall body rash, which I would currently consider mild. The other thing that I notice is that for the first time in my life, I am depressed much of the time, which interferes tremendously with my daily routine, motivation, and general outlook on life. While I appreciate that this medication offers fewer long term issues and side effects than most drugs used for this type of autoimmune disease, am still quite concerned about these side effects that are now presenting themselves! | F | 59 | 11 months | 1/27/2010 | 1 | Rhematoid Arthritis | Severe depression, same reaction as when I took Neurontin, Topamax and Sulfasalazine....anxiety, itchy scalp, loss of appetite...the emotional breakdown is the worst part....I feel horrible....I started out taking it twice a day but had the loss of appetite and tinnitus so stopped for two weeks and then started again at once a day with these horrid side effects. I am done with it and afraid to try anything else. | F | 57 | 15 days | 1/27/2010 | 5 | undiagnosed autoimmune | For the first 3 weeks severe nausea, gas and diarhea. During the fourth week developed horrible headaches. That has all resolved as long as I eat a meal with the meds. | As far as I'm concerned it's a wonder drug. I have suffered with severe joint pain, chronic anemia and low iron levels. All of my pain is gone and my labs have all improved to normal. I do still get some gas and bloating, but I think it's worth the lack of pain and energy I get on the meds. I haven't felt this good in years! | F | 36 | 3 months | 1/25/2010 | 5 | ra/lupus/sjorgrens/psoriatic arth. | No side effects. And I will mention I am most sensitive to meds/otc etc. but this was a GOD sent med to me! | This drug instantly got my life back. DAILY, I had terrible arm pain/low grade fever and overall felt horrible. W/N a week of taking this med, each day some of the symptoms disappeared. Am taking 200mg 2 times a day/eye test 2 times a year. | F | 57 | 7 years | 1/24/2010 | 1 | Undiff. connective tissue disease | Nueropathy, anxiety and depression, insomnia. Gas and abdominal pain. Diarrhea. Mild itching. Could not continue beyond four weeks. | Overrated drug with underreported side effects, especially when it comes to neuropsychiatric manifestations. | M | 39 | 4 weeks | 1/23/2010 | 4 | Undifferentiated Auto-immune Dis. | I, as many others, experienced some nausea in the beginning, and for the first 2 1/2 weeks thought my symptoms may be worsening instead of getting better. After about 2.5 weeks, I woke up one morning, and noticed feeling better. Less achy, more energy, etc. After a year of being unable to breathe, all of a sudden I could actually breathe again, and I didn't feel nearly each day like I'd been in a car accident (w/ the overall joint aches). I've now been on this medication for about 4 weeks now, and have already lost 5 lbs without trying. I am LOVING this medication! I feel 10 years younger and can now do a better job of chasing my 2 small ones around! I still feel some achiness and it is still tight and hurts in my lungs a little, but it's hard to describe how this medication has already changed my life in just 4 weeks time. Thank you to the Rheumatologist that finally stopped saying "Fibromyalgia" and found the right dx and medication to treat my problems! | No side effects other than good ones. Slight nausea is very bearable. Good weight loss/appetite management and boost of energy to boot. | F | 32 | 4 weeks | 1/16/2010 | 1 | RA | Within 2 weeks of starting I have a severly itchy rash that has spead all over my body, went to hospital as I felt as though my throat and tounge were swelling, was there 15 mins and sent home to suffer with no suggestions or alternative treatment or relief.It's now 7 days since I stopped taking it and still have rash. I would not wish this one anyone, stopped Plaquenil and even with Zyrtec, and Prednisone still unbearable and no relief. | Dr's mention the possibility of a rash but not the likey severity and longevity of the attack!! I will nevr touch this medication again. | F | 42 | 10 days | 1/11/2010 |