Plaquenil; a source of comfort or risk?

One of the most common medications prescribed to treat Sjogren’s Syndrome is Plaquenil. It is considered an older disease-modifying and anti-rheumatic drug or DMARD. It being a DMARD, it is a slow-acting drug and may take up to six months before full benefits of Plaquenil are realized. Plaquenil is actually a type of anti-malarials (meaning it prevents/treats malaria and is common in Africa), but it is also used for autoimmune conditions unrelated to that disease. Plaquenil’s main purpose is to decrease pain, swelling, and the chance of joint damage. Doctors are still not 100% sure of how it works, and for that reason, it is not recommended to become pregnant or start Plaquenil while pregnant. Birth control should be administered throughout the time taking Plaquenil.

The average starting dosage is Plaquenil is 200mg twice a day or 400 mg once a day. Patients should be regulated either more or less doses a day based on reaction to it in the beginning stages. If the dosage given is too much, toxicity is a high risk that develops quickly. There are safety warnings when using Plaquenil that should be noticed in an effort to minimize side effects. Although it can be a highly helpful disease, different reactions may cause you to think: is taking this medication work the risk? Or is taking the medication in your best interest?

Plaquenil is prescribed to patients who cannot tolerate new biologic DMARDs. Even though the new meds received FDA-approval in 1998 and subsequent years, Plaquenil had not become less prescribed because of patients who are afraid to try newer products or patients who are just content with the quality of life that is provided by the Plaquenil.
The common side effects of Plaquenil include nausea and diarrhea. Taking the medication with solid foods can solve that problem for most patients. Less common side effects which may or may not be tied to Plaquenil include skin rashes, hair thinning, and weakness. A rare side effect of Plaquenil involves visual changes or loss of vision. Blindness may or may not be reversible when you stop taking the Plaquenil. If abnormalities occur, toxicity has developed and dosage should be stopped immediately.

Some patients are just more susceptible to vision problems. People at higher risk include people who have been prescribed Plaquenil for many years, are over the age of sixty, or have kidney problems. All patients should et opthamoligic examinations before being prescribed Plaquenil, and if the patient's initial opthalmologic examination is normal and the patient is considered low risk, the patient does not have to be retested for five years. It is recommended that high risk patients have annual eye examinations. Certain drugs taken along with Plaquenil may also heighten the risk of side effects. These common supplements include antacids, methotrexate, metoprolol, penicillamine, dignoxin, kaolin, botulinum toxins, or magnesium trisilicate.