Hydroxychloroquine and other antimalarials calm your overactive immune system. They reduce lupus inflammation flares, treat symptoms, and may help prevent blood clots and organ damage. They may also lower your dose of other lupus medicines you need to take.
Hydroxychloroquine: Benefits for lupus patients
The most impactful benefits include: delayed ultraviolet light absorption, which can prevent flares. fewer lupus flare-ups/reduction in the number of flares.
Jorge and colleagues assessed hospitalizations for lupus flares in a larger cohort of patients across the Mass General Brigham network. They again found that using less than 5 mg/kg/day of HCQ compared to more was associated with a higher risk, this time, of hospitalization for a lupus flare.
Research into the wide-ranging effects of hydroxychloroquine has revealed many important benefits in the treatment of lupus; it must be noted that these benefits may be less effective in people who smoke (Arthritis Care & Research 2010; 62:393–400). Benefits include: Decrease in the number of disease flares.
Hydroxychloroquine starts to work gradually. For inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, it can take 6 to 12 weeks before you notice any benefits. It's important to keep taking hydroxychloroquine. You may not feel any different at first, but it is likely to be working.
Serious side effects
muscle weakness, cramps, stiffness or spasms, or changes in how your skin feels such as tingling. frequent infections with a high temperature, sore throat or mouth ulcers. bruising that happens more easily than usual.
Your lupus symptoms should start to improve within 1 to 3 months after you start hydroxychloroquine. It takes about 6 months to feel the full benefits. After a few months on hydroxychloroquine, your doctor will examine you and see how well it's working to control symptoms like joint swelling and pain.
Hydroxychloroquine: an antimalarial drug that is effective for treating lupus-related arthritis and rashes. It reduces flares by 50 percent and may also help prevent blood clots.
As with all medicines, some people may experience side effects from taking hydroxychloroquine. The most important side effect of hydroxychloroquine is on the eye. Blurred vision may occur in the first few weeks after starting hydroxychloroquine. This usually returns to normal even when you continue taking the tablets.
What are some triggers for lupus flares? Common triggers include: Overwork and not enough rest. Being out in the sun or having close exposure to fluorescent or halogen light.
What do you do if Plaquenil does not work? After several months your doctor will check your joints for swelling and see how you feel. If you still have pain with your daily activities, then you and your doctor should think about trying another medicine.
Plaquenil works very slowly. In 1 to 3 months you should start to feel better. You may continue to get better for up to 1 year. Most people who take Plaquenil also take other medicines for pain and stiffness.
Most people start noticing the effects about six to eight weeks after they start to take the medication, but full benefit may not be apparent for up to three months. It is important to be patient and continue taking your medication.
How long you take hydroxychloroquine for depends on why you're taking it. For some conditions, if hydroxychloroquine works for you then you may need to take it for several years, or even for the rest of your life, to control your symptoms.
This medicine may cause muscle and nerve problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have muscle weakness, pain, or tenderness while using this medicine. Hydroxychloroquine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors.
Lupus flares can vary in length. Some may last several days; others may span weeks or more.
Lupus occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues. This attack causes inflammation, and in some cases permanent tissue damage, which can be widespread – affecting the skin, joints, heart, lung, kidneys, circulating blood cells, and brain.
You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms. Fever.
During a flare, some of the symptoms you already had get worse or brand-new symptoms appear. It could be a light rash that spreads or gets darker or mouth sores that suddenly show up. If you experience increased lupus symptoms, known as a flare, it may mean your disease is active.
Some people may experience flare-ups every few years. Others may have them with greater frequency. Lupus flare-ups can occur at any time, and last anywhere from several days to a few weeks or more.
Most people with lupus take hydroxychloroquine throughout their lives. It helps control lupus symptoms with very few side effects. Hydroxychloroquine may also help prevent blood clots and organ damage from lupus. It usually takes 1 to 3 months to start working.
Hydroxychloroquine is used in the treatment of arthritis to help relieve inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain and also to help control the symptoms of lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE). A common brand name for hydroxychloroquine is Plaquenil®.