I have been on Plaquenil for 5 months (I haven't gotten my eyes checked yet I really need to go do that ! ) but I have a few questions.
1. Anyone else on Plaquenil and Plaquenil Only??
2. Can this be taken life long?
3. Do the chances of having it make your eyes go bad increase the longer you take it?
4. Have you had to stop Plaquenil due to the eye issues?
5. Anyway to prevent eye issues?
6. What happens if you have to go OFF plaquenil? then what...
I only take plaquenil right now
Eyes problems with plaquenil are rare but can occur particularly with long term use You really need to have your eyes checked to establish a baseline so that if problems occur in the future the MD will be able to recognize them earlier before permanent/significant damage occurs.
i got told i was on it for life now :) :) so it cant be bad for me... i got my eyes checked before i went on it so get that done... ive only been on it 5 months too and i dont get side effects or anything its great... i hope it works properly for me and for you!! good luck with it
Plaquenil is the only medication specific to lupus that I am on currently -- I had been taking prednisone as well but stopped that some months ago. I am on other medications, though, to relieve symptoms and improve sleep. I have been on plaquenil now something like 13 years and have not had any issues. I hope that you have a positive experience with it as well.
I believe that yes, it can be taken forever, as long as no eye issues develop. My current opthalmologist told me that it is cumulative, that the longer you have been on plaquenil, the more likely you will have issues. As others have said, make sure you see an opthalmologist as soon as possible to get a baseline -- in subsequent visits, they will look to see if there have been any changes. Make sure to see the eye doctor on the recommended schedule -- if an issue does arise, you want to catch it early. I don't know of any way to prevent the issues -- I'm sure if there were, the opthalmologist and rheumatologist would have suggested them.
If you have to go off of it for good, it will depend on the state of your health what happens then -- you may be put on steroids or immunosuppressants, or hopefully some newer drug that they will develop in the meantime. Research continues, so maybe something better will come along before you need to worry about stopping it.
1. Yes. I am on Plaquenil and nothing else for lupus. I do take allergy medicine in the spring because of the pollen and Lexapro for anxiety.
2. I think so. My dad has been on Plaquenil ever since I can remember (probably 15+ years).
3. Not necessarily. It is more dependent on the dose vs. body weight. The "golden rule" is 6mg per kg of body weight. If you're over that golden rule, you're a little more at risk. Say you weigh 50kg (2.2lbs=1kg) and the doctor has you on 400mg of Plaquenil a day... 50kgx6mg (golden rule) = 300mg/day. You're at a slightly higher eye problem risk since your ideal dose is 300mg/day and you're on 400mg/day. Again, that rule just means your risk is a little higher, not that you're for sure going to have a problem. Even if you're not over that golden rule, still get your eyes checked every 6 months.
4. Not yet.
5. Get your baseline check as soon as you start, or before starting the Plaquenil. After that, it's a check up every 6 months unless otherwise stated by your eye doctor. This can catch eye issues before they are noticeable to you. The eye doctor can see surface changes on your retina or anywhere else in/on your eye before they start to affect your vision. The goal is to catch things early before damage occurs, that's why your eye doctor should also send you home with an Amsler grid to hang in your house to test your eyes at home every day/week (depending on the doc). That way you can monitor your eyes between the appointments for any changes.
6. Depends on your state of health, level of disease activity, any organ involvement, etc. There are a few medications out there that are very similar to Plaquenil, but Plaquenil tends to be the more friendly of the group. There are a lot of other medications out there for lupus, but it all depends on your individual case.
Hope this helps
Im on Plaquenil and have been on it for 10 yrs now and I just had an eye exam (It is very important for me to have my eyes checked once a year because I am blind in my left eye). The doctor stated that I have perfect vision in mt right eye. As far as I know I think it can be taken life long.