Reaction to plaquenil ????

[Debbie28]

Hi everyone

anyone else had a reaction with plaquenil, ? I have experienced really bad itching all over for a few months now, been to see my rhumy today now prescribed Mepacrine............ took the prescription to my GP and he wont prescribe it for me, anyone else had this trouble ???
Could I also ask if anyone has very painful feet?? mine are gettin worse, I was taking amitriptyline to help with these, rhumy now has put me on Gabapentin 300mg 2 per day, anyone had this medication??

Thanks for listening

[Clare.T]

Hi Debbie

My GP wouldn't prescribe Mepacrine either, because it is an unlicensed drug. Drat the man. I get it on prescription from my rheumatologist from the hospital pharmacy.

Gabapentin is in wide use for a number of lupus associated complaints including peripheral neuropathies and many swear by it.
I haven't taken it myself, so I have no personal experience to offer.

Good Luck - get back to the rheumatologist about the Mepacrine.

Clare

[peonyprincess]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems with your Plaquinel. I never had any reactions to Plaquinel, but I do have the itching and I relate that to the Lupus. It isn't an every day occurence, but when it does, it drives me crazy!! My doc gives me Atarax for my itching and it works great. It normally only lasts about 1-2 days and then I am fine for a while.

As for the feet hurting, YES, I have this problem as well. I have noticed that my feet are more sensitive than normal and I find this very aggravating. Again, I am not sure what causes this, I once again blame Lupus. I am on Neurontin (Gabapentin) 400mg three times a day. When my feet get real bad, I up the Neurontin to four times a day and take extra pain meds. It usually takes care of the problem. My doc normally gets a chuckle out me self mediacting, however, I know with what drugs I can do this with and then it things do not work, I will call him. Having been a nurse for years does have its advantages. Talk to your doc about increasing your Neurontin and see what if he thinks that would help with your neuropathy pain.



Nancy

[Debbie28]

Thanks for the info, ! Spoke to my rheumy late yesterday, and they are going to sort out the mepacrine for me...so thats good news....as for the feet..I will keep my fingers crossed that the gabapentin works !!

Thanks again for your replies style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/foryou.gif


Debbie style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Thanx.gif

[Sheenas]

Hi just to let you know i had many of the side effects , but bear with it as it does get better as i have and not very many symptons left and the positive outways the bad. good luck

She x:wink2:

[fenrus]

reaction? YES! I took Plaquonil for about 2 weeks and things seemed okay. but one day, I began growing all these spots all over my body. I initially thought it was just an acne breakout. but these were also itchy as ****.

my GP said I had pityrasis rosea. I decided to see anther GP about it and she referred me to a dermatologist. dermatologist suspected I had an allergic reaction to the plaquonil. after going off it, all my spots went away in a week.

[slimhobo]

:eek: Itching? How bout crazy for days? :eek: I had been taking hydroxychloroquine for about 3 weeks, when BAM! All over rash like crazy!!! EVERYWHERE!!! My dr. started me on allegra, aveno baths, and stop the hydroxy!.....I often wonder if I could have stuck it out, would it have gone away? Could I have continued hydroxy? I often wonder if I should try it again?
Now on Methotrexate 10mg weekly, prednisone15mg, and colchicine among other things, seems to be going fairly well. We'll find out as the prednisone gets lower.
Hope your itching has lessened.
kimb

[rwb200]

Hello
Yes some have had the itching that you mentioned. And I would suggest that you be very careful and watch out that it is only intching.
When my wife was on Plaq she started taking it and after the second day started to itch.
She called the Doctors and was told he was out of town to keep taking it and talk to him in two weeks when he got back.
She continued to take it and the itching went to burning, then to a red rash and then to blisters. Still they said keep taking it and see him when he gets back.

We did not do it. She stopped taking it and it got better in a few days.
She went back to the doctor and he got mad that she stopped the medicationa nd wanted her to start it agian so he could see what it did.
We talked it over and refused to do it.
Next visit he said see I knew you were maiking it up with the medication you have been on it for several weeks now and look fine to me.
We told him no she has not been taking it. She had this problem before you were out of town and we could not even get any of your coworkers to look at her. She is not going through it again to allow you to see it.
He got mad and started to yell about it. We walked out and found a new doctor.

The pain in your feet - is it a normal pain or is the bottom of the feet very red and hot to the touch ?
If very hot to the touch I would suggest you get to the doctor to let them see what is going on. My wifes got that way just before blisters raised up all over her body.

[Debbie28]

Hi All

thanks for all your replies, I am still "itch free" since coming off the plaquenil, thankfully I did not have any blisters, it was as if spiders were crawling all over my skin, drove me mad!!!! still awaiting the mepacrine tablets to get sorted by my rheumy!
As for the feet they are just as bad, even though I am on gabapentin, don't really seem to be making an impact on the problem, I would describe it as sore throbbing feet, think it will be something I will just have to live with....nevermind could be worse.!!

thanks again all

Debbie

[K-MARIE]

HI ,
I had severe itching a short time after I began plaquenil, After showers it was so intense i felt I would have no skin left from scratching, My dermatologist insisted I keep taking the plaquenil, so i did and then 4 months later i began having eye symptoms, at that point she told me to stop it , the itching went away and so did the eye symptoms. It was the plaquenil that caused it. I need to take something and have had my imuran script filled and sitting here, but i am terrified now to try it and my discoid spot is worse, my derm told me not to come back until I take it for a month, cant blame her, Im a doctors worse patient.

[rwb200]

Hello K
I understand your fear real well. After having reactions to 14 medications my wife is always scared to death when she has to try something new.

I will tell you what our Doctors recommended for her that seems to help her fear alot and it has been very good suggestion for us a few times.

Pick a time of day when you know others will be around and awake as well.
The first few times you take it do it at this time so that if you do have problems someone is there that can help and get you to a doctor or hospital if you have trouble.

With Imuran read the manufactures information sheet very well and become familar with what it says to watch for.
I do not care for it that you were told not to come back till you had taken it for a month.
This seems rather impersonal to me and just a case of bad medicine.
If you did not get the manufactures sheet when you got the med you can get it online by searching for the drug name followed by manufacture.
The form they have is alot longer and more indepth then what you can find at the drug store.
if you find something that gives you cause for question call the doctors office and ask. Who cares if it has not been a month or even a day.
i look at it like this. If I can buy the doctor a new BMW they can take my calls.
i know I did not pay all of it for the new BMW he drives but I also know what we have paid would go along way to pay for one.

[K-MARIE]

Thank-you for replying, I do remember writing about taking the imuran when i was first prescribed it and you wrote about your wifes reaction to it , quite scary. I know we are all different in our toleration of meds, still its nice to know of others effects and warnings to be concerned of. I think its nice that you try to help out here and you sound very knowledgable with your wifes conditions, its great that you provide her with loving support. k-marie

[Mixie]

Hello - I'm sorry that you have had a nasty reaction to Plaquenil.

I had it for a couple of weeks but I couldn't tolerate it - I ended up feeling like I had a bad case of the 'flu and I came out in a horrible itchy rash.

My Mum who has Sjorgen's was prescribed it for her symptoms and she came out in a mild rash - she takes an antihistamine and that has enabled her to carry on taking it with positive effects on her arthritis etc.

Take care,

Mixie

[Clare.T]

K Marie

Maybe you have read about the alternative anti malarial to Plaquenil called Quinacrine. It is usually very acceptable. Well informed doctors can be expected to suggest it, so its a reasonable q to wonder why she didn't.

If that is not an option for some reason, then you will have to face up to taking the Imuran or no medication at all. Follow all the tips given here such as starting at a very low dose and very gradually working up to the prescribed dose. That way the body gets used to it and several common side effects will almost certainly be avoided.

I hope your doctor told you about the required blood tests when taking Imuran ? I am pretty sure you have the first tests a couple of weeks after starting for signs of hidden side effects on the blood for example.

It is a different sort of drug from the anti malarials.

It's a pity your doctor resorted to threats. Did she not explain the treatment options, if any, or take the time to reassure you about Imuran ? If this is the one who insisted you continue with the Plaquenil despite the skin problems, I don't rate her very high ! Maybe you can find another more
patient -friendly one.

Remember that the manufacturers list every single known side effect for liability reasons and often some that in practice don't occur.

If you don't try it you will never know if it could help or not.

Remember that the people who had bad reactions tend to write in more often than those who didn't.

Good Luck !
:)
Clare