I'm shocked he thinks you have active lupus and would prescribe methotrexate or Imuran before Plaquenil. And that Plaquenil would not really help, and that you're better off with just exercise he's prescribed! Completely shocked.
Is there a way to see a different rheumatologist or convince your GP to give the Plaquenil a try to see if it helps over the next 9-12 months? Plaquenil is really such a benign medication, safer than many over the counter meds we take every day without thought! The only consideration is routine eye exams.
As to what to expect... most will have an improvement on the Plaquenil but many will still experience pain and fatigue. Some reach near remission with Plaquenil alone and others need additional medications added long term or intermittent prednisone. It's really quite variable, as with everything else with this disease.
Is there a way to see a different rheumatologist or convince your GP to give the Plaquenil a try to see if it helps over the next 9-12 months? Plaquenil is really such a benign medication, safer than many over the counter meds we take every day without thought! The only consideration is routine eye exams.
As to what to expect... most will have an improvement on the Plaquenil but many will still experience pain and fatigue. Some reach near remission with Plaquenil alone and others need additional medications added long term or intermittent prednisone. It's really quite variable, as with everything else with this disease.
