People may need to stop taking hydroxychloroquine because of side effects. They should not stop taking the drug on their own without the help of their medical provider. Plaquenil stays in the body for around three months and it may take a while for side effects to go away.

Can you just stop taking hydroxychloroquine?

Do not lower the dose on your own. Plaquenil stays in your body for about 3 months. If you must stop it, it will take a while for the side effects to go away. You should have an eye examination every year to prevent a very rare but serious eye problem.

What happens if you suddenly stop taking Plaquenil?

Stopping prevention or treatment too soon may lead to infection or a return of the infection. Tell your doctor if your condition lasts or gets worse. It may take several weeks or months to see improvement if you are taking this for lupus or arthritis. Hydroxychloroquine may not prevent malaria in all cases.

What is the difference between Plaquenil and hydroxychloroquine?

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®.

What are the side effects of stopping hydroxychloroquine?

Four patients in the HCQ withdrawal group developed cutaneous manifestations, including alopecia and pernio, discoid, or malar rash. One of these patients also developed arthritis, and another patient had polyarthritis requiring methotrexate.

Can you stop taking hydroxychloroquine cold turkey?

Stopping Plaquenil

They should not stop taking the drug on their own without the help of their medical provider. Plaquenil stays in the body for around three months and it may take a while for side effects to go away. There is no official data regarding hydroxychloroquine or Plaquenil withdrawal symptoms.

What can I take instead of Plaquenil?

Types of antimalarials

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is the most common antimalarial for lupus. If you can’t take hydroxychloroquine, your doctor may recommend chloroquine (Aralen®). These medicines can be taken as pills or liquids.

Does Plaquenil make you gain weight?

Weight gain or weight loss

For some people, Plaquenil may cause weight loss. This is because the drug can decrease your appetite, which may lead to the weight loss. But it’s not known how many people have had weight loss while taking Plaquenil. Weight gain, on the other hand, isn’t a known side effect of Plaquenil.

Does Plaquenil affect your teeth?

Two conditions Plaquenil is prescribed to treat, RA and lupus, can cause problems related to teeth and oral health. Recent studies have found connections between both RA and lupus and being at increased risk for problems with dental health. This includes increased risk for periodontal (gum) disease.

Does Plaquenil affect your sleep?

Even anti-malarials, such as hydroxychloroquine, can cause sleep difficulties and strange dreams. Taking such medications earlier in the day can be helpful in mitigating these effects.

What should I avoid while taking hydroxychloroquine?

This medicine may cause blurred vision and may impair your reactions. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Avoid taking an antacid or Kaopectate (kaolin-pectin) within 4 hours before or 4 hours after you take hydroxychloroquine.

Can plaquenil tablets be cut in half?

Do not crush, cut, or break hydroxychloroquine tablets. Take each tablet with a meal or a glass of milk. Take this drug at the time(s) recommended by your doctor. If you take this drug at times other than the ones prescribed, the level of the drug in your body could increase or decrease.