posted
Dr. J (CT) prescribed it for my daughter because her positive 31 and 34 bands on the Western Blot as well as her HLA-DR2 positive genotype put her at greater risk of an autoimmune reaction to Lyme. Plaquenil is an immune suppressant, which is why it's given to people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus (I think).
Posts: 164 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
1. With abx like Biaxin for better abx penetration
2. As part of Babesia treatment because of anti-malarial activities, although some doctors believe it is not effective here.
3. To relieve arthritic symptoms. It's not known why, but plaquenil releives sympoms in people with RA and Lupus.
I first started plaquenil with Biaxin and stayed on because it really reduces stiffnes and pain in my hands. If I stop taking it, stiffness comes back in 48 hours.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Jill E.
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posted
I was also told it changes the pH (acid/alkaline)to help antibiotics penetrate better.
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Dr. J (ct) also prescriped it for my daughter (9) because she is HLA-DR4 positive. She took it for three days and had to stop due to severe stomach cramps and diarrhea. She was supposed to take 100 mg morning and night. Does your daughter have trouble with it?? It makes me wonder if she was herxing or if it was a side effect of the drug. Severe Stomach cramping is listed as a side effect.
Posts: 263 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
Hi Lymedesign, Plaquenil made her very nauseous for the first week or so. She took Zantac several times a day and then she was OK. She didn't have diarrhea. Thankfully, she has had few GI problems throughout her 9-1/2 months of abx -- both IV and oral. I think her early nausea was a side effect of the medication, not a herx. Maybe you could try starting your daughter on 50 mg/day and slowly ramp up from there? Lesley
Posts: 164 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Thanks for the answers everyone.
Posts: 167 | From Los Angeles | Registered: Jan 2006
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
Actually, plaquenil is not a malaria drug. It can be taken to prevent catching malaria, although it's one of the weakest drugs on the market for this purpose, and it does not cure malaria.
It used to be prescribed in conjunction with macrolides to alter the pH of cells. There is now an advanced-generation macrolide on the market called ketek, which makes plaquenil unnecessary.
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posted
I am on 400mg per day because I have the band 31 and the DR4 gene. I have already gotten my eyes checked, was told by the eye doc that I need to do it once a yr.
She has a patient that has been on it for RA, 15 yrs with no eye problems. My friend couldn't take it because it caused terrible ringing in her ears. I also have ringing (going on 30yrs) but the plaq didn't make it worse
Posts: 315 | From USA | Registered: May 2005
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Boomerang
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posted
Good Lord. reading this thread makes me wonder.
Why is it prescribed?
Posts: 1366 | From Southeast | Registered: Sep 2005
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tabbytamer
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posted
quote:Originally posted by Littlesprout: I am on 400mg per day because I have the band 31 and the DR4 gene. I have already gotten my eyes checked, was told by the eye doc that I need to do it once a yr.
I thought eye exams were supposed to be every six months when on plaquenil? Anyone else here this?
posted
How do i know i have an over active immune response? What if supressing my immune system is a bad thing in this case wouldn't that be a bad thing? Like taking steroids?
Posts: 167 | From Los Angeles | Registered: Jan 2006
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Health
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Member # 6034
posted
I was on Plaquenil, and thought I was going to die from it. I could not figure out what was going on with it, I did not know if it was a good thing or not,
I thought it was a herx, but when my herpes canker sores started to come out, I then knew I was headed for trouble. I then thought if I did not stop it, I would die.
It was supressing my immmune system I believe.
I was taking plaquenil with minocycline. I then stopped the plaqeunil and added in flagyl and within a week, my immune was better, herpes was starting to go leave, my mouth.
I was then treated for babesia.
I read on here that if one has a coinfection, plauenil could make things worse. I was SO ill on it, I cannot state enough how ill it made me, it was like the feeling when I was OFF antibiotics and the lyme/babesia was coming back, a horrid nightmare.
I am quite sure this is what was going on, because I stuck with the plaqeunil even cut back dosage, but still did not get better, got worse, and the fact that herpes came out, that let me know.
Trish
Posts: 1250 | From Canada | Registered: Aug 2004
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