Because hydroxychloroquine acts to reduce the damage to the joints, rather than just relieve the pain, it belongs to the group of medicines called disease modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs. Hydroxychloroquine does not work straight away. It may take 8 to 12 weeks for symptoms to start to improve. The full effect of treatment may take up to 26 weeks. Other medicines may be given to improve your symptoms while waiting for hydroxychloroquine to work.
Hydroxychloroquine is taken by mouth in tablet form. The usual dose is one tablet mg once or twice a day. Tablets can be taken altogether, once a day. The dose may be reduced to a maintenance dose after a few months once a response is achieved. Occasionally it may be taken every second day.
Hydroxychloroquine is not a pain killer and it should be taken continuously to be effective. Other medicines may be required to treat the pain. Treatment with hydroxychloroquine may be continued indefinitely as long as it is effective and no serious side effects occur.
If you stop hydroxychloroquine treatment for more than a few weeks there is a risk that your condition may worsen.
Continue with your treatment unless advised by your doctor or unless side effects develop. You might experience side effects with your treatment. Tell your doctor if you are concerned about possible side effects. A reduction in dose may minimise side effects so that you can continue to take this treatment. Your doctor will advise on any dose changes that are necessary. Hydroxychloroquine - printable information sheet. Arthritis Australia funds research and advocates to improve care, management, support and quality-of-life for people with arthritis.
Arthritis can happen at any age. Here, you can find management and treatment information specifically created for the more than 6, Australian children living with Hydroxychloroquine What is hydroxychloroquine? What benefit can you expect from your treatment? How is hydroxychloroquine taken? It is best taken with food as it has a slightly bitter taste. Hydroxychloroquine may be used with other arthritis medicines including: other DMARDs such as methotrexate steroid medicines such as prednisolone or cortisone injections into the joint anti-inflammatory medicines NSAIDs such as naproxen Naprosyn and ibuprofen Brufen, Nurofen simple pain medicines such as paracetamol.
There are separate information sheets for the medicines mentioned above. How long is treatment continued? Are there any side effects? As the tablets are slightly bitter, these problems can often be reduced by taking the tablets with food or milk, or they may just improve with time. Less common or rare possible side effects Less common side effects include skin rashes and increased sensitivity to the sun. It is a good idea to wear sunscreen and a hat when in the sun.
The medication may rarely worsen psoriasis rash. Hydroxychloroquine may rarely cause increased skin pigmentation. Very rarely hydroxychloroquine may cause temporary blurring of vision due to deposits in the front of the eye cornea. This is fully reversible when the medicine is stopped. You should report to your doctor any visual disturbances, blurred vision, mist or fog before the eyes or light sensitivity.
More serious eye problems involving the retina back of the eye are extremely rare. These occur mainly in people taking a high dose for longer than 5 years, or in those who have liver or kidney problems.
Your doctor will advise you about what eye testing is required. What precautions are necessary? Eye testing When you start treatment with hydroxychloroquine your doctor will discuss your vision and may ask you to have an eye test. This eye test may be repeated during your treatment to monitor effects on your eyesight.
Use with o ther medicines Hydroxychloroquine can interact with other medicines. You should tell your doctor including your general practitioner, rheumatologist and others about all medicines you are taking or plan to take.
You should also mention your treatment when you see other health professionals. Most vaccines can be given safely. Talk with your rheumatologist before receiving any vaccines.
Use with alcohol There is no particular reason for you to avoid alcohol while taking hydroxychloroquine. However drinking more than 4 standard drinks on one occasion, even if infrequently, is strongly discouraged.
Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding If you intend becoming pregnant, or if you conceive while taking hydroxychloroquine, or if you are breastfeeding, you should discuss this with your doctor.
Keep all medicines out of reach of children. Important things to remember While taking hydroxychloroquine you should see your rheumatologist regularly to make sure the treatment is working and to minimise any possible side effects.
If you are concerned about any side effects you should contact your rheumatologist as soon as possible. While taking hydroxychloroquine you should have your eyes tested regularly to identify any possible side effects. The information in this sheet has been obtained from various sources and has been reviewed by the Australian Rheumatology Association. It is intended as an educational aid and does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions of the medicines mentioned.
This information is not intended as medical advice for individual problems nor for making an individual assessment of the risks and benefits of taking a particular medicine. It can be reproduced in its entirety but cannot be altered without permission from the ARA. The NHMRC publication: How to present the evidence for consumers: preparation of consumer publications was used as a guide in developing this publication.
Hydroxychloroquine - printable information sheet Download. Discover more It may be as long as 12 weeks before you notice the benefits.
Hydroxychloroquine is often taken in combination with other drugs such as methotrexate. Before starting on hydroxychloroquine your doctor may take a blood test to check that your liver and kidneys are working normally, but you won't need any regular blood tests during the treatment.
Your doctor will ask you about any problems with your eyesight and may suggest you have a vision test. Hydroxychloroquine won't usually be prescribed if you have maculopathy, problems with the central part of the retina in the eye. It causes joint pain and inflammation. Learn about the symptoms, causes and treatment. Lupus SLE is an autoimmune disease causing your immune system to attack your body's own tissues - causing inflammation. Learn causes, symptoms and treatments.
Your doctor will advise you about the correct dose. Usually you will start on a full dose of — mg daily, and later your doctor may reduce this. When your condition is very well controlled you may be advised to take hydroxychloroquine only 2—3 times per week. It may be 12 weeks or longer before you notice any benefit. Because it's a long-term treatment it's important to keep taking hydroxychloroquine unless you have severe side effects:.
There's a small risk that hydroxychloroquine can damage a part of the inside of the eye called the retina. And this increases with long-term use and higher dosage. Your doctor will advise you on a safe dose to take according to your weight, and you will need to have regular monitoring of your eyes.
This monitoring of your eyes may be arranged at a hospital clinic when you start the drug and then again once a year in a hospital when you have been taking the drug for more than five years. Otherwise, you should have a check up with an optician once a year and tell them that you're taking hydroxychloroquine. If you develop any other new symptoms or there's anything else that concerns you after starting hydroxychloroquine, you should tell your doctor or rheumatology nurse specialist as soon as possible.
Notify your doctor if you experience any blurred vision or see black spots. All information contained within the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center website is intended for educational purposes only.
Physicians and other health care professionals are encouraged to consult other sources and confirm the information contained within this site. Consumers should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something they may have read on this website.
How do I take it? What about other medications? What else should I know?
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