I was on this med for over a year. It is an anti-malarial drug with properties which seem to surpress auto-immune problems linked to inflammation and pain. It was not effective for me, but that may be because I was unknowlingly living with toxic mold. I experienced no ill side-effects. If it works for you, that would be outstanding - it is the most benign treatment available for inflammation and pain apart from naproxin.

Hi Pat,
I have been put on this and so far no side effects. It has been almost 6 months. They arent sure if it working as much as they would like but it has helped me alot compared to were I started. I hope that it works for you and that you are feeling better very soon.
Chrissy

The non generic name of this drug is plaquenil. I took it alone for my RA and it did nothing. That was many years ago. However I recently started it again to add to my exisiting aresenol of meds, MTX injectable and antibotic theraphy and it seems to help quite a bit on top of those two drugs. I am told this drug can take quite a while to work so give it some time. No side effects either. ((hugs))marcia

The non generic name of this drug is plaquenil. I took it alone for my RA and it did nothing. That was many years ago. However I recently started it again to add to my exisiting aresenol of meds, MTX injectable and antibotic theraphy and it seems to help quite a bit on top of those two drugs. I am told this drug can take quite a while to work so give it some time. No side effects either. ((hugs))marcia

I started this drug in May, but my rheumatologist told me it would take 4-6 months before it began to help. She said it would help with the tiredness as well as the stiffness and pain. I'm looking forward to when it begins helping. Hope it works well for you. Faye

i've been on it since 2004 and it works great for me. it did however take about 10 months before i noticed. it helped with morning stiffness and swelling, i've noticed only 2 rashes in 3 years, fatigue is allieviated. it has however began to affect my peripheral vision and i'll find out in january if i can continue with it. i can't take prednisone because of my heart. it can rarely cause blindness so my rheumy sends me to the eye specialist evey 6 months. hope this helps.

I was just started on this and another for helping with the dry mouth. I took my first dose of this med today. I am looking for how others respond to this also.

Hydroxychloroquine is used for the treatment of malaria due to Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and susceptible strains of P. falciparum. It is also used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic discoid and systemic lupus erythematosus when other therapies have failed.