I've been taking Plaquenil on and off throughout my diagnosis. I've been taking it on a regular basis since June 2006. I take 200 mg twice a day, and I don't have any problems with it. I get my eyes checked every six months, but at my last eye exam my ophthalmologist told me that I don't need to come back for a year since it's the new criteria. I have my next appt. with my rheumy next month so I could confirm the information.

I take plaquenil twice a day and I haven't had any side effects at all. I was told to see my eye doc once a year to make sure my eyes are fine. I've been on it for about 4 months now and it's finally starting to work. Are you on any other medication?

Ginny, I am not on it now but trying experimental LDN, but I was on it for a year in Seattle. I ended up with blurred vision but nothing really serious, and it could have been due to normal aging. I went into remisson after and my doctors disagree about whether it did it or the predisone I slowly weaned off did it. It did give me diarrhea. My illness itself makes me dizzy and I don't remember if the Plaquenil contibuted to that. It takes 4 months to work according to my MD.
Good luck, hope it works.
violet47

Hi Ginny, I've been on Plaquenil for 11yrs. I didn't have any side effects from it, but after this long period of time I think I became immuned to it. So my Rheumy, put me on Cellcept about 5 months ago and it really works. If your on pred. and Plaquenil it may help you better...Friends Belief

I've been taking Plaquenil since June 2006, was off of it for a few mos then put back on and take 200mg twice daily. I don't feel any improvement on it, but my rheumy said for long term lupus it is the best thing. I already have eye problems and am worried and don't want to be on it but she won't take me off. I have had 2 Plaquenil tests and both are within normal limits so far. I do have blurry vision and double vision and don't know if it is the Plaquenil that is causing it or not. Hope you have success on it.

ive been on plaquenil since diagnosis in 1998. i dont remember if i had any dizziness initially. i dont have any now. th eyes is the main thing i think--theyll let you know if you need to come every 6mo or yearly. i was off mine for a while for poss neuropathy. pain and numbness in feet, didnt change any being off it so after neg nerve testing restarted it and i havent had any prob.

The first time I was on plaquenil, I got rashes and it seemed to bring out the worst in me. My liver enzymes went up, and they chalked it up to plaquenil. But actually the reaction was caused by plaquenil and another drug (for sinus) interacting. A few years later when I was in a flare we tried plaquenil again, and it has become my best friend, it actually seems to protect my immune system and I almost never catch colds or flu anymore. Since getting off prednisone the doctor bumped me up to 200 mg 2 times a day and I have had no problems.

Hello, I have been on plaquenil since diagnoses March 06. I haven't noticed any side effects except a little blurry vision at night (but that could be b/c I had Lasik done)...no dizziness though.

I have been on Plaquenil for about 3 years. It took a month for my body to get used to it. I had some itching and slight rash on my arms at first. That went away after a month. It took 5 months for it to settle my immune system down, but it did work for me. After 5 months the arthritis pain and fatique started to go away. It has not affected my vision.

Ive been on Plaquenil for 1 year. For me it started right away. I had a butterfly rash when I started it and it was gone with in a few days and I have not had one since. I really like Plaquenil. Its one of the medications I know that are working for me. Well good luck.

Ginny, I am not on it now, but I never did have a problem with it. ANY side effect should be reported though. Now, I do my best to avoid it because for some reason it sends me to the potty!!:(
Hope your dizziness goes away, let us know..
Blessings..
EllaBlue

I have been on plaqinal for about 4-5 months with only few side effects at first. It has helped a lot. marilyn

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post! Surprise surprise, the meds have made me dizzy - its a side effect apparently although not that common. Just my luck! I have found if I read for too long I get headaches too, again that's the meds.

I've been on it for almost two years. I take it in the morning. No problems at all. I had my eyes checked in August, and they have barely changed since 2003.

I can't tell you how reassuring it is to hear that most everyone hasn't really had their eyes affected. I am just terrified I'll have a super bad eye problem. Strange isn't it?