Hi everyone,
I am wondering if anyone else is on Plaquenil Only? I have a low sed rate 50 and low ra factor 39. My doctor still hasn't diagnosed me. Do some of you with RA have low readings such as I do and does anyone with RA take only Plaquenil. I would be interested in knowing some of your sed rates and ra factors? I've been taking this for about 2 1/2 years and I'm starting to wonder if I even need it. My doctor keeps telling me do not take a chance and get off your meds. He tells me that he hopes I can take it until I'm 99. I do have fatique and everytime I move a joint I know I have a problem but it is not as the rest of you describe.
Welcome, Anny,
My summer vacation ended last week and I've been back to work and largely absent here as a result.
Back on topic: When I first experienced joint pain and stiffness, one of the very first meds offered was Plaquenil which I took for several years, then stopped, and resumed it last summer. Personally I like Plaquenil because it seems to help handle my stiffness and increases my range of motion. I don't think 50 is a "low" sed rate at all. It's not terribly high, but normal is 0-20 (sometimes 0-30) so 50 indicates inflammatory activity. For the record I am one of those seronegative RA people. We hurt and ache bilaterally in our distal joints, we have crushing fatigue, low fevers, and endure such symptoms for weeks/months on end. I was told I had "undifferentiated connective tissue disease" but they later changed it to seronegative RA based on my symptoms and history.
Plaquenil is wonderful; however, it did not handle ALL my symptoms nor all my pain. So I'm also taking Relafen and methotrexate. When I am only on Plaquenil, I am hurting. I have noted in the past that when I am taken off Plaquenil, I am thrown into a huge RA flare. So I am reluctant to stop it before "age 99."
Molly Bee Molly Bee...We've missed you!! Good to see you. Anny & Scooter; Welcome. Scooter; I'm a Humira success story. I love it...and we have several other members here too. We are however all on MTX to my knowledge. I took MTX for more than two years alone before we added Humira. It has a scary reputation; but for those it works well for you'll hear nothing but praise. Anny; I took Plaquinel for a couple years early on in conjuction with Sulfersalazine. It's a fairly mild DMARD and it's said to slow the progression. I liked if for a while; but eventually I had to move to stronger medications. For the record; I'm seronegative as well...but there's no dening I have RA. It's a weird thing; but some with positive blood work feel nothing and then theres those like me...and plenty other with negative blood work who have had a very hard time. Go figure. Again; Welcome guys. Hope to see more of you here. Hi, I am awaiting a Rheumatologist appointment after a bad flare two weeks ago. My sed rate was 21 - apparently 9 is normal. My ccp was normal My ra was negative but I still have every symptom and sign of ra, seronegative or not! hi anny i am 24 and dx august 2005, my rf was 425, sed rate 43 and crp 20. I am only on plaquenil and mobic but am yet to have my first specialist appt. Hope this helps!!! Good Luck, Emma AnninEngland, May I ask, what symptoms are you having that you believe to be that of RA?
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