Problems with Plaquenil | Arthritis Information

I'm sorry I haven't been posting, I've been so sick, tired and depressed that I really don't have the energy.

I don't know if this makes sense but ever since I started back on Enbrel I've been exhausted. Then I added Plaquenil, it makes me sick. It makes me dizzy, nauseous and feels like it's burning a hole in my stomach. I really don't think I can do this every day. When I took the MTX it made me nauseous with vomiting, lethargic for about 3 days and hurt my stomach...this is like a milder form of the same side effects. Has anyone else experienced this kind of craziness on Plaquenil?

I'm moody, I'm depressed and can't seem to get control of my emotions. I start crying uncontrollably at the smallest thing. Today I went to get water out of the fridge and knocked the bag of M&M's over....they went all over the kitchen floor. I sat on the floor to pick them up and started sobbing. Then, my Step-Dad called and for no reason....I started sobbing. I'll just be sitting here and I start sobbing. What in the hell is going on? Could this be another side effect? If not, maybe I really am starting to lose it. While I was dragging my butt at work yesterday one of the ladies I work with asked me if I was going to file for ssdi and what I wanted to do. I told her what I really wanted to do right now is go to sleep and never wake up. I couldn't believe I said that to a co-worker and by the look on her face I don't think she could believe I said it either. I couldn't help it, it really is how I felt and for whatever reason I didn't think....I just blurted it out. This is so not good.

Not such a positive post I know and I'm sorry. I just really don't understand what's going on with my body and these drugs. Especially drugs that I hear such good things about from so many people.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Peace & Love...Neasy

Neasy39254.7276851852

Oh Neasy. I'm so sorry you are having so much trouble. I am on Plaquenil. I did experience bad nausea for the first week and a half. I came in waves. Sometimes, I felt like I could just vomit, though I never did. I never experienced any mood swings.

I hope you feel better real soon.

Neasy - I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. There's no doubt that all of these medications we're on are rough on our stomachs, but it sounds like you are especially sensitive. Are you on any type of PPI medication to help protect your stomach?

If I remember right, when I was on Plaquenil, the first month was bad. Constant nausea and stomach pain, but after about a month the nausea and pain subsided. Same thing happened with Methotrexate, but I never really got over the nausea and abdominal pain. I'm now on Arava, and still not sure if that's going to work for me. No nausea, but still lot's of epigastric pain...and I AM on PPI meds.

As far as the crying and mood swings, I'm sure that has a lot to do with the fatigue. It's just plain hard to cope when you feel like crap. My rheumatologist put me on Cymbalta, and I have to say I do have a little more energy and I don't cry and have temper tantrums near as often as I did. So I guess it's working. :)

Hope you feel better soon!

Gale

Neasy, I can't help you because I'm not on those meds but I wanted you to know that you've been missed. Please call your RD tomorrow and tell them exactly what you've told us, including the comment you made to your co-worker. If you don't get any satisfaction from your RD call your primary care doctor. I was on Enbrel but didn't have those side effects. Keep us posted, LindyNeasy - take care and I hope that you can feel brighter and better soon. Why do these things always take us over when it's nearly the weekend?? I dunno - but a good idea to call your Dr. Neasy, how long have you been on the Plaquenil? Also, are you taking it on
a full stomach? I had the dizziness, itching, nausea, cramping for about a
week and then it all got better. But I don't recall getting emotional or that
depressed. Could it be that you are having depression due to this disease?
Part of the grieveing process? And maybe Plaq is not the best med for you
right now. This disease definitely has its moments with all of us. I hope you
are feeling better very soon.I think depression is from having a chronic illness, but it's also a
symptom of RA itself, so when you're doing better your depression lifts. It
needs to be taken seriously while you have it though. I find exercise really
helps in alleviating depression, and if you have access to a competent
therapist that would be good. Where I get treated we have access to free
counselling services---maybe you're near a program like that?

I get really depressed sometimes, too, especially when I was first
diagnosed, but for the last 3 months I've been pretty good. It coincides
with going on AP, but I have no way to tell if the two things are related.
Hopefully you will find the therapy that works for you and the depression
will get better.

Please hang in there and like others have suggested speak to your doctor
about it.

Neasy: SO sorry you are feeling so sad. I remember when I was first diagnosed, I was in tears every day for about 3 months. It is definitely a part of the disease. I'm sure the nausea doesn't help. I was nauseous all through pregnancy and that is very depressing-- you just can't function when you are constantly sick! Hope you feel better soon.

Gogo-- it's no coincidence! Same thing happened to me :)

Hugs, K

Hi Neasy, I'm sorry you've got the 'depression' from this nasty stuff. The pills , plaquinel, will surely give 'it' to you if you don't have it from RA. I've lost track of how long, what amounts of plaq, and what other drugs you are taking????Sorry , my mind isn't what it used to be since I've been on prednisone....I blame everything negative on prednisone (except it took away my pain March 1st and it hasn't come back, thanks to MTX & Remicade, also),

I don't know what we have to do to get 'normal', my doc said to me.....when nothing was working, 'you must be depressed and frustrated' , YA THINK!??

Please keep calling and bugging your doctor and his office to help you as they have so many choices now. Keep writing "US", as we are always here for you and UNderstand, only so well, what you are going through!!

LOL, Lynda

No really useful advice here Neasy~Just wanted to send you a (((Hug))) and encourage you to hang in there.

I hope you're feeling better soon Sweetie.

Hi Neasy. Sorry to hear your suffering so much right now. I've been on plaquinel for 3 years now and experienced excruciating stomach pain for weeks in the beginning. Firstly, As someone has already suggested, you should ask your doctor for a stomach protecting tablet, (I am in the uk, tablet names are different) Secondly, as another poster pointed out, it is vital that you EAT before you take it. I ended up with an ulcer through taking all my tablets on an empty stomach. As for your tearfulness and feeling depressed, I and many others with this awful disease have been there too. It takes a long time to come to terms with the relentless pain and fatigue. Time and time again, we have all felt as though we could not take one more second of it all, you'll soon learn that it will come and go as you have good and bad days. The overwhelming feelings of pain, anger and frustration, build up until they peak and we break down and cry tears of frustration. I personally believe, this happens to release the stress and pressure this illness brings. Depression is common with RA. I know right now, it will be difficult for you to believe that things will ever get better, but believe me, they will. When the Doctor gets the correct meds for you, your spirits will lift, honestly. Plaquinel is the safest of the meds, so do try to persevere. Besides the stomach pain, I had also had terrible all over itching with it for a couple of weeks and I wanted to come off it but my Dr doubled my antehestimines and eventually, I felt much better. Also, continuous pain causes lack of sleep, which makes everything unbearable so, get plenty of rest too.

Current Meds (hopefully I don't forget any): Enbrel, Plaquenil, Celebrex, Prednisone, Paxil, Levothyroxine, Vicodin & Tylox.

You're all just Fanfreakinfabulous!!

Peace & Love...Neasy