I've been on Plaquenil for 14 years. I take 400 mg a day. About a year ago I started to have some problems with my eyes and it scared me. Went to eye doctor and he said I had inflammation in my eyes and put me on steroid drops. I wanted to get a second opinion so I went to Birmingham Callahan Eye Clinic. I went to see Dr. Vaphiades. They have this special machine that can check your retina real close. He said my retina was fine and steroid drops finally worked. I go to him once a year for that test and go to my local eye doctor twice a year now to keep close check on my eyes. I would highly recommend Dr. Vaphiades. I have found the least medicine you take for lupus the better off you are and that Plaquenil is the best medication for lupus. All the other medications have so many side effects.

@A MyLupusTeam Member,

If you have an hour, please watch this video. Very informative and some great things we all need to know about lupus. Dr. Thomas from Johns Hopkins has some great tips for we lupies. He also discusses plaquenil, omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin D3, and DHEA for helping with the inflammation we all know so well. He also tells us about you new research and some great on-line references.

Be well,

Tom

https://youtu.be/TAb00vuXvZM

Mentioned Users

A MyLupus...

Here's a copy of a conversation between someone wanting an alternative to prednisone, and a physician at Jonhs Hopkins Medical School. Hope it help @A MyLupusTeam Member.

Any alternatives for Prednisone
Question

Currently I have been on prednisone for a year now. I was doing ok at 7mg but not as good as 10. They brought me down to 5mg a day and now I am fully flairs and swollen in the face, eye lids, middle of my back, lower back, arthritis spots etc. Basicly fully flairs. I have been on the 5mg for a week now. I was told this could happen as a reaction to tapering off, but don’t know if that is what is going on or if I need more medication. I am only 34yrs old and worry that this might be something i need to take forever. I heard of the hardening of arteries, the knee replacements etc. that I might need to have. I figure with my case of RA as bad as it is and having Fibro as well as a bad case of iron deficiency anemia, that this drug just might be with me forever. My questions today are…

1. Is there a more safe dose to take for the body long term at my age that can help prevent the long term damage?
2. Are there any drugs or herbal suppliments I can take to help fight against the effects of prednisone so taking 7mg a day might be ok for the rest of my life?
3. Are there any sub drugs out there to take instead that might work as well? Or do you know of any currently in the works?

Thank you for your time. ** right now I am currently on two 200mg celebrex a day, 3 ultram a day, 5mg prednisone, Arava, 150mg iron.

Answer

April 3, 2007 By Alan Matsumoto, M.D.

The less prednisone the better. There is likely no totally safe dose. There has been increased recognition on the long term side effects of prednisone based on clinical studies. Osteoporosis, increased risk of heart disease, increased risk of infections, weight gain are all assocaited with low dose prednisone use. Medications such as methotrexate, Arava, the anti-TNF drugs (Enbrel, Humira, Remicade) are all used to try to reduce prednisone.

http://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/ask-the-expert/...prednisone/

Mentioned Users

A MyLupus...

Nice info has anyone heard of any new lupus research. I have heard that the cdc and dept of defense just got a huge amount of money for lupus research and awareness. It passed the house and Senate. So that is a great start, I follow alliance for lupus research and they were awarded some of the money yea. It seems the fda, is on the fast track for approving new lupus drugs. Let's all keep the faith and hope for more less toxic meds and dare I say a cure.

I quit taking those awful awful meds. I changed my attitude & eating, I feel so much better.
I pray you can find a good place in lulu.
God bless us all.