It's great that you're exploring options after stopping Plaquenil! Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is being discussed more in the lupus community, though it's not yet a standard replacement for hydroxychloroquine. It's considered more of a complementary or emerging option rather than a direct substitute.
Since Plaquenil is no Show Full Answer
It's great that you're exploring options after stopping Plaquenil! Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is being discussed more in the lupus community, though it's not yet a standard replacement for hydroxychloroquine. It's considered more of a complementary or emerging option rather than a direct substitute.
Since Plaquenil is no longer working for you, there are other more established treatment paths a rheumatologist might consider, depending on your specific symptoms and disease activity:
- Immunosuppressants like methotrexate or azathioprine
- Biologics such as belimumab (Benlysta), which is FDA-approved for lupus
- Corticosteroids for managing flares
- Voclosporin or anifrolumab — newer lupus-specific options
LDN could be worth raising with your rheumatologist as part of the conversation, but it's important not to make any medication changes without their guidance.
A rheumatologist is really the best person to help map out what comes next for your treatment plan — they can weigh your full history and find the safest, most effective path forward.
May 11