Methotrexate is the devil. Plaquenil has worked for me so far, but I still get flares but nothing like before. I am also on Enbrel for RA. and 5 mg of prednisone for both conditions.
July 29
I hope your doctor can help you with this.
July 29
What are the alternative lupus treatments available after hydroxychloroquine and belimumab have not worked for a long-term lupus patient?
When standard treatments haven't delivered the results hoped for, there are still several other options that a rheumatologist can explore. It's worth having an open conversation with your Show Full Answer
What are the alternative lupus treatments available after hydroxychloroquine and belimumab have not worked for a long-term lupus patient?
When standard treatments haven't delivered the results hoped for, there are still several other options that a rheumatologist can explore. It's worth having an open conversation with your doctor about what might work best given your history.
Here are some alternatives that are used in lupus management:
- Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Imuran), methotrexate, or mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) — these help calm the overactive immune response
- Corticosteroids like prednisone — often used to manage flares and inflammation, sometimes alongside other treatments
- Chloroquine — another antimalarial similar to hydroxychloroquine
For those who haven't responded to conventional therapies, there are also emerging options being studied in clinical trials, including:
- CAR T-cell therapy — a newer, innovative approach where your own T-cells are modified to target and reduce harmful immune activity. It's still in early trials for lupus but shows real promise for long-term remission
- Stem cell transplants and novel biologics — also being actively researched It's really important to work closely with your rheumatologist to find the right combination. Treatment for lupus can sometimes take some trial and error — which is frustrating, but you're definitely not out of options. Always discuss the potential risks and benefits of any new treatment before starting.
July 28
There might be other biologics your doctor can recommend depending on your symptoms ... My doctor put me on one usually recommended for rheumatoid arthritis and reducing inflammation in my joints seems to have sent my body the message to reduce inflammation everywhere else too. The only other medication I was on that made a difference was methotrexate. It did help, although not as much as the biologic.
July 29
Plaquenil i lost my sight to & methotrexate i lost 5 lbs im one month & was so nauseous i was taken off with loosing 5 lbs a month Cellcept is the only drug that helped with my joints.
July 29
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