Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine

My rheumatologist is calling it undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis at this point but thinks it could be rheumatoid arthritis. I wanted to try to get off the methotrexate because of the extreme fatigue and brain fog it’s giving me so he said we could try hydroxychloroquine but I’m concerned over the possible eye damage it can cause. I don’t like taking any drugs as they all seem to have negative side affects but every time I try to taper off I have a flare up so I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I’ll have to be on something to help alleviate my symptoms.

It seems your Drs suggestion is a good one as it takes 2-3 months for the hydroxychloroquine to have noticeable effects. Once that drug is controlling your symptoms you will more likely be able to taper off the MTX.
Do you mind sharing what autoimmune disease you have and why you want to go off the MT X?

Do you have RA? If so it’s my understanding that once we get damage it can’t be reversed…so I know that I will have to be on some kind of medication for the rest of my life. Hydroxychloroquine has been very very helpful for me along with Xeljanz. We just have to try until we get it right. Knowing that we may have to tweak it as we go. I’ve had to learn to be more flexible and open minded. That’s not easy for me as a control freak

My wife has been on hydroxychloroquine for 10 to 15 years with no issues. You need to see your eye doctor, I think twice a year. She has RA and with the hydroxychloroquine and 2mg prednisone she has done well. She tried dropping to 1mg and had pain.

My rheumatologist is calling it undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis at this point but thinks it could be rheumatoid arthritis. I wanted to try to get off the methotrexate because of the extreme fatigue and brain fog it’s giving me so he said we could try hydroxychloroquine but I’m concerned over the possible eye damage it can cause. I don’t like taking any drugs as they all seem to have negative side affects but every time I try to taper off I have a flare up so I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I’ll have to be on something to help alleviate my symptoms.

I have gone off Methotrexate and I am just on 2 Hydroxychloroquine daily I get my eyes tested every 6 months and I have had not problems with it. I started it just one a day for a couple of weeks it seemed ok so I started the second one at night and it is ok. Hope you don’t get any side effects from it. We are all different so good luck with taking it. Let us know how it agrees with you!😊

I will take embrel if my methetrexate and plaquenel stops working or if my liver is effected by metetrexate and plaquenel.

Enbrel is very effective and doesn't have the liver impact methotrexate does. Easy to take, and I had zero side effects when I was on it. But after 3 years it lost its effectiveness for me because I needed more and the pre loaded pens are a fixed dosage. So I’m on a biologic now - Remicade - and after tweaking dosage and frequency i am incredibly well controlled and have no side effects.

There’s a magic medicine version of a glass slipper for you. Stick with the journey!