Plaquenil & no milk experiment . . you might try it

[Bucky]

Hi - I've mentioned this little tidbit I discovered to several members and thought I would throw it out there so others that are bothered by all the gassiness that happens when taking Plaquenil with milk, could conduct this little test for themselves to see if it works for them.

I've found that when I take my Plaquenil with milk, or drink milk shortly after taking the medicine, I have horrible gas for hours and hours.  In fact, when I first started taking Plaquenil the doctor had me taking 200mg in the morning, and 200 mg in the evening.  I stopped the morning dose as it was a pooter party all day long  - not good when you're working!!  (I was having cereal and a glass of milk for breakfast and taking my Plaquenil.)

Even now, that I'm only taking 200mg in the evening, IF I take the medicine with milk - I get the gassiness all night long.  IF I take it with water or tea . . no gassiness.

I mentioned this to my Rheumy and he said I might be lactose intolerant - but, I have no other problems with any milk products except when taking it with Plaquenil.

So . . . . IF you too are experiencing a lot of gas while taking Plaquenil - try a little one week test and DO NOT take Plaquenil with milk or have milk shortly after taking your meds, and see if it makes a difference for you too.   

Bucky

[m_robinson1911@hotmail.co]

I've found the same thing....take plaquenil with milk = gas.  I think I am a little lactose intolerant.

I only take my 400 once at night and am able to just wash them down with a little water with no issues. When I first started taking it I had to eat something with them, but now that I've been on them for a while now it doesn't seem to be required.

[Skylar]

I don't eat any dairy/milk products and I have no problems with my plaquenil. Interesting observation. Maybe you are slightly lactose intolerant and Plaquenil with milk just puts you over the edge?

[Carebear]

Thanks for the suggestion, Bucky.

I guess I'm odd man out here because I take my Plaquenil with a glass of chocolate milk every morning, and never have a pooter party.     Well, not then anyway...

[lynnmarie219]

Good observation Bucky....I never would have put that together!

[Bucky]

Just curious if anyone tried this little experiment?

There are some nights I just want a little bowl of cereal later in the evening - then I stop and think . . . hmmm, do I want to deal with the consequences all night long or just eat the cereal "dry" and forgo the milk??  I want to do a few "tests" at some point to see if I wait four hours later after my Plaquenil, if I will still have problems with the pill/milk combination.  I'll have to try it some time this summer.

Bucky

[jazzlover]

Are you supposed to take it with milk? I'd never heard that...but then, I'm not taking Plaq.

[Bucky]

jazzlover - the information on Plaquenil says you should take it with food.  I found that if I take my pill at dinner time with milk, I get a lot of gassiness.  Although, Carebear takes hers with milk all the time and has no problem.

I did my own test and found that if I DON'T take the Plaquenil with milk, it's fine and I don't have the gassiness.  So for me, Plaquenil & milk = gassiness  (as it also does for Zephyr).

Bucky

[Tinker]

Bucky, nice to know about the milk and plaquenil.  Get this:  my Rx bottle says:   take with milk or food.

My belly ached and was so sensitive I used a heating pad....was up all nite.  I quit taking the plaq. for now till I get more courage. I felt like I'd just had a horrible, worst colonoscopy of my life or my insides were turning outside.

Also, felt a general feeling of discomfort.  It wasn't very pleasant.  My fatigue and thigh muscle pain is my biggest complaint so to add this on to the list is not feeling too good.  ugh, help me God.+

[Nymph]

Ok. I don't know yet if eliminating milk is the answer and, if so,  how much/when do I need to eliminate it? I am taking the Plaq with breakfast and dinner and have switched to almond or coconut milk for now in the morning. I am wondering if this holds true for yogurt and cheese, too. So much testing! I might ask my doc if I can 400 mg in one dose instead of splitting it up so I can have a little more leeway with what to eat in the evenings. Other foods that used to make me a little gassy (e.g. cabbage) now are reeaaaally bad. Umm... I guess I'm not quite ready to go back into the dating scene yet....   

[Bucky]

Nymph - as far as "how much/when do I need to eliminate it?" . . that would be up to you.  Like I mentioned, I found if I DON'T take my Plaquenil with milk (I take my pill once a day, in the evening with a meal), I have no problems with the gassiness. 

I've had a bowl of ice cream several hours AFTER taking my pill and I don't notice any problems with that.  I've also had yogurt and cheese in the evening with no problems.

I've thought about trying the almond milk, but it's so expensive compared to regular 2% milk.  I love milk and usually have some for breakfast each morning.  I try and drink milk in the morning or early afternoon, but not after 4 p.m. and I've noticed for me, that it works, and prevents the gassiness of Plaquenil.

My Rheumy told me that I could take both Plaquenil pills at one time - I'd check with your doctor if you are thinking of that.  (Back in 2008, my prescription was for two pills a day - one in the morning, one in the evening.  For the last several years, I just stick with the one pill a day in the evening.)

Bucky

[Tinker]

Bucky, I found your milk and plaquenil theory correct.  Told my PA about it, too.