How to Use Anti-Malarial Drugs to Treat Lupus
Anti-malarial drugs were first introduced to the market widely during the Second World War. These drugs have been found to be an effective treatment for lupus, an autoimmune disease. In addition to inflammation, anti-malarial drugs treat several of the symptoms of lupus. Read on to learn how to use anti-malarial drugs to treat lupus.
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Instructions
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Use your anti-malarial drugs as directed by your doctor. These drugs are usually available in pill form and are often required to be taken with a glass of milk. Milk coats your stomach and helps treat nausea from the medication, although taking the medication with food is also an option.
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Wait several weeks to feel the benefits of the treatment. The anti-malarial drugs need this time to build up in your system. There is a typical loading period of one to two weeks while your body adjusts to the medicine.
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See if your swellings are going down. Anti-malarial drugs have some effects similar to anti-inflammatory medicine. You should be able to notice if your joint swelling caused by lupus has reduced significantly.
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Notice if sunlight causes your lupus symptoms to worsen. Sunlight is an environmental trigger for many people's lupus symptoms. Anti-malarial drugs help protect your skin from ultra violet light. You should be more tolerant to sunlight after treating lupus with anti-malarial drugs.
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See if your lupus swelling flare-ups occur less frequently. Anti-malarials block the production of some antibodies. These cells are typically those that attack your tissues and organs if you have lupus. Anti-malarials should help prevent frequent flare-ups of lupus swellings.
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Learn more about the possibilities for lupus treatment with anti-malarial and other drugs at the Lupus Foundation of America. See the Resources section below for a link.
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Tips & Warnings
You will probably only be prescribed anti-malarial drugs if you have experienced side effects from regular anti-inflammatory drugs.
If you don't see a result after three weeks of treating lupus with anti-malarial drugs, talk to your doctor. It may be time to consider other treatments or brands of drugs.
Talk to your doctor about which kind of anti-malarial drug is best for you. The drugs come in different potencies and have different ingredients. There may also be a cost difference between brands.
Be aware of the possible side effects of your medication. Some common side effects include rashes, nausea and headaches. If you experience any of these, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Have an eye exam before you start taking these drugs and six months into treatment. This will ensure that the drugs have not affected your vision, which is a rare but serious side effect.
