What is the average dose for adults preventing malaria? What about adults treating malaria?
1. Preventing malaria: Start your first dose 2 weeks before entering an at risk area of malaria. Continue taking the medicine daily during your stay and for 4 weeks after leaving.
1.1. Dose: 400mg once weekly on the same day each week.
2. Treating malaria: Take your dose for three days, starting with a high dose followed by a smaller dose for the next 2 days.
2.1. Dose: 800mg followed by 400mg at 6hrs, 24hrs, and 48hrs after the initial dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Contact emergency services right away. An overdose on this drug can be fatal, especially in children, and must be treated quickly. You may need to induce vomiting to help get some of the drug out of your system. Watch for signs of overdose (drowsiness, vision changes, slow heart rate, chest pain, severe dizziness, seizure (convulsions), or shallow breathing).
What other drugs will affect Plaquenil?
other medicines to treat malaria, an antibiotic or antifungal medicine, antiviral medicine to treat hepatitis or HIV/AIDS, antidepressants or antipsychotic medicines, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, cancer medication, cholesterol-lowering medication, heart or blood pressure medicine, pain or arthritis medicines (including aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve), seizure medication, stomach acid reducers, or tuberculosis medicine. This is not a complete list of drugs that interact with hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil).
What other conditions may this medication be used for?
This medication may be used along with other medications to treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.