Plaquenil® (Hydroxychloroquine) 200 mg Tablets for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus

What Plaquenil® Is and How It Works

Plaquenil® is the brand name for hydroxychloroquine sulfate, an antimalarial and disease-modifying antirheumatic drug. The usual strength dispensed is Plaquenil 200mg as an oral tablet. This Plaquenil medication is used for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus, and for malaria caused by susceptible strains.

Youdrugstore is a licensed Canadian pharmacy headquartered in Manitoba, and a licensed pharmacist reviews every prescription before dispensing. We also work with licensed, vetted international partner pharmacies to provide authentic brands, broad selection, and fair pricing.

Plaquenil classification: it is both an antimalarial and a DMARD. In autoimmune disease, hydroxychloroquine reduces activation of toll-like receptors, alters lysosomal pH, and dampens antigen presentation. This lowers inflammatory cytokine release and helps control joint pain, fatigue, rashes, and flares. In malaria, it interferes with parasite heme detoxification, which kills susceptible Plasmodium species.

The drug is supplied as a hydroxychloroquine sulfate oral tablet 200 mg. Many patients use a Plaquenil tablet once or twice daily with food. Typical Plaquenil uses include long-term control of symptoms and reduction of steroid exposure in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It may also be used off-label under specialist guidance for certain skin and photosensitivity disorders.

Dosage and Usage

• Follow the dose on your prescription. For rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, prescribers often use 200–400 mg daily in single or divided doses with food or milk.
• Some start at 200 mg daily, then increase based on response and tolerability. Clinicians aim to keep the daily dose within recommended limits relative to body weight over long term Plaquenil use.
• For malaria prevention, regimens commonly use once-weekly dosing when traveling to areas with chloroquine-sensitive malaria. Your prescriber sets the exact schedule and duration.
• Swallow tablets with water. Take with meals to reduce stomach upset.
• Separate antacid products that contain aluminum or magnesium by at least 4 hours, as they can reduce absorption.
• If you miss a dose, take it when remembered unless it is close to the next dose. Skip the missed dose then resume the regular schedule. Do not double up.
• Report vision changes, chest symptoms, severe rash, or low blood sugar symptoms promptly to your prescriber.

• Store your tablets at 15–25°C (59–77°F) in a dry place, away from light.
• Keep in the original container with the label intact. Close the cap tightly.
• Do not store in a bathroom. Avoid heat, excessive moisture, and freezing.
• For travel, pack your medication in carry-on luggage with a copy of your prescription.
• Use a small pill organizer for short trips, and keep the labeled bottle as backup.
• Do not use tablets past the printed expiry date.

Benefits and Savings

Hydroxychloroquine improves tender and swollen joints, morning stiffness, skin lesions, and fatigue in autoimmune disease. It can reduce flare frequency, support steroid tapering, and help maintain remission. For malaria, its use is limited to areas with chloroquine-sensitive strains set by current travel medicine guidance.

Mouth-friendly dosing (once or twice daily) and no routine lab toxicity monitoring like methotrexate add convenience for many adults. Head-to-head, benefits may build gradually, but steady use often brings meaningful function gains and better quality of life.

Buying from Canada can lower your Plaquenil cost. Expect typical 60–80% savings versus many U.S. prices, especially on the Plaquenil 200mg price. We carry the Plaquenil generic (hydroxychloroquine) and brand options when available, and multi-month supplies or bulk promotions can lower your per-month expense. You can also set gentle reorder reminders so you do not run out.

If you compare cash prices, many patients find our hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablet pricing competitive with common U.S. discount resources. We also list hydroxychloroquine 200 mg for sale year-round when in stock.

For seasonal offers, see our Plaquenil coupon page.

Side Effects and Safety

• Nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, or decreased appetite
• Headache, dizziness, fatigue, or sleep changes
• Skin rash, itching, or increased sun sensitivity
• Changes in skin or hair color
• Visual blurring during therapy (often transient early on)

Serious risks are uncommon but include retinopathy with long-term exposure or higher daily weight-based dosing, cardiomyopathy, QT prolongation/arrhythmia, severe dermatologic reactions, myopathy, and blood disorders. Hypoglycemia can occur and may be more likely when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas; clinicians often monitor glucose and adjust doses. “Plaquenil and vision” is a key safety topic: baseline and periodic ophthalmologic screening is standard practice to protect retinal health over time.

Onset Time

Hydroxychloroquine is not a rapid pain reliever. In rheumatoid arthritis, some benefit may appear after 4–6 weeks, with fuller effect by around 3 months. Maximal improvement can take up to 6 months. In lupus, skin and joint symptoms may ease within 1–2 months, with flares decreasing as steady-state levels are reached. For malaria prevention, effectiveness depends on starting therapy before exposure and taking each scheduled dose consistently.

Compare With Alternatives

Methotrexate is a first-line DMARD for many with rheumatoid arthritis. It often works faster and more robustly on inflammation but needs lab monitoring and folate support, and it has different adverse-effect considerations. Many clinicians use hydroxychloroquine with methotrexate to improve disease control.

Sulfasalazine is another conventional DMARD used alone or in “dual” or “triple” therapy. It can be effective for joints but requires dose titration and laboratory monitoring. Some patients tolerate hydroxychloroquine better and value the simpler safety labs.

Biologics such as Enbrel® Pre Filled Syringe (etanercept) and its biosimilars, like Rymti® Pre Filled Injection, are options when disease remains active. They can act quickly and change outcomes but involve injections, higher costs, and infection risk screening. Hydroxychloroquine can be part of the background regimen alongside these therapies.

Combination Therapy

• With methotrexate: common pairing to boost response in rheumatoid arthritis.
• With sulfasalazine: dual or triple therapy (with methotrexate) may improve remission rates.
• With NSAIDs: used for symptom relief while disease control builds.
• With short-term corticosteroids: helps reduce steroid dose over time.
• With biologics: background DMARD use is common; clinicians individualize the plan.
• With antidiabetic agents: monitor for low blood sugar; dose adjustments may be made to reduce hypoglycemia risk.

Patient Suitability and Cost-Saving Tips

Plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus suits many adults with mild to moderate disease or as part of combination regimens. It is often selected when long-term tolerability and steroid-sparing effects are desired. Those with pre-existing retinal disease, significant cardiac conduction problems, or known hypersensitivity may not be good candidates. Caution is typical with severe liver or kidney impairment and in psoriasis.

Plaquenil during pregnancy may be continued for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis when the expected benefits outweigh risks, as many guidelines support ongoing therapy under specialist care. Breastfeeding compatibility is often discussed case by case. Keep all safety monitoring, including eye exams, as advised by your clinicians.

To manage Plaquenil price and overall therapy costs, choose the Plaquenil generic when appropriate, compare 30-, 60-, and 90-day fills, and consider multi-month purchases to lower the monthly average. Bulk promotions appear during the year, and reorder reminders help coordinate future shipments. If your prescriber increases dosing to Plaquenil 400 mg daily, a larger quantity per order may further reduce the average Plaquenil cost per month.

Authoritative Sources

Sanofi Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine sulfate) U.S. Prescribing Information (PDF)

FDA Label for Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate Tablets

Health Canada Drug Product Database

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This page is for educational purposes only and does not replace advice from your healthcare professional.