Recently diagnosed scared to take medication plaquenil

Hi . Are you newly diagnosed with RA? Being concerned about medication side effects is certainly understandable. They are real and it is important, no matter the treatment, to get the proper monitoring to check for potential issues. That said, there are many here who successfully use that various drugs to control their RA. You mentioned plaquenil. It is one of the older treatments for RA and its safety and side effect profile is pretty well known. This article from our editorial team gives an overview: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment/hydroxychloroquine. Potential eye damage is the most common issue with this drug, but there are other potential side effects to be monitored for. Concerning alternative or complimentary treatments, there are quite a few that community members have utilized. This article discusses some of these treatments: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/alternatives-therapies. Each person has to decide what is the right path and each case is different. Please know that this community is here for you. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)