Why is my doctor making me get a pregnancy test before putting me on Plaquenil?
Monday, March 29th, 2010 at
12:52 pm
I’ve been undergoing numerous test in the past months after two biopsies came back positive for a connective tissue disorder, suggestive of lupus. I recently went to a new doctor who believes i have Lupus-like syndrome. I’m only 18 and i told my doctor i am in no way pregnant, why is she still making me have a pregnancy test?
Filed under: Ways To Get Pregnant
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Preliminary reports suggest that azathioprine (Imuran) and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) do not harm babies, but the final word is not yet in on these. Your physician is REQUIRED to have lab tests completed before beginning a med like this. It’s nothing personal, it’s just a way for your doc to ensure you are safe.
She is probably putting you on a drug that causes such severe birth defects, that they cant just "take your word for it" its the same with the acne pill "acutane" Its a standard procedure…
Tell your doctor if you have: liver disease, blood disorders, psoriasis, allergies (especially drug allergies). This drug should be used only if clearly needed during pregnancy. Since small amounts of this medication are found in breast milk; consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
because the FDA requires that before starting that stuff, which is pretty nasty by the way. Some impressive side effects.
Your doctor is only trying to make sure the fetus does not get harmed in any way because of some medications that a Lupus patient takes can cause harm to the fetus, so the doctor would like to make sure you are not pregnant, or even if you are at lease before he/she prescribes the plaquenil they will know exactly what doses to prescribe to you. I know, I have sle and I am 42yrs old a mother of 3 boys a 20yr, 5yr, and 3yr old, although I did not have to take plaquenil until after the baby was born. My friend I was diagnosed back in 1992. (SLE)
They must be sure you are not pregnant. Due to your age probably and the fact that you could be sexually active ~ the dr. certainly would not want to take a chance like that, giving you medications that could possibly harm an unborn child. He could be mandated. He may also want to give you a PPD (test for tuberculosis) it used to be a scratch test. They give you a drug under the skin, 24 hours later they check to see what it looks like ~ not painful ~
Plaquenil is a pretty heavy duty drug ~ If put on it ~ you will have to have regular checkups with an opthamologist ~ because it can affect your eyes. Im on it and they watch me quite closely ~ field of vision exam and some other test ~ very important ~