Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: what to know about the potential coronavirus drugs

[catsudon]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: cnn

New York moved to begin trials Tuesday, procuring 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine and 750,000 doses of chloroquine, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. In addition Bayer, the drug maker, has donated 3 million doses of Resochin, its brand name for chloroquine, to the federal government.
Perhaps demonstrating why health officials are urging caution -- saying chloroquine requires further clinical study and might not be the panacea it's billed to be -- officials in Nigeria's Lagos state have reported three overdoses in the days since the drug entered the conversation surrounding the pandemic.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/health/chloroquine-hydroxycholoroquine-drugs-explained/index.html

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officials in Nigeria's Lagos state have reported three overdoses in the days since the drug entered the conversation surrounding the pandemic.

people, don't try to medicate yourself, get your advice from trained medical professionals

[samnsara]

1. hubbys a pharmacist..these drugs have so many side effects..he sure as hell wouldnt take them

...if offered.

[cab67]

2. The magnitude depends on the taker.

I take them if I'm in a malaria zone, and they've never really affected me adversely, though I wonder if that's because of other medication I take.

Some of my colleagues have explicitly stated they'd rather take precautions (lots of insect repellant and staying under mosquito netting at night) and deal with malaria if they get it.

Not sure if you know this, but this is why the gin and tonic was invented. Tonic water has quinine. The drink became widespread after the British Empire moved into regions with endemic malaria.

(The IPA is also a direct result of the British Raj. The beer was super-hopped on the theory that it would be less likely to go bad on the way from Britain to India. The British Empire also explains the distribution of beer quality in Africa - after WW1, the Brits took direct control of German East Africa [present-day Tanzania] and ruined the breweries established by the Germans. But they left German Southwest Africa [present-day Namibia] under South African administration, and the South Africans left the German breweries alone. Hence, Namibia makes the best beer in Africa. Windhoek and Tafel are both very good beers. East African beer, e.g. Tusker, is drinkable, but nowhere near as good as the Namibian stuff.)

(I'm full of useless knowledge. Just ask my students.)

[mainer]

3. Next panic buying: tonic water

There go our gin and tonics.

[Aussie105]

4. Well, we got our supply.

Better get yours!

The strength in tonic water is fairly low, but i like the taste, so it's a good excuse.
(looked at the label, but no concentration given.)

[Phoenix61]

13. I recently discovered Q Spectacular Tonic Water

It’s sold as a 4-pack of 7.5 oz cans in a little card board box. It uses organic agave as a sweetener. Makes a hell of a Bombay Saphire and tonic.

[moriah]

14. Hate to say it, but you just reinforced all my beer stereotypes...

... specifically, that if it isn't German and doesn't leave you feeling like you just drank a liquid loaf of bread, it's not beer worth drinking.

[oldsoftie]

5. But if you're in serious condition from this virus, why WOULDNT you try them?

These drugs have never been talked about as a preventative, but as a treatment.

[cab67]

15. a couple of reasons

1. Like all medications, these have side effects. They can also interact with other medications. Unless you're working with a doctor, it is NOT safe to experiment with them.

2. It might mislead you away from other potential treatments that might come down the pike.

3. Every dose of an antimalarial you take is a dose someone who actually needs it - not only to prevent malaria, but to deal with things like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis - can't take. My mother in law is one such person, and she is now actively trying to find alternative sources, since there appears to be hoarding taking place.

[roamer65]

7. Quinolones have horrible side effects.

I can attest to that fact.

If you take drugs in this class, you only do so for as short a term as possible.

[McKim]

9. Very Scary and Unpleasant

I took this drug for my visit to daughter in Peace Corps and I had to stop. It is horrible. I would take it to survive, but it is no picnic!

[roamer65]

10. I reacted severely to cipro, a fluoroquinlone antibiotic.

I understand where you are coming from.



People should only use these drugs only if it absolutely necessary.

[MrsCoffee]

6. I have lupus and take hydroxychloroquine. I just read people are having trouble getting refills.

Apparently there is now a shortage of lupus meds in parts of the country.

Anyway, I have to have my eyes checked every six months to make sure I don’t get irreversible retina damage which can happen from taking this drug. It’s not a drug anyone should take without a prescription.

I really hope that this shortage is temporary. I have about two months worth and that’s it.

[Rebl2]

11. I took 200mg a day

from 1980-2016 for rheumatoid arthritis. Never had a problem until 2016 when it started to affect my eyes. I also had my eyes checked every six months like you. I did have some damage to my retina because the eye doctor I was going to didn’t catch it. I changed eye doctors and he immediately sent me to a retina specialist. Luckily the damage is minimal thanks to my retina specialist. I think if it is taken for a short amount of time it won’t be a problem. I think taking long term like I did was a mistake. I hope the shortage, for your sake, is resolved quickly. By the way my rheumatologist was not happy when I stopped it, but I think I finally got through to her my eyesight (which is poor to begin with) was important.

[MrsCoffee]

12. I'm glad you got a good specialist.

My biggest fear is damage to my eyesight. I might go see a specialist just because I would like to make sure this doctor isn’t missing anything. Chances are she hasn’t missed a thing, but not something I want to find out about when it’s too late.

[yellowcanine]

8. There is no antidote to an overdose of quinine. Back in the day when quinine was used regularly for

malaria prophylaxis there was a sugar coated version to make it easier for kids to take the very bitter quinine pills. Unfortunately kids would sometimes get access to the pills and eat them like candy and overdose and die. Do not mess around with quinine. The amount of quinine in tonic water is so small it would have little or no therapeutic effect.

[cab67]

16. It actually can.

It does help as a (very) mild muscle relaxer.

[CountAllVotes]

17. Truth

My father had malaria. I remember that there was a bottle of tonic (quinine) water in the refrigerator. It used to have a higher content of quinine in it. He treated that like the vile thing it was and made sure to tell us a kids NOT TO EVER DRINK IT.

When tonic water changed to having less quinine in it, he quit using it as the side-effects he was experiencing were worse than the malaria!

That said, this is only a treatment for some specific cases (such as lupus/rheumatoid arthritis) but is most certainly is not a cure!

My father died at the age of 75 with sweat dripping down his face because of the malaria he had contracted in the Guadalcanal in WWII.

Shame on those that are hoarding this drug as those that need cannot get it thanks to stupid people that believe dump's word and grab it all up any way they can manage to get it.

There is absolutely no efficacy that indicates that this will cure COVID-19 as there is no "fix" nor cure for a new virus that may be mutating as it lives on. It is a huge danger to use this drug without appropriate nor necessary medical need.

Shame on those hoarding this!

Scared pukes will do anything to save their sorry asses!

[GumboYaYa]

18. Trump has turned what should be a medical decision based on patient needs

into a political issue.

We have evidence that hydroxychloroquine helps at least some Covid 19 patients. here is a recent article interviewing a woman who was prescribed the medication: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethpfeiffer/2020/03/22/one-patient-dodges-a-covid-bullet-is-she-a-harbinger-or-outlier/#6f69c2c35b84

South Korea has been prescribing it to patients as standard of care and their doctors attribute patient improvement to the drug. A French doctor gave it to patients in Avignon and had great results.

Of course it should be only administered by doctors in correct dosages. They need as many options as possible in their arsenal for a disease like this.

Trump's general lack of credibility on virtually every issue has created controversy in the public over an issue that should be decided by doctors and not people posting on the internet and via twitter.

[Omaha Steve]

19. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

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