Immunosuppressives Used in Sarcoidosis Treatment
Other medicines are sometimes used for
sarcoidosis treatment. Your doctor may prescribe one of them if:
- Your condition gets worse while you are taking prednisone
- You can't tolerate the side effects of prednisone.
Most of these other medicines used for sarcoidosis treatment are immunosuppressants. This means that they prevent your immune system from fighting things like bacteria and viruses. As a result, you may have a greater chance of getting infections.
Most of these medicines also can cause serious side effects. Some also could increase your chances of getting cancer, especially if you take them at high doses.
You and your doctor must weigh living with the symptoms of sarcoidosis against the side effects of the medicines. Some medicines work better than others for different people. You may be given more than one medicine.
Immunosuppressants used for sarcoidosis treatment include:
Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
This medicine can usually help people who have sarcoidosis in the skin or a high level of calcium in their blood. This medicine can irritate your stomach. It also can cause eye problems. Before starting on this medicine, you should see an eye doctor for some baseline tests. Once you start taking it, you should have your eyes examined every six months.
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