Hydroxychloroquine Dosage: What You Need to Know About Safe Use and Common Regimens

When people talk about hydroxychloroquine, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug used to treat malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Also known as Plaquenil, it's one of the most prescribed medications for autoimmune conditions, but getting the hydroxychloroquine dosage wrong can lead to serious side effects. This isn’t a drug you take based on a friend’s advice or an old prescription. The right amount depends on why you’re taking it, your weight, kidney function, and how long you’ve been on it.

For malaria prevention, a common starting dose is 400 mg once a week, taken 1 to 2 weeks before travel and continued for 4 weeks after leaving a high-risk area. But if you’re using it for lupus, doses usually range from 200 mg to 400 mg daily, often adjusted based on symptom control and eye health. With rheumatoid arthritis, doctors often start low—200 mg daily—and increase slowly if needed, because this condition requires long-term use and regular monitoring. Too much can damage your retina, and too little won’t help your symptoms. That’s why blood tests and eye exams aren’t optional—they’re part of the treatment plan.

What you won’t find in most online guides is how personal this gets. A 120-pound woman with lupus might need half the dose of a 200-pound man with rheumatoid arthritis. Kidney problems? Your body clears the drug slower, so your dose drops. Taking it with food? That helps with stomach upset but doesn’t change how much you need. And yes, some people take it for years without issues—others develop vision changes within months. That’s why sticking to your doctor’s instructions isn’t just smart, it’s life-saving.

Below, you’ll find real-world insights from people who’ve used hydroxychloroquine for different conditions, including what doses worked, what side effects they saw, and how they managed long-term use. No fluff. Just what matters when you’re trying to stay healthy on this medication.