I want to make a clarification. It's not Plaquenil that reduces the gel coating of the stomach but anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen.

Antacids and acid blockers are my hot button! The cascade of problems that happen due to them is unforgivable. Most people do not have too much stomach acid and we need that acid for so many things. We need it to digest our food. It prompts the release of other enzymes to digest food. It fights bad bacteria and keeps it from building up in the lower GI tract.

You can end up with a deficiency of iron, protein, calcium and B12 (get those checked!). You can get reactive hypoglycemia from an artificial "dumping" syndrome due to food not being digested properly and dumping into the small intestines. That leads to malabsorption of nutrients. Food can putrefy in the gut which can lead to leaky gut and more autoimmune problems.

So one drug can lead to multiple health issues and more drugs. And don't think for one minute that the drug companies don't know that!

I'm glad you don't have a lot of pain with your lupus. It's not an easy disease.

I don't know if your neuro will know much about Plaquenil since they don't normally prescribe it. But just so he is aware because too much immunosuppression isn't good either.

Have you been tested for celiac disease? Do you know WHY you had stomach "irritation." Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach and taking Nexium can actually make things worse. Did you ever see a gastroenterologist to figure out why?

Sorry, I'm always full of questions. I hope you can get things figured out and do what's right for you. Keep your rheumy in the loop too. Good luck.

Annie