[Idiopathic PN]

Please have patience to read on..... I really need information from those with similar conditions like mine.

Prior to my symptoms of this painful and horrible neuropathy, I was on Plaquenil because of painful osteoarthritis in my hand, fingers and elbows. I was told by my rheumatologist that Plaquenil is not the first line of treatment of osteoarthritis but since I could not take any medicine with aspirin or ibuprofen, Plaquenil was prescribed. I dont have RA, but my fingers are slightly disfigured. After 7 weeks on Plaquenil, I started to experience this terrible itching all over my body. Initially, I applied the OTC hydrocortisone (1%) but it did not help. After 5 days of continuous itching, I called my rheumatologist who advised me to stop Plaquenil and prescribed Benadryl (this was last October 2011). Even with Benadryl, the itching did not stop and it progressed to stabbing pins and needles. I went to my primary care physician who gave me a medicine (I forgot the name now) which was supposed to be stronger than Benadryl.

Anyway, it took a long while before I was referred to a neurologist. Right now, my treatment is focused on finding the cause of my neuropathy. So far, all my tests are normal, except for the thyroid function. But my neurologist/s think that the numbers are not that "way-off" to cause neuropathy. One of my neurologists even commented that abnormal thyroid function when treated (or being treated), the symptoms should improve (mine does not). I am now scheduled for a skin biopsy.

My questions are:

1. If I resume my Plaquenil, upon of course the go signal of my rheumatologist, will it aggravate my symptoms? I am sooooo scared to take anything that will cause more harm to my nerves. I am sure my rheumatologist will not oppose if I ask to resume Plaquenil. That is one of my frustrations with seeing several specialists. Some doctors dont even exert a little effort to study (or to even really look) about the interactions of their prescription to the current medications of the patient. They treat patients singularly and not on wholistic basis.

2. Can the inflammation of osteoarthritis (not RA), possibly cause a PN?
Meantime, my arthritis is becoming so painful while my neuropathic symptoms are becomimg even more painful.

I would appreciate any ideas from anybody who have the same or similar condition like mine, or from anybody who have some knowledge about Plaquenil and Neuropathy. Please share with me your experiences and your thoughts..........

Thank you so much.