advice on managing medication issues

louiseeb

I am newly diagnosed and have a prescription for methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine but i am a bit bothered about the instructions about avoiding sunlight. I am outside literally every opportunity there is ( i am a landscape and wildlife photographer when my hands work well enough) but i also struggle hugely with sunblocks giving me skin reactions. I have never actually found one i could wear every single day. If i am out in the height of summer i wear a sports grease free sun screen but even that i couldn't actually wear all day every day. How big a thing is it and what do people do?

noddingtonpete

Hello @louiseeb and welcome to the Community.

I think this is a question you may need to seek medical advice on. In the meantime I've put a link in below to some frequently asked questions about methotrexate which might be of interest.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/your-questions-answered/your-questions-on-methotrexate/

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/hydroxychloroquine/

Please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Peter

Rina

Hi @louiseeb, I’ve been on hydroxychloroquine for a while and am sensitive to the sunlight. It was worse when I first started taking the meds but even now I still have to be careful. It mostly affects the tops of my feet and toes if I’m wearing sandals, my hands and my cheeks. Not my arms or legs though. I tend to cover up anyway in the summer as I’m very fair-skinned so wear a lot of cotton and linen and either socks and trainers or factor 50 suncream. I always wear a face moisturiser with at least 30 factor even in the winter but I don’t find it too greasy. I also tend to wear a hat in the summer although not always.

Rina

Jozzie

Hi Louise,

I am on both medications and have been for several years.

I have to admit I have never worried about the sun. I spent most of lock down in the garden and felt the benefits of that rather than the negatives.

I do remember that a few years ago I couldn’t sit in the sun at all and thought that strange as I have always loved the sun. Thinking about it now that might have coincided with me starting on the meditation.

Im fine now though.

I think I would be cautious and see how it goes. Hopefully it won’t affect you and if it does it will only be in the early stages of taking it.

And take advice from the experts .

Im also fair!

Woofy

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/61746/advice-on-managing-medication-issues

Don’t know if this will help. When I started my arthritis journey couple years ago, I was given Hydroxychloraquine.

I remember being light sensitive on my face, but it didn’t last long few weeks I think. I did use a good spf.

sadly the medication didn’t suit me, so I had to come off of it after about 9 weeks. Now on Methotrexate.

louiseeb

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/715934#Comment_715934

I have stopped the hydroxychloroquine now as i had some pretty big side effects, and have also stopped the methotrexate a few weeks ago, but am waiting to try the methoject injections. I guess it is a bit suck it and see, but with me being outside so much i guess there is a risk.