Hi Sam,
Yes, you certainly do have crazy times with your WG
Hoping one day that something will continue to work for you.
As for hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) I would be totally lost without it.
Alysia is correct in all that she has mentioned about this medication. You do need to have your eyes checked each year, with a baseline field vision test done prior to taking it. The medication can cause issues with the retina/macular area of your eyes.
In some people, the first few weeks of taking Plaquenil can cause stomach upsets and even make you vomit. If it's not too bad and you can stick it out, then after a couple of weeks it settles down. If you can't handle it, then there is no issue with stopping it straight away.
Like MTX, it takes at least 6 weeks to kick in.
After taking it for over a year, I felt that it wasn't doing anything for me. I was still getting joint pain, not like it used to be, but it was still there, so with my specialists consent, I stopped taking it. Within 3 weeks I felt like I had been hit by a bus. The pain was so bad, that I started taking it again, and have not missed another day for the past 7 years.
Plaquenil also has many other advantages. Mosquito's wont like you, and hey if they still do, then at least you wont get malaria
My Immunologist told me that Plaquenil taken in conjunction with MTX, can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Any other questions, I'm only to glad to help
Good luck and I hope it works well