Medication Information

Your doctor may recommend oral prescription medications to treat your rheumatic skin disease.  Understanding these medications and potential side effects and interactions with other medicines can help you feel more confident about your health and treatment plan.  We provide basic information about commonly prescribed medications.

Antimalarial Medications (hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, quinacrine)

Azathioprine (Imuran)

Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)

Cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune)

Dapsone

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin)

Methotrexate

Mycophenolate mofetil and mycophenolate sodium (Cellcept and Myfortic)

Retinoids (acitretin [Soriatane])

Rituximab (Rituxan)

Vasodilators (calcium channel blockers)

Medication Assistance Programs

Medications recommended by your doctor for treatment of your rheumatic skin disease may be expensive.  RDS provides helpful tips on ways to help save costs on your medications.

See our patient handout on Patient Drug Savings Information

View the full article in the Dermatology Online Journal

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Protecting your skin from the sun

For Lupus and Dermatomyositis and other patients with sensitivity to sun

Lupus and dermatomyositis are made worse by sun exposure. Daily sunscreen application can keep your skin free of inflammation.

See our Helpful Tips on Sun Protection

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Protecting your skin from the cold

For patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon in Systemic Sclerosis

Many patients with systemic sclerosis and other rheumatologic disorders have Raynaud’s phenomenon, leading to painful hands and feet with cold exposure.  We provide tips on keeping your hands warm to minimize your Raynaud’s phenomenon attacks.

See our Helpful Tips Cold Protection

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Vitamin D in Rheumatic Skin Disease

For patients with rheumatic skin disease

Many patients with rheumatic skin diseases are instructed to stay out of the sun.  This can lead to low vitamin D levels.  Having adequate vitamin D levels is important for all patients, and may be especially important for patients with inflammatory conditions.  We provide information on vitamin D as it relates to rheumatic skin disease.

See our Vitamin D Information

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