Quinine in the News

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liz

Senior member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
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645
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
11/2006
Country
US
State
NY
City
Albany
Hi all -

I caught a blurb on the news last night and found a news article this a.m. stating the FDA is taking several unapproved products containing quinine off the market and warning doctors and consumers not to use it for leg cramps (an off-lable use) due to health risks (cardiac, I think). I believe a number of folks here swear by quinine so wonder how you'll be effected by this.

If I was more savvy about such things I'd post the article (there are several if you google "Quinine 2007").

Liz
 
Hi Liz,

When I first saw the doctor last May and complained of muscle cramping she called in a script for Quinine. When I picked it up from the pharmacy and read the side effects I never took it because it said it could cause arrhythmias, tachycardia and others. When my illness first started I suffered from extremely fast heart rates (150's) and had a couple of arrhythmias. They are extremely uncomfortable and I didn't want to chance it. I'm surprised it took this long for the FDA to mention it! Leslie
 
Liz,
I also read this and was very concerned. I was taking quinine sulfate for almost 2 years. When I stop taking it the cramping returned, but I have so much muscle loss that the cramping is not as bad as when I first started taking it. So I have not started taking it again. Also, I don't know if I had any side effects, at least none that I recognized. Michael
 
Thanks for the heads up, Liz. I got a letter from my insurance plan, which I plan to bring to the clinic when I go next month. But I read it to mean they would not approve the brand name of this drug. If I don't have Qinine or something similar look for MUCH and GREAT whining from me!:cry:
Without it, sleep as we know it will be a thing of the past. Ditto resting, sitting still, or any sort of normal function. Before going on this med, I'd given up on driving since my legs cramped too much. Oh dear. :sad:
 
This might be a stupid question, but does the quinine in tonic water even come close?
 
My doc said I would have to drink enough tonic water to float away in order for it to work.
 
Oh my gosh! Thanks for letting me know. Sounds like that won't ever be an option for you.
 
Cindy (and others effected) -

I wonder if doctors can request appeals or overrides if insurers balk at payment.

At the same time, I wonder if docs will continue to be willing to prescribe quinine under these circumstances.

I think folks who want to continue with this med will have to advocate aggressively and perhaps be willing to pay out of pocket if the doc prescribes but the insurance company refuses to pay.

Do you think it would look funny if you all suddenly were came down with malaria? :-|

Liz
 
Now that you mention it, I do feel rather feverish...:-D
 
Perhaps a road trip to Canada is in order?:)
 
Come on up. As far as I know Quinine is still available up here. Health Canada is usually a bit behind the FDA.
AL.
 
You guys make me LOL! Cindy
 
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