Buying Hydroxychloroquine in Canada: Everything You Need to Know
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Over the past few years, hydroxychloroquine (sold under the brand name Plaquenil) has come into the spotlight as a solution for many different maladies.
This anti-rheumatoid, anti-inflammatory drug provides protection against malaria and relief for lupus patients, and researchers are still learning more about its potential benefits.
But this drug can be expensive for patients living in the United States, and name-brand Plaquenil is difficult to find.
If you live in the US, you might be wondering where to find hydroxychloroquine for sale, and if it’s possible to buy it and the similar malaria drug chloroquine in Canada for a lower price.
Great news–you can.
In America, patients may be expected to pay up to $1,284 for a pack of 100 tablets of the hydroxychloroquine brand-name Plaquenil without insurance.
At NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can get the same pack of 100 Plaquenil tablets for around $75.
If you’re curious about how to buy hydroxychloroquine in Canada, and how you can find it at the most affordable price, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s everything you need to know about buying hydroxychloroquine online at an affordable cost.
Why You Don’t Need to Stockpile Hydroxychloroquine
In light of recent world events, prescription prices skyrocketing, and rampant drug industry supply chain issues, many people worry about affordable access to hydroxychloroquine.
Some even consider stockpiling hydroxychloroquine, as a way to ensure consistent access.
But stockpiling leads to rampant shortages of hydroxychloroquine, heightened risk for people who depend on hydroxychloroquine for lupus and malaria treatment, and a lot of confusion experienced by all.
Fortunately, there are safer ways to get what you need.
We’re here to help you find consistent, affordable access to vital medications, so you can take care of your conditions and the people you love.
Let’s start with a helpful overview. What is this med, and why would someone need to take it?
What is Hydroxychloroquine?
For years, doctors have used a substance called ‘quinine’ to treat malaria, a disease spread by parasites found in mosquitoes. Malaria is very serious and often lethal. When a patient with malaria is treated with quinine, they can find relief.
Quinine is a naturally occurring compound, extracted from the bark of a tree found in warmer climates (think: the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of western Africa).
When people initially discovered that it helped with malaria, quinine became critical in the fight against this rampant parasitic disease.
Hydroxychloroquine is a different but similar compound, a synthetic derivative of quinine that has many of the same antimalarial properties as the natural drug.
Today, hydroxychloroquine is one of a class of antimalarial medications. These drugs are also known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs.
What is Hydroxychloroquine Prescribed For?
Although hydroxychloroquine is still used to treat malaria, its use has expanded in recent years.
Now, patients with inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus depend on hydroxychloroquine to reduce their daily suffering.
Hydroxychloroquine can reduce inflammation symptoms such as skin sores or rashes, mouth sores, hair loss, joint pain, and fatigue. However, the drug can also cause side effects such as dizziness and headaches.
Until you know precisely how your body reacts to hydroxychloroquine, it’s a good idea to stay away from activities that require mental acuity (such as driving a car) shortly after administration.
Your doctor may also wish to monitor your blood for a short time after beginning this medication, just to make sure it doesn’t have any adverse effects on your blood glucose.
How does Hydroxychloroquine Work Against Malaria?
The type of parasites that carry and spread malaria wreak havoc primarily in human red blood cells. After burrowing into a red blood cell, a malarial parasite breaks down hemoglobin – one of the main functional components of human blood.
Without functional hemoglobin, it’s hard for anyone to enjoy a good prognosis.
Hydroxychloroquine may stop parasites from breaking down hemoglobin. It may also work by killing the parasite itself.
How does Hydroxychloroquine Work for Lupus Patients?
While researchers are still working to figure out exactly how hydroxychloroquine works for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, generic hydroxychloroquine (or its brand-name medicine, Plaquenil) seems to function as an anti-inflammatory drug.
When a patient takes Plaquenil, their levels of prostaglandins go down. These tiny fatty acids act as messaging mediators that drive the human body’s inflammatory response. Inflammation, particularly in the joints, causes a lot of pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
With reduced prostaglandins, heightened inflammation goes down, and so does a person’s pain.
Plaquenil (or the generic hydroxychloroquine) can also affect your body’s immune response.
Inflammation – and the rashes, pain, and swelling that it causes – happens when your body overreacts to a perceived threat. Hydroxychloroquine helps calm the inflammatory response, and it may also prevent an immune response from starting in the first place.
This gives hydroxychloroquine a specific, powerful one-two punch useful for people who have an overactive immune system or chronic inflammatory symptoms.
What’s a Typical Hydroxychloroquine Dosage Schedule?
The way you take hydroxychloroquine depends on your condition and your goals. Your doctor is the best resource for your specific dosage needs, but here’s the general idea of hydroxychloroquine dosing strategies:
- If a patient is hoping to prevent malaria, they might take hydroxychloroquine once per week for two weeks before they travel to a country where they could contract malaria. Countries in which this is an issue include Asia, Africa, South and Central America, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, some Pacific islands, and some parts of the Middle East.
- Once a traveler arrives in one of these countries, they will need to continue their once-per-week dosage. After they return home, they should continue taking Plaquenil or generic hydroxychloroquine for 4-8 weeks, or as their doctor recommends.
- If you’re taking hydroxychloroquine for arthritis or lupus, you’ll probably take a smaller dose on a more frequent basis – e.g., 200mg once daily.
No matter why or how you need to seek hydroxychloroquine for sale, you’ll need two things: a valid prescription and a way to pay for it.
Can you Buy Hydroxychloroquine Over the Counter in Canada?
Hydroxychloroquine is a prescription drug. Before patients buy hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine in Canada, they’ll need to provide a valid prescription issued by a licensed physician.
This may seem limiting, but prescriptions provide a lot of safety and security for you and other people who need hydroxychloroquine on a regular basis.
For example:
- Prescriptions help you avoid adverse drug interactions. When your doctor prescribes hydroxychloroquine, they’ll take a look at your other medications to make sure you aren’t taking any unhelpful or dangerous combinations of drugs. (Some medications render others ineffective; others might combine to trigger risky symptoms.)
- Prescriptions make sure you’re taking effective medications. Doctors typically follow important guidelines when prescribing medications. For example, they usually only prescribe drugs to the general public for specific, approved reasons. Prescription drugs undergo a lot of testing prior to gaining that approval to make sure they’re both effective and safe. Using them outside of that specific recommendation can lead to huge safety issues and lawsuits.
- Prescriptions help prevent drug shortages. Often, when people stockpile drugs, the people who really need those medications don’t have access to them. In 2021, there were widespread hydroxychloroquine shortages. People who have lupus and require hydroxychloroquine during these shortages face dangerous side effects and even life-threatening situations because they don’t have access to the med.
So, no, you can’t buy hydroxychloroquine over the counter in Canada. You’ll need a prescription to purchase this medication.
However, if you do have a prescription, it’s time to consider how much hydroxychloroquine might cost in Canada or abroad. After all, a prescription alone won’t get you the meds you need – you need to be able to afford them, too.
Hydroxychloroquine for Sale in Canada and Internationally: What You Need to Know
Let’s talk about pricing, side effects, and where to find hydroxychloroquine for sale so you can be sure you’re making safe decisions.
How much does Hydroxychloroquine cost (+ How to Get The Lowest Price)
In America, generic hydroxychloroquine is widely available. This may mean that insurance, if you have it, will preferentially cover the generic drug. It can be very difficult to find brand-name Plaquenil in the United States, which can be a problem.
Generic and brand-name drugs can differ – think: slightly different recipes, the addition of different buffers and filler ingredients – and it’s possible to have an adverse reaction to a generic. You or your doctor may require brand-name Plaquenil, which can put you in a financial bind.
If you can tolerate the generic, you can buy it for about $2.80 per tablet (in a pack of 16 for $45.00). This amount could last you from two weeks to two months, depending on the reason you’re taking hydroxychloroquine.
That may not seem like a high cost, but $90.00 per month for chronic lupus treatment may not be in your budget. You may also require brand-named Plaquenil.
At NorthWestPharmacy.com, we sell Plaquenil for about $0.75 per tablet. What’s more, our pack of 100 tablets for around $75.00 should cover a few months of daily doses, if that’s what your condition requires.
This can save you a lot of time and reduce the stress caused by frustrating refill processes.
Is Hydroxychloroquine for Sale Online Safe?
It’s completely understandable to be a little stressed about buying medication online, especially if you’re doing so for the first time.
Taking hydroxychloroquine can also result in a wide range of side effects, including:
- Seizures
- Yellowing eyes
- Hearing issues
- Mood fluctuations
- Loss of coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rashes
That’s an unsettling list of unwanted side effects.
Your best bet to ensure you or your loved one doesn’t experience side effects is to use the medication as directed, with a prescription. Working with a doctor to monitor any side effects helps you protect your health and gives you peace of mind.
The next step to ensuring safety is to make sure you’re buying hydroxychloroquine in Canada or internationally through an online pharmacy that has your best interests in mind.
It’s worth taking the time to learn what distinguishes a safe, reputable online international pharmacy from one that may have less-than-stellar intent.
Here’s a quick checklist of things to look for when you’re researching Canadian pharmacy websites:
- The requirement for a valid prescription
- The option for counseling from a licensed pharmacist
- Clear, easy-to-access information about their sourcing processes
- Secure information transfer, ordering, and checkout systems
- Positive reviews from satisfied, real customers
If you’re looking at an online Canadian pharmacy and you can’t find their safety information, they tout their meds as miracle treatments, or route you to an unverified third-party site for an unsecured payment, you should know those are red flags.
Play it safe and stick with a CIPA-approved online pharmacy for the best experience and outcome possible.
Wondering where you can find a CIPA-approved online pharmacy? We’ve got you covered.
Buy Hydroxychloroquine from Canada and Internationally Through NorthWestPharmacy.com For An Affordable Price
When you need to buy your vital medications, you want simple processes and low prices.
That’s why, at NorthWestPharmacy.com, we strive to offer the lowest prices possible for brand-name medications.
We have a 24-7 customer service desk with friendly, knowledgeable individuals.
Whether you’re curious about a medication, have a question about your prescription, or would like to consult with a pharmacist, our team is here to help.
We want to empower you with the type of seamless, simple experience you can only enjoy when ordering online. For example, when you order through NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can:
- Have a completely private ordering process
- Set reminders so you don’t forget to refill your prescriptions
- Order quickly online (or call in to walk through the ordering process with a member of our team)
- Have the medication delivered straight to your front door (no need to leave your home!)
When you need to find generic hydroxychloroquine for sale or brand-name Plaquenil to fill a prescription, give our team a call at 1-866-539-5330.
In the meantime, read through our frequently asked questions, or take a minute to check the prices of the medications you need!
You deserve the best healthcare possible – and that means getting all your needed medications at an affordable price. Contact us today, and we’ll be glad to help.
