arava for lupus

I have an Auto Immune Disorder of the connective tissue as labeled by my Rheumatologist. I take Plaquenil 200mg, and Arava 20mg daily. I have been on the Plaquenil for over a year and the Arava for 5-6 months. I am still having flares and experiencing pain on a daily basis. I'm a 28 year old male. My tested positive for ANA but the doctor hasn't labeled me with Lupus. I see my Rheumatologist on the 18th of December and I'm looking for the next step in my treatment.

I have been seeing a rhuematologist for 3 years I am 35 yrs old. She diagnosed me with ra strictly from symptoms and xray results. My blood test have all come back negative. She says that I am a sero-negative ra patient. My concern is that I am not totally convinced that I have ra. I know I have all the symptoms and do get worse when I am off of my Arava but I also wonder if I could have Lupus because I have a lot of the symptoms of it and my sister has it.

Can delaying treatment for auto-immune issues, increase the risk of permenent neuro symptoms? Me - 47 female various diagnosis including SLE, Sjogren's, Grave's, GERD larynx, hypothyroidism, 5x5x4 thyroid nodule, dysphasia, angioedema, mouth dryness makes talking and swallowing difficult, long tract spinal issues, insomnia, and most recently some scary issues...

i take the leflunomide (arava) but also take pills for the reflux, which does help. I take renitidine i believe it is called. I found it worked pretty good for the swelling myself. I am also on the Embrel, but still do not have R.A under control. I just wanted to say that the arava was the best drug i have taken up until i was put on the embrel. I live in B.

Prior to that she was on Arava for five months and it almost killed her. She lost 60 lbs, had heart issues, urinary tract infections, had no appetite and was incredibly weak. Her RA doctor said it was not the Arava. It was. I took her to the Lahey Cllinic and they confirmed it. I had taken her off the medication before going to the Lahey Clinic but it was a binding med. so it stayed in her system for months afterwards.

I, too, have been on Arava for a month with nothing but worsening pain and symptoms. I have been told, as drbob992 said, that it can take quite some time to begin to help, if it is going to help. Usually, when it fails to help much or takes longer than "expected" a biologic will be added. You may want to discuss this with your rheumatologist. Aggressive treatment is needed to slow down progression of disease activity and erosion. I'll be starting one in January 2013.

I recently started taking Arava for my rheumatoid arthritis. My dr. added this to the Methotrexate and Prednisone I am already taking because I really wasn't getting much relief. Now I am getting a read rash behind my knees, ankles and calfs. has this happened to anyone else? Also, occasional bruises to my stomach area.

There are products that can be used like Biotine toothpaste and mouth wash. Restasis for your eyes. I use Refreash Gel. I get this over the counter for about $8.00 a bottle. Look for a Sjogrens support group in your area and attend the meetings. I found one near my city through that website I told you about. We really all share alot of information when we meet every 3 months. I go to a pain management doctor monthly so he manages my pain meds.

I have had Hep c and was treated and in remission now for 10 years. I was dagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and was put on Plaquinil 200 mgs bid. My pain hasnt been relieved totally with this med and the rheumatologist wants me to start on Arava in combination. Im scared of the hep c coming back with both of these meds. Opinions needed.

My father has severe rheumatiod arthritis. He has been on a combination of Arava 20 mg ( Hydroxychloroquine) and Plaquenil (Leflunomide) . He has been going severly downhill since January and has lost 40 pounds, has constant mucous drainage that he chokes on especially after meals, and has severe shortness of breath. Can these symptoms be a result of the medications he is taking? Is it safe for him to take two synthetic DMARDS at the same time?

Thanks. I HATE drug side effects stories. My elderly mom's hgb dropped to 8.5 on Arava (for rheumatoid arthritis), I had a personality change on Ambien (so bubbly I couldn't even stand myself). We have to really be on the watch every time we add a new medication. I worry the most about people who require multiple meds. Think I will start taking B-12. Thanks again.

can anyone advise us on which one would work best for such severe motor and vocal tics. I would really like to hear from anyone who is suffering the same as a parent or sufferer.

I have heard that it can cause nodules also. I am now on enbrel,and arava, folic acid for my RA. I have not been able to get my RA under control as of yet. When i have flare up where can't get out of bed, need help dressing i usually take steroids, that is a great drug for giving you your mobility back. I hope you don't end up with them everywhere, they are painful on the bottom of the feet, and palms and fingers, makes it difficult to do anything.

I have been having pain in the upper right abdominal area for some time now. Under my ribs and almost on the side. I was taking a lot of Rheumatoid medication due to my doctors thing I had RA. My liver levels were elevated and I had this same pain then. I had a sonogram and a Hida scan (sp?) They told me I had Fatty Liver, to lose weight and to stop taking my Arava. I did and levels went back down. This was maybe a year ago.

I was on methotrexate for ~1 1/2 years (last 6 month at 20 mg/ week). I had hair fall, then finally frank alopecia and discontinued the MTX one month ago. During the last month of treatment, I asked that my folic acid be changed to folinic acid (Leukovorin). Not sure if it helped the hair loss or not, but it helped my fingernails. I finally discontinued the MTX ~1 month ago .

ve had no energy and felt bad for about 12 hours after the injection. Anyone else have this type of reaction to the injection?

I do get the cramoing sometimes for a day or two after the enjection. With the embrel the cramps do go away. I also take arava so maybe the combination of the drugs. Hope it it gets better.

I am a newly diagnosed lupus patient but have been told there is no lupus involvement. I received IV steroids for a couple of days for my lupus and I noticed a change in my eyesight. (better) I was put on 20mg of prednisone for 1 1/2 months and then I was put on 40mg prednisone for a week. I noticed that my eyesight was getting better. Personally I dont know if my eye problems have anything to do with the lupus.

Hi Jen I am 23 and was DX with PA beginning last year. Probably had it since 17 cause that is when my back pain first started. I am currently on Arava. Methotrexate didn't work, was on it for a year. Worked fine in small joints like my fingers but did nothing about my back. I don't think the Arava is working either. Doctor wants to start Humira end of the year. My diet doesn't make the pain better, certain things does make it worst though like alcohol.

Hi this is my second year of retuximab my infusion is due next week it has helped me so much i have tried endless drugs for my RA and the retuximab helps the most a few weeks after the infusion my blood result was normal i cant speak for everyone just my own experience i allso take methotrexate.

s 52 years old and has had discoid lupus (lupus erythematosus discoides) for 7 years now. Naturally, since it's an autoimmune disease, she's worried about whether she can get vaccinated against COVID19 or not. She had asked one doctor (not an immunologist though) but he hasn't given her a clear answer. She also has not been able to reach an immunologist since it's hard to reach doctors for non-emergencies or non-COVID issues anywhere now.

I started out on plaquenil but have added methotraxate low dose prednisone and arava to the mix.. My knees still feel like rubber and in the evenings i head to bed early. But it is helping with the pain dring the day. I just pray that the disease will eventually burn it self out.

I was just recently diagnosed with lupus after having symptoms for 8 years. Yesterday the glands under my chin (on each side of my throat) have swollen up. The right one is bigger. and my throat is very sore. Is this a problem with lupus or is it just something like allergies. I wouldn't even be wondering about it, but I haven't even been sneezing so far this year with the pollen (very unusual). Just wondering.

Does anybody know what a biopsy for lupus would show? I had a sun spot biopsied and the GP noted I had a possible autoimmune rash ( I have a malar rash) and the pathologist said I had chronic inflammatory cells around the subepithelial connective tissue. I have had high ESR and CRP, low iron, elevated liver enzymes etc and have responded to prednisone but need an official diagnosis. What would rosacea histopathology show up as?

Last year I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and started a trial of a DMARD. I do seem to be less stiff in the morning. However, I still have severe fatigue and soreness. Lupus runs in my family also, but I was negative on ANA tests. Since I know MS is related to both Lupus and RA, I looked up the symptoms. I frequently am lightheaded and difficulty focusing my eyes.

t know if the rheumatologist would do just blood tests to see if you have an autoimmune arthritic rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus) problem or whether he also does xrays to show up degenerative changes in the bones (osteoarthritis). As you had blood tests done, I presume your blood levels were fine? Best wishes.

Arava for lupus

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