arava medication

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 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.

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.

0) I was wondering if anyone here has taken Arava (Leflunomide) and their side effects? I started it almost 3 weeks ago for the RA and Sjogrens and have started to have nausea, hair loss, skin sensitivity, burning or tingling of skin, and restless legs (already had, but much worse now), vivid dreams, and torso pain like a cramping sensation in back and sides. I have read too much bad stuff about this medicine and I am hoping someone has had a good experience with it.

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.

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. Now it is back and it sometimes it makes me sick to my stomach and I have a lot of gas.

Since you wrote that you were a cancer patient at one time, I think you should address your concerns about the medication with your doctor and explore other treatment options. Please keep us posted on your reaction and on your treatment plan. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with psoriactic arthritis and the doctor put me on Arava. I've been on it for 4 weeks with no relief. In fact, the pain has increased in all of my joints and my toes have decided to join in on the fun as well. My question is has anyone had any experience with this drug in the amount of time it takes to start working? Is it usually immediate or does it take time to "build up" in your system before it begins to work?

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.

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. My mother has fibro so I wonder if maybe that is what I have instead as well. Things are continuing to get get worse and my dr is wanting to start injection therapy for my symptoms. I just want to be sure I have ra before I begin these injections they really scare me!

Also broke out with shingles. Had rash that looks like heat rash all over my arms and neck, back.. I only take that medication and Arava..

I don't know about neuro symptoms but as I was told by my doctors when I was first diagnosed and was afraid to go on the meds they wanted to put me on due to the side effects, they did say that delaying could effect kidneys, heart, lungs, since these are the major organs that this disease effects, also joint damage. I also have SLE,Sjogrens,RA,and GERD is one of the complication this disease causes.

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?

After ex rays and MRI, I was told I had some arthritis in my neck, but no herniated disks and there was nothing to be done but stay on my anti-inflammatory medication. I suffer daily with this. I wish I knew what is going on ~ the root of this problem. The doctor said I could have a couple of different things happening but failed to direct me to the sources. I am lost and in pain and have a hard time dealing with these nerve issues in my left breast every waking moment.

Also a medication called provigil helps with the fatigue. and Green tea extract helps build your immune system.

Have you tried xenazine ( chemical name is tetrabenazine)? We've also found clonex gives some relief.

About 1 week after stopping MTX, I stopped my folinic acid and my hair loss seems to be worse and also my nails are splitting and my tongue is sore. ( I also had 2 Remicaid infusions 2 months ago in August and 1 week of Arava in May and am on Plaquenil (past 4 months and for awhile in the past).

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.

t understand why you are still on basically the same meds with little to no releife. Have you tried, Remicade, Rituxan, Humira, Enbrol, Arava, Cortisone shots and or creams? Theraputic massage? Anything for the pain? Narcotic or non narcotic??

it was a dollars and cents issue. My husband retired and my lifelong coverage of medication was reduced to $100,000. On a medication like Enbrel, I would go through that within 4 to 5 years. That would mean that I would have no coverage for the time between age 60 and 65. Once I hit 65, I'd have coverage. I decided to take a gamble to see if there were other medications that would do the trick for me and so far there haven't been any.

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.

Just recently my Dr put me on methotrexate injections and arava after which my symtoms got worse.I went back to the RA DR and now she thinks I have Polymyalgia Rheumatica.Right now I'm in the processs of finding a second opinion. They say the symtoms of Polymyalgia can come on rapidly like the symtoms you discribe.

i am 22 years old..i have RA(still desease) from about 10 years, i have tried almost everything..metothrexate(didn't well work),arava(had a baaad effect on me!!),remicade(no improvement),humira(had it about 4 times but had lots of problems with purshasing it and without good effects also),and i had also a both replacement surgeries for my hips ..

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 am trying to get her to have her lithium levels checked but she thinks she is fine (part of the disease), she is not sleeping well and not resting, physically pushing herself which makes swelling and pain from RA worse (had to stop Enbrel, Arava and Methotrexate to begin chemo). Still using patch and morphine tabs for pain, ambien for sleep and there are more meds.

I was given my first dose of Lyrica last night and I slept brilliantly for once, today I've been very sleepy and when I took a nap I couldn't stand up when I awoke because my hip just flared up so badly I couldn't even walk. Luckily I am in hospital, so they gave me morphine straight away and its feeling much better. I really don't know very much about Lyrica and I'd like to hear what some people have experienced with it.

Ask your doctor before taking ANY medication.

Arava medication

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