arava problems

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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!

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.

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.

have some bad autoimmune problems, never R.A.. Put on zovirax for shingles and third day into therapy hugely swollen, in horrible joint pain, could barely walk. Dr. diagnosed me with R.A. by look and touch only, refused to do blood tests. Opthomologist ran cbc for cataract surgery and became alarmed at c-reactive and sed rate. Said R.A. out of control. It also showed up moderately severe in lumbar x-rays. Never had ANY joint pain prior to zovirax treatment. Can R.A.

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 ..

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

Have you see a neuorologist regarding the nerve problems you are experiencing? If not, I would suggest you do so. Depending on what they see in your xrays and labs, they may want you to see a rheumatologist, but that would only be the case if you show signs of an autoimmune form of arthritis.

She has taken lithium for 30 years, plus prozac with great results and no problems with mood swings. We began noticing mania symptoms about 3 days after beginning first treatment ( Folfuri 46 hours on take home infusion pump). That was almost 3 wks ago. Had her 2nd tx 4 days ago. I mentioned mania to her oncologist who said steroids were probably to blame but due to RA she has had lots of steroids over last 9 yrs with no problems.

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. Also, my bowel movements are mostly yellow soft to almost runny (sorry). My urine is bright yellow almost neon. Recently, my husbands ins plan changed and we have to pay a lot more now.

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).

are you on any other medications? i was also on arava when i started the humira and got a terrible rash on my hands and feet. i stopped the arava, took cholestyramine to get it out of my system. rash went away. still taking humira. no more rash, so that's good, but i'm not sure where these twitches are coming from. they started about three weeks ago. i'm so sorry you've been having this reaction. sounds like you've had quite a history. i wish you the best. hang in there.

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.

Examples would include Methotrexate, Imuran, Arava and Plaquenil. Another approach you may want to try is to have the doctor add a medication to protect her stomach and keep her on the Lefora since it is controlling her arthritis.

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 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.

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.

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.

I am on Cellcept 2000 mg a day and I have noticed a that it has worked better than Plaquenil, Arava, Methotrexate did. How long have you been diagnosed and without meds?

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.

Right now my doc is tring Cellcept. The jury is still out. But I have been on steroids, Plaquenil, Arava, Methotrexate and now Cellcept.

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??

Remicade worked wonders for my Posriatic Arthritis but I had a side effect that is not common, Muscular Distonia (sp) so I had to stop taking it. I am now on Methortexate, Humira, Arava, prenatals and steriod shots. The Methotrexate makes me sick but seems to help with the rashes. Nothing helps the pain. I am currently not on anything for the Hep C.

I started when I was deployed last year. The pain was bareable and I only had real problems is I sat for too long. Now just the idea of getting up, walking to work or where ever I need to go makes me miserable. I have been to the doctors, they have run tests for Arthritis to include: Rhuematoid Factor , ANA , CBC and some other standard tests. They just did a CCP blood tests but the results aren't back yet. Hopefully next week.

Hi Dr. Tariqo, I'm sure Quix will be along later and able to be of more help to you. I stopped to read your post because I know people who are on Remicade and have never heard the connection of Remicade causing demyelination. That would be a very scarey side effect of this potent medicine and I would think it would not be approved for use if that were the case. I'm sorry that you are having such problems - hopefully you will recover your strength very soon.

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