Anyone taking this drug? Aka Arava I think. My Rheumy started me on it today as I am maxed
Out on my remicade so he added this. The side effects are pretty
Freaky but any drug can have weird side effects. Anyone know anything? Help?
Thanks
Hi Kristen, I have not talked to you yet! I have not taken this drug, but know that it has been discussed, so hopefully you will get a response that carries more wisdom than this. If I do happen to find any mention to it I will comment to bring it to the main page and leave you a message. Hope it works well for you. BTW, those are beautiful kids!!
Hi, Kirsten
I started leflunomide last month. No effects of any kind yet. I don't know if I want this one to work, either: it is very liver toxic, scares me a bit (and I'm really not a 'fraidy cat of meds in general).
What SEs are you having?
Seenie
Hi Kirsten,
Arava was one of the meds I tried on my long list of failures... For me the 20mg dose worked but the SE's were unaccepable for my Rhuemy. I had elevated LFT's (it screwed up my liver) and ongoing diarrea(sp?). So we tried a 10mg dose and that did not work at all, my symptoms went from bad to worse and I still had the SE's. For me personally, it was the least effective treament that I have tried. I think my hair was breaking easily at that point too. (it was a couple of years ago now...) I hope it works for you and you find relief, with out any of the odd side effects!
I'm on Simponi now, and finally something that helps.
Hi there. I took Arava for about 6 months and had to stop after multiple decreases of my dose due to elevated LFTs, as well.
I took Arava for about 18 months it worked well for me. At 20 mg daily my hair started falling out in handfuls. That was after only 4 days. I was so ill and hysterical from the severe flu like symptoms phoned the nurse crying and the rheum called back. I was on MTX 22d mg and reduced that to 15 mg and took 20mg every other day. So I would be sicker than the proverbial dog one day and fine the next. After about a month I could manage every day but it took up to 4 months before the nausea symptoms went away. Oh and my hair QUIT falling out immediately I started on half doses. I had good results in one month but you know PsA it just motors along and I finally got on to Humira. good luck to you. I would go back on Arava if I had too. It did work well just not well enough to get the pain under control.
I have had success with this drug after mtx caused too many SE for me. It took about 4 months to see effects and had significant intestinal SEs, but was without the intense pain in my feet, shoulder, and hands for the first time in over a year. I was able to reduce Mobic and stop tramadyl altogether. We added vitamin D and folic acid and reduced dose recently to 10 mg to hopefully reduce SE, and some aching has returned, but I am able to walk!! Monthly blood draws are a pain, WBC are moderately low, and I could have to come off of this drug at any time, but thankful for it for now! Best of success with Arava!
This is a success, glad they kept you on it for 4 months, hopefully the SE will evaporate!