ARAVA Reviews (LEFLUNOMIDE)Average Rating: 2.8 (217 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ARAVA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on ARAVA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ARAVA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and dizziness started first. Then entire body itching, ringing in both ears, and muscle pain. I am also experiencing horrible restlessness. I've never had such bad side effects from medication. | My doctor wanted me to try a lower dose. Absolutely not. My body is telling me it does not like this medication and I am going to listen. She put me back to Methotrexate. Side effects were less severe and didn't interrupt my quality of life. | F | 52 | 15 days 20mg 1X day | 6/27/2023 | 2 | RA | I immediately experienced loud ringing in both ears and such an uptick in numbness and tingling mostly in my hands that I stopped the medication myself. This was a quality of life issue for me and I do not give any doctor permission to make that choice for me. | F | 54 | 2 days 20mg 1X day | 4/16/2023 | 1 | RA | Horrible drug- I can't be more serious about the destruction it did to my body. If you value your hair don't take this drug. My hair not only fell off, it became brittle and dry. Every time I ate, I had to run to the bathroom. I got an yeast infection a d a severe rash on my neck. I have been off Leflunomide for almost a month and my hair is still falling off. | F | 64 | 3 months 10 mg 1X day | 12/10/2022 | 2 | Mixed connective tissue disease | Some weight loss very little hair thinning but the pain always had low back calf and ankle pain but since starting arava I have pain in every joint and muscle in my body also burning in my back not sure if it's kidney pain | Most likely going to stop this medication I was going to give it the 6 wks that's when my dr says it starts working but after reading these reviews I'm terrified if any one has any advice please message me | F | 43 | 29 days 10 mg 1X day | 10/13/2021 | 2 | RA | Hair loss, insomnia and diarrhea, took activated charcoal for 1 week and got rid of it. | F | 44 | 4 months 20MG 1X day | 5/24/2021 | 3 | Lupus | Constipation, gas | F | 64 | 2 months 20 1X day | 2/5/2021 | 1 | Psoriatic arthritis | Experiencing bruising, sores in my nose, cognitive difficulty (was unable to balance my check book). Loose stool and insomnia. I never had trouble sleeping before. Worst part and reason I stopped is elevated blood pressure and my heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. It's actually painful and concerning. Also noticed increased hair loss. I've been off for 5 days now and still experiencing chest pain. | F | 53 | 30 days 20 1X day | 7/7/2020 | 1 | RA | The diarrhea is horrible. I cant go anywhere without worrying about making it to the washroom. Nauseous all the time so I dont eat much and I can eat a lot. Ive been off 2 days now and feel a tiny bit better. No runs today. | I will never take it again. | F | 51 | 45 days 10mg | 7/1/2020 | 1 | Poly neuro arthritis | Took planquenil and methotrexate with out much success. I had a history of surgical sepsis which nearly cost me my life. Questioned the Dr. about the dynamics of even using the Arava with my sepsis history. I developed severe SOB, extreme fatigue, severe pain to my joints , blisters to my feet , and another round of sepsis to my hip joint. I survived after having my joint completely removed and replaced involving three more surgeries. Two years of recovery and thousands of dollars in medical expenses. I went to the ER without any understanding why they disregarded my concerns. I am so disgusted with the lack of knowledge of so called experts. This medication nearly cost me my life and it is still being sold. Why when the reviews show its long lasting effects and even short term effects are devestating. | Also had extreme confusion , sweating and chest pain. | F | 62 | 2 months 10 | 2/12/2020 | 1 | RA | Hair loss, memory loss, diarrhea, very dry skin, weight gain, sleeplessness, extreme fatigue, elevated liver enzymes. | After 2 months of taking this medication then stopping, should I take the flushing-out medication to get rid of it quickly? | F | 63 | 2 months 20mg | 12/17/2019 | 1 | RA | 90 days on and have been on 3 - 21 day steriod packs during because of swelling and flares. But, what I most want to warn you about is the back pain! Oh me! I have a history of kidney stones. I thought I was having some weird kidney stone pain. After 3 doctors, much lab work, and a CT scan, it is determined that the extreme, unending, want - to-die kidney/back pain is from Arava. And, up to 2 years to get out of your system. Please read the warnings and take them seriously. | F | 44 | 90 days 20 mg | 6/14/2019 | 1 | Psoriatic arthritis | Diarrhea and hair loss in tingling/burning of feet. Been on Enbrel, Humira, Stelara and now Cosentyx for psoriasis and arthritis. Enbrel and Humira worked great on joints but not on skin (close to 10 yr). Stelara and now Cosentyx have been great on my skin but not the joints so Rheum added methatrexate this did not help then tried Arava. Initially it was great, decided to come off it about 5 weeks ago due to the hair loss, I can see my scalp it is horrible. Frustrated and wondering when this will stop. My joints are ok so far, tingling has reduced slightly. | Personally this drug is the worst that I have been on. If the side effects were less then I could probably may continue with it. | F | 54 | 5 months 20mg | 9/29/2018 | 1 | Rheumatoid conditions | Several small rashes, but the area around them (on my abdomen- the area being the size of my hand) BURNED so painfully I couldn’t have pants or underwear on for 5 day’s. Also the area from my knees to my head was on fire and itching so painfully I couldn’t sleep. Steroid cream didn’t help. Diarrhea (bright orange), bad headache, bad nausea, muscle aches. | I stopped medication when severe side effects hit on day 6. I’ve been off it 6 Days and side effects are about halfway gone but not cleared up. Dr said it has a long half-life | F | 61 | 9 days 10 | 5/11/2018 | 1 | Lupus | Immediately my joint pain and inflammation got worse. So bad that instead of just hands and feet, I now have larger joint involvement ( knees, back, shoulders, wrists). Terrible back pain and worries that if this degree of pain continues, I will be disabled. | I had a similar reaction to methotrexate. Must be it’s incompatible with my body so the pain and inflammation is flaring. | F | 45 | 1 weeks 20 mg | 3/20/2018 | 3 | rheumatoid arthritis | hair loss | This drug worked wonders for RA...wiped out stiffness and nearly all pain. After 4 months, I started losing my hair. When it became huge amounts, I decided to go off it at 6 months. I've lost a full 50% of my hair, and that is not acceptable to me, so I am going to try Plaquenil instead. Too bad because otherwise, it's a miracle drug. | F | 48 | 6 months 20mg 2X day | 1/22/2018 | 1 | Ra | Hair loss bruise n bleed rash 4 months. Infection respitory stopped a month cleared. Uti several.headaches.elevated blood pressure. Mouth burns Esogophes ulcers and webbing kidney elevations fatigue last diarrhea two months 4 to 6 times daily kidney pain another upper respiratory infection feel terrible dose upped last month flares increased.Toxic stopping | Ok at first relief was great. Hair loss fatuige n brusing..then rash itching still ok then diarrhea started and more flares Now mouth hurts all the time kidney pain worse fatigue wieght loss stomach pain headach sleeplessness Im done now to many side effects finished with this | F | 57 | 1 years 10 mg. | 12/7/2017 | 1 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Diarrhea!! Also blisters and my lip swelled. I also became very short of breath. The diarrhea continues to this day. Horrible drug! I would never recommend it to anyone!! | F | 66 | 4 months 20mg | 11/21/2017 | 1 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Arava 10 mg was added on top of 20 mg (weekly) Methotrexate as my RA symptoms weren't sufficiently controlled. Within 2 days on the 10 mg Arava, I was dizzy, nauseous and vomiting so badly that I felt like I was going to die. | Reported this to my rheumi who told me to stop immediately, however I am concerned because of the long half-life of this drug. | F | 42 | 2 days 10 mg | 8/27/2017 | 3 | RA | Severe back pain, nausea, stomach cramps and pain | F | 36 | 2 weeks 10MG 1X day | 5/4/2017 | 5 | Ruematoid arthritis | Some diarrhea | Changed my life for the better | F | 59 | 3 days 20 | 4/24/2017 |
ARAVA (LEFLUNOMIDE): This medication is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a condition in which the body's defense system (immune system) fails to recognize the body as itself and attacks the healthy tissues around the joints. Leflunomide helps to reduce the joint damage/pain/swelling and helps you to move better. It works by weakening your immune system and decreasing swelling (inflammation). FDA Approval Date: 1998-09-10 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)