ARAVA Reviews (LEFLUNOMIDE)Average Rating: 2.8 (217 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ARAVA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). 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 |
| 3 | RA | I have been on Arava for 2 months this time, the first time I took it was 2 years ago, I got so sick I lost alot of weight and my hair became very thin.....I decided to try it again after having reaction to humara and MTX no help...I started on 10mg a day , slight diarrhea and hair loss, then I increased to 20mg, I still had the hair loss and stomach upset, but by the end of the second month I had developed a horrible itchy rash, I bruised my skin scratching it is so bad, I am still trying to get rid of the rash... | The Arava did seem to help the RA, however the rash is sooo itching I can't stand it and I guess will be back at square one yet again | 41 | 2 months | 3/11/2009 | 3 | 1 days | 11/2/2016 | 5 | RA with Feltys Syndrome | Itching esp on my scalp,itching on limbs, feels like bites,some nausea,slightly elevated LFT, tingling of my hands and feet, occ. fatigue,diarrhea depending on what I eat, seems to have slowed down tho. Got my menstrual cycle again after 2 yrs. | RA for 11 yrs with Feltys Syndrome. It has helped me almost more and quicker than MTX did. Have dropped to 7.5 mg Prednisone only for my Feltys to keep my white count up, otherwise I'm sure I'd be off it.I would rather have the annoying side effects I have and be able to get up and go to work, then not be able to move at all and lose my job again. So, its a thumbs up for me. | F | 46 | 10 months | 7/2/2009 | 5 | RA | Heart pulpitations, poor circulation. | This is the best medicine I have tried so far. After taking several different medications within a twelve year period. The RA has not stoped totally but definately feel the difference. Not as much pain and stiffness, or side effects. | F | 37 | 1 years | 1/6/2010 | 5 | RA | no side effects , works brilliantly for me. | F | 46 | 5 years 20 mg | 4/18/2013 | 5 | RA | Arava has worked wonders in my life and I'm almost symptom free of joint pain, swelling and fatigue, BUT I'M LITERALLY ALMOST BALD AND IT DEPRESSES ME! | F | 39 | 8 years 10 MG | 2/18/2014 | 5 | exhausted all other RA meds eccept | Diarrhea Many Times a day& frequent urination | F | 56 | 4 years 5 mg | 4/6/2014 | 5 | Rheumatoid arthritis | Doing great. Helped so much!!! | F | 44 | 8 months 10mg | 4/16/2014 | 5 | For RA | I have thinning hair, bouts of diarrhea, and weight loss. | F | 64 | 2 years 10 mg | 7/9/2014 | 5 | RA | When I mentioned to my rheumatologist about the annoying diarrhea, she immediately said, "Oh! That's dosage related! We can fix that!" She dropped me from 20 mg. to 10 mg. and I have been fine ever since. NO dreadful side effects at all! I did have a mild rash for three months that the cause remained undetermined, but that cleared up on it's own. | Working GREAT! No issues! | F | 61 | 2 years 10mg 1X day | 5/29/2015 | 5 | Sero neg RA | Some mild diarrhea | I was in so much pain prior. Uric acid and inflammation levels off the scale. Was taking Tramadol 3x day as I had prior kidney cancer and cannot take NSAIDs. I'm feeling so much better. Walking 25 miles a week now when before I could hardly exercise. No hair loss- I'm curious as to how long others experienced this and how severe? | F | 48 | 8 weeks 30 mg | 9/15/2015 | 5 | RA | Intermittent diarrhea - sometimes mild, sometimes severe. The other 2/3 of the time no problems. No hair loss. Mild appetite suppression. No itching. No rash. Labs are normal so far. I have a nasty cold right now that doesn't seem to want to go away - no one else is sick in my house. Not sure if it's a coincidence or from the arava suppressing my immune system. | I have been on Plaquenil, stopped due to unrelenting itching. Methotrexate oral and SQ, stopped due to extreme fatigue and nausea. Imuran, stopped due to allergic reaction sudden onset fever, nephritis, elevated LFTs. Cyclosporine, stopped due to angioedema, rash, itching. Humira, no side effects but developed large lymph nodes and was concerned. Prednisone, I limit taking due to already having osteopenia from use. So far on Arava I'm no longer fatigued. Joint swelling and stiffness is much improved. Have had two small flares in a two month period but seem to be self limiting. I've been able to more consistently exercise- walk dogs, walk on treadmill, ride horse. Able to more reliably do things around house and yard. Generally feeling more energetic and not so run down from being sore all the time. I actually have days when I don't even think about my RA now. It's been a couple years since I could say that. | F | 47 | 2 months 20 mg | 9/18/2015 | 5 | Ruematoid arthritis | Some diarrhea | Changed my life for the better | F | 59 | 3 days 20 | 4/24/2017 | 5 | psoriatic arthritis | gastro only, but had problems before taking Arava. Monthly lab work clean Psoriasis symptoms gone. | I couldn't put my weight on my left leg due to psoriatic arthritis in knee. Within days, I was able to do so. After 3 years, I am 90% free of pain and discomfort. Sometimes better. What I do still notice is manageable, but I do miss curling my leg up in the chair before sitting - just can't bend the knee comfortably that far! | F | 51 | 4 years | 6/16/2009 | 5 | RA | Extremely brittle nails; some hair loss;occasional mouth sores; intermittent skin tenderness; dizzyness - not sure how many of these are attributed to Arava. | Has worked wonders for me in conjunction with MTX; great improvement when added to MTX 2 years ago. 20mg x5 days/week. Would love to come off the drugs, but after reading all the other comments, think it best to stay on as dont want to have all that pain again. Still have some pain but can live with it. Think I'm one of the lucky ones with not too bad s/e. | F | 50 | 2 years | 11/6/2008 | 5 | R/A | started on 20mg but got severe side effects,hair loss,diarrohea,headaches,tingling of hands aand feet,severe weight loss, .have been on the drug now for 2 years at the lower dose of 10mg and find the weight loss has stabilised,small hair loss,tingling of the hands and feet,poor appettite,always tired and hard too get to sleep,but has helped wonderfully and is worth enduring with the side effects as quality of life has improved and the pain is tolerable | Have severe R/A,Hashimotos thryoiditis,ankolysing spondilitis,uvetis. I'am also on mxt 7.5mg,prednisolone 5mg,plaquenil 400mg and opium patches for pain | F | 46 | 2 years | 9/1/2008 | 5 | RA | unpredictable diarrhea is the most bothersome side efect. Non-itchy rash on legs. | Came off it briefly (3 Months) and was soon experiencing swelling fingers, morning stiffness, joint pain. | F | 55 | 5 years | 6/19/2007 | 5 | RA | WEIGHT LOSS KEEPS ME AWAKE EVEN THOUGH EXHAUSTED | WORRIED ABOUT HAIR LOSS I TAKE 20MG A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BRILLIANT MEDICATION | F | 44 | 6 weeks | 6/5/2007 | 5 | rheumatoid arthritis | came off arava for 5 weeks on methotrexate which was useless all symptoms returned now back on arava no side effects brilliant medication now on 20mg arava per day 15mg methotrexate weekly feel like a new person | very expensive but the best | F | 45 | | 10/24/2007 | 5 | Rheumatoid arthritis | My doctor initially started me on 20mg, but the main side effect that was severe and most noticeable was the diarrhea. She then put me on 10mg. It helped, but not as much as when on 20mg. I started taking the 20mg at night before going to sleep and the diarrhea is not bad. Now I will go about twice in the morning and maybe once or twice throughout the day. Depending on what and how much I eat. Whereas before I remember once going to the restroom about 6 times in one day with diarrhea. I have experienced other side effects such as, hair loss, brittle nails, headaches, tingling of hands and feet, skin tenderness, mouth sores/tenderness, frequent need to go urinate, heart racing, shortness of breath, nausea, occasional dizziness and some weight loss (not much though). | I have been on remicade for about 3 - 4 years. I am also on mobic and folic acid. My doctor has also advised me to take two calcium with vitamin D pills a day. I am also taking multi vitamins. In the past I have been on prednisone and methatrexate and neither one of these helped like Arava has. I use to experience frequent flares all over, but mainly in my knees and ankles. I have not had a flare since being on Arava. I have been on Arava for about 7 months - 1 year. I could not go up or down stairs without feeling severe pain and could not move legs to go up or down at the same time. Now my legs can move simultaneously to go up or down. This is the only drug that has helped me a lot. The pain is not severe anymore and I definitely have more mobility. My joints are not as tender anymore. | F | 33 | 1 years | 1/27/2009 |
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)