ARAVA Reviews (LEFLUNOMIDE)Average Rating: 2.8 (217 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ARAVA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from shortest to longest duration (reviews with no time reported listed first). 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 |
| 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 | 4 | RA | had diarrhoea after about 4 weeks on 20 mg per day, reduced to 10mg and helped a bit, not so bad now in the morning. MTX on its own stopped working. | Took it with 7.5 mg MTX & had to add plaquenil & take MTX to 10mg and only have occasional flare up. Worth the symptoms not to have pain jumping from joint to joint every couple of days not to mention the damage that occurs with every flare up. | F | 49 | | 9/28/2009 | 2 | RA | Mouth sores that lasted forever, itchy red bumps (looked like bites) on face, neck and chest. Finally rash spread all over arms and my doctor discontinued Arava and all is now healing. | F | 48 | 20 mg 1X day | 12/13/2010 | 1 | psoriatic arthritis | My brother was taking this and it killed him. | Don't take this, it is highly toxic and very dangerous. Look at natural remedies instead, they may take a little longer to work but they'll fix the problem rather than mask your symptoms | M | 34 | 1X day | 8/29/2011 | 1 | rheumatoid arthritis | I started Oct 04 and started to experience diarrhea within 6 weeks or so. By Feb 05 I was living on Immodium for the daily diarrhea that was starting to wake me up at night. After a couple of "accidents" I saw a GI doc who could find NO reason for my diarrhea and rapid transit time. I stopped taking it in June and the diarrhea ceased within a few weeks. I have not had this problem since stopping this medicine. | F | 57 | | 1/29/2006 | 1 | diarrhea and stomach pains | I took ARAVA prescribed by my rheumatologist after taking for over 2 months methrotaxate which was awful with bad side effects. Then after starting ARAVA more side effects and I stopped. But it's been over 2 months and I am still getting the runs, I mean diarrhea and often accompanied by stomach pains. | F | 1X day | 3/31/2016 | 3 | 1 days | 11/2/2016 | 3 | RA/Lupus | I have been taking Arava going on four months now. I noticed immediately the change in bowel habits. I like this however due to how severely constipated I usually am. I actually feel like I go like a noreal person now. I'm starting to notice a bit of hairloss. Not a lot but concerned it could get worse. Im curious of anyones experience with the hairloss part of it. No other side effects so far. I still have joint pain. | F | 43 | 1 days 20 | 12/9/2015 | 1 | RA | 6 hours after taking the very first 10mg tablet, I was trembling to the point my teeth were chattering and I was feeling very unwell. Ambulance was called and all vitals were out of wack so off to emergency. Released when stabilizedafter 6 hours in emergency. 5 hours later I was shaking worse, was uncoordinated and unresponsive to next ambo team. This time I was hospitalized 2 days till everything stabilized. Extensive tests determined no infection but a side effect stated as "flue like symptons!" | Cannot beleive they suggest 3 days on 100mg then 10mg after that. Specialist started me on 10mg thank goodness, else I'd probably be dead now!! I certainly will NOT be taking Arava anymore! | M | 66 | 1 days 10mg 1X day | 12/17/2015 | 1 | RA | I took this approximately ten hours ago for the first time ever. I immediately felt nauseous which subsided somewhat after eating. I then began feeling anxious for some reason and then came the nonstop itching. I can't seem to stop. My throat itches, my neck itches, my scalp itches, my torso itches. I should have been to sleep three hours ago, and have had no relief from the itching two hours post-benadryl. I hate this drug. I can't imagine what it is doing to my organs. | I was diagnosed with RA a year ago. Fortunately, I worked at my job for 21 years and received STD and LTD until my SSD was approved. What a ride. I have tried methotrexate, Plaquenil, prednisone, Humira. The drugs for this disease have caused me to be so sick at times I thought I would die. The worst was the methotrexate cough that turned into bronchitis. I literally laid in bed for five weeks taking monstrous antibiotics which seemed to make me more sick. I have a bad feeling about this Arava and will be calling my rheumatologist in the morning to report the annoying itching and anxiousness. This drug isn't for me. | F | 49 | 1 days 20mg 1X day | 9/11/2014 | 3 | rheumatoid arthritis | Dizziness in the morning upon waking is my only complaint so far. It only last for 2 hours and goes away. But so far my joints hurt less and I have more energy! I am super excited about the changes so far and I have only been taking it a few days. Hopefully I only get better. | F | 29 | 2 days 10mg | 6/8/2013 | 3 | RA | Have only been taking for 2 days. I have stomach pain about an hour after I take this, it lasts for about 4 hours. | I tried MTX for 5 weeks got mouth sores, roof of my mouth felt burnt, hair loss. Also on Plaquenil and Celebrex. | F | 44 | 2 days | 3/6/2009 | 3 | ra | heart raceing | F | 16 | 2 days | 1/17/2005 | 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 | 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 | 1 | RA | Lost 60% of hair. Became toxic. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. Had to go to ER. Had to do Questran flush out. | Felt like I had been poisoned. Taking in combo with Enbrel' | F | 62 | 2 days 10 mg 1X day | 3/27/2017 | 5 | Ruematoid arthritis | Some diarrhea | Changed my life for the better | F | 59 | 3 days 20 | 4/24/2017 | 4 | RA | the itching has just begun. driving me nuts. had eczema as a child. over that but boy is this bringing back the horrors. does a cortisone or anti itch cream work? anyone try. i'm off to the drugstore now. | other than that love the drug. took initially for one year, had all the weight loss, but somehow found it back. hair loss was freaky at first, but rogain helped that. stopped taking the drug for other reasons. off for two years, back on again for about 2 years now. | F | 47 | 3 days | 5/30/2007 | 1 | ra | Just gathering data. Not taking it yet. Want to know what I'm doing. I have my rx on my nightstand, but I'm afraid. | F | 37 | 3 days 30? | 1/12/2012 | 5 | Psoriatic Arthritis | During the morning and evening, I have extreme itching all over my body. My periods have lasted longer and are much heavier. | Arava has helped so much, I don't even feel like I have arthritis anymore. I started to see results after 6 weeks of taking it, and since then, I have not needed to take any Aleve, I am mostly pain free. | F | 34 | 4 days | 2/11/2007 |
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)