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 |
| 2 | RA | rashes, high BP | I have found natural solutions; please provide your actual e-mail address and not just your acronym if you want answers. many of you are suffering for nothing. | M | 55 | 6 months 20 mg 1X day | 1/13/2011 | 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 | 5 | RA | Do have few s/e itching skin, and tingling occasionally. I am concerned about liver damage, but almost died with pneumonia while taking MTX, before I went to Arava. Don't know what else to take in its place. I do have alot more mobility, do have some fatigue and very few flare ups. So far blood tests have been OK. | F | 64 | 2 years 20 mg. 1X day | 11/7/2010 | 2 | Psoriatic Arthritis | Almost immediate headache, ringing in the ears, blurry vision, racing heartbeat, increased sweating, irritability. | I am on so much medication that it was hard to identify which one was causing these awful side effects. Finally, I was able to identify it by the process of elimination. I thought for sure it was the Plaquinil because of the blurry vision, but I guess not. I'm sure the Plaquinil is causing many of the other issues & that I will have to stop taking it as well. That leaves Methotrexate & Enbrel. Am hoping for some relief with these two. | F | 40 | 4 months 20 1X day | 11/7/2010 | 2 | PA | Extreme fatigue, blisters in the mouth. | I have found the joints are still swollen and stiff with new joints becoming affected. The fatigue is extreme and I am now wondering if this is the drug for me or not? | F | 37 | 35 days 20mg 1X day | 11/2/2010 | 4 | RA | Arava helped for five years, though frequent diarrhea, some hair loss, fatigue and dry skin. Now diarrhea got so violent that social life became intolerable. Off the drug for two months now but no easing up. Still think it's the Arava, but my physician doubts that - i doubt my physician. | F | 69 | 5 years 10 mg 1X day | 10/24/2010 | 2 | RA | First side effect was diarrhea, but it wasn't too bad. The bottoms of my feet were very itchy and felt "hot". Then came the tingling feet and legs which kept me up at night. After about three months of taking Arava I noticed hair loss. This is what concerns me the most now. I've had some weight loss which is a side effect that I welcome! | Arava started working in about two weeks in helping with joint pain in my feet, ankles and knees. It did not help with joint pain in my wrist, which actually got worse. After four months my doctor added Enbrel to my treatment along with 2 mg of Prednisone, which helped with the wrist pain. Hair loss got worse so I am off Arava now. Dr. didn't think I needed to take cholestyramine to get arava out of my system since I was on it for only four months. But it stays in your system for up to two years! I can't keep losing my hair for that long...won't have any left. I'm calling the doctor again next week and ask again about taking cholestyramine. | F | 54 | 4 months 20mg 1X day | 9/24/2010 | 2 | RA | Now that I think about it, I believe Arava is causing diarrhea. At first I thought it was a change to a vegan diet. Also, itching along my spine and back, and very dry skin. | Am seriously considering stopping this drug. Also take Prednisone 3 mg per day. When I decreased prednisone to 2 mg per day for 4 days, felt awful, so it seems Arava is doing nothing. Dr. wants me to try MTX next; have serious reservations. Would prefer proven natural cure. | F | 43 | 5 months 20 MG 1X day | 9/23/2010 | 1 | RA | Very bad hair loss after 4 months of taking and continues to fall out after quitting Arava. Did not help RA symptoms | F | 40 | 4 months 10 MG 1X day | 9/4/2010 | 1 | rheumatoid arthritis | Accute tiredness, mouth ulcers,aching bones all over body,burning feet,sores that won't heal,diarrhoea,half an hour after eating passing mucus out of bowel every hour for at least three hours | would not advise anyone to take it | F | 59 | 60 days 20mg 1X day | 8/26/2010 | 5 | R/A | No side effects. Take with MTX. Tried MTX w/o Arava and it doesn't work. Blood labs are fine. Guess I'm lucky. | F | 65 | 12 years 20 mg 1X day | 7/23/2010 | 5 | rheumatoid arthritis | At 20 mg initial dose experienced hair loss. Went down to 10 mg daily and no hair loss. | No other side effects and blood work every 2 months was normal. Almost complete remission for 10 years with just occasional flares. Last Nov. it began to lose its effectivness. | F | 59 | 10 years 10 mg 1X day | 7/7/2010 | 3 | PA | Diarrhea, some tingling hands/feet, some stomach cramps, high liver blood results, much fatigue, short breathed, dizziness | Started on 20mg/day, now down to 10mg/2nd-day. Am getting constant bad test results (although not usually extreme) with my liver, one time I had to stop taking for 1 week to bring liver blood tests down. Swelling has decreased and pain is less, however still very stiff and extra joints continue to flair. The diarrhea was bad at the start but after reducing dose has settled. I am in 2 minds as to whether this has been a good experience but when I think about how I was and where I was going, I suppose it has helped. I do not think I will be able to continue with my liver results, wait and see. I hear that the next stronger meds have even worse side effects. | M | 44 | 8 months 10 1X day | 3/8/2010 | 2 | RA | loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, nausea and other flu-like symptoms. Off of it now. Made lung disease progress faster | M | 82 | 10 months 20MG 2X day | 3/3/2010 | 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 | 3 | PS Arthritis | Headaches, loss of taste, itching around ankles and waist, mild stomach cramps. | I'm taking the generic version 20 mg daily and 5mg Prenisone daily along with Enbrel 50mg once a week. Diagnosed with PsA 3 years ago. Initially put on MTX and increased to 20mg weekly but it stopped working. Until I started Enbrel about a year ago, pain and swelling throughout my body had made me almost cripple but I still had to work fulltime. I will reach the lifetime maximum insurance coverage of $15,000 for Enbrel very soon so doctor has started me on Arava in hopes that it will work as well as Enbrel. If it doesn't, I'm probably screwed until I reach Medicare age unless new affordable drugs come to market. | M | 56 | 14 days | 1/2/2010 | 3 | RA & OA | Loss of libido. Very red, itchy rash on sides of thumbs and wrists, where the bone is close to the skin. | As I cut down on my dosage, the rash started to subside. The doctor was not familiar with this side effect, but told me to discontinue for the time being. | F | 72 | 3 years | 12/9/2009 | 2 | RA | itchy skin on my limbs. Has left dark scars. hair loss - chunks of hair coming out. Have been on Arava for 5 months. Occasional diarrhea. | Some weight loss, I decreased dosage from 10mg every day to 10mg monday to friday. Still the same side effects although the itchiness has marginally decreased. I am going to stop ARAVA and try an Ayurvedic treatment in India. | F | 47 | 5 months | 10/29/2009 | 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 | 4 | RA | Dizziness, numbness of toes, reduced blood circulation to toes, muscle cramps at night, blurred vision, anxiety attacks, loss of appetite, severe hair loss, depression, low blood sugar | Have had RA for 26 years. Arava helped for the RA inflamation and reduced swelling and pain remarkably well. Are going to stop taking Arava since adding diabetes, hair and sight loss to the RA symptoms seems to be worst case rather than helpful. | F | 45 | 120 days | 9/21/2009 |