Since Humira hasn't worked out great for me, my rheum. wants to start me on Arava. It's really expensive. (0/month) I'm unable to take Methotrexate because my body was intolerant. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION WITHOUT DOING RESEARCH!!!!!!!!!! I was placed on it and suffer from side effects to this day. I have been off of it for 6 years and still have to take stomach meds, blood pressure meds, have numbness in my hands and feet and suffer from cloudy thinking. I went on this med and was told there were no real sever side effects. WRONG! I instantly suffered panic attacks, was off balance, was told to stay on it and cut the dose in 1/2. long term I suffered abdomen pain, bleeding stools, liver counts were way off, radical blood pressure spikes, the numbness and cloudy thoughts, anxiety all about did me in. two doctors told me all of this was in my head or not related to the drugs. I did my own research on the net. There are calls from the medical community to pull this drug, lawsuits, and many deaths related to the drug. you have to go through a two year drug cleansing program to even think of having a child due to the drug lingering in the body for up tp two years and will cause birth defects. the drug also continue to cause damage even after stopping the drug. If they tell you the risks of not taking the drug are higher than actually taking it don't believe it. Google Arava side effects or Arava lawsuits and deaths.
Any impressions on Arava? How well does it work, side effects, etc.?
I am on Bactrim DS which is giving me some bad side effects right now, so I understand. I've taken 4 rounds of Bactrim so far and I keep getting sicker.
what else are you on? are you taking a mixture of drugs for your PA?I took MTX and folic acid for a year or so. It was affecting my liver function so I had to stop. I had a depomedrol injection four weeks ago. I skipped my Humira injection since I am so sick.
I'm still pretty sick from the infection that started on Feb. 18th. The Bactrim DS round is over and I am going to see my doctor again today.
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