ARAVA-questions | Arthritis Information

 

I have been taking Arava for several years with no problems, because of certain conditions, my Remicade(have taken for 5 years) has been stopped for awhile.

My RA doctor has increased my ARAVA 20mg daily.  I am doing fine physically. I have lost about 15 lbs since increasing my dosage( which is fine too...size 8 down to a Size 4..lol).  But, I have noticed that I think my hair is getting thinner and thinner.  I don't know if I am imaging it or not...but I don't think I am.  Do you think that is because of the increased dosage?

I just started folic acid and biotin yesterday.  How much do you suggest I try?  I am only 38..and tend to like my hair!

Sorry I can't help, but I just wanted to say - Hey! You have my name! :) Yay, let's form a club! :)

when i was growing up..nobody had my name..you could NEVER buy anything with your name on it...now...Katie is pretty popular..I guess my parents were just ahead of their time:)

My real name is Katrina...like Katie alot better :)

Hehe In school there were *always* 2 Katies in my class. But I was the only "Katie" not any other name, on my birth certif. if just says "Katie" My mom was kinda boring...lol I have yet to meet someone who isn't actually a Katherine, or Katrina, or Kaitlin, or any other variation! So maybe my mom was a little ahead too...lol

KatieRT - I don't know if Folic Acid will help with hair loss with Arava.  But Arava does have a high incidence of hair loss as a side effect.  I'd call your RD and let him know and see what he suggests.

Good Luck!

Your RD should prescribe leucovorin. It's a form of folic acid. It helps with hair loss & mouth sores - and it works pretty fast. My hair loss is down to close to nothing after 2 weeks. I'd started losing quite a bit.

Fiona,
are there side effects with the Leucovorin.  I am on 10 mg every other day and terrible thinning and hair loss is happening.  I hate this medicine.
I'm so sorry, beccy - I'm having such good luck (for the moment) with the Arava. I wish it worked the same for everyone. The only problem for me with the leucovorin is that it means the MTX & Arava are not working quite as well. No sensitivity yet (knock wood). I seem to have a pretty good balance right now. I know it doesn't last. With RA, nothing does. I had a ton of hair loss with arava when I 1st started (only 10 mg) but the hair loss stopped and then turned around - I think I have it all back now.I've been on it 3-4 years.

I am new on this sight.  Moved from FL to TN 2 years ago and haven't found a really good RA doc since move.  Have to leave current doc who has no compassion and a staff that is not very competent or helpful!

I have thinning hair as well but was told folic acid will do nothing for this type.  Unlike mtx where folic acid can't absorb to your insides, arava makes you loose hair in a chemical way that has nothing to fix it.

Some have used things like rogain to help, but that is all i know of.

I am not happy that I am losing my hair :(  It stinks, I am only 38.  I thought I would be able to stop it(The Avara) once I started the Enbrel two weeks ago(drs. didn't want me to of course) but I stopped it for a week and I hurt all over so yesterday I started the Avara again. I feel  a bit better in the joints but my hair is falling again:(
Whats a girl to do???? I couldn't take the mxt and the folic acid combo because that was not working for me and I am sero negative as well.
I am very frustrated, I am dealing better with the RA but not the hair loss at such a young age.  :( I have been taking Arava since January.  I noticed several months later in July that my hair was falling out and about 1/4 to 1/3 had fallen out by the end of August.

When I told my Rheum. he said he recently learned that a high dosage of Biotin will counteract Arava (which does not allow for normal levels of Biotin to absorb). 

I noticed within several WEEKS that I had new baby hairs growing all over!  My hair dresser noticed, too.  So, three months later, my hair has really filled out and I am thrilled! 

I am surprised that I have not seen anyone else on this forum write about this.  I live in Switzerland, so maybe this is something that is not widely prescribed in the US?

Has anyone else had an experience similar to this while taking Biotin?

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