MTX vs. ARAVA Talk to Me | Arthritis Information

I've just been put on Arava. I chose that over MTX because my RA says I could not drink and take MTX. My liver test are normal (which it has no right to be. lol) I just want to know if one is better than the other. I will quit drinking if I have to ..... but I've already been told to give up salt, fat, cigs, .....a girl can only give up so much you know. I've had a hysterectomy....so that took care of another pleasure of mine if you know what I mean.....but I'm willing to do anything to stop this pain. Could it be true hormones have something to do with this?? Why does it affect more women than men? Why have we always gotten the stinking end of the stick? Periods, Babys, menopause.....etc? venting here

CAT

When I went on hormone replacement, my RA improved drastically. My RA did show itself until several months after I went off the birth control pill. Less1338534.8458680556

Hey less,

It's very interesting.... I read several women on here saying they thought it had something to do with hormones with them...I had a complete hysterectomy 5 years ago and my doctor took my off of HRT a year or so ago because of breast cancer in my family (sister) Since then all hell has broken loose....my libido isn't the same and if it was I hurt to bad to do anything about it......needless to say my boyfriend isn't a happy camper.... any thoughts?????

CAT

My internist started me on HRT because she had a patient who underwent a complete hysto and her gyn didn't put her on HRT. She had started having severe arthritis pain after the hysto, and when my internist put her on HRT, the arthritis disappeared.

I was in such bad shape before I started the horomones. I could not get up and down stairs, "cemented" at night, and was in so much pain. We were preparing for disablilty. I am on the antibioitic therapy and one thing that was said to be checked if you weren't getting better was to check your hormones as they need to be in balance for the AP to work for some people. When we checked mine they were all but gone!

Several months after starting HRT, the AP started working for me and every month I got better. I am about 80 percent improved from where I was before I started the hormones.

I got a giggle when I read the title of your post...I'm not all here tonight and read it as MTX and Arava were talking to you! Here I sit thinking you're having some weird reactions.
I did some searching. Not much time to do so tonight but....here's a link.
[urlhttp://intmedweb.wfubmc.edu/grand_rounds/1999/arthritis.html[/url]
This lists many of the treatments and all kind of things. But under Arava, it does show a trial done to compare the two as well as a placebo.
Here's a short quote from it.
"These data suggest that there is statistically significant improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and signs by treating with either leflunomide or MTX, and the two drugs were about equal in their efficacy over placebo."

So maybe it's just that Arava is something your doc has had more success with in his patients.
I'm curious about the drinking and MTX/Arava. Both carry warnings. Arava's said something like less than 2 drinks per week or something. And there seems to be an MTX debate. My doc never once mentioned alcohol and MTX. Many docs say no alcohol, others say an occasional drinnk as long as liver tests are good is ok.
Hugs, wayney

Kat;

I was informed by my dr that drinking is not a good thing when you are on Arthitis meds. I am not one who misses alcohol,I feel having my liver is more important. I had a full hysterectomy due to endometriosis. I had estrogen for one month then went off it, I had done research and had found that if there was just even a hint of endo left the estrogen would make it grow again. The surgeon and I had discussed this and he respected my wishes of not continuing estrogen. I have done fine without hormone replacement, but that is me, everyone is different. Have you tried remefin or estroven? They are 2 over the counter nedications that women can take during and after menopause that are suppose to help with all the problems. The worse I ever had was the hotflashes, but that lasted for only six months. Ask you gp or gyn about something to help your libido, there are some meds out there that do help, but I guess we don't rate like the guys who have viagra. lololol

WELCOME TO THE BOARDS KAT IT IS NICE TO SEE A NEW FACE. tAKE CARE.

Hope this give a tiny bit of insight.

Meme, (and Cat)

I also suffered with endo for years. I had a lap surgery to remove it and it came right back.

The strange thing is...I went on hormone replacement and the endometriosis packed its bags and left!

I believe that there is a study about mycoplasma and a possible connection to endometriosis and since I take antibioitics for mycoplasma for my RA, maybe that is why it cleared up like it did. ( whatever the reason, boy am I glad!)

You are fortunate that you can do without HRT. I wish I could do without it, but I cannot imagine life without it at this point as I was so sick when I went into menopause. My RA turned into a tiger and my emotions and anxiety levels were through the roof! I lost 12 pounds in a short period of time and even my dentist was commenting that I needed to start eating ( I guess he thought I was trying to look that way).

Cat,

I have a friend on MTX and her doc told her an occasional drink was okay. She has been on MTX for 17 years and seems to do well on it.

Less1338535.338125

Kat, I had a hysterectomy in 1995. I am on hrt. I went off them for six months and I felt terrible. My hair fell out and I felt so moody. I am now back on hrt and I just get a mammogram every year. I love my hrt and don't want to quit. I am 49. I love to drink but I am like meme, I want to be good to my liver. I will admit, it is difficult for me to have one beer or one glass of wine so I say why risk it. I have lost a few pounds not drinking and I feel like I am doing something good for my bod that has been feeling dessimated by ra.

Just chiming in..............We will support you no matter your choices. Let me know about Arava, I may not be able to tolerate mtx anymore. Good luck.

I've been on Arava for about seven months now. I had to stop mtx because my liver functions were elevated and I can't take Remicade alone. Some people can take the biologics alone, but some people don't have good results with just one med. I haven't had any side effects from Arava. In fact, for me, Arava and Remicade together work really well. I am significantly better now than I was on mtx. As for alcohol, I am not a drinker, but I do like an occasional beer or glass of wine. My doc said no more than two a day. I rarely have two in a month.

Starling, Arava and Remicade? I didn't know that was an option. I thought you had to take mtx with Remicade. That opens up other possibilities for me. Thanks for the info. Roxy, as far as I know, you can take Arava with any one of the TNF inhibitors. I think mtx is the one mentioned because it's the most common and usually prescribed before Arava. Good luck!mY SULFASALAZINE AND mOBIC ARE NOT CUTTING IT. WONDER IF ARAVA IS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR ME WITH MY SULFASALAZINE AS I CANNOT TAKE REMICADE, ENBREL OR HUMIRA. I'M 50 NOW AND ABOUT 3 YRS AGO THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY AND DEPRESSED. DR CHECKED MY HORMONES AND THEY WERE 0. HAVE MY FEMALE ORGANS AND STARTED ON 1 MG ACTIVELLA plus anti depressant prozac. HELPED GREATLY...TILL THE RA SET IN!

As for the hormonal connection, my RA did not hit me until I had a miscarriage in 93. Within a few months my distal joints were stiff and achy. My mother also had RA and found relief while pregnant. Since mine did not start until my family was complete, I cannot say that pregnancy alleviated my symptoms.

dx'd with RA 2000: meds MTX, Plaquenil, Relafen, Evoxac, Fosamax