Arava vs. MTX | Arthritis Information

 

Anyone have any Arava stories?  I had an allergic reaction to mtx and my rd wants to put me on Arava.  I know it is a new drug so I hope you have some info for me.  I already read possible hair loss Hi!Roxy I am on Avara to plus other meds. I have been on it 2 monthes. I have had no hair loss as of yet. It can take time for this drug to work. I wish you the best of luck!!!     Take Care! Paul

I have been on arava since '97. No hair loss, no headaches, no stomach upset, no loss of appetite all of which I did get from the mtx. Arava worked wonders on me for years and years and then began to wear off. I then added enbrel about a year and half ago. The combo has worked well for me.

I'd switch from mtx to arava a thousand times over. I hated mtx.

Hey Roxy,

I was on Arava twice...for about 2 yrs which was added to MTX, then went off for six months and my new rheum put me back on it last Oct.  I was taken off it in June after 9 mos because I had daily episodes of diarrhea with Arava.  And I lost about 10 pounds.  That said, I LOVED the Arava because it handled my pain and stiffness very well with NO other side effects.  However, given the fact that it played havoc w/my gut made me have to quit it.  When I say havoc...I mean it.  5 days out of 7 had me running to the bathroom countless times a day.  Sometimes 7 out of 7 days...  I've been on MTX since late June and it hasn't handled my pain yet..but I am hopeful as it used to help me quite a bit.

Doc mentioned Enbrel but I was too chicken for the shots.  So we're doing the MTX for now.  Since I had a particularly rough day of fatigue and joint pain, I am rethinking that decision, let me tell you.

Oooooooooo  Goodie
I have "almost Lupus", I was told. Anyway, it sucks.  I was on plaquenil for almost a year, which was awful. I've been taking Arava since April and it felt ok and seemed to keep my symptoms at bay until recently, where I am getting more frequent flare-ups. 3 weeks ago I started to get severe headaches that started in the crook of my neck and travelled up over my ears and temples - the pain is comes in throbbing waves. My eyes hurt and feel that I cannot focus well. My hair started aching at onset of the headaches and I have been losing around a palmful of hair every day for almost 3 weeks. The headaches are still there and I cannot sleep well at night, my feet itch and I feel like crap - soooo fatigued.
I am also taking Arthrotec and am following a strict diet set for me by a nutritionist that eliminates dairy and wheat.
I think the ARava is causing the headaches and hair loss amongst other things. I wouldnt' take it.
Thanks Mazzie!  I am still not convinced to take it. 

Roxy,

 I was reading on a webite today that stated that Arava can stay in your body for up to two years after you discontinue it.

I also heard that Arava can stay in  your body so that is why they prescribe a certain Rx that will act as a sponge to soak up and rid you of the med if you wanted to get pregnant.  Four weeks after stopping Arava, my problem with diarrhea stopped.  Since I also have IBS, I still get the occasional runs, but not at all like what I experienced w/Arava.  Roxie--the first time I took Arava, I did NOT have this problem.  It may have occurred because I took it ...stopped it for six months...and then retook it.  Not sure.  But my RD said that losing weight and "D" were possible side effects w/taking Arava. 

Alright I am sorry but I must "rain on your parade". I took arava back in 2000 and it worked well, BUT it caused me to loose my hair like there was no tomorrow. I mean it was bad....it was so bad that you could see my scalp all the way around. It kinda looked like someone with a lot of hair that was going thru chemo and and it just looked like they were badly thinning. It was awful.

The RD also put me on folic acid to reverse the hair loss,  but it did not work. I stopped taking it when I stopped go to that RD. I eventually got my hair looking full again about 4 month after I stopped taking it.

MTX well It made me hurt  and ache all over even in joints that were not ever hurting. I did not loss hair while taking that one, BUT I did lose hair after I stopped taking it. I am still losing my hair from it, BUT not as much. I can still see my scalp on top, but it is starting to look a lil' more fuller.

Which of you have been on the Arava and enbrel mix??  I am off mtx because of rashes, but the enbrel is not exactly doing it so the rd is talking about arava, so how is that combo???? 

 

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