New Medication.

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone.

I am just writing to let you know I started a new medication 3 day's ago to try to get this form of RA under control.

It is called "Leflunomide" or ARAVA.

I don't know what they call it over there or if it has been released but it has not been on the list over here in Australia for all that long.

My specialist has no idea what to expect to happen to me as they have never tried it on someone with my rare form of RA.

The more common side effects are eg: Diarrhoea, Rashes, Itching and temporary hair loss.

The more severe one's are eg: if skin or whites of eyes become yellow or you bleed or bruise easily I could be developing a liver problem.

The even more severe are eg: if my skin becomes pale and I start to feel tired, I become prone to infections I could be developing a blood cell disorder.

There are other side effects apparently so they said if I notice anything to report it to my specialist immediately.

The common one's are just a matter of adjusting my medication but the more severe, I have to stop the treatment.

I am really hoping that I don't get any side effects as I would love for something to finally work properly.

I have about a 3 week gap between coming off the Methotrexate injections immediately and these tablets starting to work and I am already starting to ache form head to foot all the time. I could not sleep last night but I was warned that this will happen and to make sure I had a lot of pain killers on hand.

I am tired of this pain everyday and not being able to do anything with my children.

I am sure the specialist's would be happy as well to find something that works on this type of RA. I suppose I am some sort of experiment to them.

My doctor is a really nice and very understanding guy. I should have gone into hospital for at least 4 day's to start this off but he know's what I am like with hospital's. He waited around for the company to write the prescription and then got it filled for me and delivered it up here to my local medical centre so I could meet him last Saturday and he gave me all the instructions and the book on the med's.

He gave me his direct number and pager number if I get into any trouble.

I am a bit worried about the side effects but I know he will not let thing's get out of control for me.

I do not have to have the Methotrexate injections now which is one less needle a week. He said if my Crohn's Disease starts to come out of remission I will have to have small doses again to get it under control. The Methotrexate also work's for that as well so I really have my fingers crossed for that. When that is out of remission I don't know what is worse. I would rather give birth to 10 children at once than feel all that again. I went through far to many years of that.

If anyone has heard of this medication before or of someone on it would you please let me know as I would love to be able to talk to them and what they experience with it.

Thank's for listening and I will keep you up to date with what happens.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

Happy Thoughts All

Debbie.

(Australia) xx

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