Re: arava - Carol & Esther

April 4, 2006

Carol,

I often think about you and Esther as well. I am very lucky to have

met both of you, and even

though I moved so far away, your family is often in my thoughts and

prayers. Esther has

such a spunky personality is spite of her medical challenges from

such an early age.

I hope when the Arava is out of her system, the pancreatitis will

resolve. The Cholestyramine will

speed up the elimination. Without it, the Arava can take 2 YEARS to

be eliminated.

From Midwest Arthritis:

" Under certain circumstances, treatment to eliminate leflunomide from

the body may be important. This is done with a drug called

cholestyramine. Blood tests can determine that leflunomide has been

eliminated from the body. Without cholestyramine therapy, it may take

2 years for the body to eliminate leflunomide. "

http://www.midwestarthritis.com/html/arava.htm

It's interesting that aspirin has been the most help to Esther. It

was also what helped me the most when I took it early in my disease.

My doctor was so against me taking it and used very successful scare

tactics to persuade me not to take it. He did me a favor, I'm sure.

I use White Willow Bark, who's active ingredient converts to

salicylic acid, which is aspirin. Before the days of commercial

aspirin, the bark of this willow was chewed to provide pain and fever

relief. I found the pain relief lasted longer than the aspirin.

This is still my drug of choice except during periods of extreme

pain. It can't be mixed with NSAID's or taken by anyone sensitive to

aspirin or having GI complications, so this may not be something

that would benefit Esther now but could be considered in the future

if her doctor agrees to it.

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/

0,1525,10069,00.html

Is Esther still working? Please give her a gentle hug from me.

a

On Apr 3, 2006, at 3:36 PM, Esther Finlaw wrote:

> Hi a, , June and all who responded. I think of you all so

> often.

>

> Esther has a mild case of pancreatitis... so they say.... but she says

> the pain is great. She is scheduled to have a colonscopy and at same

> time they are going to scope and see if she has any ulcers. She has

> been

> on so much medication since the age of eight....now she is 36. I am

> hoping this is a side effect of the Arava because if so, the Gastro

> doctor said once it is out of her body....(.could take up to 6 weeks),

> then her symptoms will go away. He too said that Lupus patients

> develope pancreatitis also. She still has to have another blood test

> for the Lupus. Her Rhuemmy has her on this

> powder....Cholestyramine...mixed with water 3 times a day. He said

> this

> will get the Arava out faster. ?????

>

> Actually of all the medications she has ever taken only prednisone

> worked.

> Also, aspirin....which has a bad rap. She was on aspirin when her

> Still's Disease first started and it worked great until she had a

> major

> flare around the age of nine. After that, she has never been put

> back on

> it....but I think it worked a lot better than these others.

>

> She was on Kineret for about 8 months. She kept getting bladder

> infections and then finally last Nov. she had both a urine and a blood

> infection. Was in hospital for 3 weeks with that.....came home on IV

> antibiodics and then in Dec. developed a totally different bacteria

> urine and blood infection. was back in for another week. I told her

> Rheummy that I thought Kineret was the blame. Then he started her on

> this Arava. He had also tried methotrexdate (spg.??) and that made

> her

> blood go wacky. I really don't think she can take these stronger

> arthritis drugs.

>

> Didn't mean to write a book, LOL

> Gentle hugs to all of you,

> Carol aka Esther's Mom

April 4, 2006

*a,

We were so lucky to meet you. You are just as nice in person as you are

online .

Wow! Didn't know that the Arava could take up to 2 years to get out of

one's system. I surely hope this **Cholestyramine works then.**

Yes, Esther is still working. Her boss laughs because her co-workers

will take off even if they start sneezing and here's faithful Esther

rolling in with ice packs, drugs, and pain. I think working with the

special needs children is good for her as they really listen to her and

this keeps her mind off her pain. Esther definitely is a spunky

person....takes after her Dad LOL*

Enjoy that warm Florida weather . We are appreciating the blooming of

spring here which seems to be popping up all over.

Gentle hugs,

Carol

a Papola wrote:

> Carol,

> I often think about you and Esther as well. I am very lucky to have

> met both of you, and even

> though I moved so far away, your family is often in my thoughts and

> prayers. Esther has

> such a spunky personality is spite of her medical challenges from

> such an early age.

>

> I hope when the Arava is out of her system, the pancreatitis will

> resolve. The Cholestyramine will

> speed up the elimination. Without it, the Arava can take 2 YEARS to

> be eliminated.

>

> From Midwest Arthritis:

> " Under certain circumstances, treatment to eliminate leflunomide from

> the body may be important. This is done with a drug called

> cholestyramine. Blood tests can determine that leflunomide has been

> eliminated from the body. Without cholestyramine therapy, it may take

> 2 years for the body to eliminate leflunomide. "

> http://www.midwestarthritis.com/html/arava.htm

>

> It's interesting that aspirin has been the most help to Esther. It

> was also what helped me the most when I took it early in my disease.

> My doctor was so against me taking it and used very successful scare

> tactics to persuade me not to take it. He did me a favor, I'm sure.

> I use White Willow Bark, who's active ingredient converts to

> salicylic acid, which is aspirin. Before the days of commercial

> aspirin, the bark of this willow was chewed to provide pain and fever

> relief. I found the pain relief lasted longer than the aspirin.

> This is still my drug of choice except during periods of extreme

> pain. It can't be mixed with NSAID's or taken by anyone sensitive to

> aspirin or having GI complications, so this may not be something

> that would benefit Esther now but could be considered in the future

> if her doctor agrees to it.

>

> http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/

> 0,1525,10069,00.html

>

> Is Esther still working? Please give her a gentle hug from me.

>

> a

>

> On Apr 3, 2006, at 3:36 PM, Esther Finlaw wrote:

>

> > Hi a, , June and all who responded. I think of you all so

> > often.

> >

> > Esther has a mild case of pancreatitis... so they say.... but she says

> > the pain is great. She is scheduled to have a colonscopy and at same

> > time they are going to scope and see if she has any ulcers. She has

> > been

> > on so much medication since the age of eight....now she is 36. I am

> > hoping this is a side effect of the Arava because if so, the Gastro

> > doctor said once it is out of her body....(.could take up to 6 weeks),

> > then her symptoms will go away. He too said that Lupus patients

> > develope pancreatitis also. She still has to have another blood test

> > for the Lupus. Her Rhuemmy has her on this

> > powder....Cholestyramine...mixed with water 3 times a day. He said

> > this

> > will get the Arava out faster. ?????

> >

> > Actually of all the medications she has ever taken only prednisone

> > worked.

> > Also, aspirin....which has a bad rap. She was on aspirin when her

> > Still's Disease first started and it worked great until she had a

> > major

> > flare around the age of nine. After that, she has never been put

> > back on

> > it....but I think it worked a lot better than these others.

> >

> > She was on Kineret for about 8 months. She kept getting bladder

> > infections and then finally last Nov. she had both a urine and a blood

> > infection. Was in hospital for 3 weeks with that.....came home on IV

> > antibiodics and then in Dec. developed a totally different bacteria

> > urine and blood infection. was back in for another week. I told her

> > Rheummy that I thought Kineret was the blame. Then he started her on

> > this Arava. He had also tried methotrexdate (spg.??) and that made

> > her

> > blood go wacky. I really don't think she can take these stronger

> > arthritis drugs.

> >

> > Didn't mean to write a book, LOL

> > Gentle hugs to all of you,

> > Carol aka Esther's Mom

>

April 4, 2006

Forgot to mention about the aspirin. I often wonder if the drug

manufacturers persuaded us not to use aspirin because it is a very cheap

drug. No money in promoting aspirin. Yes, I know it has it's side

effects too with GI problems but so do all those other Arthritis Drugs

that cost so much. Just wondering...........