Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted 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........... 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 > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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