Guest guest Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 , Arava can very seriously affect the lungs and your breathing. It can happen very early on, although I believe the earliest onset of lung problems I have read about is two weeks from first taking Arava. How long were you on it? Did you start with a loading dose? How much did you take in total? Do you have any history of lung problems of any kind? Do you smoke? I would call the fired rheumatologist and insist on being seen. Tell her that your PCP suspects that you are experiencing a Arava-induced lung side effect. If she won't see you and insurance will allow, go to a pulmonologist (if you can be seen very soon) - or go to the ER. Do tell them that your rheumatologist wouldn't see you. Document when you called whom and what they said. It doesn't have to be the Arava which is responsible for how you are feeling, but, if it is, you do need to be seen ASAP. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Aggravated... > Evening everyone. It's the middle of the night and I'm awake again. > This gets really old! > I fired my doctor last week (after the letters asking donations to run > her practice). They want $1.00 a page to get my records to take to the > new doc in October! I wanted to take them with me the first time I see > him so he wouldn't have to wait to see what has been done before he > starts treatment. I stopped the arava myself because after the second > round of severe bronchitis I still cannot breathe and have a very deep > cough that won't go away. Naturally, the doctor said she couldn't see > me until my next appointment and gp doesn't want to deal with it since > he didn't prescribe the arava, which he thinks caused the bronchitis > and breathing difficulty! It started within a week of starting the > arava....could it have caused it so quick? I see some stuff about > pulmonary fibrosis and ra. I hope it's nothing like that! I'm almost > to the point of giving up and living on pain meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 , When I started the arava I had just been through a bout with bronchitis that took a Z pak and 6 days of levequin to even affect it. I never lost the cough/congestion. I told her about this during my " phone appointment " and she said to go ahead and start the arava as long as I didn't have a fever. Two weeks into it I started running a fever and got sick again. Her office aid to see my doctor, which I did and they gave me another 10 days of levaquin. The fever and head congestion are gone but I still have the bad chest congestion and discomfort. Yes, I do smoke. I was only taking 10 mg. of arava a day, she didn't start me on a loading dose. I stopped taking it when I was on the 3rd round of antibiotics and my chest was still so congested, so I only took it for 3 weeks. I will call and get an appt. with a pulmonologist. My lungs have always been remarkably clear, despite the fact that I smoke. That's why this is so alarming to me. Thanks . > > , > > Arava can very seriously affect the lungs and your breathing. It can happen > very early on, although I believe the earliest onset of lung problems I have > read about is two weeks from first taking Arava. How long were you on it? > Did you start with a loading dose? How much did you take in total? Do you > have any history of lung problems of any kind? Do you smoke? > > I would call the fired rheumatologist and insist on being seen. Tell her > that your PCP suspects that you are experiencing a Arava-induced lung side > effect. If she won't see you and insurance will allow, go to a pulmonologist > (if you can be seen very soon) - or go to the ER. Do tell them that your > rheumatologist wouldn't see you. > > Document when you called whom and what they said. > > It doesn't have to be the Arava which is responsible for how you are > feeling, but, if it is, you do need to be seen ASAP. > > > > Not an MD > > I'll tell you where to go! > > Mayo Clinic in Rochester > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester > > s Hopkins Medicine > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org > > > [ ] Aggravated... > > > > Evening everyone. It's the middle of the night and I'm awake again. > > This gets really old! > > I fired my doctor last week (after the letters asking donations to run > > her practice). They want $1.00 a page to get my records to take to the > > new doc in October! I wanted to take them with me the first time I see > > him so he wouldn't have to wait to see what has been done before he > > starts treatment. I stopped the arava myself because after the second > > round of severe bronchitis I still cannot breathe and have a very deep > > cough that won't go away. Naturally, the doctor said she couldn't see > > me until my next appointment and gp doesn't want to deal with it since > > he didn't prescribe the arava, which he thinks caused the bronchitis > > and breathing difficulty! It started within a week of starting the > > arava....could it have caused it so quick? I see some stuff about > > pulmonary fibrosis and ra. I hope it's nothing like that! I'm almost > > to the point of giving up and living on pain meds. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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