For those who have switched to Arava

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me so

ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the MTX, but

I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using Arava or who

have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did you have any

side effects?

Thanks!!

Jodie

[Guest guest]

Hello --

I've been on Arava for several years, have not had any problems with it.

If MTX is short for methotrexate, I tried that for a couple years but it was not

very effective for me.

Rob

>

> Hello,

>

> I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me so

ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the MTX, but

I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using Arava or who

have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did you have any

side effects?

>

> Thanks!!

> Jodie

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jodie,

I've been taking Arava for about a year in pill form. Only side effect

is hair loss for me.

I have been taking the folic acid along with it, but still losing the

hair. I've stopped taking it a few weeks ago and still losing the hair. I've

heard that it takes along time to get out of your system.

But these drugs effect everyone differently.

Good Luck!

Michigan

In a message dated 11/3/2009 6:14:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

writes:

9.

_For those who have switched to Arava _

( /message/133610;_ylc=X3oDMTJyaWtudTNvBF\

9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEwMTQ3OA

RncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNjE2MTAEbXNnSWQDMTMzNjEwBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAz

EyNTcyNDY4NTA-)

Posted by: " jsmom23 " _jodiehoho@... _

(mailto:jodiehoho@...?Subject=

Re:For%20those%20who%20have%20switched%20to%20Arava) _jsmom23 _

(jsmom23)

Mon Nov 2, 2009 6:22 pm (PST)

Hello,

I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me

so ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the

MTX, but I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using

Arava or who have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did

you have any side effects?

Thanks!!

Jodie

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I used to be on the injectible MTX until it made me sick to my stomach every

time. My doctor even tried adding Zofran to combat the nausea, but I just

couldn't bear to continue with the MTX and switched to Arava. About three

weeks after switching, I remember feeling some stiffness, and wondering if

the MTX worked better than the Arava, or if it was a flare. That stiffness

subsided, and I've been on Arava for about two years now. (in addition to

Remicade)

Patty

[Guest guest]

I took MTX first in tablet form. It wasn't helping so we added Orencia. Orencia

helped but needed a boost so my rheumy took me off the MTX and put me on Arava.

It helped me much more than the MTX. I will admit I had to head to the bathroom

much more as my stools became very soft (and insistent). However, I also have

Irritable Bowel Syndrome so I think Arava upset the IBS applecart. I now take an

over-the-counter IBS supplement that has solved the problem.

The Arava DID help me more than the MTX but it still needed a booster so I also

take sulfasalazine. Right now my doc is thinking about stopping the Arava to see

if it is helping at all.

Dalanne

>

> Hello,

>

> I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me so

ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the MTX, but

I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using Arava or who

have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did you have any

side effects?

>

> Thanks!!

> Jodie

>

[Guest guest]

It took about 3 months after I stopped arava before my hair stopped falling out.

 It is now coming back nice and thick.  It also raised my blood pressure and it

took a couple of months for it to get back to normal also.  linda

From: Normsgrl@... <Normsgrl@...>

Subject: [ ] Re: For those who have switched to Arava

Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9:21 AM

 

Hi Jodie,

I've been taking Arava for about a year in pill form. Only side effect

is hair loss for me.

I have been taking the folic acid along with it, but still losing the

hair. I've stopped taking it a few weeks ago and still losing the hair. I've

heard that it takes along time to get out of your system.

But these drugs effect everyone differently.

Good Luck!

Michigan

In a message dated 11/3/2009 6:14:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

@gro ups.com writes:

9.

_For those who have switched to Arava _

(http://groups. / group/RA- SUPPORT/message/ 133610;_ylc=

X3oDMTJyaWtudTNv BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1 BGdycElkAzEwMTQ3 OA

RncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwN jE2MTAEbXNnSWQDM TMzNjEwBHNlYwNkb XNnBHNsawN2bXNnB HN0aW1lAz

EyNTcyNDY4NTA- )

Posted by: " jsmom23 " _jodiehoho (DOT) com _

(mailto:jodiehoho (DOT) com?Subject= Re:For%20those% 20who%20have% 20switched%

20to%20Arava) _jsmom23 _

(http://profiles. / jsmom23)

Mon Nov 2, 2009 6:22 pm (PST)

Hello,

I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me

so ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the

MTX, but I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using

Arava or who have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did

you have any side effects?

Thanks!!

Jodie

[Guest guest]

I am currently taking Arava. I could not tolerate MTX in any way shape or form.

It took a good 6 months for me to see a difference on Arava. The only problems I

have had was thinning hair and low white blood cells. They had to lower my dose

from 20mg to 10mg. It took a couple of months for my white cells to come back

up. Also when I lowered the dose my hair stopped thinning.

>

> Hello,

>

> I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me so

ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the MTX, but

I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using Arava or who

have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did you have any

side effects?

>

> Thanks!!

> Jodie

>

[Guest guest]

Wow! I sure hope it doesn't look funny when it grows back! I've got kind

of long hair that my husband likes. And if I cut it all off it will take

forever to grow back again.

Lately I've been wearing a slumber cap to bed at night. I always have

the fan on and I've got these real fine fly a ways that I don't believe

I've ever had before?? But they tickle me when the fan is blowing on me and

it drives me just about insane!

The slumber cap does it's best to keep my hair tucked in or in place. But

I always have ones that get away and start tickling me through out the

night every night it seems I'm struggling with my darn hair.

I've never had this problem before so I think it does have something to do

with the meds I'm taking.

I'm real close to shaving it off!

_Re: For those who have switched to Arava _

( /message/133663;_ylc=X3oDMTJydDJlNWw4BF\

9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEwMT

Q3OARncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNjE2MTAEbXNnSWQDMTMzNjYzBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW

1lAzEyNTczMzQwMTQ-)

Posted by: " Boyd " _lindagb52@... _

(mailto:lindagb52@...?Subject=

Re:%20For%20those%20who%20have%20switched%20to%20Arava)

_lindagb52 _ (lindagb52)

Tue Nov 3, 2009 10:44 pm (PST)

It took about 3 months after I stopped arava before my hair stopped

falling out. It is now coming back nice and thick. It also raised my blood

pressure and it took a couple of months for it to get back to normal also.

linda

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/4/2009 12:20:44 P.M. Central Standard Time,

Normsgrl@... writes:

Wow! I sure hope it doesn't look funny when it grows back! I've got kind

of long hair that my husband likes. And if I cut it all off it will take

forever to grow back again. >>

My hair has grown back since I quit Arava. We all know that we react

differently to drugs. Arava didn't work for me. But my hair is curlier and has

more body since it grew back.

dd

[Guest guest]

So sometimes it might be a blessing in disguise!

Michigan

In a message dated 11/4/2009 12:20:44 P.M. Central Standard Time,

_Normsgrl@..._ (mailto:Normsgrl@...) writes:

Wow! I sure hope it doesn't look funny when it grows back! I've got kind

of long hair that my husband likes. And if I cut it all off it will take

forever to grow back again. >>

My hair has grown back since I quit Arava. We all know that we react

differently to drugs. Arava didn't work for me. But my hair is curlier and

has

more body since it grew back.

dd

[Guest guest]

I just switched to Arava in June. I don't have any noticeable side effects but

I'm still waiting to see if it's going to work. I too was getting too ill from

the MTX and dreaded taking it. When I switched to the injectible, the side

effects got worse instead of better. I paid a big price for the positive

benefits of that drug.

Lori

Multiply site: http://stitchingqueen.multiply.com

Website: http://home.comcast.net/~queenstitcher

[ ] For those who have switched to Arava

Hello,

I'm taking MTX, injectable, for over a year now and I hate it. It makes me so

ill, I dread it. My doctor said I could switch to Arava and stop the MTX, but

I'm afraid to start something new. Could some of you who are using Arava or who

have tried it before please share your experiences with it? Did you have any

side effects?

Thanks!!

Jodie