Re: The more I learn....stopped taking Arava

[Guest guest]

I sure wish I would not have tried Arava. I stopped taking it two weeks

ago along with Voltaren. I believe it was what caused me to have to be

taken to the ER the last weekend of April. Apparently the lymph nods in

my neck were swollen...sharp pain especially when I swallowed. My chest

hurt. It hurt to breathe. I hate hospitals so I layed in bed all day

with a heat pad, wishing the pain away. Whenever I moved, it felt like

my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Eight o'clock that night,

my husband brought me to the hospital. Three and a half hours later I

was released with no real diagnosis, just inflammed muscles in my chest.

My primary physician diagnosed me with costocrondritis four days later

at my follow-up so I refilled my Voltaren (anti-inflammatory)

prescription, and took two a day along with one Arava pill. I didn't

improve, I started feeling worse, so two days before my Humira shot, I

stopped taking both Voltaren and Arava. I have been feeling a lot

better for the last two weeks; more energy, the pain in my chest went

away, but the pain remains in my neck. It hurts to swallow, but I can

deal with it hopefully until I see my Rhematologist Monday morning. I

would kind of like to get more blood tests today or tomorrow so doc will

have the results at my visit. I'm not going back on Arava though. I

will have to find out my options about the " flush " thing I've heard

about. Need to do more investigating I guess. No more prescriptions

other than Humira and I'm going to keep taking Vitamin D. I need to see

my chiropractor again soon.

Take care everyone,

(musiclvr3237)

> > So back to the more I learn....the possibility that Arava is a human

> > carcinogen (carcinogen refers to any substance, radionuclide or

> > radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of

cancer

> > or in the increase of it propagation) not to mention the additional

12

> > active ingredients of Arava which inclulde polyethylene glycol which

is

> > a form of ether, an alcohol, like used in antifreeze; povodone,

which is

> > a element of iodine which is in chloruform....I have been asking

myself

> > more and more " what should I do? " But, I have to say from my point

of

> > view, if you haven't taken Arava yet, don't start. If I would have

> > known I probably wouldn't have taken my first pill.

> > I wish all in this group the best, and thanks for listening (or

> > reading). When I receive copies of my labs I will try and post just

for

> > comparison sake.

> > (musiclvr3237)

>

[Guest guest]

Hey , Arava is one of those drugs you either love or really hate!! I have

never been able to take it. I tried twice and I had so many strong side effects

(such as Gastrointestinal) that I just couldn't take it. Enbrel is another med

I can't tolerate at all. But most of the time the side effects are minimal and

go away after a few weeks. Good luck! Michele BB

>

>

> I sure wish I would not have tried Arava. I stopped taking it two weeks

> ago along with Voltaren. I believe it was what caused me to have to be

> taken to the ER the last weekend of April. Apparently the lymph nods in

> my neck were swollen...sharp pain especially when I swallowed. My chest

> hurt. It hurt to breathe. I hate hospitals so I layed in bed all day

> with a heat pad, wishing the pain away. Whenever I moved, it felt like

> my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Eight o'clock that night,

> my husband brought me to the hospital. Three and a half hours later I

> was released with no real diagnosis, just inflammed muscles in my chest.

> My primary physician diagnosed me with costocrondritis four days later

> at my follow-up so I refilled my Voltaren (anti-inflammatory)

> prescription, and took two a day along with one Arava pill. I didn't

> improve, I started feeling worse, so two days before my Humira shot, I

> stopped taking both Voltaren and Arava. I have been feeling a lot

> better for the last two weeks; more energy, the pain in my chest went

> away, but the pain remains in my neck. It hurts to swallow, but I can

> deal with it hopefully until I see my Rhematologist Monday morning. I

> would kind of like to get more blood tests today or tomorrow so doc will

> have the results at my visit. I'm not going back on Arava though. I

> will have to find out my options about the " flush " thing I've heard

> about. Need to do more investigating I guess. No more prescriptions

> other than Humira and I'm going to keep taking Vitamin D. I need to see

> my chiropractor again soon.

> Take care everyone,

> (musiclvr3237)