All RA drugs have side effects. You look for the one that stops the RA best, with the minimum amount of side effects.

I was on Arava for 2 years, with mthx and Orencia. I have no idea how much it helped. Although, I think I felt a bit worse after I came off.

Arava is really a mild drug, all things considered. Do try it, it may help you a lot. You need to hit RA really hard in the beginning, so it is less severe in the long run. Don't keep wondering which is the best drug, just do it. In the end, you will probably visit many meds. And, we don't all get the same response or side effects. I had none on Arava. I have been on biologics that were awful, and met people at my infusions who got "their lives back" with no side effects on the same medication. There is no "one size fits all" for these medications. You have to try them, document your own side effects and response. And work with your rheumatologist!

I think you're doing the right thing, asking others for input about drugs. Marlene says "'one size fits all' for these medications," but the medications remain the same. It's the people that vary, and what's good for one may not be good for the other. However, how do you know unless you ask? And, you don't have to "just do it," and you don't have to try them.

I have a couple of questions... what other drugs are you taking now? Are you taking a biologic, or are you taking any other DMARDS? Is this substitution or augmentation? You don't always need a DMARD with a biologic, vice versa. Also, how long have you had RA and what other drugs have you tried?

I have limited experience with Arava, and, in the end, I don't believe I had any grave side effects. The first time I tried it was a 1 month stint. I had started Remicade infusions, and successfully got through the loading dose (3 infusions) before my rheumatologist told me he would like me to try Arava as a DMARD. I had trouble with MTX before, which is why I was taking Remicade by its lonely. A month later, after I had my first "regular" dose of Remicade, I had a severe drug reaction, where my WBC counts tanked. But, what drug caused the problem.? The rheumatologists, oncologists and hematologists (the wise men?) figured it must be the last drug, so "we" stopped the Arava. After the next Remicade infusion, I had the same reaction, only worse, so it was pretty clear that it was Remicade.

While I was on Arava, I had stomach pain, a scratchy throat and cough, muscle aches and for the first time ever, my liver enzymes were elevated. Several years later, after I was receiving Rituxan infusions, my doctor wanted me to try Arava again (I did several other DMARDS, as well, including sulfasalazine and plaquenil), and I had the same side effects (not the serious reaction), and the Arava didn't add a thing to my benefit, so that lasted 2 more months.

Good luck. It's too bad this forum isn't more active, and you could get more tales of experience.

As MarleneJ says, work with your theumatologist.

I said, "There is no "one size fits all" for these medications. You must have forgotten the "NO!"

I'm sorry, Marlene. I did copy/paste and missed the "NO." My point was to emphasize the people, not the meds. I'm not disagreeing with you on that point.

Thanks everyone, Jolinjoline, I was diagnosed early last year and am on Methotrexate, they added Sulphasalazine and Plaquenil a few months ago , plus sterioids at 75mg. I have since gone down to 50mg. The sulphasalazine and Plaquenil werent working as well as expected so they want to replace the Sulphasalazine and Plaquenil with the Arava. I was going to try it but then felt really uncomfortable about it so changed my mind.

I took Arava for a short time with methotrexate. My rheumatologist discontinued it. When my labs were drawn after 3 months my liver enzymes were abnormal. I am not sure if it was Arava or the combination. As stated above everyone response differently and RA is complicated. and all RA meds have side effects.