I've been on Orencia shots 9 weeks now. I've been have been having near fainting episodes, once while i was driving and wound up in the er, Low blood pressure, terrible anxiety feeling, weakness in my left arm with tremors, lightheadedness. No mouth ulcers. After speaking to my Dr., I'm going to skip the shot this week and see if these things subside. I've had the arm weakness and tremors with other biologis but not the other stuff. Did you call the dr. and ask about it? Here's the link to Drugs.com side effect, i didn't see that but i could have missed it. Maybe try calling the makers of orencia directly? Maybe, if the folic acid works for MTX it will work for orencia...at keeping mouth ulcers away. If you figure it out, let us know. Hope you feel better and good luck with the Root Canal.
Joanie

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/orencia-side-effects.html

I also take Orencia, and instead of MTX, I take Imuran. I don't take the folic acid anymore, as my doctor said that really only works when the cause of the sores is MTX. I get the mouth sore less frequently without the MTX, but I have a pretty nasty one right now. Mine are always on the roof of my mouth. Good luck finding a solution! If it gets really bad, I use a prescription mouthwash. My doctor called it Magic Mouthwash. It's a compound of Maalox, Benadryl, and something that makes my mouth go numb. It lets me eat when I'm really raw.

I do the homemade version of Magic Mouthwash--equal parts of Maalox and Children's Liquid Benedryl. I keep some in the refrigerator and swish with it. My grandson told me about it when he was in braces and had some pain and asked me to mix some up for him.

I have a thought for you Frances. When you have your root canal and take antibiotics for that, see how your RA feels.

That is why I decided to try anti-biotic therapy. I was on antibiotics for sinus infections. Whenever I was on antibiotic, my RA was almost nonexistent. I was on antibiotics several times and worried that my RA would kick up because I was off my biologic. The RA was nonexistent.

Of course,the antibiotic I am taking now is not the same as what I took for sinus infection. The natural antibiotic (really antibacterial) that I am taking now is very low dose. So far, it is working and no side effects.

I take lots of vitamins with it and pro-biotic.I take magnesium at night which has really helped with my muscle aches and also helps me sleep. My husband commented other day that he noticed this is the best I have felt in a long time. I am down to 4mg prednisone and cutting back slowly.

Just in case you are interested.

Oh, I hate to hear that the lesions are returning!
Check to see if your toothpaste has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate . . . if it does, try switching to one that doesn't have them in it.

I found out I have a sensitivity to them and switching has helped. Even before I started Folic Acid 1 mg daily.

Wendy..I also feel better when I'm on antibiotics. Maybe I'll retry the Minocycline again.

Oh no! I hope you can talk to your doc right away! Sounds like a reaction. Hope you feel better and keep us posted!!

Lifeis2short, the TNF allergic reaction (Remicade) never completely left me. Even though it was so much better, I still had a couple of places on my hands during the month it was better. Then about 3 weeks ago it came back with a vengeance. The entire duration of the reaction has been with me now since November 2011. I've put off calling my specialist because I've had so many other health issues going on. When I do, I expect she'll start me on the Dapsone antibiotic. That was the next thing we were going to try. I really don't think it is the Orencia since I still had a few lesions on my hands when I started the Orencia infusions.

My next body part to get fixed is my back. It's time for another epidural. My siciatica is so bad I can hardly walk. I'm like an old car. You fix one thing, another thing breaks down. Lol. Anyway, I'm calling the Physiatrist tomorrow to beg him to put that needle in my spine.

Dapsone..............this must be new for RA. Looked it up and found it was commonly used for leprosy. Maybe we're lepers in disguise. LOL

Native, the Dapsone is not being used to treat my rheumatoid. It's for the allergic skin reaction I have to all TNF inhibitors (Remicade, Humira, Enbrel, etc.). The doctor who will prescribe Dapsone is a dermatologist at Duke who specializes in allergic skin reactions such as I have. Please don't anybody ask their rheumies to prescribe Dapsone for rheumatoid. That was certainly not what I was trying to say.

I totally forgot that I had mouth ulcers when I started orencia. They resolved after about three months. I also used the homeopathic pellets (found at vitamin shoppe), I used borax for the mouth ulcers, 3 to 5 pellets a few times a day for a couple of days leading up to infusion and a few days after.
Are you feeling any relief yet? I know it's early days, am praying this is your magic bullet

Tortoise, I just had my third infusion yesterday. I told the nurse that I sometimes feel like I'm not quite as tired feeling as I was...too early to be sure if this is the Orencia though...hope it is. I'm having such an issue with my hands again (painful rash) and my recurring back problems that I just know that I am in pain. I'm having an epidural Aug 7 and am in touch w/my dermatologist concerning the reocurrence of the rash. I am hoping and praying that the rash has not come back because of the Orencia. I really want this drug to work.

The mouth ulcers are better unless they come back with this infusion. I guess it is one of those side effects that gets better as you go along.

Thanks for your post.

i Granny,
I have been on Orencia infusions since March. Although I have had mouth ulcers in the past, I have not experienced them with the Orencia. I do get the occasional canker type sore spots in my mouth but I'm pretty sure this is because it's summer and I really enjoy my strawberries too much. : ) Over indulgence and the sores seem to coincide.
I really hope your sores are not due to the Orencia. Have you noticed any relief since you started on it? It worked rather quickly for me although I have heard it usually takes a few months.
Keep that smile!
Hugs,
Jan

Wow granny I feel for you. I have been on Orencia infusions since January and my mouth has gotten hipper sensitive so this is useful information. I had Guilliame-Barre when I was 21, non-infectious polio and was totally paralyzed and just turned 63, so I have a little experience. I use a heavy duty massager on my legs, calf, back and shoulders, it helps at the high speed not the slow. I also do the Tai Chi slapping light tapping for circulation, just started, one,seems to help. Of course I'm trying to get the weight off because I know that will help the most. (I like ice better than heat for pain because thats what they used at Kaiser Rehab in Vallejo)