"By perseverance the snail reached the Ark" Keep trying, something will work. I know it is very trying and everyone wants a quick fix but with this beast sometimes it takes a while. Prayers, Hugs, Charlie

Sorry to hear about the meds. I've been taking arava and plaquenil for about a year now with no major side effects. The problem is that they weren't working well, so my rheumy added simponi. That seems to be a good combo for me (for now). Keep trying, you will find the right cocktail!

sorry you are struggling! Good luck! I am too new to give any advise tho :-)

Angel, before I went in remission, I was on Arava and it did help (I think I took almost every drug in the book).

Hope it works for you - I do remember the struggle very vividly and I'm sorry you are going through it.

Lynne

I am on the same boat with you. I had a reaction (skin rash) with MTX, then VERY severe reaction with Sulfasalazine last week. I stopped taking both Plaquenil and Sulfasalazine at the same time, but I think I will try Plaquenil tonight again and see what happens. Both allergy and RA doctors don't think I am allergic to Plaquenil, but my skin rash was so bad that I didn't want any meds last week. I think my doctor may start me Arava later this week. The allergy doctor said I just have to keep trying new meds and see what happens - there is nothing he could do to detect what kinds of medications that I would have reaction to.

Wish both of us a good luck with searching for right meds!

I've failed everything as well so I know how frusterating it is. I've done Arave a few times in my life and it's been ok. I am taking it now plus a bunch of other things and I can actually tell when I don't take it (when it's at the pharmacy waiting for me to go get it....) I've experienced a lot of side effects from everything too and that is one that seems to be ok for me. Too bad it didn't work with MTX on its own. :-(

Good luck!

can take a long while.....I'm on my 7th r.a drug....its a long bumpy road!!

I've been on Arava for over a year and it helps me a lot- I recently had to go off of it while on antibiotics and I certainly felt a difference on the second day. My stomach is a little upset with this one, so I take it at bedtime and my stomach is all settled by the time I go to work.
Good luck!

tort

Like the most of us, we've tried so many different treatment in hopes for the right one.At current time I'm on Arava 20mgs. daily; plus 50mgs. sure click of Enbrel bi-wkly. When 1st. started Arava ,wasn't sure if med. was working.Takes a few months to feel the full effect , or for med. to do its do :) So far , so good. R.A. factor was 405, 3 months later at Dr. app. R.A. factor is 243. Med. is working. If I understood right R.A. factor should be 12.(?)
(good luck and best wishes)

Sorry dear friend you are having the RA drug run round...Arava was a real disaster for me but is a success for others. Worst of issues was bladder . Truly thought it might be time for nappies.... Also hair and liver tests and ..and...etc. And it took a very long time to come right after I came off it too. I hate to be negative but this site is about us giving honest feedback.
I had to go off mtx but been back on it over a year and so far so good.....Maybe a retrial at a lower dose but perhaps arava will be it for you plus there are others goodies available in your sunshine haven us poor Kiwis are denied...

I think of it as drugs failing me, rather than the other way around.

I took Arava for only about a month, and had a rash and diahrrea at the very start. I developed some blood count issues, which were ultimately conclusively linked to Remicade, but since I was taking Arava at the same time, I stopped both, and never restarted it.

Good luck. I hope you find relief.
doug

I had really bad problems with Sulfasalazine, and I needed a DMARD with Kineret. I am now very allergic to aspirin.

I hope Arava works for you. I am a month down from my first Rituxan injection and other than some tiredness, and some supplemental prednisone I am gradually weaning off of I think this might be the new magic bullet.

I truly hope this one works for you.

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought Arava was for people who can't tollerate MTX?
Hope all goes well!
hugs,
Sarah

Arava and my digestional tract did not see eye to eye. In short it gave me the runs and prompted a colonoscopy from my rhuemy. All was well once I stopped the arava.

Thanks, eveyone, for your input. and good wishes.