arava and hair loss

[Amarah]

I've been on Arava for 2 months and the loss of hair has been really bad. I have read that the hair loss is reversible once you get off the medication.

I woudn't have taken it if I knew that the hair loss was going to be this bad. I told my consultant immediately and she has pulled me off the drug, i'm surprosed that some of the doctors are still letting people stay on the drug especially with such a severe reaction to the meds.

I will never take Arava again.

[Lulu]

I took Arava for 4.5 months- Mid March '08 till August '08 for RA. It helped with the RA quite a bit but had such a terrible problem with diarrhea (upwards of 25 times a day) and hair loss that I had to quit. Unfortunately, it has been 3 months since I've taken Arava and my hair is still falling out more than ever. I still have a diarrhea problem, tho not as severe, and my RA is totally out of control. I'm only in my 40's and i feel like my doctor has abandoned me. It seems that every med I go on either doesn't work enough or it completely whacks me with negative side effects.
It's almost to the point that I'll have to just get a wig and lump it. Sure does seem barbaric in this day and age.

[deb]

i have been on arava for one year, along with methotrexate. i do have some hair loss, but without it i am like the person from ga, i could not even dress myself and was in severe pain. i did take remicade for one year, but had a life threatening reaction and can no longer take it...
sooo what do you do?? go off of the medications and be in severe pain, or keep on with it....
i have a feeling there is no good answer!!

[Tegan]

I'm 20 years old and I've been on Methotrexate for the past year. Since taking Methotrexate I have had itchy rashes on my legs, lethargy and it's made me break out in pimples all over my face... before you ask, it's not because I'm so young. I have gone through my whole life, so far, with only the occasional pimple on my face(good genes).

Unfortunately, it has only slightly helped to relieve my RA. My Rheumatologist has since put me on Arava, along with the methotrixate. It has been 1 month and my hair has begun to thin, my lethargy has increase and I now have diarrhea. All of this is on top of the pre-existing side effects of the methotrixate.

I can live with all the other side effects but the hair loss is really getting to me. Call me vain but I do not like the idea of becoming bald at the age of 20.

I'm now considering whether I should go off it. Constant pain or hair loss? Either way it affects my social life.

[Debbi]

I have been on Arava since March 13,2009. This last week, i have been sensitive to sunlight, getting welts on my face from too much exposure to the sunlight. Other than that, i have not had any side effects...yet. But, it has only been a little over 1 month for me. anyone else have welts from exposure to sunlight?

[Frds]

I am taking Arava for a year now for AP. It works good for pain in hands. Less good for back and legs. For musclecramps i take DHEA. Some hairloss but that might also be my age(50). I try to take less Arava because i don't like the effect on the liver and i do like to have more then 1glass of alcohol over a nice diner.

[Dolores]

I was on methotrexate for 2 years and it really helped me. Then I mentioned shortness of breath, pulmonary doctor said it wasn't caused from the methotrexate but my rheumatologist wouldn't put me back on it. Now I'm on Arava for 2 weeks. All my doctor said was that it would take 2 months to see results and that I might have nausea and diarrhea. Surprisingly he said nothing about hair loss which he did with the methrotrexate. Anyhow so far neither one has caused hair loss and I've had no diarrhea but I am a bit concerned after reading the comments that I will be hit with it sooner or late. It hasn't been long enough to tell if it is going to work but I'm a bit discouraged now. Does anyone have anything good to say about Arava?

[hayley]

i was taking methotrexate and didnt see any help, then arava and not to much of a dfference.so i started taking enbrel with it and all the sudden i started loosing clums of hair everyday my hair is so thin now so i stopped the arava completly and my hair is still thinning i think it is the enbrel thats making my hair fall out but my doctor doesnt think so.

[Debbi]

I took arava for about 4 months, then i broke out in a rash on my face and arms.After going to 3 skin doctors,my regular doctor, and my rheumatologist, it was discovered that i had medicine-induced lupus. So, if any of you who are taking arava...watch for a rash, and if you develope one,GET OFF the arava ASAP.