Leflunomide (leflunomide): Reviews and patient testimonials

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Medication indications

Leflunomide 10 mg Film-coated Tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide 10mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide 10mg Tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

• active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide 20 mg Film-coated Tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide 20mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide 20mg Tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

• active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide medac 10mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD).

• active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

leflunomide medac 15mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD).

• active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide medac 20mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD).

• active psoriatic arthritis.

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide Mylan 10 mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Leflunomide Mylan 20 mg film-coated tablets

Leflunomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

• active rheumatoid arthritis as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" (DMARD),

Recent or concurrent treatment with hepatotoxic or haematotoxic DMARDs (e.g. methotrexate) may result in an increased risk of serious adverse reactions; therefore, the initiation of leflunomide treatment has to be carefully considered regarding these benefit/risk aspects.

Moreover, switching from leflunomide to another DMARD without following the washout procedure may also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions even for a long time after the switching.

Route of administration: Oral
Molecule: leflunomide

Patients' opinions on Leflunomide

In brief

General satisfaction level: 8.50/10 Learn more

Treatment's effectiveness: 8.50/10 Learn more

Ease of use: 10.00/10 Learn more

Adherence to prescription: 10.00/10 Learn more

Detected side effects: 4.50/10 Learn more

Improvement in the quality of life: 8.00/10 Learn more

1 = Not at all satisfied
10 = Extremely satisfied

1 = Not at all satisfied
10 = Extremely satisfied

1 = Not at all satisfied
10 = Extremely satisfied

1 = Never
10 = Always

1 = Not at all important
10 = Extremely important

1 = Not at all satisfied
10 = Extremely satisfied

Tips and advice of the community

Shamira

on 22/02/2019

Leflunomide initially was hard for my body to adjust with, especially at it was adjusting with methotrexate. I developed acute stomach pain, loose motion and nausea. My pain level was not that high, but my disease was very active, and I was on the verge of getting more of my joints get affected. To avoid that I continued the medication. I pain subsided eventually. I was having soft easily digestible food and a lot of supplements, so I not nutritionally weaken. Having berries, cucumber and celeries really help to adjust with the toxins of this potent drug. Even though after 4 months, my blood pressure increased, and my liver was hurting for a week. To adjust to these, I started taking Potassium and Milk Thistle supplements. Within two weeks, everything became normal, and the good news was my disease activity was less than before. By the end of last year, I really started to get the benefit of the drug. It is good to know, that I suffered heavy hair loss and weight loss. To adjust with hair loss I use cold cap and folate and B12supplements. To adjust with weight loss, I eat more calories, excluding meat, dairy, oil and sugar as all these are inflammatory. Pure vegetable and organic animal fat seem to be helpful for me. I am quite happy with the drug. The bottom line is that you have to come to a routine lifestyle, without indulgences. I am more than happy to do that than crippling joints, low energy and disability. I can trade anything to avoid those.

JosephineO • Community manager

on 13/05/2019

@Shamira‍, thank you for sharing your feedback, it is great when members share their experiences with thier medication!

Your message

Shamira

on 05/11/2019

Update:

Three months back, my rheumy advised me to stop taking leflunomide as my blood pressure was getting raised to a high level which needed medications to control. The alternative was to switch to another medication to replace leflunomide. As my disease activity was low, I chose to stop this medication and stay on only MTX. The disease activity got a bit higher and blood pressure became slowly to normal level.

I do not want to take another medication so I am sticking to whole food vegan diet. I have reduced sugar, salt and eliminated oil, butter( even the vegan ones) from my diet. When my pain was slowly coming back ( in a much milder form) I increased my intake of raw celery and cucumber and greens in the form of salad and juice. I have also started to do low impact exercise like cycling and rowing. This is how I am managing the pain and stiffness at the moment and it is working.

It is important to note that leflunomide increases your life insurance premium quite a bit.

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Conditions related to this medication

Fact sheet

Rheumatoid arthritis

See the fact sheet