Before taking Arava (leflunomide) 20mg, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.
Before using Arava (leflunomide) 20mg, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: immune system disorder (e.g., HIV infection), current/recent infection, cancer, bone marrow/blood disorder, kidney disease, liver disease (e.g., hepatitis B), alcohol abuse, heart disease (e.g., congestive heart failure), lung disease.
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg may make you dizzy. Use caution while driving, using machinery, or doing any activity that requires alertness. Avoid alcoholic beverages since they can make you dizzy and also cause liver disease.
Do not have immunizations/vaccinations without the consent of your doctor, and avoid contact with people who have recently received oral polio vaccine or flu vaccine inhaled through the nose.
Since Arava (leflunomide) 20mg can increase your risk of developing serious infections, wash your hands well to prevent the spread of infections. Avoid contact with people who have illnesses that may spread to others (e.g., flu, chickenpox).
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg must not be used during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Before starting Arava (leflunomide) 20mg, women of childbearing age must have a negative pregnancy test before starting Arava (leflunomide) 20mg. Men and women must use two effective forms of birth control (e.g., condoms and birth control pills) while taking Arava (leflunomide) 20mg. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss reliable forms of birth control. (See also Warning section.)
It is not known whether Arava (leflunomide) 20mg affects the sperm. To minimize any possible risk, the manufacturer recommends that men wishing to father a child should consider stopping the medication and using another drug (cholestyramine) as directed to help Arava (leflunomide) 20mg leave the body before attempting to father a child. (See How to Use section.) Consult your doctor for more details.
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using Arava (leflunomide) 20mg. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Take Arava (leflunomide) 20mg by mouth with or without food, usually once daily or as directed by your doctor. Take Arava (leflunomide) 20mg exactly as prescribed. You may be instructed to take a higher dose for the first 3 days of treatment.
Dosage of Arava (leflunomide) 20mg is based on your medical condition and response to therapy.
Take Arava (leflunomide) 20mg regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.
After treatment is stopped, a different drug (cholestyramine) may be given as directed to help remove Arava (leflunomide) 20mg from your body. This procedure is used if you need a rapid removal of the drug from your system (e.g., a female/male planning to have children, a person suffering from severe side effects). Without the procedure, the drug may stay in your body for up to 2 years. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Inform your doctor if your symptoms persist or worsen.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Diarrhea, nausea, and dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed Arava (leflunomide) 20mg because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using Arava (leflunomide) 20mg do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: cough, numbness/tingling of hands/feet, hair loss, chest pain, fast/pounding heartbeat, increased thirst/urination, muscle cramp/pain, mental/mood changes, vision changes.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: easy bruising/bleeding, unusual growths/lumps, swollen glands (lymph nodes), unexplained weight loss, unusual tiredness.
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg can lower the body's ability to fight an infection. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any signs of an infection such as fever, chills, or persistent sore throat.
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg may rarely cause serious (possibly fatal) liver disease. Most cases occur within 6 months of taking Arava (leflunomide) 20mg. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of these signs: yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting, stomach/abdominal pain.
A very serious allergic reaction to Arava (leflunomide) 20mg is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
Arava (leflunomide) 20mg can commonly cause a mild rash that is usually not serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a rare rash that could be a sign of a severe allergic reaction. Therefore, seek immediate medical attention if you develop any rash.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Click HERE to learn more about Arava side effects.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
If you miss a dose of Arava (leflunomide) 20mg, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
See also How to Use Section.
Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Before using Arava (leflunomide) 20mg, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: warfarin, rifamycins (e.g., rifampin), drugs affecting the liver (e.g., methotrexate), cholestyramine, other drugs that weaken the immune system (e.g., tacrolimus, cyclosporine).
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.