Leflunomide is a medication used to manage rheumatoid arthritis, a condition of excruciating joint pain. According to Drugs.com, leflunomide works to decrease the immune cells that attack your joints and cause such symptoms as joint inflammation, swelling and stiffness. The initial dose for leflunomide is 100 milligrams daily for three days, says the National Library of Medicine. Your doctor will adjust your dosage based on the severity of your rheumatoid arthritis.
Routine Side Effects
Leflunomide can cause various common side effects. It can affect your digestive system and cause nausea, vomiting and a poor appetite, says Drugs.com. It can affect your bowel and bladder movements and cause bloody urine, an urge to urinate or painful urination. Other routine side effects include cough, fever, sore throat, chest congestion, sneezing and jaundice (yellowing of your eyes or skin). Leflunomide can also cause alopecia (hair loss), unintentional weight loss, back pain, heartburn and stomach discomfort. Typically, these side effects are innocuous, but notify your doctor if they become bothersome.
Dangerous Side Effects
MedlinePlus states that leflunomide can cause such serious side effects as trouble breathing, skin rashes, chest pain and tachycardia (a fast heartbeat). All these manifestations are potentially life threatening, so your go to your local hospital immediately to get help.
Other Side Effects
Leflunomide can affect your heart and cause palpitations (pounding heartbeat), vasculitis (inflammation of your blood vessels) and vasodilation (relaxation of your blood vessels), says the National Library of Medicine.
It can also cause further havoc on your digestive tract and cause constipation, flatulence (gas), gingivitis (gum infection), melena (black stools), pharyngitis (sore throat) and large salivary glands.
Other side effects include diabetes, anemia (lowered red blood cells), ecchymosis (bruising), bone or muscle pain, nose bleeds (epistaxis) and dry mouth. Leflunomide can also cause anxiety, depression, eye problems such as blurry vision, infections and peripheral neuropathy (a condition that causes numbness and tingling in your extremities). In a controlled clinical trial, the National Library of Medicine says that 1 percent to less than 5 percent of studied rheumatoid arthritis patients developed these side effects.
Contraindications
You should avoid leflunomide if you are allergic to it. It may cause such unwanted side effects as trouble breathing, hives and swelling of your tongue, throat or face.
Tell your doctor if you are taking such medications as methotrexate, colestipol, felbamate or rifampin, warns MedlinePlus. These medications may interact with leflunomide and cause the previously mentioned side effects.
Avoid leflunomide if you are pregnant. According to the National Library of Medicine, this medication can cause harm to your growing baby.
Do not take leflunomide if you suffer from recurrent infections and a weakened immune system. You are prone to such infections as Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and sepsis (bacterial infection in the blood), says the National Library of Medicine.
Do not take leflunomide if you have a history of liver disease. You may suffer from further liver damage.
Member Comments