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Leflunomide and High blood Pressure Options
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lizzie_wa
#1 Posted : Wednesday, March 17, 2010 11:45:50 PM Quote
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Hi has anyone had problems with Leflunomide and High Blood Pressure.

I visited my GP today and he says my BP is sky high, and my BP meds have been increased yet again. I have always had high BP but it was well controlled on meds before I started Leflunomide last year, I started on 10mg, then went up to 20mg and my BP went up and I had stomach upsets so they brought Leflunomide down to 10mg but the BP stayed up so my BP meds were increased. Then the Rheum wanted me to try 20mg again so I did and this time had no problems with stomach upsets, but then I had the breathless carry on a few weeks ago (see my thread - I am back and visit to Rheum) and the meds were stopped, now restarted again at 20mg. My BP has increased again,(even thought I was off Leflunomide a few weeks but I think it can stay in the system a while). Getting a bit fed up of having all these extra tablets to take and worried because my BP has to stay on the low side of normal (had a brain aneurysm a few years ago and my neurosurgeon likes my BP to be low. Still dont know why they put me on Leflunomide as they know my history.


lizzie
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Kathleen_C
#2 Posted : Thursday, March 18, 2010 2:00:08 PM Quote
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Hi Lizzie,

Sorry you`re having such problems with your meds and the BP. I take tablets to control my BP as well, but when I was on Leflunomide it was my liver that was badly affected, so I had to stop taking it. I think there is a wash-out you can have, to get it out of your system, but I don`t know much about it, as they changed their minds about giving me it. The only drug which sent my BP rocketing was cyclosporin.

It`s all a bit of a worry, these drugs, as what helps one thing seems not so good for something else! Oh, to be just a normal person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you get sorted soon,

Kathleen x
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jenni_b
#3 Posted : Thursday, March 18, 2010 2:04:36 PM Quote
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hi

Leflunomide stays in the system for up to 2 YEARS.

I know I had to have the wash out treatment because of it and the MTX before I had Bernie (YEURK!Scared !)

I am on ramipril for my BP

what meds do you take for it?

Jenni xx
how to be a velvet bulldoser
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christine_l
#4 Posted : Thursday, March 18, 2010 3:13:30 PM Quote
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How strange, l have been on Leflunomide for 3 years or so with no problems.

This morning l went for my monthly blood tests and my BP was really high!!! She took it 3 times and still very high.

I too would be interested to know if others have had this experience, l have always had BP on the low side even in 4 pregnancies so big surprise its high.

I know what you mean about lots of tablets, some of which are to counteract the side effects from the tablets that are doing the main job.

I was supposed to start Gabapentin but the side effects put the fear of god into me, high blood pressure was actually not the worst so perhaps l will wait and see before l start them.


Christine xx
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lizzie_wa
#5 Posted : Thursday, March 18, 2010 6:41:00 PM Quote
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Hi everyone, thank you very much for your input, much appreciated.

Christine, re Gabapentin, yes there are the usual list of side effects,and I know everyone is different, but its worked great for me, I was put on it for neuropathic pain (eye pain) following my neurosurgery a few years ago, I no longer need it for the eye pain but my GP kept me on it to help with RA, also I get restless leg syndrome due to Ra and it helps with that, it also helps me sleep at night, I call it my little wonder drug. I was prescribed 300mg a day, but just manage on 100mg at night. I too was apprhensive about the side effects and this was before RA (so didnt take many meds then) but pleased I tried it.

Jenni the meds I take for my high BP are Irbersarten, Inderal, and the new one is
Amlodipine.

bye for now

lizzie
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christine_l
#6 Posted : Thursday, March 18, 2010 8:56:59 PM Quote
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Location: North Bucks
Thank you Lizzie, everyone has only had good things to say about Gabapentin,

I have peripheral neuropathy, due to Sjogrens Syndrome, and have been taking Oromph which is really good for pain relief but if l take that all the time there is nowhere else to go if it stops working other than increasingly larger doses.

Night is worst, l am sure that the cattle farmer across the road comes into my bedroom in the small hours and pokes my feet with a cattle prod!!!

What a truly wonderful disease this is!

Christine xx
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