Information about Leflunomide

Leflunomide Uses

Leflunomide is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Common side effects of Leflunomide

Nausea, Headache, Rash, Diarrhea, Respiratory tract infection, Abnormal liver enzyme, Dyspepsia
CONTENT DETAILS
Written By
MDS, BDS
Reviewed By
MD (Pharmacology), MBBS
Last updated
18 Feb 2020 | 11:51 AM (UTC)

We provide you with authentic, trustworthy and revelant information

Want to know more

Available Medicine for Leflunomide

LefraTorrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd
112 to ₹2193 variant(s)
LefnoIpca Laboratories Ltd
98 to ₹2193 variant(s)
RumalefZydus Cadila
177 to ₹4894 variant(s)
LefumideCipla Ltd
111 to ₹2192 variant(s)
LefumaWallace Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd
111 to ₹2302 variant(s)
CleftSun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
112 to ₹2192 variant(s)
DM LefOverseas Healthcare Pvt Ltd
109 to ₹2072 variant(s)
AravaSanofi India Ltd
292 to ₹5712 variant(s)
LefnolCista Medicorp
101 to ₹2022 variant(s)
RulfaUltimate Healthcare
951 variant(s)

Expert advice for Leflunomide

  • You have been prescribed Leflunomide to control the symptoms and slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
  • It will take 6-8 weeks for Leflunomide to work. Hence, keep taking the medicine.
  • Get blood tests done every 4 weeks. This is to make sure that Leflunomide is not harming your liver or blood counts.
  • Avoid alcohol when taking Leflunomide as it could harm your liver.
  • Do not take it during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Leflunomide.
  • Leflunomide may increase the risk of infection. Avoid being close to people with cold, flu or other contagious illnesses.
  • Tell your doctor if you experience nausea or diarrhea.

Frequently asked questions for Leflunomide

Leflunomide

Q. Can Leflunomide cause weight loss?

Yes, Leflunomide may cause weight loss as a common side effect. However, weight loss due to this medicine is usually insignificant. The reason for this reduction in weight could be due to accompanying loss of appetite. Consult your doctor if your weight loss is significant.

Q. Is Leflunomide an anti-inflammatory?

Leflunomide belongs to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) class of medicines. It works by reducing inflammation and slowing the progress of the disease. This medicine can help patients with rheumatoid arthritis by improving their physical activity.

Q. Is Leflunomide dangerous?

Although not very common but Leflunomide may cause serious side effects. These may include liver damage, severe infections, serious skin reactions, blood cell deficiency, numbness and pain in hands and feet, and lung disease (interstitial lung disease). If you have any doubts, discuss with your doctor before starting treatment.

Q. Can you drink alcohol on Leflunomide?

You should avoid alcohol while on treatment with Leflunomide. This is because using them together may cause liver toxicity.

Q. What monitoring is required during Leflunomide treatment?

Your doctor will carry regular tests before and during treatment with Leflunomide to check your blood cells and liver function. Along with that, your doctor will check your blood pressure regularly as Leflunomide can cause an increase in blood pressure.

Q. When should patients notify their doctor?

The doctor should be informed if one has lung problems like cough, shortness of breath or if one observes symptoms of infection like fever, weakens, and flu-like symptoms. Along with that, if a person experiences allergic reactions like hives rashes and liver problems like yellowing of skin, loss of appetite then it should be consulted with the doctor. One should also inform the doctor if there is a decrease in blood cell count causing easy bruising and recurrent infections. In addition to that, the doctor should be informed if one becomes pregnant during the course of treatment.

Q. Can I plan pregnancy after stopping Leflunomide?

Leflunomide takes fairly long time to get flushed out of your system. Hence, you should not plan pregnancy for at least 2 years after stopping Leflunomide. This extensive time duration may be reduced to a few weeks by taking certain medicines which can help speed up the removal of Leflunomide from your body.

Q. How long does it take to see improvement after starting Leflunomide?

Leflunomide may take about 4 weeks or longer to show improvement in the condition. It may even take 4-6 months to show full benefits. Hence, the medicine should not be stopped if there is no significant improvement. For any further query consult your doctor who will analyze the condition.

Q. Can Leflunomide cause cancer?

Leflunomide may increase your chances of cancer especially of lymph system, but this is very rare. The reason could be decreased strength of the immune system caused by Leflunomide. Discuss with your doctor if you have concerns regarding it.

INDIA’S LARGEST HEALTHCARE PLATFORM

260m+
Visitors
31m+
Orders Delivered
1800+
Cities
Get the link to download App
Reliable

All products displayed on Tata 1mg are procured from verified and licensed pharmacies. All labs listed on the platform are accredited

Secure

Tata 1mg uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 128-bit encryption and is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant

Affordable

Find affordable medicine substitutes, save up to 50% on health products, up to 80% off on lab tests and free doctor consultations.

LegitScript approved
India's only LegitScript and ISO/ IEC 27001:2022 certified online healthcare platform

Know more about Tata 1mgdownArrow

Access medical and health information

Tata 1mg provides you with medical information which is curated, written and verified by experts, accurate and trustworthy. Our experts create high-quality content about medicines, diseases, lab investigations, Over-The-Counter (OTC) health products, Ayurvedic herbs/ingredients, and alternative remedies.

Order medicines online

Get free medicine home delivery in over 1800 cities across India. You can also order Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and other Over-The-Counter (OTC) health products. Your safety is our top priority. All products displayed on Tata 1mg are procured from verified and licensed pharmacies.

Book lab tests

Book any lab tests and preventive health packages from certified labs and get tested from the comfort of your home. Enjoy free home sample collection, view reports online and consult a doctor online for free.

Consult a doctor online

Got a health query? Consult doctors online from the comfort of your home for free. Chat privately with our registered medical specialists to connect directly with verified doctors. Your privacy is guaranteed.