Aubagio side effects

[fourcats]

Is anyone having any side effects from the Aubagio and if so, do you know if they subside after a while?

[AMJ]

I was on the teriflunomide clinical trial for a few years. The only side effect I had was hair loss. My disability continued to progress so I dropped out of the clinical trial because I was not seeing any benefit of the drug for me.

[fourcats]

side effects

Thanks for your info on Aubagio. I have not had any hair loss just shortness of breath. The nurse at the pharm said it has a half-life of 2 years. Did you need to have the drug (have no idea what it is) to counteract Aubagio or just let it leave gradually?

[AMJ]

Yes they give you something to wash out the drug. Sorry I can't remember the name.

[Alicious]

I believe it is called cholestyramine, I know it is what they used before statins for cholesterol.

It's not a 2 year half life, exactly. It stays in your bile, and your body is very good at recycling bile. So, it can be 18 months to 2 years before you fully replace all the bile in your body, and as such, you still have noticeable levels of Aubagio in your system until then unless you take the cholestyramine to clean it out.

If I switch meds at some point, I will be cleaning it out, since there is no safety data available for being on Aubagio + another med, even though the Aubagio would be slowly leaving the system.

As for side effects, I've had nausea, itching, and loose stool. No hair loss.

[pb909]

If at some point I stopped to switch I'd go thru the wash-out too.

Only side effect I've had is loose stools which started in week 4 but is now only hit-and-miss. It's more frequent than before starting so that's why I'd list it.

Since I already was a victim of a receding hairline couldn't tell about hair loss - but it does not seem any quicker!

[laurasari]

Has anyone experienced headaches. I have never been one to suffer from headaches but since a few days after beginning Aubagio I get awful headaches made worse by bending over.
Thanks all
Laurie

[pb909]

Has anyone experienced headaches. I have never been one to suffer from headaches but since a few days after beginning Aubagio I get awful headaches made worse by bending over.
Thanks all
Laurie

No, I have not - been on Aubagio since 1/6/13.

[Michela11]

Hi fourcats

Just wanted to ask you about the shortness of breath. How did that happen for you? What's your situation?

I am on Aubagio too and have had sudden onset breathing difficulties.

[Lucid Clue Said]

Muscle tightness, need to pace

The night after taking my second dose I awoke with an old problem that has not bothered my in months, potentially years: restless legs syndrome. I awoke from a dead sleep and felt I had to pace but was too tired. I took some more tizanidine, one of the drugs that is more quickly eliminated by Aubagio, thinking that was all and I just upped the dose, and slept the rest of the night. The morning after my third dose, I awoke about an hour early, I assume form discomfort of the muscle tightness as I sit here typing this. As this is the weekend, I took Dose 4 this morning, not wanting to bother someone on-call, and some more tizanidine, and feel sleepy but less tight. The tightness is in my fingers, like they want to curl into fists (a very prior experience), uncomfortably tight hamstrings and biceps, like my major limbs want bend along normal pathways. It's been an hour since I took the tizanidine and all the sudden feel like I have to go to bed.

Has anyone experience tightness or muscle restlessness? Did it go away? What did you use to make it feel better? Based on the sleepiness from tizanidine, if more tightness or pacing sensation returns, I will try some clonazepam first, then gabapentin, but got to rest first....

[Lucid Clue Said]

I believe it is called cholestyramine, I know it is what they used before statins for cholesterol.

I did not realize Questran predated Mevacor, but Questran's patent information is given a "before 1982." I do remember Mevacor, the first statin, being a blockbuster drug in the late '80s to early '90s.

[tbear60]

Numbness and tingling in hands and feet

Has anyone had the numbness and tingling in their hands and feet, after starting Aubagio?
I have always had a little of the "going to sleep" in my hands attributed to my MS, but since starting Aubagio it is getting progressively worse. Wakes me up at night and no matter what I do, it can take up to 30 minutes to subside.

[txlaura]

tingling toes...to missing toes all together!

yes I am having tingling toes and they just 'disappear' like they are gone -- no feeling at all. Mostly just the middle three and often more on my left than right.

I also have hair loss and frequent loose stools..not fun when you are out

[MSW1963]

Thank all of you for posting info on Aubagio. I will be starting Aubagio study in April, after +2yrs on Ty, or 3yrs if you count months I stopped and resumed Ty infusions.

I had bowel incontenience and insomnia for 10yrs before starting Tysabri. 3 mos after Ty, incontenience and insomnia resolved.

I'm concerned about losing the improvements I've had on Ty,(bowel incontenience & insomnia) when I start Aubagio.

Appreciate hearing from anyone switching from Ty to Aubagio with similar Ty improvement experiences compared to Aubagio with bowel incontenience and insomnia specifically.

[pb909]

Thank all of you for posting info on Aubagio. I will be starting Aubagio study in April, after +2yrs on Ty, or 3yrs if you count months I stopped and resumed Ty infusions.

I had bowel incontenience and insomnia for 10yrs before starting Tysabri. 3 mos after Ty, incontenience and insomnia resolved.

I'm concerned about losing the improvements I've had on Ty,(bowel incontenience & insomnia) when I start Aubagio.

Appreciate hearing from anyone switching from Ty to Aubagio with similar Ty improvement experiences compared to Aubagio with bowel incontenience and insomnia specifically.

I was on Tysabri for 3 years ending Dec. 2012 before starting Aubagio Jan. 2013.

Periodic diarrhea still hits me, and sometimes my ability to get to the bathroom fast enough has caused a few accidents, so I guess it's not really bowel incontinence.

No insomnia before or during Tysabri, nor while on Aubagio.

You mention "study"? Didn't know there were any, would be interested to hear about.