I started the Leflonomide but after a few days I started to have body aches, chills and stomach issues so I stopped taking it. My Rheumatologist will be miffed ( they all keep trying to add methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and now Leflonomide) to the Biologic or JAK inhibitor ( Xeljanz) that I am currently taking)….I am thankful that the Xeljanz works as well as it does but you are kind of forced to try what they recommend or they label you as a non compliant patient. You would think that they would stop trying to give you meds that you’ve already tried and have made you feel so sick!
Oh well…… just another sign of the times…. LOL

Just to say for anyone who has not tried it or is thinking about it and I say this with a degree of caution as have only been on it a few days BUT I asked the doctor could he give me tacrolimus also known as protopic and it has worked wonders on my lips in 3 days . It burned terribly on first application kept me up all night but on 3rd or so application it has no burning and it's turned my mouth and lips from a red itchy painful mess to almost my original small palish lips. I'm now trying it on my body AND it's NOT a steroids so you can use it a lot without worrying about skin thinning and atrophy. If only I had had this months or years ago . I'm not sure why thus is not prescribed more often . Its a calcineurin inhibitor , works similarly to cyclospirin but is a topical

Thanks for getting back to me on that Donna . We have to weigh up the costs of taking a medicine v effect. . I figure that taking a biologic is fir when backs against the wall time . Had p for years but now eith the lips I'm getting near there with back against Thelwall

I Hope someone who has taken cyclosporine can give you an answer. I’m familiar with the drug but have not taken it. I understand your concerns as it does have quite a few possible side effects. It seems all meds for PSA and P do. I was very nervous when I first started Biologics but thank goodness I have not had problems with any of them. I did have issues with methotrexate but symptoms went away after I stopped this med. Now the Doctor wants to add Leflonomide to
The Xeljanz that I’m currently taking and like you, I looked at all the possible side effects and I’m a bit apprehensive about starting it. It’s really a shame that we have to worry so much about the medications that we need to actually treat this disease…. Wish you the best of luck.

Have you ever considered herbal medicine? ♥️