High blood pressure

[Slife]

Does anyone suffer with madly high blood pressure on Leflunamide? I am on a large dose of blood pressure meds and I am certainly not responding. I'm not overweight, don't drink alcohol, or smoke. Have a healthy diet and walk dogs.

[medway-lady]

Sorry I don't blood pressure is normal. I'd suggest check with your rhumy as this could be dangerous. x

[Kai--]

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Merely supplemental info, Slife: blood pressure is noted for ‘monitoring’ under Leflunomide (LEF) on DMARD Infographic ( healthunlocked.com/cure-art... , bmj.com/content/bmj/suppl/2... ). 😳 🙏 🍀 🌺 🌞

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[Neverending63]

Hi yes I had to stop taking it for that reason. It send mine way too high and it wouldn’t come down until I came off of it.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Slife. My BP is normally spot on (unmedicated), but as it's included in drug monitoring for LEF it was taken each time I had bloods taken, fortnightly for the first 6 weeks then monthly thereafter. Like you I'm not overweight, don't drink & don't smoke, I have a healthy diet too. This side effect was discussed with me prior to starting LEF, when I was given the literature to help me to decide but you don't know what your response will be until you start it of course. These are my readings, from first fortnight to stopping LEF.

144/90, 126/80, 140/80, 130/80, 125/80, 108/75, 122/82, 120/90, 110/80, 120/88, 130/80.

The first few may not seem high but they were for me, proof positive LEF was the cause.

You really need to be telling your Rheumy, constantly high BP readings & not responding to your BP med may well mean LEF isn't suitable for you. You need to be as heart healthy as poss in your situation because as you know the disease can also affect the heart.

[Slife in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you. I suspected it might come to stopping LEF. Rats!

[nomoreheels in reply to Slife]

Talk to your Rheumy, he's best placed to decide treatment. You never know your next DMARD may work even better, without raising your BP. I can't stress enough how kind you need to be to your heart with RD, you more so having hypertension naturally despite healthy living. I have heart disease history from both sides, Mum & Dad, both passed relatively young so I'm thankful that mine is as it is. ECG done last month was absolutely fine in spite of being in a lot of pain.

[Ghugs]

BP taken this morning. ....122/80

[Loura]

I had exactly the same issue with Hydroxychloroquine. Blood pressure was ridiculous. As heart problems rum in the family I wasn't prepared to continue. The benefits from the drug were minimal, so it was hardly worth it. However, due to me having extreme reactions to many of the drugs and other health complications I am on nothing as the consultants can't agree.

In your case you need to weigh up if the benefits of the drug outweigh the side effects. It's your body. Don't be pushed into anything you don't feel comfortable with just because the RA tells you.

[Tinat3]

Hi. I too am on Leflunomide and have raised blood pressure. I now take Ramipril to help with this.

My GP has never suggested it's down to the medication so who knows???

[Hopeful1]

Yes, raised blood pressure a common side effect of Leflunomide. Your BP should be monitored regularly while you are on it and medics advise if it remains raised.

[marie66]

Yes! Mine went sky high went on Ramipril titrated up to high dose, eventually stopped leflunomide (other side effects skin discolouration! ) but BP has never returned to normal. Rheummy says it can happen, just unlucky! M x

[marie66]

On 10mgs Ramipril and it's now hovering around 133/79 145/79 140/90 127/92 Never had any BP issues before. M x

[TxKelly]

It immediately gave me high blood pressure. I ended up in the ER after being on it for 1 week. Stopped it and my BP is back to normal (took a week for the med to leave my system).

[Hidden]

I've been taking leflunomide since Dec 1, 2017. I noticed right away it raised my BP because mine had been so much better a year previously that I was on half the BP meds I'd taken before. I was having BP of 125/70 or less. Then suddenly on LEF I had from 145-165/70. My doctor said it should level off but I had higher inflammation and liver tests after taking it as well so he now has cut me down to one 20mg every other day and upped my Plaquenil back up to two a day instead of one a day. I'll find out in four months when I go back what the tests reveal. Personally, people, I can not really tell any of these drugs are helping me. I was diagnosed about 14 years ago RA+ and recently Sjogrens +. I don't really have a lot of pain but I am terribly tired all the time and the first meds they gave me (MTX for 9 months) made my knees and toes hurt when they never had before. Some days I consider stopping all these meds but I keep taking them.

[Kai-- in reply to Hidden]

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Don’t know if what Dr. Pam Popper ( healthunlocked.com/nras/pos... ) has to say would interest you, CherMc? 🤔 Maybe worth a look-see? 🤷‍♀️ 🤷‍♂️

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[Hidden in reply to Kai--]

I'll check it out. Thanks, Kai.

[Hidden]

I have high blood pressure on Leflunomide, Pred makes it worse. My Rheumy keeps check on my BP and my GP (following Rheumy instructions) prescribed me Felodipine initially, followed by Doxasozin later. BP 06.03.18 was 171/89

[gillpalmer]

I am also on Leflunomide and have high blood pressure. I do take blood pressure tablets and have it checked every two months. Rheumy does know and keeps a check on it. Last month at hospital was 172/80

[annie0261]

I would speak to your Rheumy or Doctor. I was on MTX for several years and due to severe sickness, my Specialist put me on LEF. I was okay for a while, in fact I was great! No more sickness. I started losing weight - which wasn't a problem for me lol - but it sometimes happens on LEF then my blood pressure started going mad. The last time I went to see my Rheumy nurse it was 197/149. I was left to relax for 10 minutes and it was taken again 198/148. I was given a drink and left to rest, but it was as high the third time. I was sent to the Rheumy Specialist, who took me off LEF. I'll be starting Benali in the near future. So I would say depending on how high your BP is, speak to your DR.