Excessive sweating due to rheumatism?

I have recently been taking (female, 68) leflunomide. Now I’ve started sweating so much that it’s like hot flashes. Could this be due to the medicine?

Answer:

Excessive sweating is not a known side effect of leflunomide, although there have been some reports of it at the Lareb side effects center. Heavy sweating does not always have to have a medical cause; some people sweat more than others. The chance that there is a medical cause is greater if you sweat differently than you were used to. Or if you do not only sweat in heat, sports or emotions. Even if you only sweat a lot at night, there could be more to it. Excessive sweating can also be caused by reducing or stopping alcohol, changes in hormones (hot flashes), obesity, infections, diabetes or an overactive thyroid. If there is a suspicion that it is due to a medication, it can be checked whether this can be stopped or changed in consultation with the doctor. Notorious drugs in this regard are antidepressants, opiates, Parkinson’s drugs and anti-estrogens.

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