# Rheumatoid Arthritis-Like Symptoms After Taking Relugolix, With Primary Exacerbation After Discontinuation of the Drug

## TL;DR

A woman developed rheumatoid arthritis-like symptoms after taking relugolix, with symptoms worsening after stopping the drug.

## Contribution

This case highlights a potential link between relugolix and rheumatoid arthritis-like symptoms.

## Key findings

- The patient developed joint stiffness resembling rheumatoid arthritis after taking relugolix.
- Symptoms worsened after discontinuation of the drug, similar to effects seen with aromatase inhibitors.
- Negative diagnostic tests for rheumatoid arthritis made the drug's role in symptoms more likely.

## Abstract

We report a case of a 43-year-old woman who developed rheumatoid arthritis-like symptoms after taking relugolix, presenting a diagnostic challenge in distinguishing between initial symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and the side effects of the drug. The patient, scheduled for a total laparoscopic hysterectomy owing to uterine fibroids, started taking relugolix five and a half months prior to surgery. Three months later, she developed rheumatoid arthritis-like stiffness in both hands, especially in the mornings. Despite consultations with the rheumatology department and negative blood and imaging findings for rheumatoid arthritis, her joint symptoms worsened after surgery. Treatment for early-stage rheumatoid arthritis was initiated, and the symptoms peaked after six months. Similar to estrogen-lowering aromatase inhibitors that are known to cause joint symptoms, relugolix might also induce these effects.