Tofacitinib User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Mrs...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2022

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was hesitant to try Xeljanz. The reviews scared me to death. I decided to give it a try, and I’m glad I did. I’ve had a few sinus infections in the last year, but I stopped the Xeljanz for ten days, and antibiotics cleared it right up. I’ve had none of the terrible side effects I read about, and it’s been over a year now. My RA is close to remission. I’m thankful for this drug, and hopefully, with careful monitoring, I will continue to do well on it."

• rox...
• July 16, 2017

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been on so many different drugs for my RA, this one has been the best one yet. I do have insurance, but the cost with insurance is still very high ($1000) a month. My doctor's office helped me to help from Xeljanz to pick up the difference."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2020

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was on prednisone for 6 months, then did Cimzia injections. No improvement. Xeljanz - I am on month 2. So far, so good. I did develop a sinus infection, but I dealt with it. I am not giving up just because of that. I will keep you posted. Feeling good today."

• Jsr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 25, 2020

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I was on Xeljanz XL for about 7 months. It seemed to be doing a decent job with my PsA joint pain and fatigue. After about 3 months, I noticed a shortness of breath that was getting worse. We presumed heart blockage, but cath showed no blockage. Turned out pulmonary embolism was the likely culprit with Xeljanz. Wish I had checked PE as the cause first. Lots of time and $ looking at heart. I know this drug can work, it just depends on your body and its possible reactions."

• mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2018

Tofacitinib "My son has an autoimmune disease that affected his thyroid, skin (severe blistering eczema) all over his body, dark circles under his eyes, and alopecia totalis (meaning the worst form, where when it is active, he loses all body hair, eyebrows, lashes, and scalp hair). After being on methotrexate at different dosages and other medication combined with prednisone, we switched to Xeljanz, and thank goodness we did. His skin has improved dramatically and no blisters, his dark circles beneath his eyes are much lighter and almost gone, he feels better AND BONUS-his body hair, facial hair, and scalp hair is FINALLY coming in! He has been on the medication for almost two months now, and I couldn’t be happier."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I took one dose of this medication, and within one hour, both of my arms went completely numb. Numbness and tingling started in my lips and jaw. The next two nights, I woke up in the night with complete numbness again in my arms, which took 30 minutes to return to tingling. Numbness and tingling have continued through this whole week, in my feet and ankles, and lips and arms, even though I stopped taking it after the one disaster dose. Headaches and eye inflammation started three days after stopping use of this drug. I hope I can be symptom-free soon, and without lasting neurological effects. This was (and still is) an utterly frightening experience. I wouldn't recommend this drug to anyone."

• Ouc...
• September 16, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I was put on this medication 2 months ago. I wasn't sure at first how much it helped for my arthritis (psoriatic) because I was put on prednisone. Now I'm off the prednisone, and my joints hurt so bad. My skin psoriasis is slowly getting better, but my fingers have gone back to hurting, hips, knees, back. It gives me daily headaches. It helps me more than Humira and Enbrel, but I'm still experiencing pain and swelling."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 9, 2023

Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis "I’ve been taking Xeljanz for just over a year. I’ve been through all the other biologic meds since I was diagnosed 12 years ago. Stelara was the last one I tried, and it didn’t work at all. My fecal calprotectin was over 8,000 when I started Xeljanz, and after 3 months, it was down to 22, which I think is the best it’s ever been. So, Xeljanz is definitely working. The downside to that are the side effects. It started with fatigue and headaches for the first month or so, then progressed to stomach pain, burning, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. I thought maybe it wasn’t working and I was flaring again, but my calprotectin was even lower than before. I’ve also developed high cholesterol and high blood pressure (never had that before in my life). It’s making me feel absolutely horrible, I have all the flare symptoms without the flare! Now I have to decide if I should keep taking it or not, I don’t have many options left :("

• Fre...
• December 12, 2021

Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis "Using Xeljanz for UC 10 mg 2x a day about 4 months. Good results right away within days. Fatigue in the beginning slowly getting better. Weight gain, but not sure if I can blame the drug. Some nausea in the morning. I now know what foods to avoid. Four months in and no real bad side effects."

• HAP...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 11, 2024

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been taking Xeljanz for about 11 years now. The longer I have rheumatoid disease, then the more I forget, or have difficulty recalling exact figures/dates/times. I was never going to kick Newton off of his math perch. It took me 3 tries to pass high school algebra, yet I can still remember dialogue sequences from movies I saw 48 years ago?! Truthfully, I'd rather have my health from 48 years ago, but que sera. Since I started taking Xeljanz, I fight more with doctors who want me to stop taking it! When I have had difficulty with the paperwork being approved, let me tell you, I can feel and see it! Others can see that I haven't been taking it, just by the size of the bumps on the outsides of my wrists. I take the 5 mg pill, twice a day. I notice one and only one side effect - NOT taking it. I thank the Lord every day."

• Net...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was so worried starting this medication after all the reviews. I’ve had a few issues with cold sores and stomach issues, but I’ve always had stomach issues. I have no sore joints at all from day two of starting these tablets. I’m on one a day, and my joints are amazing so far, fingers crossed."

• Sky...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 22, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I was on Xeljanz for 2 months. I had to quit taking it when I realized it was making me extremely depressed. My rheumatologist put me on Taltz, and after a week, I can already see major improvement to my psoriasis. I also have PSA, and my joints are not quite as stiff. Unfortunately, most medications work for me, but my body builds a resistance to them after a while. This is the 8th medication I have been on for my PSA. Fingers crossed that it's the last."

• Sec...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 27, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I have been on Xeljanz for about 6 months for psoriatic arthritis. For the most part, it was doing good... psoriasis cleared up, and my joints were doing great. Now, the joints are still okay, but I am experiencing new breakouts all over, and the plaque on my arms is getting thicker. I gave myself Humira shots, then went to Stelara, but this is worse than the psoriasis has been in about 6 years."

• Ski...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 14, 2024

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was diagnosed with RA in 1996. Of all of the biologicals and JAK inhibitors that I’ve tried, which is many if not most, Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR are the only effective Rx. When I have stopped use, RA symptoms have returned in less than a week. Upon resuming Xeljanz, the effect was noticeable in three days. The sinusitis is annoying, but that is the only side effect that I’ve experienced."

• Ann...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 7, 2022

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 42 years and am 72 now. Before I was put on the drug Methotrexate, I would ask God not to let me wake up. Painkillers did no good, the pain was so severe. I have been on Xeljanz for a number of years now, and I can cope with my arthritis. I have a number of other problems now, taking around 17 tablets a day. Xeljanz doesn't seem to have interfered with any of them and lets me enjoy life."

• ts6...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 15, 2024

Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis "I started on Xeljanz when it was a trial medicine. It worked within 2 weeks of starting the trial. I had tried lots and lots of other meds, and none worked. This is the only medicine that has worked for me. I have had zero side effects from it so far. It's been at least 5 years since I have been on it. UC is a distant memory for me now. Although it is very expensive, which I think is a rip-off, but at least my insurance company pays most of the cost."

• Els...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 20, 2021

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "When I started taking Xeljanz, I was also on Methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). I was having GREAT results! My doctor had me slowly taper off the Plaquenil and Methotrexate, and I was still doing really well. BUT, then came Covid-19, and I was told to stop the Xeljanz for two weeks prior to and following my vaccinations (Moderna two-shot vaccine). So, I was off Xeljanz for two months. The pain that returned was so severe. Once I could restart the Xeljanz, my doctor also put me on a low dose of Prednisone to speed up my recovery. However, it's been 5 months back on Xeljanz, and I'm only getting very, VERY minimal relief from my pain. It seems that being off Xeljanz for those two months caused my body to not react the same as before. It's very frustrating. I hope my doctor can figure out a new way forward soon. PS: I had no known side effects from taking Xeljanz."

• Dia...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 9, 2023

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I’ve had psoriatic arthritis for 32 years. This drug is the best of all that I’ve been on, which was Remicade, Humira, Stelara, and Otezla, the latter two had no effect on my arthritis or psoriasis. This is the first one that has completely eliminated psoriasis on my scalp. Overall, I am about 90% improved on the psoriasis on other parts of the body. My arthritis is so much better and few flare-ups. It started working after about two weeks. I highly recommend this drug for both my severe arthritis and my psoriasis."

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2024

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Worked in about 1 month. 5 mg twice a day with hydrochloroquine (plaquenil). No side effects!! I am also super sensitive to most meds, for anything! Tried Humira and Enbrel. Those BOTH I had swelling, headaches (bad), diarrhea. Just all around sick."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2024

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Worked in about 1 month. 5 mg twice a day with hydrochloroquine (plaquenil). No side effects!! I am also super hyper-reactions to most meds, for anything! Tried Humira and Enbrel. Those BOTH I had swelling, headaches (bad), diarrhea. Just all around sick."

• Lef...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2020

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was getting Orencia infusions for a few years and was pain-free from my RA. Started on Xeljanz due to the COVID situation (I didn't want to risk going to the hospital). I'm taking 10 mg twice a day. So far, I'm still barely able to function. I am hoping that it just needs to build up in my system. Male, 63, 180#."

• 198...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 14, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I was not optimistic about Xeljanz, but it has worked very well. Five years on Enbrel, and it was great. Two injections of Humira, and it was horrible. So I have to say, it's not that bad, it really isn't great."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I found relief from inflammation pain after 4 weeks on Xeljanz. Just as I was feeling fairly well, I was diagnosed with influenza, therefore, I was advised to temporarily discontinue Xeljanz until I was better. Eight weeks after resuming, my symptoms gradually became worse, not better. I'm really disappointed and do not understand how this could happen. 2.5 days after the discontinuation, I actually feel a little better. Again, this makes no rational sense to me, since I have not started another biologic yet."

• Cha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 2, 2023

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have severe RA. Xeljanz XR works well when I use it with 20mg methotrexate pills once weekly. I have been taking this combination for 4 years. The only bad side effect I notice is cramps in my feet occasionally, and not so occasionally in my hands. I didn't have this condition until I started using Xeljanz XR."

• Nam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 15, 2023

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Have been on Xeljanz for a year, and now it’s not as effective. Got a blood clot in my leg. My doctor says it's not from Xeljanz and that there’s no way of knowing. This drug has an interaction with aspirin, so if you did get a blood clot, taking aspirin wouldn’t be optimal. I told my doctor that I want to switch medications to avoid long-term problems that may develop with this drug. If you take a look at all the different medications prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, you will see how differently they work. I am trying to figure out what to target. These drugs all work differently. Methotrexate (Mtx) was the most effective for me, but it meant one to two days in bed due to nausea. You will notice that as you continue taking it over time, you feel sicker than the week before. However, I had absolutely no pain with this drug (Mtx). I think maybe switching drugs yearly may prevent side effects."