ch or intestines.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have had diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine) or ulcers in your stomach or intestines. Some people taking XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR can get tears in their stomach or intestines. This happens most often in people who also take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, or methotrexate.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have fever and stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.
4.
Changes in certain laboratory test results. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests before you start receiving XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR and while you take XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR to check for the following side effects:
changes in lymphocyte counts. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that help the body fight off infections.
low neutrophil counts. Neutrophils are white blood cells that help the body fight off infections.
low red blood cell count. This may mean that you have anemia, which may make you feel weak and tired.
Your healthcare provider should routinely check certain liver tests.
You should not receive XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR if your lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, or red blood cell count is too low or your liver tests are too high.
Your healthcare provider may stop your XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.
You may also have changes in other laboratory tests, such as your blood cholesterol levels. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels 4 to 8 weeks after you start receiving XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR, and as needed after that. Normal cholesterol levels are important to good heart health.
See "WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR?" for more information about side effects.
What is XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR?
XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is a prescription medicine called a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor.
XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is used to treat adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in which methotrexate did not work well.
XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is used to treat adults with active psoriatic arthritis in which methotrexate or other similar medicines called nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) did not work well.
It is not known if XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is safe and effective in people with Hepatitis B or C.
XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is not recommended for people with severe liver problems.
It is not known if XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR is safe and effective in children.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR?
Before taking XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
have an infection. See "WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR?"
have liver problems
have kidney problems
have any stomach area (abdominal) pain or been diagnosed with diverticulitis or ulcers in your stomach or intestines
have had a reaction to tofacitinib or any of the ingredients in XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR
have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR should not receive live vaccines. People taking XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR can receive non-live vaccines.
plan to become pregnant or are pregnant. It is not known if XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR will harm an unborn baby. You should use effective birth control while you are taking XELJANZ/XELJANZ XR |
