Otezla and Depression: What Users Say

• Dal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2019

For Plaque Psoriasis "I've been prescribed every topical, and spent so much on UV therapy. I was then put on methotrexate. Had some good results, but constant liver and kidney functions, blood tests, and the upcoming liver biopsy to check for damage were not worth it. I also started to lose my hair, it started to thin out terribly after a month. I went to another physician and was prescribed Otezla. I’ve been on this medication for about a month. Already, my knees, elbows, torso, crack of my ass (inverse psoriasis), and my penis (TMI) have cleared up well. The back of my scalp had flaky plaques and heavy dandruff, and it’s almost totally clear. Otezla also seems to boost the effectiveness of topical meds for really stubborn areas. Websites and reviews warn of depression, headaches, and GI upset. I haven’t experienced any of these, but a little insomnia. I hope the results of this medication continue. I can't tell you how great it is to finally find a medication without endless monitoring. I am happy with Otezla."

• dda...
• March 8, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I was 7 weeks in as of today and had to stop immediately today. This drug did begin to help my psoriasis and it began to resolve; I was really happy. Anyone taking this needs to have someone watch them and their behavior. My mood and behavior changed dramatically. I got through the initial nausea and pushed through, hoping the headaches would resolve. But then it got worse. I am generally happy. My interactions with people began to go sour slowly, and in spats; I would get way too worked up over things. 6-7 weeks in, I became very irritable and depressed. Heaving sobs, feeling hopeless, flying off the handle, and bizarre things. It was gradual, so I was confused. Felt like I was another person in my own body. Feel better already."

• Rya...
• November 4, 2015

For Plaque Psoriasis "I have been on Otezla for 4 months. At first, the side effects were severe, and I was feeling sick every day, but I continued with the optimism that it would clear. Those side effects began to die down, but I started to feel more along the lines of depression and anxiety, feelings I had not previously had. All the while, in these 4 months, I have seen zero improvement on my skin, it is the same as if I had not been taking any medication at all. My doctor recommended staying on it for 2 more months to see if there are any results at all. But after having so much optimism when first starting, I have become disheartened and frustrated with both the side effects and the lack of results. I feel worse now than I did 4 months ago."

• Pja...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2019

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Terrible side effects of diarrhea, loss of appetite and energy, depression, neck stiffness, and back pain, increased psoriasis, and overall feeling punked out. This did not go away after a few weeks as predicted, but got worse until I had a blowout reaction. I also did not see much improvement in joint pain and swelling, and my psoriasis increased. Overall, I was disappointed with the medication!"

• Lyn...
• August 19, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "I was optimistic about Otezla because nothing else worked. I tried Humira, creams, Kenalog injections... everything. The 30-day sample pack was like a miracle, and then the letdown happened. My psoriasis got so bad that it was bleeding, and my depression was crazy. The headaches were every day, and I was screaming and crying for no reason. I stopped the Otezla, waited a month, and tried it again to make sure I was right. Unfortunately, I was correct. Otezla didn't work for me."

• Les...
• September 12, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "I've been on Otezla a little over a year now, and I think I will be stopping tomorrow after I visit my dermatologist. The pros: much of my psoriasis cleared within weeks, especially on my neck and scalp. When doing UV treatments with the Otezla, I was near 95% clear. I had all the side effects, like tension headaches, stomach issues, and weight loss. However, I would take that and clearer skin over my psoriasis. I've had psoriasis for 24 years now, and I have tried everything from steroid creams, UV, and biologic injections. I thought Otezla was the best! However, over the last month, I have been experiencing anxiety and depression. I get stressed out so easily, and having panic attacks has never been me. I cannot function normally."

• tjm...
• November 24, 2015

For Plaque Psoriasis "I've been on Otezla for 4 weeks now. I've had partial clearing on arms and chest. Still have plaques on my legs, but not as itchy as before. Scaling has been reduced. I do have 3-4 bowel movements a day, mainly in the morning and afternoon. Have not had nausea or headaches. No depression either. Some minor weight loss. I'm happy with the results so far and hoping that this is the answer. Been dealing with psoriasis for over 40 years now. Started on the scalp, but over the past couple of years, the legs have been the worst. Been using creams and UV light. The UV light did work at first, but then seemed to be ineffective. Never had the desire to use injections."

• Joj...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 21, 2019

For Plaque Psoriasis "It worked okay for the first six months. However, depression, worsened insomnia, eventually an extreme reaction of high heart rate and blood pressure, landing me in the emergency room. I would not recommend this drug to someone who already has insomnia or an already high or borderline high heart rate/blood pressure."

• DaB...
• August 17, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "This drug was wonderful for my pain and psoriasis, but caused horrible depression, so I wanted to tell people to watch for mood changes. I thought it was only me, but my rheumatologist told me this medication now has a black box warning for severe depression. Please be aware and watch for changes in personality. Sadly, I had to discontinue use."

• BB ...
• October 31, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "Whelp, the psoriasis cleared (mostly) after having it on my arms, neck, stomach, and scalp (lost a lot of hair), so I broke down and started Otezla. I’ve been on it for almost a year, and after being an active and healthy adult (psoriasis aside), I’ve had the worst health issues I could imagine. The nausea, loss of appetite (lost 25 lbs in a year), depression, and immediate, runny bowel movements after eating have all driven me crazy. I hated the psoriasis more than anything (which kept me on the med this long), and my dermatologists (that’s right, there have been two) convincingly told me none of these were side effects and advised me to change other aspects of my life (stress levels, diet - which has always been healthy and balanced, etc.) as those were to blame for what I was experiencing. I’m sad that it’s taken me this long to do my own in-depth research only to find out these are common and ARE, in fact, side effects. I need my health back! Even if it means I’m itchy and bald!"

• CVL...
• September 16, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "I’ve been on Otezla for about 4-5 months now. The first month, I definitely saw some clearing in my original areas, which were always on the upper part of my feet, scalp, and a bit on my knees every now and then. Now, starting my 5th month on it, I’ve begun to get breakouts in places I’ve never had problems, like my fingers, wrists, and as of the past couple of days, the soles of my feet. I’ve never had so many breakout areas... When I told my dermatologist in my follow-up that I wasn’t completely sure it was working, her first reaction was to keep me on Otezla until the end of the year to give it time to work. When I told her I’d been feeling a bit down and had nausea... she told me straight up that statistically most people suffer from depression, so not to worry. I really got the vibe that she didn’t care and that she’s probably getting a commission from Otezla for keeping me on it. I’m really considering getting off it... Otezla for me has done more bad than good."

• Ren...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 24, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I took Otezla as an alternative to Enbrel for 6 weeks. The itching turned out to be the least of my worries. I developed migraine headaches, blurred vision, severe depression, and upset stomach. I stopped taking it when I couldn't even get out of bed and saw a psychiatrist. He told me to stop the medication immediately and gave me medication that would eventually counteract the side effects. This took approx 6 weeks. In the meantime, I went to see an eye doctor due to the clouds in my peripheral vision and blurriness. Turns out, although my last visit to him was in November (only five months earlier), my eyesight was completely different. I now need to wear reading glasses and a separate pair for watching TV, driving, and distance. If anyone has experience, please reply."

• Mus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2020

For Behcet's Disease "I am on day 22 of taking Otezla for Behcet's syndrome. So far, the only side effect that has been bothering me is extremely sore breasts. (So tender that it’s hard to lay on my stomach when I sleep.) I have had no headaches, but I’m battling a continual stuffy nose that makes it difficult to sleep. Also, I’ve had a few crying jags and periods of feeling “low.” The good news is that I’ve been able to drop my prednisone intake by 4 mg since starting Otezla! So I’m going to push through and hope that my body continues to adjust. I’m excited to see if I can get completely off of prednisone by using this new medication. I will try to remember to come back in another month and leave an update on how I am progressing, taking Otezla for my Behcet's (which I was diagnosed with 28 years ago)."

• Nea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2017

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Was on Otezla for 4 months. Absolutely no improvement, and side effects were dreadful... splitting migraine headaches daily, chronic diarrhea, depression. I would never consider taking this medication again."

• Mid...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 17, 2018

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I have now been taking Otezla for 2 years. I have never had bad psoriasis, but psoriatic arthritis has affected me for about 5 years. It took me almost 9 months for my psoriatic arthritis to see any improvement. After 1 year of taking it, I thought it was a wonder drug. I have had constant stomach and headache issues that I was willing to accept. I figured it wasn't as bad as having PsA. About 6 months ago, it stopped working for me. I started experiencing pretty bad moods and felt like I was falling into depression. I have since moved on to a single dose at bedtime. I recently started using CBD oil, and it seems to be working pretty well. It worked for a while, but side effects were almost as bad as the condition."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2019

For Plaque Psoriasis "I’ve been on Otezla for a week now, and have had loose stools and mild depression and foggy feelings, but am kicking myself for not reading reviews beforehand. It seems as though nobody who gave it high marks had tried stopping it yet—and everyone who’s stopped has had psoriasis come back worse. I’m stopping."

• Wei...
• May 25, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "This medication is like a miracle. I have gone from no fingernails, no toenails, no skin on my feet to almost completely healed. It takes some time for the medicine to kick in, but this has been a life changer. My fingernails are coming back, my psoriasis is much more manageable, all because of Otezla. The medicine I took before was a biologic, and it made me so sick, tired, fatigued, and depressed. So thank you to those that make this product, this is a great thing for people with horrible psoriasis. It is such an insidious disease."

• Col...
• August 19, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "Three bouts of bronchitis in six months and two trips to the emergency room, and I decided to stop this medicine. Anxiety and depression from the start. I saw some clearing at first, but then it leveled off, and I just couldn't take the side effects anymore."

• Tes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2020

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Started Otezla a month ago. Within a few days, I felt like I started to lose short-term memory, and it kept me awake with sinus pain and drip. Very hard to focus and stay interested at work and home. Overall feeling of awful and heavy for no reason. Sleeplessness and very difficult to get enough sleep. Sinus pain constant and depression. I stopped taking Otezla after I couldn’t drive without fear of getting into an accident. Did wreck my car. With psoriatic arthritis. Chronic joint pain. Sinus and severe headaches/migraines. Upper back scoliosis. Suboxone and Sudafed interaction most likely increases unusual side effects."

• Ash...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 6, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "Otezla has side effects. Personally, I would have to run to the restroom constantly, even telling my kids to pee outside so I could get to the potty first. After a while, my body adjusted. Otezla completely cured my physical symptoms. However, it caused a disturbing depression problem. I ran out when my doc was switching facilities. I was given the option to speak with a different doctor and resume... But at that point, I had been off the med long enough to see happiness again. I've been on Otezla for a long while... About the same amount of time I've been dealing with extreme depression. Since running out, my psoriasis has come back tenfold. But, I can play with kids like I used to and am 100 percent happier despite the physical ramifications. I'm looking into alternatives now. Best of luck to everyone else."

• Cin...
• February 2, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "I’ve had plaque psoriasis on my scalp/right ear for less than one year. I’ve read many of the reviews here, but I’m not letting the negatives discourage me from Otezla because some negative reviews could be from drug competitors and (since each person reacts differently to drugs) without knowing a person’s medical history or if they’re taking other drugs, there’s no way to be sure if their results/side effects are a direct result of Otezla. So (while it’s good to know others' experiences) don’t necessarily allow them to dictate your choice to try it (especially if your plaque psoriasis affects you like it affects me.) I have a history of headaches (mostly sinus), occasional depression, and irregular sleep patterns; however, the condition itself adds to my depression and sleep problems. It’s only been 7 days – no noticeable improvement but experiencing NO side effects. I’m still positive and hopeful. I’ll continue posting updates!"

• Kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2017

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I was diagnosed with HLA-B27 (a specific protein on your white blood cells that can be a sign of autoimmune disease). Dr. told me I had Psoriatic Arthritis, gave me a starter pack of Otezla, took it for 12 days, during which all of the stiffness and joint pain left. I am also on Phentermine and Topiramate for weight loss, so I didn’t experience any headaches, however, I did get somewhat depressed and had no energy to do anything. I ran out of the starter pack and had to get another, but I was off of it for 3 days. While off of it, I noticed my mood was better and back to normal, but this morning, oh my, all my stiffness and pain are back, so I am going back on the new starter pack and trying to deal with the mood thing because this pain is crazy. I also do have a sinus head cold that I have had for 4 days, but I kind of chalked that off to the time of year and weather."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "I hated this drug! It made me feel depressed, feel sick, and tired all the time! I would rather have what it is supposed to temporarily relieve symptoms of than go through all of the side effects. Why do the pharmaceutical corporations always try just to rent us reductions to symptoms rather than cure the problem? One word: 'Profit!'"

• Anonymous
• March 20, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "I had started Otezla and had the typical nausea and loose stool but was completely tolerable until I hit the 8th day, and then I had a rare reaction to this medication. I experienced severe dizziness, thought blocking, cluster migraine, extreme vomiting, and uncontrollable bowel movements and could not function. I had to cancel two days of work because my dizziness, a headache, and thought blocking were so bad. I became completely dehydrated. Of course, my doctor said to stop the medication immediately. I am now about a month post and still do not feel well - I had a minor bout of depression - constant tearfulness for no reason, and I am battling some sort of fatigue. I am an educated professional and have dealt with psoriasis for my entire life - this was my first time agreeing to take a medication orally. It was a horrific experience. Anything that can cause this type of violent reaction in my mind is unhealthy."

• Sti...
• February 18, 2018

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Was prescribed and took for 8 months for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. After a month, began to notice a big reduction in plaques, but only mild relief in pain. After 4 months, began to experience depressed feelings and random dark thoughts while nothing had changed in life circumstances. Decided to go off when scared myself with thoughts of crashing my vehicle while driving. However, be warned, the psoriasis plaques are worse now than before I took the meds, and the joint pain is back. Would not recommend."