Otezla and Upset Stomach: What Users Say

• DJ ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2015

For Plaque Psoriasis "I began this medication with a 28-day starter pack and transitioned from there. The first month, my side effects were like 'WHOA' (headache, nausea, gastric distress of epic proportions!) pretty much hell on earth. HOWEVER, here I am 5 months later, and for the first time in my life, I am completely clear. There is not a plaque to be seen or felt. No itching, no flaking, no cracking! If you're new to this med; don't give up. It gets better!! I'm 5 months in now, and I don't have any of the side effects any longer."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2019

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I put a lot of hope in getting some relief for psoriatic arthritis, but my suffering from taking these Otezla pills (30 mg/day after week 1) has been indescribable. I persevered the first 2 weeks of terrible stomach cramps, nausea, and burning sensation in my stomach by determination, but after week 6, I felt horrible. All I could try to do was try to reduce my extreme discomfort daily, including 20-30 trips to the toilet daily. I lost the daily battle in week 6, where I was taking anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids, Pepto-Bismol, and eating very bland foods like I had a bad case of colitis. The bladder and rectal pains lasted 48 hours after having dropped Otezla. I had a normal BM, and the gas pains have finally eased. It had the worst side effects imaginable, and I was not able to find out if I could be helped by Otezla, and I no longer care. I’ll have to try biologics or just accept a shorter and more restricted life at age 65."

• Jau...
• November 30, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "I have severe plaque psoriasis. I have tried coal tar shampoo, steroids, creams, lotions, injections to get rid of it. In less than 2 weeks, I went from embarrassing plaque on my forehead, all over my scalp, behind my ears, hand, foot, chest, and torso to the plaque being mostly gone, no more flaking skin, and the redness is starting to subside. I haven't felt this comfortable in my own skin in years. Yes, some of the stomach issues aren't great, but I'll take side effects that will go away once my body gets used to the medicine vs. being embarrassed to go on dates."

• 1 m...
• April 15, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I was reluctant to try this, but after 20+ years of fighting psoriasis, I figured it was worth a try. I read all the reviews first, so I'm contributing to the database for others. I had some stomach discomfort for a few days, some brain fog, and a few nights of bad sleep. My skin started to clear by day 5 (not sure about nails yet), but I really struggled with the afternoon second dose, so I'm sticking to just 1 tab in the AM and nothing else. That keeps my skin about 80% clear, and I can take care of the rest via topical steroids. A month into this, and I still feel a little 'high' after my AM tab, but very happy with the results. Good luck."

• Jul...
• November 29, 2015

For Plaque Psoriasis "Side effects went away completely after a few weeks. My severe skin psoriasis of 30 years is 75% gone. It took 2-3 months to fully work. That 75% clearance is not perfect, but it means so much to me. The monster dandruff is greatly reduced. My scalp is no longer flaming red lizard skin. The plaques on my forehead and neck are now light pink patches. I no longer frantically itch all day. I look healthy! Otezla appears to interfere with the absorption of anti-depressants or counteract it, but increasing the antidepressant dose a bit fixed the problem for me immediately. Take Otezla with crackers or a half a bagel, it helped calm the stomach. Also, ask about the zero co-pay program, it took 5 minutes to register, and I save $85 monthly."

• Kas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "I had a little bit of an upset stomach once and two nights where I didn't get a full night's sleep. Otezla worked within days, and I am 99% clear. After 30 years of psoriasis affecting almost every area of my life in some way, I am enjoying such relief."

• Spo...
• June 3, 2020

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Started Otezla 4 months ago. I had had a strep throat that caused me to develop guttate psoriasis, which I've never had before. That alongside my psoriatic arthritis and regular psoriasis. I was pretty much covered head-to-toe and miserable. After having six months of methotrexate, I really didn't want to be back on a med. The pain from it all got unbearable, so I went in for an appointment and was recommended Otezla because of my concerns with some of the stronger medicines. At first, it felt similar to methotrexate with the nausea and stomach issues, so I was used to that. However, I am now almost 5 months in, and at 40 years old, I feel like my memory is gone. I've never had any issues with my memory or fogginess. I have read that psoriatic arthritis can cause this, so who knows. All I know is that I can't take the nausea, the headaches, the GERD, and I believe severe memory issues. I am discontinuing it."

• Anonymous
• December 11, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "I've been on Otezla for 3 weeks now, and all I can say is that this drug really works. I've been suffering from psoriasis for 6 years now. It mostly affected my scalp, but it also started to spread to the rest of my body. After just 3 weeks, the patches on my skin began to fade. My scalp is still scaly and itchy, but I can already see the improvement in that area too. As for side effects, I had some slight headaches and stomach aches at the beginning and more frequent bowel movements, but it didn't really affect my daily life whatsoever. I would really recommend this drug to anyone whose life has been affected by plaque psoriasis."

• Jmj...
• April 29, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "Initially stomach ache, diarrhea, and headache, feeling of unease. After 2 months, most side effects gone. Never any at night, so I make sure I take on a full stomach. This helps me. It has been highly effective. Psoriasis started to clear within weeks. Now 99% clear. When a spot shows up, I hit it with one or two doses of topical, and it's gone. So far, great."

• 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."

• DCH...
• April 13, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I've been using it for about 18 months. Had used ointments, creams, etc. They helped. This has me about 90% cleared 80% of the time, even in winter (when it's usually worse). No real side effects -- upset stomach the first few days, but that went away. Miracle drug so far for me."

• joh...
• July 19, 2018

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I had very mild psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and was put on Humira about 10 years ago. I thought I might have been in remission, so I stopped. After 18 months, I finally went back to the Dr., and she suggested Otezla. I started Otezla about 11 weeks ago. I only had mild stomach issues. I wanted to lose weight, so that side effect was welcome (lost 20 lb). I found my appetite was greatly reduced. Five weeks in, my joint pain was getting better, but I developed the worst upper respiratory problem that I ever had. I do not get sick typically - even while on Humira. It was really bad for about a week, but it is now five weeks into this upper respiratory issue and it continues to linger - I'm taking both Sudafed and Mucinex DM, so the symptoms are milder (a mild cough, ears plug up off and on). I have not read many people who had upper respiratory reactions. I still have about three weeks until I reach the full efficacy point, so I think I will stick it out for the time being."

• Jct...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "Otezla worked for me. (Please read the entire review.) A little bit of a stomach ache for about a week, for about an hour after each of the twice-daily doses. I was given the drug for several months due to my financial state. First, the free Otezla stopped at 3 months, my psoriasis came back, a little worse than before. Talked with the dermatologist, and they got it reinstated, and my skin again slowly cleared. But again, like before, the gratis product ended at 3 months. My skin is now worse than ever. I guess I am looking for an answer. Does taking this product with success and then stopping trigger a worse condition than when it was started? I really appreciate the company giving the product, as paying $1233.00 per month as it was is impossible for me to afford it."

• 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."

• 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."

• CHA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2018

For Psoriatic Arthritis "From the start, I had joint pain. I needed a couple of Advil every day. The stiffness is slowly increasing also. It's been 5 months. We are now going to try something else. I go to the bathroom 3 times a day. My stomach is very upset after taking the pill for 3 hours. My stomach is getting worse. I have yogurt every day and avoid disruptive foods. My teeth hurt. At first, they woke me up during the night and I had to have Advil for the pain. Now it is mild a couple of times a week. My psoriasis has completely disappeared, that's the good."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2019

For Plaque Psoriasis "I started Otezla in April 2019. The nausea and stomach cramps were bad, but with OTC anti-diarrheal and a prescription for an anti-nausea med, I managed for the 2 weeks it took to end. My plaque psoriasis began to clear up, and I ended up being about 85% clear. Then, in August 2019, I began to flare up. I have one more month of pills left (insurance ended and I don't have hundreds of $ to pay out of pocket), then I'm done."

• Tom...
• April 18, 2018

For Plaque Psoriasis "Had upset stomach for 5 days, but it went away. No other side effects. I took about 6 months to get the same level of clearance as Humira, which I was on before. No needles, no infections, no labs, essentially, I got clearance with zero side effects. Good luck to all."

• ear...
• June 23, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I have been on and off Otezla for a year and a half now. I took it for about four months with a horrible upset stomach. I did see improvement with my plaque psoriasis on my knees and elbows. I quit Otezla because it made my stomach so upset. My psoriasis came back worse than ever, which freaked me out. Most other medications have even worse side effects, so I chose to try Otezla again. I have now been back on Otezla for about a year. My plaque psoriasis is 75% clear. If I do not stay on a rigid regimen of taking my pills twice a day, my psoriasis immediately comes back worse and my stomach will become upset again. Still not sure what I think of Otezla."

• Aut...
• May 22, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I am 19 and started taking Otezla 4 months ago. The first 3 weeks had terrible stomach upset and loose stool. Also got headaches. Continued with meds as directed, and to this day, see no improvement. And still occasionally get GI upset. Now I am moving on to Stelara. I have severe plaque psoriasis, and without the use of my creams, I saw no improvement for Otezla and only gained stomach problems."

• Tra...
• November 11, 2017

For Plaque Psoriasis "I have suffered from plaque psoriasis for 20 years. I have tried creams, biologics, etc. Nothing worked for long, or it had severe side effects. After several years of no medical treatment, I contacted my dermatologist to see if there was something else to try. I'm so glad I did. My skin is 90% clear, the best it's looked in decades. Side effects are an upset stomach and loose stools. I make sure I take a dose with food and early in the day. If I take it too late in the day, I will not sleep soundly."

• Mar...
• September 29, 2016

For Plaque Psoriasis "So far, so good! Otezla customer service is the best! I have just started Otezla, and no side effects at all -- in fact, it seems I have more energy and less itching of my scalp already! No headaches or stomach issues, but will keep an eye out for that later. I am so happy to be able to try this drug as the biologics scare me with cancer issues. I will keep in touch!"

• Bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2015

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Otezla did not work for me. The good part was that the pain in my fingers and toes went down about 50%. The bad part was that my stomach was upset most of the time. I was dead dog tired all of the time. I would get up, eat breakfast, and need to lay back down. Otezla neutralized the flow max I am taking for my prostate. I had headaches every day or two. It was not a good experience for me."

• Mar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 13, 2023

For Psoriatic Arthritis "OMG, this was a game changer! I have tried Methotrexate, Humira, Embrel, and Stelara but failed all of them eventually, and always had some psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis symptoms. With Otezla, I'm one hundred percent clear of psoriasis (a first in 20 years!!!) and only get a psoriatic arthritic flare rarely. I can now walk without a cane and sleep at night. I have not had any stomach upset or any other symptoms with it. Wish I did get the weight loss, but you can't have everything."

• Den...
• September 17, 2017

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Been on Otezla for about 6 months. The first few months, I thought my prayers had been answered. My skin cleared up by 75 percent in 3 months. I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. My pain had decreased as well. I did have stomach issues, severe headaches, and major pressure in my ears and can hardly hear! The medication has quit working. Not clearing up my scales or itching at all! And the pain! The pain in my fingers, elbows, and feet is worse than ever. I'm up all during the night from joint pain, now have nerve pain in my feet and cannot open a bottle of water in the mornings. Very sad this didn't work out because I refuse to take immune suppression medication."