Tofacitinib and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• rev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2020

Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis "I've had a huge flare of Ulcerative Colitis for 2 years now. Used very different types of medicines. After using infliximab for half a year (which didn't help at all), I ended up in the hospital for a dexamethasone infusion for a few days. After taking prednisone for several months, I started on Xeljanz 2 x 10 mg. I have to say, my UC is improving every day! No more blood in my stool within a month, but my stool is still a bit restless with gas, sometimes diarrhea, and mucus. It takes a while for it to work properly, the experts say (because the colon was so damaged). But it has already improved from going to the toilet 30 times a day to sleeping 5 times a night! After 3 months on 2 x 10 mg, I will soon be on 5 mg twice daily. The only side effect is that you gain (a little) weight and also get tired (but that is a side effect of all these types of medicines). Bottom Line: The best-acting drug for my UC so far."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 25, 2020

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Been taking Xeljanz XR for almost 2 years with not much pain relief, plus much back and upper right quadrant pressure. Now I’m taking pills for increased liver counts and high blood pressure and sinus meds to try to breathe. I’ve had a shingles outbreak and it’s damaged my nerves in my right pectoral area. It’s impossible to shut out the pounding and ringing in my ears. Insomnia despite sleeping pills. Oh, and I gained around 40 pounds without changing my diet, clean eating. Tingling hands and feet. Only mild pain relief for a very short time, along with all the negative effects. Now I have to take care of my liver and blood pressure along with all the other things that went downhill while on Xeljanz XR."

• Aud...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 26, 2018

Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I’ve been taking Xeljanz XR for 5 weeks. So far, it is helping me immensely. My pain is 70% decreased and my energy is 70% increased. This is the best I’ve felt in 7 years. I am cautiously optimistic, so far, I haven’t had any negative side effects except I have gained 6 pounds, but I think the weight increase has stopped. I’ve been blessed with a copay card, so the expense isn’t an issue. I’m so glad I asked my rheumatologist to prescribe it!"

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2021

Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis "Was diagnosed with UC in 2012, that was after 2 years of trying to self-diagnose myself. Been on so many different meds. I've been on this medication for about 3 months, 10 mg, 2 times a day, and I have to say it's been a ride. I was going to the bathroom a lot. Now I'm not going at all. Every week I have to take laxatives because I'm not going to the bathroom at all. It's causing weight gain. I'm extremely tired now as well. I can't keep my eyes open. I was driving my husband and me home and was almost in an accident as it hit me all of a sudden. Pulled over so he could drive, but imagine what it would be like if I was alone. I'm so uncomfortable, and the nausea and headache are unbearable. I work from home so it helps to step away from the computer, but I'll say my symptoms on the meds aren't getting me anywhere I need to be."

• Dol...
• December 4, 2019

Tofacitinib for Psoriatic Arthritis "I was on this medication for a year. It works, it kept my pain down, and inflammation markers looked good. I just got off the medication because my liver enzymes were going up, and I have gained a lot of weight since taking it. Other than that, no other side effects, like a lot of people on here have had."

• 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."

• MD ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 25, 2022

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "I took Xeljanz XR 5 mg for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) for a year. It worked great. I was not in pain, and my eyes didn't become inflamed the whole time I was taking it. My doctor decided for whatever reason, probably because Xeljanz has some very harsh side effects, to put me on Rinvoq, another JAK inhibitor. I was on that for two months. I gained 8 lbs in those two months. My A1C jumped several points, which explains the weight gain. I was becoming diabetic on Rinvoq. I went back to Xeljanz and developed diverticulitis. At the end of that year, my A1C had also jumped up, and I am now prediabetic despite losing 15 lbs. I quit Xeljanz, vowed to never take a JAK inhibitor again, and my eyes instantly inflamed. So the drug works, but with bad side effects. And I was taking much less than the recommended dosage. Rinvoq has since been given a red flag warning as it is prone to the development of heart disease."