Xeljanz 5mg Tablet
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Product introduction
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and ulcerative colitis. It helps decrease pain, tenderness, and swelling in the joints by reducing inflammation. It also helps slow the progression of bone and joint damage.
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may be prescribed by itself or in combination with another medicine. The tablets can be taken with or without food and it is best to take them at the same time each day. Your dose will depend on your condition and what other medicines you are taking. You should use it as your doctor tells you to. Do not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to because your condition could get worse.
The most common side effects of Xeljanz 5mg Tablet include upper respiratory tract infections, headache, diarrhea, and nasopharyngitis. There are other less common side effects, some of them serious, including blood clots and tears in the stomach or intestine wall. These need urgent medical attention. If you have any worries about side effects, talk to your doctor.
You may need blood tests before you are given this medicine and you should not start taking it if you have any kind of infection. Make sure you talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you have or have ever had, tuberculosis, shingles, kidney or liver disease, hepatitis B or C, or blood clots in your legs or lungs. Xeljanz 5mg Tablet can make you more likely to get infections or may worsen any current infections so avoid contact with people who have things you might catch (such as chickenpox, measles, flu).
This medicine is not suitable for children under 18 years old and you should not use it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, unless your doctor feels the benefit is greater than the risk. Your doctor may need to examine you regularly.
Uses of Xeljanz Tablet
- Treatment of Ulcerative colitis
- Treatment of Ankylosing spondylitis
- Treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis
- Treatment of Psoriatic arthritis
Benefits of Xeljanz Tablet
In Treatment of Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the large intestine (colon) and rectum in which the lining of the bowel becomes red and swollen. This can lead to bleeding, frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain. It relieves these symptoms and also helps you to stay well by preventing them from coming back. Drink plenty of fluids while on treatment with this medicine and stay hydrated.
In Treatment of Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a rare type of arthritis that affects the spine or larger joints. It usually starts in your lower back and can spread up to your neck or damage joints in other parts of your body. Xeljanz 5mg Tablet helps reduce pain, stiffness and swelling in your spine and joints. It helps improve flexibility and prevents disease progression. This will help you lead a better and active life.
In Treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet works by blocking the action of some chemicals which cause inflammation. It can help reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints and slow down the progression of bone and joint damage. This will help you do normal daily activities more easily and thus improve your quality of life. This medicine should be taken at the same time each day to get maximum benefits. Keep taking the medicine even if you feel well because it is preventing future harm as well as improving your symptoms.
In Treatment of Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis, a condition where the skin cells in the body grow too quickly and form scales and dry patches. Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and swelling, which may flare and subside. Xeljanz 5mg Tablet helps reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling associated with the condition. It also helps improve flexibility and prevents the disease progression. This way it helps in the management of psoriatic arthritis and enhances patients' quality of life.
Side effects of Xeljanz Tablet
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Xeljanz
- Headache
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Diarrhea
- Nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the throat and nasal passages)
How to use Xeljanz Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may be taken with or without food.
How Xeljanz Tablet works
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is a Janus kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking the action of the enzyme, Janus kinase. This decreases the activity of the immune system and inflammation associated with rheumatic diseases and ulcerative colitis.
Safety advice
Alcohol
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
It is not known whether it is safe to consume alcohol with Xeljanz 5mg Tablet. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
The safety of Xeljanz 5mg Tablet during pregnancy has not been established. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, and animal data on reproductive toxicity are insufficient. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing.
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may be unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby. It should be used only if the expected benefit outweighs the potential risk. Please consult your doctor.
Driving
SAFE
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet does not usually affect your ability to drive.
Kidney
CAUTION
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with severe kidney disease. Dose adjustment may be needed.
Liver
CAUTION
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with severe liver disease. Dose adjustment may be needed.
What if you forget to take Xeljanz Tablet?
If you miss a dose of Xeljanz 5mg Tablet, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.
All substitutes
For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
No substitutes found for this medicine
Quick tips
- Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is used alone or in combination with other medicines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, that did not improve with other anti-rheumatic drugs.
- It may take take 3 to 6 months to feel the maximum effect of this medication. Keep taking it as prescribed.
- Your doctor may get regular blood tests done to monitor your liver function, kidney function, blood counts, or cholesterol levels.
- Xeljanz 5mg Tablet can make it a bit harder for people to fight off infections. Inform your doctor if you have symptoms of an infection such as fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches.
- Your doctor may get TB (tuberculosis) skin test and a chest X-ray before starting treatment with this medication.
- Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to conceive, or breastfeeding.
Fact Box
Chemical Class
N- acylpiperidines
Habit Forming
No
Therapeutic Class
PAIN ANALGESICS
Action Class
Janus kinase inhibitors
Interaction with drugs
Taking Xeljanz with any of the following medicines can modify the effect of either of them and cause some undesirable side effects
Do not use Tofacitinib with Herpes Zoster / Shingles Vaccine (Recombinant, Adjuvanted).
Concurrent use may increase the risk of infections.
Do not consume Tofacitinib with Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine may reduce blood levels of Tofacitinib.
Concurrent use may result in loss of efficacy of Tofacitinib.
Do not consume Tofacitinib with Fosphenytoin. Fosphenytoin may reduce blood levels of Tofacitinib.
Concurrent use may result in loss of efficacy of Tofacitinib.
Do not consume Tofacitinib with Bosentan. Bosentan may reduce blood levels of Tofacitinib.
Do not use Tofacitinib with Cholera Vaccine (Inactivated).
Concurrent use may increase the risk of infections.
Patient concerns
User feedback
What are you using Xeljanz Tablet for?
Rheumatoid ar*
92%
Others
8%
*Rheumatoid arthritis
How much was the improvement?
Average
33%
Poor
33%
Excellent
33%
What were the side-effects while using Xeljanz 5mg Tablet?
No Side Effec*
67%
Headache
33%
*No Side Effect
How do you take Xeljanz Tablet?
With or witho*
100%
*With or without food
Please rate Xeljanz 5mg Tablet on price
Expensive
100%
FAQs
Can I take Xeljanz 5mg Tablet if I have liver problems?
Inform your doctor if you have liver problems, before starting Xeljanz 5mg Tablet. This is done because in some cases Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may cause an increase in liver enzymes. Therefore, your liver function needs to be investigated before starting Xeljanz 5mg Tablet. Although, Xeljanz 5mg Tablet can be given to patients with mild to moderate liver function impairment, but should not be prescribed to patients with severe liver impairment.
Can Xeljanz 5mg Tablet cause cancer?
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may increase the chances of developing the risk of certain cancers (lymphoma and other cancers including skin cancers) by affecting the working of the immune system. Hence, inform your doctor if you ever had or have any type of cancer.
What is Xeljanz 5mg Tablet used for?
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is approved for use in people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. It is an inflammatory disease of the joints. It is used if previous therapy did not work well or did not suit the patient. However, it can also be used earlier in treatment if the person does not respond well to the prescribed drugs. It can be used alone or together with some other medicines, such as methotrexate.
How long does it take for Xeljanz 5mg Tablet to start working?
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet usually takes about 2 to 8 weeks before you start feeling better, and it can take 3 to 6 months to feel the maximum effect of this medication.
Do I need to get any investigations done before starting Xeljanz 5mg Tablet?
You may need to get your blood tests done before you start Xeljanz 5mg Tablet or while you are taking it. Blood tests are done in order to check if you have a low red blood cell count (anemia), low white blood cell count (neutropenia or lymphopenia), high blood fat (cholesterol) or high levels of liver enzymes. It also helps to ensure that treatment with Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is not causing problems. In addition to this, your doctor may advise you to get tested for tuberculosis before starting Xeljanz 5mg Tablet, as using Xeljanz 5mg Tablet may make an existing infection worse.
Can Xeljanz 5mg Tablet cause infections?
Xeljanz 5mg Tablet is a medicine that affects your immune system. This may reduce your ability to fight infection and may increase the risk of getting a serious infection including tuberculosis. It may also include infections caused by severe fungal, bacterial or viral infections that spread through the body. In some cases, these infections can be life-threatening and may even cause death. Hence, it is advised to treat these infections in a hospital.
If I am already taking tocilizumab, can I take Xeljanz 5mg Tablet?
No, you should not take tocilizumab along with Xeljanz 5mg Tablet. Xeljanz 5mg Tablet affects the immune system, so you should avoid taking it with any other immunity-affecting medicine. Taking both medicines together can further increase the risk of infection and may lead to further complications.
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Disclaimer:
Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.References
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 1373-74.
- Tofacitinib. New York, New York: Pfizer Labs; 2012 [revised Nov. 2012]. [Accessed 02 Apr. 2019] (online) Available from:
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Tofacitinib. [Accessed 02 Apr. 2019] (online) Available from:
- Tofacitinib [Prescribing Information]. New York, NY: Pfizer labs; 2022. [Accessed 07 Aug. 2023]. (online) Available from:
- Tofacitinib [Prescribing Information]. New York, NY: Pfizer Inc.; 2025. [Accessed 07 Aug. 2023]. (online). Available from:
Marketer details
Name: Pfizer Ltd
Address: The Capital, 1802, 18th Floor , Plot No. C-70, ‘G’ Block , Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East , Mumbai – 400051.
Country of origin: United states
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₹60394
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MRP₹62197.5 3% OFF
60.0 tablets in 1 bottle
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