I’ve seen my dermotoligist and my rheumatologist and both agree to try Otezla. I’ve also read the package insert and the pharmacy papers. Going to give it a go.
Anyone else taking Otezla?
Yes,I’ve been on Otezla for nearly 2 years.Has been very helpful for my psoriasis but not for the psoriatic arthritis. Arava was added a couple of months ago and am not feeling it’s working yet.Good luck with the Otezla.
Good luck
I have been on it now going into my second month and so far it seems to be slowly clearing up the psoriasis on my hands and the swelling has gone down a lot but, not so much for the pain most likely because I already have damage.
I was on Embrel but it didn’t help,in fact it put me in the hospital twice for pneumonia. So far Otezla is the only thing that seems to help me right now.
Thanks everyone. My pain is minimal but the psoriasis is very bad on my hands and fingertips. I am hoping it helps.
be prepared for some gastric upset! 
Not to be crass but under no circumstances trust a fart. (its good preparation for getting old) Good LUCK. My grandaughter is in love with the stuff…
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TNT, LOL!! I already found that out!! It is really tearing up my stomach. I am hoping once I reach the 2 week mark things will settle down. That’s what I have read from most info packets and articles. I got some Imodium just to be on the safe side.
I have the nausea that comes on about an hour after taking it and sometimes a stomach ache. I have lost weight on it, about 15 pounds.
And its mainly because I am not that hungry.
The Doctor did say that if I lost more than 10% of my body weight that they would want me to stop taking it.
Funny thing is my GP wants me to lose alot more than 10% and so do I.
Dav, The nausea does make me want to skip eating but I try to at least eat some fruit or crackers. It does help with the nausea.
Yes that is what I do and it makes a big difference.
I was counseled to take omerprazole (or similar) before my morning medications and to always take the medication with food. This helped in those early (toot! toot!) days. Later on I would have occasional bouts of nausea or stomach upsets and I could always attribute those to eating foods that would unsettle my system. Otezla made me be much better at eating on a predictable routine basis (I’m known to skip meals) and to eat more healthfully. If I deviated from either then the medication would offer a punitive corrective 
!
Janeatiu, I also hope that Otezla will help me eat a bit better. It’s not that I eat unhealthy, I just don’t eat. Or a binge eat something after I am starving. Today I am trying to nibble on things here and there and it has helped.
SAME! Otezla made me moderate both.
I have been taking Otezla for over a year. It was such a relief after methotextrate! I have no side effects, but my joints are pretty much under control. Fatigue is still overwhelming, but I’ve resigned myself to that pat as I also have had my thyroid removed and I ha serious IBS. A trifecta of exhausting diseases. I hope you love Otezla as much as I do. I thought I was dying on methotextrate (I’m not being dramatic- death would have been okay. I even checked into the hospital. ). Good luck. Keep us informed ! I really think Otezla is a Godsend. Finally a drug we don’t have to inject and fewer side effects.
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I didn’t have any stomach trouble. It was so much better than methotextrate. I lost 50 pounds in 4 months on methotextrate. No problems on Otezla.
Howdy!!! I’ve been on Otezla for almost two months and have had complaints at all. I was taking Methotrexate with the Folic Acid which was killing my Liver numbers and still had pain in joints. Hope this helps and good luck.
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I’m interested to know if anyone here is on medicare and gets Otezla? I’ve been stressing out because when I go on medicare I won’t be able to get Enbrel anymore (unless my ship comes in and I can pay for it out of my own pocket). Medicare only covers Remicade, which I’ll probably refuse…since Otezla is in pill form, I’m wondering if medicare covers it?
I started Otezla a couple of months ago. the worst side effect has been diarrhea. I control it by taking one anti-diarrhea pill (loperamide hydrochloride) with each of my two meals. So far I have not noticed any benefits, but I hear that you may have to be on it for a while. I see my rheumatologist again late next month and we’ll asses the medication.
I would contact their company. I reached out to them to see if I could get a 0 copay, and they did it. You could call your local pharmacy and just ask. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
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