Is anyone else on this medication? After moving into what I call my Granny Cabin which is on the same property as my son, his wife and 2 year old son. This happened after a bout of Colitis. The hospital Social Worker visited me and said I could not go home and live alone. I am now 72 and I think that the hospital Social Worker reviews every aged persons situation. My son was willing to take me in which meant I had to find a new Rheumy as his home is in a different state and 4 hours drive away from where I did live. The new Rheumy visits the nearest country town to where I now live every fortnight. My 2 visits went very well with this Rheumy.
He put me on prednisolone 5 mg reducing down after 2 weeks. This was the best that I have felt in 15 years. I cleaned my cabin from top to bottom. Minimum pain in my joints and the swelling in my right hand went down and down each day.
As I reduced the prednisolone the wellness and the energy did not last and gradually I went back to how I was before being on it. I can’t stay on Prednisolone and it was only to see me through until I got the Medicare to send me the authorised new prescription. This usually only takes about 2 weeks to arrive by Australia Post and because of the COVID 19 virus it took 10 weeks to arrive.
Second visit to the Rheumy and he supplied me with a sample pack with 1 weeks supply of Xeljanz. The receptions phone up and chased up Medicare and still it took another 2 weeks to arrive. I finished up running out of both medications because I was still waiting for my authorised prescription to arrive which meant that I had no medication for almost a week. I could feel the pain and the stiffness and see my right hand starting to swell up again. I now have this new medication and I am back on it but it is only early days. I hope it does not take too long to kick in. The weeks sample pack did nothing for me so I am hoping it was just too soon to tell if it will work for me. I am interested to know if anyone else is on this medication and how it works for them.
Bella
This is one of the newer meds for treating for PsA as no doubt you know. I’m not on it, I’m on Cosentyx. Most biologics to include these ones I understand, take a good 12 weeks to find their balance. Some people on biologics feel like they’re working after a couple of weeks, others can take a couple of months at least. For example when I was humira I was told to wait 3 months before deciding whether it was working. But with Cosentyx that was 4 months.
So hopefully that helps set your expectations. Sadly none of our meds works as fast and often as brilliantly as pred.
Best of luck.
Thanks Poo Therapy for your response, I will just have to wait and see and be patient.
I have been on XELJANZ for about for weeks and I LOVE it. I could tell a difference after 3 weeks. I’ve been on six biologics and nothing has ever worked for me. I pray you have good results 
I am hoping it will soon start working. This is my 10 th day on XELJANX and so far nothing. My feet, my ankles, my knees, my back, my hips, my shoulders, my elbows, my wrists, my hands are all hurting and it hurts to move about. I am exhausted. I have taken 2 Panadol and still no relief. I think I feel worse after being on Prednisolone for two months when I felt the best I have in a very long time. I had some pain then, but it was mild and I cold do what I wanted to do for the first time in many years…
Like you I have been on several biologics. Four for me. which work for a while, some for almost a year then stop working. Before that I was on Methatrexate, Sulphasalazine and Arava. These Biologics and Cellabrex have apparently contributed to me getting Colitis (Inflammatory Bowel) with ulceration which causes bleeding and numerous uncomfortable trips to the toilet. The Gastro Doctor at the hospital said it should clear in a couple of weeks and the GP said the same and six months later I still have Colitis. It eased up on the Pred but after coming off it, the Colitis has got worse again. Because of the Colitis, I had to stop Cosentyx before I had a chance to know if was going to work.
Just having a few bad days. Hopefully it will pass and I will soon improve.
Bella
I hope so too. 