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Timeframe - Xeljanz

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/22/2019 6:29 AM (GMT -7)
For those of you who have had success with Xeljanz, what is the shortest and longest time it took for you to see results. I've heard anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. I've been taking it a week, but my symptoms are worse as I taper off prednisone.
Posted 8/22/2019 6:52 AM (GMT -7)
I would not taper the pred until you have strong belief that Xeljaanz has kicked in.
Posted 8/22/2019 9:17 AM (GMT -7)
^This. Do not taper pred until you know the xeljanz is working. As an example, I noticed a response 3 weeks into remicade, and a much bigger response at week 7, and was off of prednisone at week 9. Again for emphasis, I was off of pred at week 9, again, not week 1. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I know we all dread the pred and want to be off of it asap, but pred is an essential crutch we need until we know we can stand on our own two feet without it with certainty smile
Posted 8/23/2019 5:33 AM (GMT -7)
Xeljanx worked for me in 3 days, I was not on any other drug at the time other than coming off Entyvio that was no longer effective for me.
Posted 8/24/2019 2:44 PM (GMT -7)
How are you doing MLP2060? Any improvement yet? Have you asked about rectal meds? I am now at week 14. Off pred and seeing a significant improvement this week. No bleeding at all a little urgency but I’m used to that. I think the foam has really helped or maybe week 14 is my magic week. It’s been a long old 3 months hang in there things do get better.
Posted 8/28/2019 6:38 AM (GMT -7)
Vicky -
I have been on Xeljanz for 15 days now. I started to see a slight improvement the middle of last week. A little l ess blood and less trips to the bathroom. I went to a party and stupidly had 3 glasses of red wine. The next couple of days I had lots of cramping and bleeding. I think the wine did it. I have to believe that things are improving, and that was a temporary set back. I was going to ask people here if red wine in particular is a trigger because of the acidity and sulphates. I know to stay away from it from now on. I am a little better now and hoping for continued improvement. So glad to hear you are doing well! That gives me hope.
Posted 8/28/2019 11:48 AM (GMT -7)
I noticed some improvement after about a month on Xeljanz, but it took much longer to really see more noticeable / definitive results. I'm almost a full 5 months in on Xeljanz and am down to 2-3 BM's per day with no visible bleeding most of the time. I rarely wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, but I still have some occasional urgency. However, nothing like before, and I have only noticed the bleeding when I eat or drink something I know can be a trigger (alcohol, in particular). I even have some days with only one BM. My GI doctor believes it may have taken longer for me to get significant results because I was in such an inflamed state when starting Xeljanz. I was initially terrified to go on Xeljanz. I had thyroid cancer over 14 years ago after being on immune inhibitors. I don't know if there was any correlation, but immune inhibitors do scare me a bit. I was more comfortable with Entyvio since it targets the immune response in the gut, but didn't get good enough results on Entyvio, so Xeljanz was my next step. Xeljanz is for now my friend. I have no desire to go off of it.
Posted 8/28/2019 6:01 PM (GMT -7)
While my husband started to feel better within a week, Xeljanz took a few months to completely kick in, and he delayed tapering off prednisone for awhile. And then it was an extremely slow taper. Within six months of being on Xeljanz he was in complete remission and remains in remission today, 3-1/2 years later.
Posted 8/29/2019 7:08 AM (GMT -7)
Suzy-q - glad to hear of the success of your husband. I need to give it more time. It's been a little over 2 weeks. I am hopeful.
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