I have been on Olumiant or Baricitinib for about six months. Has anyone else experienced a sore mouth and throat ulcers. I had the shingles vaccination before starting as told I should. I find my joints are much better but this is my third infection in 4 months!
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Teatrees
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Hi i was on olumint . Did not do well on it .very sore mouths weight gain and infections was eventually taken of it after yet another bad chest infection . Hope things improve for you especially if it is helping your |RA . i am afraid it did not help mine .Good luck
Thank-you very much for your reply. I am giving it my last try. May I ask what you are taking now. It is so hard with the pains not taking anything but sometimes the treatments are worse!
Hi i am now on abatacept . I take it once a week but only started on it . Tomorrow is my third injection so to early to say if it is working for me . But as far as side affects go so far so good .So i am hoping this one works . Hope you get sorted out .good luck
Until i get rid of this tb thingy and the antibiotics are finished before i go on it so i am interested on the answers here. I think your rheumy will probally look at alternatives for you. Hugs.xxxx
I wasn't told to have the shingles vaccination before starting baricitinib. That's not to say that you shouldn't have had one, but am wondering if I should have? How long before you started baricitinib were you vaccinated?
Thanks, just thought it a little odd how you were told to have a shingles jab and it was never mentioned to me. Just down to some rheumies think it's necessary and some don't I suppose. I'm doing ok on baricitinib and have been on it for about 8 months. Shame it didn't work out for you.
If anyone's going to get a serious infection then I'm a prime candidate as I'm prone to infections due to another health condition I have, and I've been hospitalised on two occasions in the past with serious infections. So far so good with baricitinib as I've been infection free for the 9 months I've been on it. That said I'm only taking 2mg instead of the 4mg that most people seem to be prescribed.
Difficult to give a definitive answer regarding how well it's been working for me. For the first few months it was pretty good, but that was when I was taking it with hydroxy, which I've had to stop because of side effects. It's been less effective this past couple of months probably because of stopping the hydroxy though I can't rule out that the baricitinib is losing effect, which believe me is something I can really do without! The only side effects I've had so far are increased fatigue, which is probably due to the baricitinib, and frequent headaches for the first week or two after I began taking it. Rheumy advised me to have a week's break and I had just the one headache after restarting it. The good thing about it is that once you stop taking baricitinib it leaves the body within a day or two, which is a big plus if you get an infection and the main reason why my rheumy put me on it.
Hi Teatrees, I have been on Olumiant for just over 5 weeks and I am really pleased with results. I am pain free for the first time in many years. I have had 2 outbreaks of cold sores but soon recovered with help of Zovirax.
As shingles is a known side effect I asked about the vaccination but was told it was not necessary and only available to over 70's anyway.
Hi I am only in my 50s and my Doctors were happy to give me the shingles jab. I am in the South East and I think it varies with treatments from area to area. It has not worked for me but good luck and glad no nasty side effects for you.
Thank-you for all the replies, I have now been told to take a rest as it is not proving suitable, but good luck to all we will get our cure or suitable treatment for all one day.
I’m on Olumiant too. I was offered the shingles vaccination but I refused it because it’s a live vaccine and my immune system is non existent and never will be. I know this isn’t the case for most and there is a non-live alternative to shingles vaccine but not on the NHS yet. I’m wondering if you are still suffering from the vaccination and have a mild form of shingles which is giving you ulcers in your throat instead of on your skin. I’d ask if a short course of antivirals would be in order with another course of antibiotics and then try Olumiant again. Obviously the correct course of action is to take your rheumy’s advice but won’t hurt to ask the question. Good luck, keep us posted.
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