Xeljanz (tofacitinib)
How this therapy is used at Arthritis Care of Texas in Corpus Christi, TX — what it is, how it is taken, side effects, and safety checks.
- Treats
- Rheumatoid arthritis · Psoriatic arthritis · Ankylosing spondylitis
- How given
- Pill
- How often
- Once or twice daily
Xeljanz is a disease-controlling treatment: a twice-daily pill that blocks JAK pathways to calm rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis and spine inflammation, easing symptoms and helping protect joints. Many people feel improvement within 2–4 weeks, judged fully at about 3 months. It works only while taken regularly.
A tablet (a JAK inhibitor) taken daily for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. It works inside the cell to block the JAK pathways that drive inflammation. See also the other JAK inhibitors we prescribe: Olumiant and Rinvoq.
Why the checks: The checks are class-specific: TB and hepatitis screening before starting, because JAK blockade can reactivate dormant infections; blood counts, liver tests, and cholesterol during treatment, because all can shift silently; and a careful heart/cancer/smoking history, because regulatory warnings make that history central to deciding whether Xeljanz is the right choice for you.
Used for Rheumatoid arthritis · Psoriatic arthritis · Ankylosing spondylitis
Common worries
What about the safety warnings I’ve seen?
After a large study of Xeljanz in older patients with heart-risk factors found more heart events and cancers than with TNF blockers, regulators strengthened warnings for the whole class. We apply that honestly: reviewing your heart, smoking, and cancer history before choosing it, preferring alternatives where risk is higher, and monitoring during treatment.
Why labs for a pill?
Xeljanz can lower blood counts, affect the liver, and raise cholesterol — silently. Baseline and follow-up bloods catch changes early. Shingles is also more common on JAK blockers; vaccination is worth discussing before starting.
Can I stop it when I travel or feel well?
Short interruptions for illness or surgery are sometimes planned with us — but stopping because you feel well lets inflammation return, and flares can follow within weeks. Any pause is a conversation, not a solo decision.
Ready to be seen? New patients are seen within 2–4 weeks.