Ustekinumab

Ustekinumab is a prescription injection used to treat chronic inflammatory conditions, including moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, active psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. By targeting specific pathways in the immune system, it helps calm overactive inflammation that affects your skin, joints, or digestive tract.

To get the best results, it is important to take this medicine consistently as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Because it is given as an injection, food intake does not affect how it works. Making certain lifestyle adjustments, such as managing your daily stress levels and eating a nutrient-dense diet, can also support your treatment journey.

While this medicine is generally well-tolerated, some people may experience mild side effects like cold-like symptoms, headaches, or redness at the injection site. However, serious side effects such as severe infections or severe allergic reactions can occur. You must consult your doctor immediately if you experience a high fever, severe cough, or difficulty breathing.

Talk to your doctor before starting Ustekinumab if you have any active infections, a history of tuberculosis, or a weakened immune system. Do not take this if you are currently suffering from a serious, active infection or if you have had a severe allergic reaction to this medicine in the past.

This medicine may interact with other treatments, especially those that suppress the immune system, and live vaccines must be avoided. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy, consult your doctor or pharmacist to weigh the benefits and risks before starting treatment.

When used as directed as part of your treatment plan, Ustekinumab may provide the following benefits:

• Improves skin symptoms: In plaque psoriasis, Ustekinumab can reduce the redness, scaling, thickness, and itching of plaques, improving skin comfort and making symptoms easier to manage.
• Improves joint symptoms and movement: In psoriatic arthritis, reducing inflammation can ease joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, helping you move more comfortably and carry out daily activities.
• Helps control bowel symptoms: In Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, reducing inflammation can improve symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and bowel urgency, depending on the condition.
• Supports longer-term symptom control: In people who respond to treatment, maintenance therapy can help sustain improvement and maintain remission in Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

• Follow your doctor’s recommendations for the correct dosage and timing of this medication.
• Ustekinumab comes in a prefilled syringe to be given by a healthcare professional; if you are well-trained and advised by your doctor to administer Ustekinumab at home, follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
• Choose an injection site such as the thigh, upper arm, or abdomen; pinch the skin and inject the advised dose slowly and steadily, then remove the needle.
• Rotate the injection site each time. Do not inject into skin that is red, bruised, or hard.
• Wash your hands before and after administration.
• Do not use Ustekinumab if it is frozen or if the liquid is cloudy or contains small particles.

Common Side Effects (Usually mild)

• Cold-like symptoms, such as a stuffy nose or sore throat
• Headaches
• Feeling unusually tired or fatigued
• Redness, mild pain, or swelling at the injection site
   

Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away)

• Signs of a serious infection, such as high fever, chills, persistent cough, burning when urinating, or warm, painful skin sores
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction, including trouble breathing, swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, or severe hives
• Sudden, severe headache, confusion, seizures, or vision changes