Stelara (Ustekinumab)
To comply with Canadian International Pharmacy Association regulations you are permitted to order a 3-month supply or the closest package size available based on your personal prescription. read more
Ustekinumab Information
(us'' te kin' ue mab)
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Before receiving ustekinumab injection,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to ustekinumab, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in ustekinumab injection. If you will be using the prefilled syringe, tell your doctor if you or the person who will be injecting the medication for you are allergic to latex. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and medications that suppress the immune system such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Prograf); or oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexpak), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Sterapred). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any type of cancer. Also tell your doctor if you have received or are receiving phototherapy (treatment for psoriasis that involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light) or allergy shots (a series of injections given regularly to prevent the body from developing allergic reactions to specific substances).
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while receiving ustekinumab injection, call your doctor.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using ustekinumab injection.
- check with your doctor to see if you need to receive any vaccinations. It is important to have all vaccines appropriate for your age before beginning your treatment with ustekinumab injection. Do not have any vaccinations during your treatment without talking to your doctor. It is especially important not to receive the BCG vaccine for one year before your treatment, during your treatment, and for one year after your treatment. Also talk to your doctor if anyone in your household needs to receive a vaccine during your treatment with ustekinumab injection.
- you should know that ustekinumab injection may decrease your ability to fight infection from bacteria, viruses, and fungi and increase the risk that you will get a serious or life-threatening infection. Tell your doctor if you often get any type of infection or if you have or think you may have any type of infection now. This includes new or changing skin lesions, minor infections (such as open cuts or sores), infections that come and go (such as cold sores), and chronic infections that do not go away. If you experience any of the following symptoms during or shortly after your treatment with ustekinumab injection, call your doctor immediately: weakness; sweating; chills; muscle aches; sore throat; cough; shortness of breath; fever; weight loss; extreme tiredness; flu-like symptoms; warm, red, or painful skin; painful, difficult, or frequent urination; diarrhea; stomach pain; or other signs of infection.
- you should know that using ustekinumab injection increases the risk that you will develop tuberculosis (TB; a serious lung infection), especially if you are already infected with tuberculosis but do not have any symptoms of the disease. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had TB, if you have lived in a country where TB is common, or if you have been around someone who has TB. Your doctor will perform a skin test to see if you have an inactive TB infection. If necessary, your doctor will give you medication to treat this infection before you start using ustekinumab injection. If you have any of the following symptoms of TB, or if you develop any of these symptoms during your treatment, call your doctor immediately: cough, chest pain, coughing up blood or mucus, weakness or tiredness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever, or night sweats.
- headache
- runny, stuffed nose, or sneezing
- tiredness
- redness or irritation at the injection site
- nausea
- joint pain
- seizures
- confusion
- vision changes
- feeling faint
- rash
- itching
- hives
- swelling of the face, eyelids, tongue, or throat
- difficulty breathing
- tightness in the chest or throat
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.