Hey y'all!
I have alopecia totalis, have lost most of my eyebrows, and my eyelashes are close on their heels. I recently went to a new derm because of eczema on my eyelids (it's as horrible as it sounds) and she told me about Xeljanz. I just received my first script today and was looking for some first hand info. What kind of side effects did you have? Did you experience more colds/infections? Or any other random thoughts that you'd like to share!
Thanks!

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Hello and my daughter is on Xelijanz for a year now. Her blood work has come back perfect all of the time, She has had no colds or infections. It is worth a try but be sure you see your Dr. for regular check ups and blood work. This is critical because this is a powerful drug and there can be some negative effects. 

PS her lashes came back, her eyebrows are almost there and she has a full head of hair, BUT it is not the strong hair that she lost. It is finer and I would say that not all follicles are as strong as they could be. Hope that helps. Good luck 

Thank you so much for the info! Glad the medicine is working well for your daughter!

How long did it take for the hair to show up with lashes, brows, and scalp?

Please keep us updated

Hello Lisa this is Kim .I am glad your daughter has full regrowth.We talked a few times on the phone.My derm says he has never heard of this medication.How do i get this medication to see if it will work for my daughter?She has alopecia areata.

Hey Kim, I know I'm not Lisa but maybe I can help.

Xeljanz is a medication that if FDA approved for Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is NOT FDA approved for the treatment of Alopecia. The connection was made, however, that is might be a treatment option when some doctors prescribed it to a young man who had a severe case of psoriasis on his scalp. The medicine did not really work for his psoriasis BUT it did treat his alopecia. Since then, there have been a few research studies done, clinical trials and such. More need to be done before it can be FDA approved. The Yale study is one of the more important ones, in my opinion, if you would like to recommend that one to your derm to look at. This medicine is an immunosuppressant so it is definitely not for everyone. It is typically not prescribed to people under the age of 18 as it is not certain if it is effective or safe for children. 

Even if this doesn't turn out to be the right option for your daughter, it is still an important milestone as it is opening the doors to more research in not only jkinase inhibitors but also autoimmune disorders in general. This medicine has helped alopecia get some time in the spotlight and helped people see that it is an issue that is more than "just hair." 

Hope this information helps!

Good luck

I have just hit the two week mark on this medication. I have experienced a few side effects with my body getting use to the medicine. The biggest one was being more tired than normal. Granted, I work three jobs and am in college, so I am normally a little ragged but this definitely added to it. I felt a little foggy the first few days too. Other than that, no crazy side effects. I have lost some weight but I can't be sure that is entirely related., I'm game if it is! It is way to soon to report any hair growth. It is kind of a long shot for me at this point, I have had total scalp hair loss for 10ish years. Taking this medicine has given me a boost of confidence for some strange reason. Maybe it is that I finally feel like there is something I can do about it? Maybe it is just coinciding with me getting older and not caring so much about it lol. 

Thank you for the update ! Stay positive

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