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Stelara Side Effects
Although most people tolerate the drug well, side effects can occur with Stelara (however, they tend to be mild and easily treated). In clinical studies, the most commonly reported reactions included headache, fatigue, and infections, among others. Serious side effects, such as seizures or vision problems, are also possible, but these are rare.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Stelara™ (ustekinumab). However, not everyone who takes the medication will have problems. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are treated easily by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Stelara. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you.)
Stelara has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occur in a group of people given the drug are documented and compared to those that occur in a similar group of people given a placebo (in this case, an injection with no active ingredient). This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group given the placebo.
In these studies, some of the most common Stelara side effects included:
- Infections -- in up to 27 percent of people
- Headache -- up to 5 percent
- Fatigue -- up to 3 percent
- Back pain -- up to 2 percent
- Dizziness -- up to 2 percent
- Throat pain -- up to 2 percent
- Itching -- up to 2 percent
- Redness at the injection site -- up to 2 percent
- Depression -- up to 1 percent.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD