Side effects & safety info
You must not take Otezla if you are allergic to apremilast or to any of the ingredients in Otezla.
Otezla can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, especially within the first few weeks of treatment. Use in elderly patients and the use of certain medications with Otezla appears to increase the risk of having diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Tell your doctor if any of these conditions occur. Your doctor may lower your dose or stop your treatment with Otezla.
Otezla is associated with an increase in depression. In clinical studies, some patients reported depression, or suicidal behavior while taking Otezla. Some patients stopped taking Otezla due to depression. Before starting Otezla, tell your doctor if you have had feelings of depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior. Be sure to tell your doctor if any of these symptoms or other mood changes develop or worsen during treatment with Otezla.
Some patients taking Otezla lost body weight. Your doctor should monitor your weight regularly. If unexplained or significant weight loss occurs, your doctor will decide if you should continue taking Otezla.
Some medicines may make Otezla less effective, and should not be taken with Otezla. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines.
Common side effects of Otezla
The most common side effects of Otezla were diarrhea, nausea, and headache.
In most people, these side effects occurred within the first 2 weeks of treatment and tended to go away over time without stopping Otezla. Tell your doctor if any of these occur.
These are not all the possible side effects with Otezla. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
If you are experiencing side effects, please consult your doctor.
For more information, please see Important Safety Information to the right of this page.
Percentage of people who experienced diarrhea over time
(during clinical trials)
Percentage of people who experienced nausea over time
(during clinical trials)
Percentage of people who experienced diarrhea over time
(during clinical trials)
Percentage of people who experienced nausea over time
(during clinical trials)