Stelara is a biologic treatment for Crohn’s disease that your doctor may recommend if other treatments or medications don’t work for you. It involves a self-injection every 8 weeks or less.
Stelara (ustekinumab) is an FDA-approved prescription biologic medication.
It’s used to treat certain autoimmune conditions, including moderate to severe Crohn’s disease in adults ages 18 years and over.
Stelara is a first-in-class biologic therapy.
Stelara is used to treat:
- moderate to severe Crohn’s disease
- moderate to severe psoriasis
- psoriatic arthritis
- moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis
Stelara works differently than other biologics used to treat Crohn’s.
Stelara
By blocking these cytokines, Stelara reduces inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
If you have Crohn’s, you may need to try several types of medication before trying biologics. Stelara is not usually the first line of treatment for Crohn’s.
Your doctor may first recommend steroids, such as prednisone, or immunomodulatory drugs. They may also recommend other biologics used to treat Crohn’s, such as TNF-alpha inhibitors or integrin blockers.
If it’s your first time receiving Stelara, a healthcare professional will administer your dose via intravenous (IV) infusion at a doctor’s office or clinic. Your weight determines the amount given in your first dose.
You take Stelara as an injection at home after your first dose. You can self-inject or have a friend or loved one help you. Before injecting, always check the expiration date on the box.
Stelara comes in a prefilled syringe with a plunger top. Regardless of your initial infusion dose, your ongoing doses will be 90 milligrams (mg). No measuring is necessary.
The needle cover on the syringe contains latex, so make sure to tell a healthcare professional if you have a latex allergy.
You can inject Stelara into the:
- upper front thigh
- buttocks
- abdomen, except for a 2-inch radius around your belly button
- outer upper arm
You should also inspect the liquid in the syringe. It should be clear to pale yellow and contain a few small white particles. Do not use it if:
- it’s cloudy
- it’s frozen
- it’s dark yellow
- it contains large particles
Stelara is usually prescribed for self-injection once every 8 weeks.
However, your doctor may decide that you need more frequent doses for symptom relief or Crohn’s remission.
Your Stelara dosage does not change — only the time between injections may vary based on your response to the drug.
A
Shortening the time between treatments was safe and effective.
Stelara can make it harder for you to fight off infection or increase your risk of infection since it affects your immune system.
Biologics, including Stelara, can have certain risks and side effects. You and a healthcare professional can decide if the benefits of Stelara outweigh any potential risks.
Some of these potential risks and side effects include:
- infections
- serious infections, including tuberculosis
- certain types of cancer, including skin cancer
- severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, to the ingredients
- posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
- lung inflammation
Because Stelara weakens the immune system, you — and anyone you might live with — should not receive any vaccines.
Before starting treatment, talk with a healthcare professional about the vaccines that you and those living with you may need. Also let your doctor know if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are nursing.
Resources for coping with Crohn’s
For more information on coping with Crohn’s disease, check out:
Stelara is a biologic medication used in the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn’s disease. It’s FDA-approved for use in adults ages 18 years and over.
Stelara targets two cytokines that affect inflammation and the immune response. By blocking these cytokines, it can reduce or alleviate inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
The first dose of Stelara is given via an IV infusion. Afterward, the dosage is 90 mg via self-injection once every 8 weeks or less.