Key takeaways

  • Taltz is a prescription medication used to treat some types of arthritis and psoriasis. Its active ingredient, ixekizumab, helps reduce inflammation and ease symptoms.
  • Common side effects of Taltz include reactions at the injection site, fungal infections, nausea, and upper respiratory infections. Serious but rare side effects include severe infections and allergic reactions.
  • Before starting Taltz, tell your doctor about your medical history, especially if you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or a history of infections. Report any new or worsening symptoms right away.

Taltz is used to treat:

The active ingredient in Taltz is ixekizumab. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) The drug comes as a liquid solution inside prefilled syringes and auto-injectors. It’s given as an injection under your skin.

Common side effects of Taltz include:

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

Taltz may cause mild side effects, including:

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

In most cases, these side effects are temporary, and some may be easily managed, too. But if you have ongoing symptoms that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Don’t stop using Taltz unless your doctor recommends it.

Taltz may cause mild side effects other than the ones listed here. See the Taltz prescribing information for details.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medication safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while taking Taltz and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

Taltz may cause rare but serious side effects, including:

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

If you develop serious side effects while using Taltz, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Taltz is used to treat plaque psoriasis in children ages 6 years and older.

Most side effects of Taltz are expected to be the same for children and adults. But some of Taltz’s side effects may be more common in children, including:

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

To learn more about your child’s risk of side effects from Taltz, talk with their doctor.

Learn more about some of the side effects Taltz may cause.

Injection site reaction

Injection site reactions are the most common side effects of Taltz. These reactions occur where you inject Taltz and include pain and skin discoloration.

What might help

To reduce injection site reactions, rotate injection sites with each dose. You can inject Taltz into your upper thighs or belly. A friend or caregiver can inject Taltz into the back of your upper arms.

Do not inject Taltz into bruised, hardened, or tender skin. Also, avoid injecting the drug into areas that show symptoms of psoriasis.

If you have bothersome injection site reactions from Taltz, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can suggest other ways to ease your symptoms.

Allergic reaction

Like most drugs, Taltz can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest treatments to help manage your symptoms. These can include an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine you swallow, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or a product you apply to your skin, such as hydrocortisone cream.

If your doctor confirms you had a mild allergic reaction to Taltz, they’ll decide whether you should continue using it.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you had a serious allergic reaction to Taltz, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

Inflammatory bowel disease

IBD is a rare but serious side effect of Taltz. If you already have IBD, using Taltz may worsen your condition.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of IBD reported in studies of the drug.

Symptoms of IBD can include:

What might help

If you have symptoms of IBD during Taltz treatment, tell your doctor. They may recommend tests to check for IBD. If you develop new or worsening IBD, your doctor may have you stop Taltz treatment.

If you already have IBD before starting treatment with Taltz, tell your doctor. They may recommend a different treatment for your condition.

Hives

In rare cases, you may develop hives while using Taltz.

Hives are raised areas of skin that are often red or discolored. They can be small or large and can appear in patches all over your skin. Hives may cause symptoms such as itching and stinging.

Hives can also be a sign of a mild allergic reaction, which is another possible side effect of Taltz. For details, see the earlier “Allergic reaction” section.

What might help

If you have symptoms of hives while using Taltz, tell your doctor right away. They may want to examine you to ensure you aren’t having a more serious allergic reaction.

You can ease symptoms of hives with OTC antihistamines you swallow, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). But before you take any new medications with Taltz, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They’ll make sure these drugs don’t interact with Taltz.

Keeping track of side effects

During your Taltz treatment, consider keeping notes on any side effects you’re having. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. This is especially helpful when you first start taking new drugs or using a combination of treatments.

Your side effect notes can include:

  • what dose of drug you were taking when you had the side effect
  • how soon after starting that dose you had the side effect
  • what your symptoms were from the side effect
  • how it affected your daily activities
  • what other medications you were also taking
  • any other information you feel is important

Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help your doctor learn more about how Taltz affects you. Your doctor can use this information to adjust your treatment plan if needed.

Can Taltz increase the risk of cancer?

No, studies of Taltz did not report an increased risk of cancer.

But other drugs that treat psoriasis and arthritis can increase cancer risk. For example, adalimumab (Humira) treats several of the same conditions as Taltz. Humira has been reported to increase the risk of skin cancer and blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma. These are rare but serious side effects of Humira.

If you have questions about the side effects that Taltz may cause, talk with your doctor. They can discuss possible risks and benefits of receiving the drug.

Does Taltz cause weight gain or weight loss?

No, Taltz isn’t known to cause weight gain or weight loss. Studies did not report weight changes as side effects. But conditions such as IBD, which are rare but serious side effects of Taltz, can cause weight loss. Let your doctor know if you notice significant weight changes.

To learn more about this side effect, see the earlier “Side effects explained” section.

Is hair loss a side effect of Taltz?

Studies did not report hair loss, but scalp psoriasis (a condition Taltz treats) may lead to temporary hair loss.

If you have questions about your risk of hair loss while using Taltz, talk with your doctor.

Does Taltz cause liver problems?

No, Taltz isn’t known to cause liver problems. Studies did not report liver-related side effects.

Taltz is used to treat psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, among other conditions. Other medications used to treat these conditions are known to cause liver problems. An example is methotrexate (Trexall).

If you’re concerned about your risk of liver problems while using Taltz, talk with your doctor.

Taltz may not be right for you if you have specific medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Before starting Taltz, talk with your doctor about your health history. The following includes factors to consider:

Alcohol and Taltz

There are no known interactions between alcohol and Taltz. However, alcohol may trigger flare-ups of the conditions that Taltz treats. These include ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis.

If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor how much is safe for you.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while using Taltz

It’s not known whether Taltz is safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed, talk with your doctor before using Taltz.

You may also consider enrolling in the Taltz pregnancy registry at 800-284-1695 or by visiting the program website.

Taltz is used to treat psoriasis and some types of arthritis. Some people may have mild side effects while using the drug. In rare cases, others may have more serious side effects, such as IBD.

If you have questions about side effects from Taltz, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The following are a few questions you may want to ask:

  • Does Taltz cause any long-term side effects?
  • How can I manage the side effects I may have with Taltz?
  • What amount of alcohol is safe for me to drink while using Taltz?

To learn more about Taltz, see these articles:

To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.

Q:

Will I have withdrawal side effects if I stop using Taltz?

Anonymous

A:

Taltz isn’t known to cause withdrawal side effects. This means you can stop Taltz treatment immediately.

Withdrawal side effects can occur when you stop taking a drug that your body has become dependent on. With dependence, your body needs a drug to function as usual.

It’s important to note that if you stop receiving Taltz, symptoms of your condition may return.

If you’re receiving Taltz and want to stop treatment, talk with your doctor first. They’ll work with you to come up with a plan to stop your treatment.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.