I don't normally get my hopes because I read about many "so-called" cure drugs each month. However, this one from Time caught my attention. Restoring pigment with no side-effects sounds too good to be true. For some reason I believe in this one! I would like to follow this story. If anyone knows more about this, please keep me updated.
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JAMA dermatology report link on Tofacitinib study.
Please keep me posted Dale. I hope this results in a positive outcome.
This sounds great but the concern is with the side effects associated with the medication
It was just tried on one person but the side effects listed are a lot
I agree. There always so many side effects to consider.
Would anybody know the dosage?
Paper says:
"Treatment with oral tofacitinib citrate (Xeljanz) was initiated at a dosage of 5 mg every other day. After 3 weeks, the dosage was increased to 5mg/d (half the approved dosage for rheumatoid arthritis, which is 5mg twice daily). After 2months of therapy, partial repigmentation of the face and upper extremities was evident. After 5 months, repigmentation of the forehead and hands was nearly complete, and the remaining involved areas demonstrated partial repigmentation. Approximately 5% of the total body surface area remained depigmented. The patient tolerated tofacitinibwithout adverse effects, and results of laboratory monitoring
revealed no abnormalities in complete blood cell count, serumcreatinine, hepatic function, or lipids during the course of treatment."
Tks Flavio
It is on the market, from what I understand. It is used for RA.
RA is an autoimmune disease and meds are used to keep an overactive immune system from attacking itself. The same with vitiligo which is also an autoimmune disease.
I am also on methotrexate for my RA which is similar to the drug mentioned in this article. Methotrexate has also been linked to visible improvement of vitiligo. It is used to lower the immune system....my mom used to explain it to me by saying that my soldiers were confused and instead of attacking baddies, they attacked themselves. The same can be said for vitiligo. In fact, many people who have an autoimmune disease will develop another (such as vitiligo).
I must say that vitiligo has been much harder for me to accept than RA.
Chrissy, that is a powerful statement that you made about accepting vitiligo is much harder than RA; and very understandable. How well do your RA meds work in relieving you RA? Are you pain free? I'm interested to learn if the Vitiligo patient was a first a RA patient, and received the benefits to her vitiligo by accident. In that same manner, if you are already using the RA meds and have seen no improvement in your vitiligo, the meds obviously only work for some. It is all a lot to deal with, but like everything else, we will handle it.
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