Olumiant Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Does Olumiant interact with other drugs?

An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.

Before you start taking Olumiant, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Olumiant interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Olumiant?” section later.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The following table lists drugs that may interact with Olumiant. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Olumiant. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.

Does Olumiant interact with alcohol?

Olumiant is not known to interact with alcohol. But Olumiant and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as nausea and headache. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during your Olumiant treatment.

In addition, Olumiant may increase your liver enzymes, which can be a sign of liver damage. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can also damage your liver. So you may have a higher risk of liver damage if you drink alcohol with Olumiant.

If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Olumiant, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions explained

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Olumiant.

Interaction with biologic immunomodulators

Olumiant can interact with biologic immunomodulators, which are used to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. (A biologic drug is made using living cells. An immunomodulator is a drug that affects your immune system.)

Examples of biologic immunomodulators include:

• abatacept (Orencia)
• adalimumab (Humira)
• infliximab (Remicade)
• sarilumab (Kevzara)
• tocilizumab (Actemra)

What could happen

Olumiant and biologic immunomodulators can both weaken your immune system and raise your risk of infections.* So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of infections even more.

If you already have a weak immune system, or you have diabetes, HIV, or a chronic lung disease, you may have a higher risk of infections if you take Olumiant with a biologic immunomodulator.

* Olumiant has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infections. For more information, see the “Boxed warnings” section.

What you can do

Your doctor will likely avoid prescribing Olumiant with a biologic immunomodulator. But if you do take Olumiant and a biologic immunomodulator together, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of infection. These can include fever, sore throat, and cough.

If you have other questions about taking Olumiant with a biologic immunomodulator, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Olumiant can interact with NSAIDs, which are used to relieve pain and reduce swelling.

Examples of NSAID medications include:

• aspirin
• celecoxib (Celebrex)
• ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)

What could happen

In rare cases, both Olumiant and NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal perforation (tear in the lining of your stomach or intestine). So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of this side effect.

If you’ve had diverticulitis or ulcers in your stomach or intestines before, you may have a higher risk of gastrointestinal perforation if you take Olumiant with an NSAID. Your risk may also be higher if you take a corticosteroid such as prednisone (Rayos) with Olumiant.

What you can do

You should avoid taking Olumiant with an NSAID unless your doctor recommends it.

If your doctor prescribes Olumiant and an NSAID together, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of gastrointestinal perforation. Examples of these symptoms include:

• abdominal pain
• fever
• chills
• nausea
• vomiting

If you have other questions about taking Olumiant with an NSAID, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with probenecid

Olumiant can interact with probenecid, which is used to treat gout.

What could happen

Taking Olumiant with probenecid (Probalan) can make levels of Olumiant build up in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from Olumiant.

What you can do

If you take Olumiant with probenecid, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Olumiant for you. You should not take a higher dose of either medication than your doctor prescribes.

If you have questions about taking Olumiant with probenecid, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Are there other interactions with Olumiant?

Olumiant may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Olumiant.

Does Olumiant interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Olumiant, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Olumiant and herbs

There are currently no reports of Olumiant interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Olumiant.

Olumiant and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Olumiant interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that such interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Olumiant.

Does Olumiant interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Olumiant interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Olumiant, talk with your doctor.

Does Olumiant interact with vaccines?

You should not receive live vaccines during your Olumiant treatment. (Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the bacteria or virus that they’re meant to protect against.) Olumiant works by suppressing your immune system. So receiving a live vaccine while you’re taking Olumiant increases your risk of infection.

Examples of live vaccines include:

• measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• rotavirus
• chickenpox
• nasal spray flu vaccine

If you need to receive a vaccine during your Olumiant treatment, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.

Does Olumiant interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Olumiant interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your Olumiant treatment, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.

Does Olumiant interact with cannabis or CBD?

There are currently no reports of Olumiant interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Olumiant.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Does my health history affect whether I should take Olumiant?

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Olumiant. Before taking Olumiant, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Olumiant is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Olumiant include:

Infections: Olumiant has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infections. If you have a current infection (even if it’s not currently causing symptoms), or you’ve had infections that keep coming back, tell your doctor before starting Olumiant treatment. Also, tell your doctor if you’ve ever had serious infections, such as TB, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section.

Cancer: Olumiant has a boxed warning about the risk of cancer. If you’ve ever had cancer, talk with your doctor about whether Olumiant is the best treatment option for you. For more details, see the “Boxed warnings” section.

Smoking: Olumiant has boxed warnings about the risks of cancer, blood clots, and cardiovascular problems. If you’ve ever smoked, you may have a higher risk of these side effects. Talk with your doctor about whether Olumiant is right for you. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section.

Cardiovascular risk factors: Olumiant has boxed warnings about the risks of blood clots and cardiovascular problems. If you have cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, you may have a higher risk of these side effects. Talk with your doctor about whether Olumiant is right for you. For more details, see the “Boxed warnings” section.

History of diverticulitis or stomach ulcers: In rare cases, Olumiant may cause gastrointestinal perforation. If you have had diverticulitis or ulcers in your stomach or intestine before, you may have a higher risk of this side effect. Your doctor will likely monitor you closely while you’re taking Olumiant.

Low levels of red or white blood cells: If you have low levels of red or white blood cells, Olumiant could lower them further. Your doctor may delay starting your Olumiant treatment until your blood cell levels return to normal. Your doctor will also likely order blood tests to monitor your blood cells while you’re Olumiant. You may need to pause your Olumiant treatment if your blood cell levels get too low.

Liver problems: If you have a liver problem, Olumiant could make it worse. Your doctor will likely order tests to monitor your liver enzyme levels while you are taking Olumiant. But if you have a severe liver problem, your doctor will likely not prescribe Olumiant.

Kidney problems: Your kidneys help clear Olumiant from your body. If you have a kidney problem, Olumiant levels could build up in your body, which could raise your risk of side effects. Due to this risk, your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dosage of Olumiant for you. But if you have a severe kidney problem, your doctor will likely not prescribe Olumiant.

Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Olumiant is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Olumiant.

Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Olumiant passes into breast milk, and if so, whether the drug may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. But due to the possible risks, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not breastfeed while taking Olumiant and for 4 days after your last dose. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor about your options.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Olumiant or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Olumiant. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

How can I prevent interactions?

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Olumiant. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
• other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can also help you fill out a medication list)
• what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Olumiant treatment

It’s also important to understand Olumiant’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Olumiant, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)

If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Olumiant exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

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.