Olumiant Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide

Medications that treat one immune system-related health condition may often treat other immune conditions, too. One such treatment is Olumiant (baricitinib), a pill that manages rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and alopecia areata. It also treats COVID-19.

Olumiant is an oral prescription medication for adults that comes as 1 mg, 2 mg, and 4 mg tablets. The tablets are designed to be swallowed whole, but you also have the option to crush and disperse them in 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of water for easier swallowing.

In order for Olumiant to work at its best, you’ll need to take a specific dosage. Your ideal Olumiant dosage will depend on factors that are specific to you.

What are the typical Olumiant dosages for adults?

The typical Olumiant dosage varies. It mostly depends on the health condition you have. For example, if you have RA, the recommended dose is 2 mg taken as a single tablet once a day, with or without food.

Other situations require higher doses. Your healthcare provider may prescribe Olumiant if you’re in the hospital due to COVID and require supplemental oxygen. In this case, you’ll likely take one 4 mg tablet once a day. You'll stop taking Olumiant after 14 days (2 weeks) of treatment or once you're discharged from the hospital — whichever happens first.

The recommended Olumiant dosage for alopecia areata is more situational. If you have complete (or nearly complete) scalp hair loss, you’ll likely take 4 mg of Olumiant once daily. A lower, 2 mg daily dose is recommended if your hair loss isn’t as severe. You can increase your dose to 4 mg if you don’t have a satisfying response, but it may drop back down to 2 mg if you end up experiencing ideal hair growth.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

You may need to take a different dose of Olumiant if you have certain kidney or liver problems. Some drug interactions can also affect your dose.

What’s more, your healthcare provider will likely monitor your blood work and check for tuberculosis and hepatitis before you start taking Olumiant and regularly during treatment.

Dosages for people with kidney problems

Your kidneys are the main tool your body uses to get rid of Olumiant once it’s done its job. Like water building up in a clogged drain, Olumiant may build up in your body if your dose isn’t adjusted for kidney problems. You’ll likely need to take a lower dose of Olumiant if your kidneys aren’t working as well as they could be.

It’s recommended to take half the recommended Olumiant dose if your lab work shows you have moderate kidney impairment. For example, you’ll take 2 mg per day if your original recommended dose was 4 mg daily. Or, you’ll take 1 mg per day if your original recommended dose was 2 mg daily.

It’s sometimes recommended to take the lowest dose of Olumiant — 1 mg once daily — if your kidneys are considered severely impaired and you have COVID. However, for RA and alopecia areata, many people just avoid taking it altogether. The same goes for people with COVID who have end-stage kidney disease or are receiving dialysis.

Dosages for people with liver problems

Olumiant isn’t recommended if you have severe liver impairment. It was associated with worsening liver function in clinical studies.

There is one exception. Your healthcare provider may still prescribe Olumiant if you’re hospitalized with COVID and have severe liver impairment. But this isn’t the case if you have RA or alopecia areata; Olumiant’s risks are thought to outweigh its benefits in these situations.

Good to know: No Olumiant dose adjustments are necessary if you have mild or moderate liver impairment.

Dosages for drug interactions

Some medications interact with Olumiant. This includes a class of medications called organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) inhibitors. One medication in this class is called probenecid. Probenecid may cause Olumiant levels in your blood to rise, raising the risk of side effects.

If you take a medication like probenecid, you may need to take a lower dose of Olumiant. Your healthcare provider will likely cut your Olumiant dosage in half.

Other dosage adjustments

Olumiant is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that intentionally weakens your immune system. You may need to stop taking Olumiant temporarily if your immune function drops below a certain level. Your healthcare provider may recommend restarting your Olumiant prescription once your immune function rises again and is better equipped to fight infection. They’ll make this decision based on the results of your lab work.

What if you miss a dose of Olumiant?

Many of us occasionally forget to take a dose of our medication. Take your dose of Olumiant right away if it’s only been a few hours since you missed your usual dose. However, you can skip your missed dose if you’re close to the time of your next scheduled dose. Take your next dose of Olumiant like normal, and don’t double up on doses to make up for the missed one.

If you find yourself missing doses frequently, there are several tools available to help jog your memory. Pill boxes, medication reminder apps, and cell phone alarms are all useful tools to help you take your medication on time.

What should you do if you take too much Olumiant?

You should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions if you think you took too much Olumiant.

Fortunately, you won’t need to take any action in most cases. Accidentally taking one or two extra tablets likely won’t result in any dangerous side effects. Although, you may temporarily experience some unpleasant side effects, such as new or worsening nausea or common cold symptoms.

To be safe, it’s recommended to discuss next steps with your healthcare provider in the case of any overdose. You may also contact Poison Control online or at 1-800-222-1222 as an alternative.

How to save on Olumiant

There are ways to save on Olumiant, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between copay savings cards and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $5 for Olumiant using a savings card from the manufacturer.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Olumiant’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of charge.

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Written by:

Mandeep Sohal, PharmD

Mandeep Sohal, PharmD, has more than 7 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is licensed in California. In his career, he’s had experience with specialty pharmacy, community pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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