What are the side effects of Abatacept Injection?
Last updated September 6, 2026.
**Abatacept injection can cause headaches, nausea, upper respiratory infections, and injection site irritation, and it can increase your risk of serious infections.** Your risks depend on why you receive abatacept, your other medicines, and your health history. You may notice redness, itching, or bruising after an injection under your skin. If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may have more breathing problems during treatment. Rotate your injection sites and tell your prescriber about symptoms that persist or worsen.
What to do
- **Rotate injection sites:** Use a different spot each time and avoid tender, bruised, red, or hard skin.
- **Report infection symptoms:** Contact your prescriber promptly for fever, chills, persistent cough, or painful urination.
- **Get emergency help:** Call 911 if you have trouble breathing or swelling of your face, tongue, or throat.
- **Review your medicines:** Tell your prescriber about all medicines you take, especially other treatments that suppress your immune system.
- **Check vaccines first:** Avoid live vaccines during treatment and for 3 months after stopping abatacept.
- **Discuss your health history:** Tell your clinician about COPD, recurring infections, tuberculosis, or hepatitis before treatment.
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