Transcript

Cindy - Staying on Track with Orenitram

My name is Cindy. I'm a PAH patient. I love to travel. I love my grandkids, love my family, and always looking to live my life to the fullest and have whatever experiences I can have. 

The thing I would like to have known about Orenitram before I got started would have just been how bad it made me feel. 

The advice for their family would be to just be there and be supportive as they're going through those side effects. Be prepared to run out and go grab them a meal or make them a snack when it's time to take the medicine. 

The foods I would recommend would be smoothies, toast, jello, pudding, macaroni salad, coleslaw, because they're lighter. They're not overly heavy. 

And especially when you don't have an appetite, they're easy to get some down so that you have enough food on your stomach to take the medication.

The timing is important as far as when you take your medication. You need to take it every eight hours. So what I found that I do is have a alarm set for 6, 2, and 10. 

I find the morning and evenings are a lot easier to do because I naturally get up and go to bed around those times, but the middle of the day, that alarm has saved me a ton of times, because you're inevitably busy around 2 p.m.

And I will not stop the alarm, but snooze it until I can go take that medication.

I have a small, pill case that I keep my afternoon dose in, and, that's always there with me. It's in my purse. And I always keep water with me as well. 

The advice would I give to somebody who's considering it: Do your research. Go to the Orenitram website, read up on it.

I would suggest to talk to somebody else that has made that transition. It is helpful to hear that advice from somebody else who has actually lived it and breathed it and went through it themselves.

But the most critical piece is speaking with your doctor, making sure that you're a candidate for the medication, and that with your current hemodynamics of how you're doing and where you're at, that it's going to be the best move for you.

Since being on Orenitram, my outlook has changed so much for the better. Because I have freedom back, and I'm able to do things that I hadn't been able to do in years. 

And while it's not always been easy, I've had a very great support group from my family, my friends, my doctor, from my pharmacies. 

And looking forward, I only continue to see things improving. And so I'm excited for what the future holds.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR ORENITRAM

Who should not take Orenitram?

Do not take Orenitram if you have severe liver problems.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking Orenitram?

Tell your healthcare provider:

• If you have liver problems or diverticulosis.
• If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, and/or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed. It is not known if Orenitram will harm your unborn baby or if Orenitram passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with Orenitram.
• About all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Orenitram and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. Do not start any new medicine until you check with your healthcare provider. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take another medicine that contains treprostinil, such as Remodulin® or Tyvaso®.

How should I take Orenitram?

• Do not change your dose or suddenly stop taking Orenitram without first talking to your healthcare provider.
• Orenitram is usually taken 3 times a day (about every 8 hours) or 2 times a day (about every 12 hours). Your healthcare provider will tell you how often you should take Orenitram. If you have side effects, your healthcare provider may tell you to change your dose or when you take Orenitram. Take Orenitram with food.
• Swallow Orenitram tablets whole. Do not split, chew, crush, or break your Orenitram tablets. Do not take Orenitram tablets that are damaged or broken. If Orenitram tablets are not taken whole, they may release too much medicine at one time. This can lead to side effects.
• If you miss your dose of Orenitram, take the missed dose as soon as possible with food.
• If you miss 2 or more doses of Orenitram, call your healthcare provider to see if you need to change your dose.
• If you take too much Orenitram, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
• You may see the tablet shell in your stools (bowel movements). This is usually normal. The tablet shell is not digested. If you have diverticulosis, the tablet shell may get stuck in a blind pouch or diverticulum in your intestine.

What are the possible side effects of Orenitram?

Orenitram can cause serious side effects, including worsening of PAH symptoms.

• Stopping Orenitram suddenly may cause worsening of your PAH symptoms. Do not change your dose or suddenly stop taking Orenitram without first talking to your healthcare provider.
• The most common side effects of Orenitram include headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, flushing, and pain in arms, legs, and jaw. These are not all of the possible side effects of Orenitram. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
• Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/MedWatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088.

What is Orenitram?

Orenitram is a prescription medicine used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) which is high blood pressure in the arteries of your lungs. Orenitram can help slow down the progression of your disease and improve your ability to exercise. It is not known if Orenitram is safe and effective in children.

The risk information provided here is not comprehensive. To learn more about Orenitram, talk with your healthcare provider. Please see Full Prescribing Information and Patient Information at www.orenitram.com or call Customer Service at 1‑877‑UNITHER (1‑877‑864‑8437).