Transcript

Titration

My name is Luisa. I'm 49 years old and I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and I'm a mother of two college-aged kids. I've been taking Orenitram for about two years now.

Before treatment, I was experiencing fainting when working out, not being able to walk up a flight of stairs. I was having trouble holding a conversation for a really long period of time without getting out of breath.

After I was diagnosed with PAH, my first treatment was an intravenous pump. My PAH symptoms improved but I didn't like the way the pump interfered with my lifestyle. I'm relieved that I no longer have to worry about getting my pump wet, getting my, my IV wet in the shower, having to carry around a bag of medicine and supplies every time I go out.

When I started Orenitram, my doctor and I spoke about the titration process, and what that means is you up your medicine weekly. So you start with the lowest possible dose and then you increase weekly as your body gets used to the medicine. You will increase weekly and this way you work towards your target dose, with your doctors and nurses helping you along the way.

What I would tell someone that's starting to titrate on the medicine, on Orenitram, to give yourself time to get used to the side effects. That, for me, it got better.

I knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. And you always want to try to get to your target goal with your doctor, and you want to talk to him about any side effects that you have, that you're experiencing that might be too hard to handle.

When I would go see my doctor for my monthly or every three months visit, he would always ask me, "How are you doing? What are, how are your side effects?" And we would go through what they were. And he would always ask me, "Can you manage? Do you need something?" And I would be like, "No, I think I can manage." But he always asked me, like, if I needed help.

I take my doses of Orenitram at 7:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. I set an alarm on my phone for the three times, 3, 7, and 11.

A way that I always make sure that I don't miss my doses is I keep a pill box by my bed, and a pill box in my purse, so regardless where I am I always have medicine on me. It's very important that you never miss a dose of Orenitram and you stick to your schedule.

My advice to people that are concerned about the side effects on Orenitram is to really go talk to your doctors. Go tell them your concerns, what's happening to you, be specific. They're there to help you and they will help you find a solution and a way to maybe help alleviate some of the side effects you're having.

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).