UC Patient Podcast—Julianne

ON SCREEN TEXT:
ON THIS EPISODE
Please see Important Safety Information at the end of this video.

 

JULIANNE:
You can trust your doctors and you can take these medications that they’re telling you to take, but you’re going to have to speak up for yourself and ask them to help you, whether it’s change medications, trusting that they’re going to put you on something that will get you in remission.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
UNCONVENTIONAL CONVERSATIONS
THE UC PODCAST

 

KATIE:
Welcome to Unconventional Conversations.

 

ON SCREEN GRAPHIC:
RINVOQ Logo

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
KATIE
CO-HOST & RINVOQ UC PATIENT
AbbVie employee
For adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in whom TNF blockers did not work well.

 

KATIE:
This is the UC podcast that unpacks the treatment challenges that many of us face.

 

ON SCREEN GRAPHIC:
RINVOQ Logo

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
DOUG
CO-HOST RINVOQ UC PATIENT
For adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in whom TNF blockers did not work well.

 

DOUG:
We have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, and we know from experience that asking the right questions can lead to discovering the right treatment and the next right step.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
WHEN IS IT TIME TO CHANGE TREATMENTS?
Julianne opens up about her treatment journey. She shares what her next step will be if treatment no longer works well, and how her thinking about UC has changed.

 

DOUG:
Julianne, welcome to Unconventional Conversations.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
JULIANNE
UC PATIENT
on a TNF blocker
Not a RINVOQ patient and not intended to represent specific results or experiences.

 

JULIANNE:
Thank you for having me.

 

KATIE:
We would love it if you would share a little bit about your journey with ulcerative colitis.

 

JULIANNE:
Absolutely. At the beginning, it was just the blood. There was no pain, there was no fatigue. Then they started me on some treatments just to kind of keep the inflammation at bay, which worked at first.

 

KATIE:
Right.

 

JULIANNE:
And then the following year I was actually a lot worse. I was having frequency. I—the urgency. I was working at the time, and it was just constantly in the bathroom, blood, couldn’t eat anything. I mean anything I would eat, I'd be in the bathroom immediately.

 

KATIE:
So, did you feel at that point you had to speak up to your doctor to be able to get to that next medication?

 

JULIANNE:
I had to kind of open up a little more to her to let her know what I was going through. And I mean it was, it was a pretty bad flare. So, she kind of had to take the next step. Let's not just keep me here on these medications. We’re going to need something a little more.

 

KATIE:
Was it really a shared treatment discussion of what you’re going to do next? Did you have that shared decision-making with your doctor?

 

JULIANNE:
It was shared decision-making with my doctor, and then I basically said, if this is my option, then we’re going to go ahead and we’re going to do it. And I'm, I’m thankful that I did make that decision.

 

DOUG:
What did you learn from all that?

 

JULIANNE:
The first thing I learned was that this journey is not going to be easy. You can trust your doctors and you can take these medications that they’re telling you to take. But there’s going to be a point where you're going to have to not put your foot down, but you’re going to have to speak up for yourself and ask them to help you, whether it’s change medications, again, trusting that they’re going to put you on something that will get you in remission.

 

KATIE:
I’ve definitely been there before…

 

DOUG:
Yeah.

 

KATIE:
…on switching medications.

 

DOUG:
That’d be a real reevaluation process.

 

JULIANNE:
Right.

 

KATIE:
Julianne, what advice do you have for someone that is not experiencing adequate symptom control and is considering new treatments?

 

JULIANNE:
Don’t settle on, on being sick. Speak up. Tell your doctor what’s going on. If you feel like you’re not getting the results that you want or you’re not having success with it...

 

KATIE:
Be your own advocate.

 

JULIANNE:
Yes, exactly.

 

KATIE:
Sometimes you—I think when—earlier in my disease, I was a little nervous to share my symptoms with my doctor, but you have to be your, your own advocate and really tell him what’s going on.

 

JULIANNE:
Very much so. You have to be very vulnerable.

 

KATIE:
Yes. That's the word, vulnerable.

 

DOUG:
And in all fairness to the doctors, they’re not you.

 

KATIE:
Yeah.

 

DOUG:
So, they don’t know what’s going on inside of you. So, for you to be able to tell them what’s going on is very important.

 

JULIANNE:
Your relationship with your doctor is huge. It’s a huge trust thing. And to be able to have a good relationship... You have to have a good relationship.

 

KATIE:
Yeah.

 

JULIANNE:
If you don’t, I don’t think you’ll, you’ll be successful in your journey or your treatment.

 

KATIE:
Yeah.

 

JULIANNE:
You have to have someone you trust.

 

KATIE:
So, Julianne, we want to do a segment called old thinking versus new thinking. So, I want to be able to ask you, thinking about your treatment journey, what is something that’s changed for you, your old thinking with UC compared to your new thinking now that you have your symptoms under control?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
OLD THINKING

 

JULIANNE:
So, my, my old way of thinking was definitely you have no control over this.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
NEW THINKING

 

JULIANNE:
And now, I have control over my treatment options with my doctor and that open communication and trying to figure out what needs to be done.

 

KATIE:
Julianne, thank you so much for being here today.

 

JULIANNE:
Of course.

 

KATIE:
And bottom line is talk to your doctor.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
Is your UC uncontrolled? It could mean your current treatment isn’t working.

• Ask your gastroenterologist if your treatment is helping you to achieve your goals
• Discuss what your next step would be if a treatment is no longer working for you
• Explore treatment options with your doctor that may be right for you

 

KATIE:
Learn about other treatment options that are out there. It’s important to get the facts and find out what’s best for you.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
Please keep watching for Important Safety Information.

 

KATIE:
I absolutely love my doctor. I—he’s just—he’s so great. I'm so close with him. I was a little hesitant maybe always talking about my symptoms because I maybe didn’t want to admit to myself that I was that sick.

 

DOUG:
Sure.

 

KATIE:
I was a little scared about it. When I went in to see him and finally felt comfortable enough to just tell him like what I, what I was going through, he said, “You don’t have to live like this. We’re going to get you better, but you need to work with me.”

 

ON SCREEN SCROLL:

 

USE
RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated. It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children with ulcerative colitis.

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

 

What is the most important information I should know about RINVOQ?

 

RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious infections. RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious infections have happened while taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your HCP tells you it is okay. If you get a serious infection, your HCP may stop your treatment until your infection is controlled. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).
• Increased risk of death in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor.
• Cancer and immune system problems. RINVOQ may increase your risk of certain cancers. Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen. Current or past smokers are at higher risk of certain cancers, including lymphoma and lung cancer. Follow your HCP’s advice about having your skin checked for skin cancer during treatment with RINVOQ. Limit the amount of time you spend in sunlight. Wear protective clothing when you are in the sun and use sunscreen.
• Increased risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor, especially if you are a current or past smoker.
• Blood clots. Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries can happen with RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death. Blood clots in the veins of the legs and lungs have happened more often in people who are 50 years and older and with at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor.
• Allergic reactions. Symptoms such as rash (hives), trouble breathing, feeling faint or dizzy, or swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat, that may mean you are having an allergic reaction have been seen in people taking RINVOQ. Some of these reactions were serious. If any of these symptoms occur during treatment with RINVOQ, stop taking RINVOQ and get emergency medical help right away.
• Tears in the stomach or intestines. This happens most often in people who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids. Get medical help right away if you get stomach-area pain, fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting.
• Changes in certain laboratory tests. Your HCP should do blood tests before you start taking RINVOQ and while you take it. Your HCP may stop your RINVOQ treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.

Do not take RINVOQ if you are allergic to upadacitinib or any of the ingredients in RINVOQ. See the Medication Guide or Consumer Brief Summary for a complete list of ingredients.

 

What should I tell my HCP BEFORE starting RINVOQ?

 

Tell your HCP if you:

• Are being treated for an infection, have an infection that won’t go away or keeps coming back, or have symptoms of an infection, such as:

• Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.
• Are a current or past smoker.
• Have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or stroke.
• Have or have had any type of cancer, hepatitis B or C, shingles (herpes zoster), blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs, diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), or ulcers in your stomach or intestines.
• Have other medical conditions, including liver problems, low blood cell counts, diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system.
• Live, have lived, or have traveled to parts of the country, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest, that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections. If you are unsure if you've been to these types of areas, ask your HCP.
• Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take RINVOQ should not receive live vaccines.
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on animal studies, RINVOQ may harm your unborn baby. Your HCP will check whether or not you are pregnant before you start RINVOQ. You should use effective birth control (contraception) to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with RINVOQ and for 4 weeks after your last dose.
• There is a pregnancy surveillance program for RINVOQ. The purpose of the program is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you become pregnant while taking RINVOQ, you are encouraged to report the pregnancy by calling 1-800-633-9110.
• Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. RINVOQ may pass into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with RINVOQ and for 6 days after your last dose.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. RINVOQ and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

 

Especially tell your HCP if you take:

• Medicines for fungal or bacterial infections
• Rifampicin or phenytoin
• Medicines that affect your immune system

If you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines, ask your HCP or pharmacist.

 

What should I avoid while taking RINVOQ?

 

Avoid food or drink containing grapefruit during treatment with RINVOQ as it may increase the risk of side effects.

 

What should I do or tell my HCP AFTER starting RINVOQ?

• Tell your HCP right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. RINVOQ can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.
• Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking RINVOQ, including:

• Tell your HCP right away if you have any signs or symptoms of blood clots during treatment with RINVOQ, including:

• Tell your HCP right away if you have a fever or stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.

What are other possible side effects of RINVOQ?

 

Common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), shingles (herpes zoster), herpes simplex virus infections (including cold sores), bronchitis, nausea, cough, fever, acne, headache, increased blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, allergic reactions, inflammation of hair follicles, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, increased weight, flu, tiredness, lower number of certain types of white blood cells (neutropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia), muscle pain, flu-like illness, rash, increased blood cholesterol levels, increased liver enzyme levels, pneumonia, low number of red blood cells (anemia), and infection of the stomach and intestine (gastroenteritis).

 

A separation or tear to the lining of the back part of the eye (retinal detachment) has happened in people with atopic dermatitis treated with RINVOQ. Call your HCP right away if you have any sudden changes in your vision during treatment with RINVOQ.

 

Some people taking RINVOQ may see medicine residue (a whole tablet or tablet pieces) in their stool. If this happens, call your healthcare provider.

 

These are not all the possible side effects of RINVOQ.

 

How should I take RINVOQ?

RINVOQ is taken once a day with or without food. Do not split, crush, or chew the tablet. Take RINVOQ exactly as your HCP tells you to use it. RINVOQ is available in 15 mg, 30 mg, and 45 mg extended-release tablets.

 

This is the most important information to know about RINVOQ. For more information, talk to your HCP.

 

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/PatientAccessSupport to learn more.

 

© 2024 AbbVie. All rights reserved.

 

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