UC Patient Podcast—Ethan

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RINVOQ Logo

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

For adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in whom TNF blockers did not work well

 

SELECT IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious Infections, Cancer and Immune System Problems, and Blood Clots.
• Increased risk of death in people age 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor.
• Increased risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death in people age 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor, especially in current or past smokers.
• Serious allergic reactions. Do not take if allergic to RINVOQ or its ingredients.

Ethan was on prescribed RINVOQ therapy at the time of providing a testimonial. Changes in therapy may have occurred since that time. Individual results may vary.

 

Please keep watching for additional Important Safety Information.

 

ANNOUNCER VOICEOVER:

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine for adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in whom TNF blockers did not work well. RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including Serious Infections, Increased Risk of Death, Cancer, Major Cardiovascular Events, and Blood Clots. 

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

ON THIS EPISODE

 

ETHAN­­­: ­­

The way my doctor described it to me was, if I get your symptoms better and, and you feel better, but I do a colonoscopy and it still looks really, really bad in there, then I'm really not doing you any favors.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

UNCONVENTIONAL CONVERSATIONS
THE UC PODCAST

 

KATIE:

Welcome to Unconventional Conversations.

 

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 TEXT:

DOUG

CO-HOST & RINVOQ UC PATIENT

 

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:

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M ACTUALLY GETTING BETTER?

Ethan explains why short-term treatment goals like symptom relief are a great first focus, but long-term goals like visible colon lining repair are just as important to help him get and stay in remission.

 

KATIE:

Today we have Ethan here, who is also a UC patient. Welcome, Ethan.

 

DOUG:

Welcome, Ethan.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

ETHAN

RINVOQ UC PATIENT

 

ETHAN:

Thanks for having me.

 

KATIE:

Yes. We're excited for you to be here. So, I'd love to be able to hear a little bit about your day-to-day job like pre-diagnosis, how it is every day.

 

ETHAN:

As a paramedic, it’s not really a conducive environment for, oh, I have to go the bathroom and I'm like in someone’s house doing CPR or something.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

 

ETHAN:

You know, it’s like I—it made work really hard. I had to, had to call in sick really often while they figured it out.

 

ETHAN:
And my doctor didn’t want me to go back to work, because until he said I could, you know, get some weight back on and could get, get it somewhat under control is kind of how he described it. I re-, I remember asking him, well, what do I do?

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

 

ETHAN:
You know, I was like working, school, you know, going to the gym. Like that was what I did.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:
So, it was like now I'm kind of just stuck at home trying to get a condition under control.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:
It was like the biggest shock—

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:
—for me, going from doing all these things to being told that I need to stop.

 

DOUG:

Yeah.

KATIE:

So, talk to us about your treatment journey and what you were, you know, first put on and then how you got to where you are now.

 

ETHAN:
They put me on infusions, and it, it wasn’t, it wasn’t bad, but I didn’t, like, really get that much symptom relief. But, like, I had gotten so used to having these symptoms, and it became so normal for me that every time my doctor would ask me like, oh, “How do you feel?” or like, “How’s it going?” Every appointment I would be like, oh, I feel so much better.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

 

ETHAN:

And so, I didn’t realize that it could actually get under control.

 

KATIE:

What was that turning point then for you to go from your infusion to what you’re on now? Was it a discussion with your doctor of being like I'm still having these symptoms?

 

ETHAN:

We kept trying to get under control. So, I did my second colonoscopy and my doctor was saying that—I think he said my body had an incomplete response to the other medicine.

 

ON SCREEN GRAPHIC:

RINVOQ logo

ON SCREEN TEXT:

For adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in whom TNF blockers did not work well.

 

ETHAN:

And after a while, me and my doctor discussed RINVOQ, and we decided that that was a more appropriate choice. And he said we’ve seen this medicine work really well for a lot of people that are in a similar position as you.

 

DOUG:

Sure.

 

ETHAN:

I finally realized that the idea was to eventually not have symptoms anymore.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

In clinical studies, RINVOQ helped many people living with UC experience remission at 8 weeks and 1 year.

 

KATIE:

So, Ethan, share with us, now that you're on RINVOQ, how are you doing now?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

RINVOQ helped people with UC get rapid relief as early as 2 weeks

Based on the frequency of bowel movements and the amount of bloody stools.

 

ETHAN:

Now my symptoms are under control, and I'm feeling a lot better after I got on RINVOQ,…

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

RINVOQ helped the majority of people experience no abdominal pain in 8 weeks

 

ETHAN:

…and I finally stopped having the stomach cramps. Then I, then I realized that’s how I'm supposed to feel.

 

DOUG:

Was there a moment you’re like this is working and I am so excited?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

RINVOQ is a once-daily pill

 

ETHAN:
There, there was definitely a moment. I, I'm taking just one pill every day and I’ve been feeling good.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:

Like this is the longest I’ve felt like this since I was diagnosed, like in a, in a, a year at this point basically.

 

KATIE:

And you said one of your short-term goals was obviously to get those symptoms under control but then also to get back in the gym. So, were you able to start doing that?

 

ETHAN:

I was able to. Just last month I achieved one of my goals, which was beating some personal records for working out. Now that I can work out and it doesn’t make my stomach worse, it’s helped me like just focus on myself more.

 

KATIE:

Right.

 

DOUG:

Well, and I had something very similar to that and when I had my flares, I would get on the treadmill at the gym and like two minutes in, I'm, I got to go to the bathroom. But now that my symptoms are under control, I don’t have to worry about not eating and, and it just makes it so much more enjoyable because it’s not in the back of your mind.

 

ETHAN:

Yeah. Not, not eating so you can do the things you love is a vicious cycle.

 

KATIE:
Yeah. I know, right?

ETHAN:

It’s not, not, not a healthy habit.

 

DOUG:

What are your long-term goals now that your—

 

KATIE:
Yeah.

 

DOUG:

—symptoms are under control?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

In clinical studies, many achieved remission at 8 weeks with few or no symptoms. Of these patients, many also got lasting, steroid-free remission at 1 year

 

~3 out of 10 patients taking RINVOQ achieved remission at 8 weeks.

 

ETHAN:
Well, now that my symptoms are under control, we want this to give me long-term steroid-free remission. And now I'm hopefully approaching remission and whenever I do my next scope in the next couple months. And we did discuss a couple of the other things long-term as well.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

In clinical studies of patients who responded* to RINVOQ at 8 weeks, many achieved visible colon lining repair^† at 1 year

*Clinical response based on frequency of bowel movements, fewer bloody stools, and endoscopy results.

^†Areas that were visually assessed may not represent repair of the entire colon lining.

 

ETHAN:

Being able to, you know, potentially achieve visible colon lining repair is like—it’s really helpful and I—

KATIE:
It would be great.

ETHAN:

Exactly.

 

KATIE:
So, what does it mean to you?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:

In clinical studies of patients who responded* to RINVOQ at 8 weeks, many achieved visible colon lining repair^† at 1 year

*Clinical response based on frequency of bowel movements, fewer bloody stools, and endoscopy results.

^†Areas that were visually assessed may not represent repair of the entire colon lining.

 

ETHAN:

Ulcerative colitis does damage, but RINVOQ can help you achieve a repair to that damage. That's the best way I think of it.

DOUG:

Yeah.

 

KATIE:

And so, that’s what it would mean to you just hearing that, doing a colonoscopy and—

 

ETHAN:

Yeah. If they do a colonoscopy and they, you know, can’t really see that much, you know, it’s been visibly repaired, then that’s a, a, a really big goal. Personally, my doctor too, but personally I would love it if he did this next colonoscopy and said that, wow, it looks great. It’s safe to say I have really high hopes for the colonoscopy in the next couple months.

 

KATIE:

I don’t think all patients think about that. I think that a lot of people just think of like the symptoms being better.

 

ETHAN:
The symptoms are so bad, and the symptoms are so noticeable—

 

KATIE:

Right.

ETHAN:
—I guess that that’s, that’s an okay first focus—

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

 

ETHAN:
—I think. But, you know, because you just—the symptoms are all in the way. They get in the way of your life. So, everyone focuses on, you know, just getting it under control.

 

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:

But the way my doctor described it to me whenever I was potentially getting off the infusions, we would talk about why he was doing a follow-up colonoscopy. I, I asked about why we were doing it and why we did it when we were. And the way he described it to me was if I get your symptoms better and, and you feel better, but I do a colonoscopy and it still looks really, really bad in there, then I'm really not doing—

KATIE:

Yeah.

ETHAN:

He said to me I'm really not doing you any favors.

KATIE:

Yes.

ETHAN:

And so, he said we need to get to a point where you don’t just feel better, because I know how important that is to you, but it’s important to me that it is better—

 

KATIE:

Right.

 

DOUG:

Right.

ETHAN:

—and we can get it truly under control.

 

KATIE:

I, I feel fortunate too that my doctor and I talk about that. We have those discussions of where we want to go. I don’t know if everybody does.

 

ETHAN:

The way my doctor described it to me, there’s a few things he wants to—for me to be in lasting remission, to be on the right track as it were, which is he wants me to not be on steroids and he wants to have symptom relief.

 

DOUG:
So having those under control and then the continuous improvement, you know, the colonoscopies. It’s going to be real exciting to see what your colonoscopy turns out, you know, because it’s your first one on RINVOQ.

 

ETHAN:

I think that’s also like the right track to be on, at least mentally for me.

 

KATIE:
Yeah. And physically.

ETHAN:

Yeah.

KATIE:

Yeah.

DOUG:
So, Ethan, now we’re going to jump into the old thinking/new thinking segment of our program. So as far as your long-term goals, what was your old thinking and then how did you transfer and change that to what your new thinking is?

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
OLD THINKING

 

ETHAN:

I went from things that I want to do one day, maybe, and a lot of ifs to,…

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
NEW THINKING

 

ETHAN:
…to when I want to do it. I feel like I had a point to prove and to myself that I could do these things. So it wasn’t, you know, if I wanted to set a goal or get stronger. It was I am going to get stronger than I was before I got diagnosed to prove to myself that I can do it.

 

DOUG:
Ethan, thanks so much for being here today.

ETHAN:
Thank you for having me.

 

KATIE:

While short-term goals are important early in your journey with ulcerative colitis, long-term goals are important to set with your doctor and work together to achieve them.

 

ON SCREEN TEXT:
Is your UC uncontrolled? Talk to your gastroenterologist about setting treatment goals with RINVOQ:

• Rapid relief from UC symptoms* in as early as 2 weeks
  *Based on the frequency of bowel movements and the amount of bloody stools.
• Steroid-free remission at 1 year
• Visible colon lining repair^† at 1 year
  ^†Areas that were visually assessed may not represent repair of the entire colon lining.

Please keep watching for Important Safety Information.

 

ETHAN:

A couple of goals I’ve had for, for my life, even before my diagnosis, I would one day love to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

KATIE:

Wow.

 
ETHAN:

And I want to do that and—

DOUG:

Holy cow.

 

ETHAN:

 —now that I'm getting back in shape—

KATIE:

That's awesome.

 

ETHAN:

—I'm doing it. Like I—that is a goal of mine that’s not just a personal goal, like, like something I want to do, but now it’s like I feel like I'm proving something to myself at that point.

 

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/myAbbVieAssist to learn more.

 

© 2024 AbbVie. All rights reserved.

 

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