Text on screen: What advice would you give to someone who was recently diagnosed with MS?

Charlotte
I would say ask questions. I didn’t know what to ask, if I’m honest, but I would say find out what relapse and remitting really means, what your treatment options are. Know how much time you might need in order to make a decision before the next steps in making that decision, and what your treatment goals should be. Be empowered to advocate for yourself when you’re having those conversations with your treatment team, and take the time to ask your doctor all the questions you might have to ensure you make the right treatment decision for you.

Aaryn
Taking the time that you need to really process the diagnosis is very important. I would also say that your health care team is very important to be open with to ensure you have the right fit as a partner for your neurologist, that they’re listening to you. A good, open relationship is extremely valuable and important.

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Text on screen: Every person has a unique MS story. Charlotte shares her journey to a diagnosis. 

Charlotte
It was completely unexpected. I woke up one morning with double vision. I immediately contacted my eye doctor, and he advised I get an appointment with a neurologist. In the time leading up to that first appointment, I began experiencing nausea and had trouble walking, but I was still carrying on my everyday routine with impaired vision. Sometimes my symptoms would get better, but eventually it would come back again. At the appointment with the neurologist, they found a single brain lesion. It did not lead immediately to my diagnosis with the multiple sclerosis at that time, so my neurologist planned to monitor the lesion over time.

I held onto the hope that I did not have MS until I had a two-week migraine and it led to me going back to my neurologist. I did a follow-up MRI, which revealed I had more and further developed brain lesions, which prompted my MS diagnosis, which was nearly seven years later from those initial symptoms. 

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Text on screen: Why did you and your doctor decide to pursue treatment with VUMERITY^® (diroximel fumarate)? 

Aaryn
I knew I was interested in an oral option to manage my MS, and being able to take VUMERITY either at home or on the go was very appealing to me. In conjunction with my neurologist, we discussed several options and the possible benefits and risks associated with different therapies and decided that VUMERITY, given its safety profile, was a good choice. 

Charlotte
Well, for me, I can say that with my busy schedule with work, my children, community activities, it was important to find something I could take on the go, and the oral medication was very important.  I spoke with my doctor. I wanted to understand more about VUMERITY and its benefit and how it fit with my treatment goals, and how it can best fit to make it easier for me to take the medication. I wanted to make sure I was adhering to the plan, and so VUMERITY fit in with that goal.

 

Text on screen: Charlotte and Aaryn share how they incorporate VUMERITY^® (diroximel fumarate) into their daily routine 

Charlotte
So between busy with work and busy with my kids and also with community activities with my sorority, I love the VUMERITY mobile app. I can log in and record how I’m feeling, what symptoms I’m having at that time, and it helps me to manage my treatment reminders. It also allows me to have a record at the touch of a fingertip that when I’m talking to my health care provider team I can actually tell them very comprehensive and accurate information over time for what symptoms I’ve experienced and how I’ve been feeling over extended period. It enables me to listen to my body better and take it easy when I need to. I try to take things one day at a time. I do well sometimes, other times not so well. 

Aaryn
Charlotte, I love that you use the mobile app, I think that’s a great idea. For me, I really just integrate it to my daily routine. Since VUMERITY is taken twice a day, I take it morning and night, and that seems to work very well.

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Indication and Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

Do not take VUMERITY if you:

• have had an allergic reaction (such as welts, hives, swelling of the face, lips, mouth or tongue, or difficulty breathing) to diroximel fumarate, dimethyl fumarate, or any of the ingredients in VUMERITY 
• are taking dimethyl fumarate

Before taking and while you take VUMERITY, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have liver problems
• have kidney problems 
• have or have had low white blood cell counts or an infection
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if VUMERITY will harm your unborn baby
  • If you become pregnant while taking VUMERITY, talk to your healthcare provider about enrolling in the BlossoMS Pregnancy Registry. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-833-569-2635 or visiting www.blossomspregnancyregistry.com. The purpose of this registry is to monitor the health of you and your baby
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if VUMERITY passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while using VUMERITY

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What should I avoid while taking VUMERITY?

• Do not drink alcohol at the time you take a VUMERITY dose

What are the possible side effects of VUMERITY?

VUMERITY may cause serious side effects including:

• allergic reaction (such as welts, hives, swelling of the face, lips, mouth or tongue, or difficulty breathing). Stop taking VUMERITY and get emergency medical help right away if you get any of these symptoms
• PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy) a rare brain infection that usually leads to death or severe disability over a period of weeks or months. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these symptoms of PML:
  • weakness on one side of the body that gets worse
  • clumsiness in your arms or legs
  • vision problems
  • changes in thinking and memory
  • confusion
  • personality changes
• herpes zoster infections (shingles), including central nervous system infections
• other serious infections
• decreases in your white blood cell count. Your healthcare provider should do a blood test to check your white blood cell count before you start treatment with VUMERITY and while you are on therapy. You should have blood tests after 6 months of treatment and every 6 to 12 months after that
• liver problems. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your liver function before you start taking VUMERITY and during treatment if needed. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these symptoms of a liver problem during treatment
  • severe tiredness
  • loss of appetite
  • pain on the right side of your stomach
  • have dark or brown (tea color) urine
  • yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes
• serious gastrointestinal problems, including bleeding, ulcers, blockage, and tears (perforation) of the stomach or intestines. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment:
  • stomach-area pain that does not go away
  • bright red or black stools (that look like tar)
  • severe vomiting
  • severe diarrhea
  • coughing up blood or blood clots
  • vomiting blood or your vomit looks like “coffee grounds”

The most common side effects of VUMERITY include:

• flushing, redness, itching, or rash
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or indigestion
• Flushing and stomach problems are the most common reactions, especially at the start of therapy, and may decrease over time. Taking VUMERITY with food (avoid high-fat, high-calorie meal or snack) may help reduce flushing. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms and they bother you or do not go away. Ask your healthcare provider if taking aspirin before taking VUMERITY may reduce flushing

These are not all the possible side effects of VUMERITY. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information go to dailymed.nlm.nih.gov

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.

What is VUMERITY^® (diroximel fumarate)?

VUMERITY is a prescription medicine used to treat people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease in adults

It is not known if VUMERITY is safe and effective in children

 

VUM-US-1836/08 2024