Making the most of Zavesca

Zavesca can provide true benefits to people with type 1 Gaucher disease. Still, keep in mind that Zavesca may take some time to work in ways you can notice.

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Patient support

Find out about the support systems in place for Zavesca patients.

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Helping Yourself with Healthy Choices

Help yourself by making healthy choices.
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Simple Steps for making the most of Zavesca.
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As recommended below, decrease your intake of foods high in starch and disaccharides (carbohydrates) and continue to enjoy foods that are low in starch and carbohydrates.

  • Include only moderate portions of starchy foods in your diet.

  • Try to have your main meals consist of one-half vegetables, one-quarter meat or meat alternatives, and one-quarter starchy foods.

  • Avoid having large portions at one time. Try to spread your intake of fruits, grains, and other starchy foods over the day.

  • Include at least 3 cups of appropriate dairy products or dairy substitutes daily; see the following pages for specific recommendations.

  • Eat at least 4 servings of recommended fruits every day, but avoid eating more than 1 serving at a time.

  • The nutrient labels on food packaging can tell you if a food contains high amounts of disaccharides. See the section Understanding Food Labels for more information.

The following suggestions may help you decrease your intake of foods high in starch and disaccharides (carbohydrates) and continue to enjoy foods that are low in starch and carbohydrates.

The nutritional examples included here are recommendations only. Be sure to consult with your doctor or a nutritionist about a meal plan that suits your individual needs.

Adapted from www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

Fruit

At least 4 servings every day1

Enjoy fruits low in sucrose:

  • Olives
  • Avocados
  • Lemons, limes
  • Berries (raspberries, Strawberries)
  • Grapefruit
  • Pears
  • Apples

Reduce fruits high in sucrose:

  • Dates
  • Dried fruit (peaches, apricots)
  • Pineapple
  • Tangerines, Clementines, Mandarin oranges
  • Apricots
  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Cantaloupe
  • Honeydew melon

Fruits contain sugar, so try eating only one serving at a time to see what may or may not bother you.

Vegetables

Eat 4 to 5 servings daily1

Enjoy vegetables including:

  • Asparagus
  • Endive, lettuce
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Artichokes
  • Squash
  • Celery
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes

Reduce these vegetables:

High in starch:

  • Parsnips
  • Potatoes
  • Corn

High in sugars (disaccharides):

  • Beets
  • Green peas
  • Carrots
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Corn

 

Grains and cereals

In small portions

  • Low-sugar cereals
  • Oatmeal, natural muesli (1/2 cup)
  • Whole grain bread
  • Plain or savory crackers or chips
  • Rice, pasta, noodles, couscous
  • Flours, polenta
  • Unsweetened pastry
  • Sugary breakfast cereals
  • Muesli bars and high-sugar breakfast bars
  • Fruit breads, white bread
  • Muffins, donuts
  • Desserts or sweets such as candy
  • Bars, hard candy, and chocolate
  • Cakes, biscuits
  • Sweet pastries such as danishes

Meats and meat alternatives

  • Lean meats, including chicken, beef, pork, veal, and seafood
  • Legumes and lentils (adjust portions if necessary)
  • Protein shakes and protein bars with no added sugar or dairy
  • Eggs
  • Tofu

Healthy fats

Include daily1

  • Nuts, seeds
  • Avocados
  • Margarines with no trans fats
  • Oils

Dairy foods

At least 3 cups daily1

  • Lactose-free milk (liquid and powdered)
  • Soy milk (but check for added sugar [sucrose] in flavored soy milk)
  • Soy shakes
  • Rice milk
  • Lactose-free yogurt
  • Soy yogurt (natural, no added sugar)
  • Hard cheeses
  • Milk
  • Yogurt
  • Sweetened milk
  • Condensed milk
  • Cottage cheese
  • Cream cheese
  • Cream
  • Sour cream
  • Milk-based desserts
  • Ice cream

Enjoy occasionally

In small portions

  • Diet jelly
  • Jam, peanut butter, honey, chocolate hazelnut spread (approximately 1 teaspoon)
  • Some artificial sweeteners, including saccharin
  • Fructose
  • Sugar (up to 1 teaspoon added to tea, coffee, or plain unsweetened cereal)

Beverages

In small portions

  • Diet soft drinks (artificially sweetened)
  • Tea and coffee (but with only a little added milk or sugar)
  • Alcohol in limited amounts (most types, except when mixed with juices or soft drinks, and cream-based liqueurs)
  • Soy shakes
  • Almond shakes
  • Sugar-sweetened drinks
  • Fruit-flavored drinks, sports drinks, juices
  • Liqueurs
  • Chocolate or hot chocolate from dry powder
  • Milk-based drinks
  • Drinks with added sugar (high-fructose corn syrup)
  • Orange juice

Talk to your doctor first before making any changes to your diet.

Read more about understanding food labels

What is ZAVESCA?

ZAVESCA is a prescription medicine taken by mouth for adults with mild to moderate type 1 Gaucher disease. ZAVESCA is used only in people who cannot be treated with enzyme replacement therapy.

Important Safety Information for Zavesca:

In clinical studies, the most common adverse events due to Zavesca included weight loss, diarrhea, and trembling in the hand (tremor). Other common adverse reactions were excess gas (flatulence), abdominal pain, and headache. The most common serious adverse reaction was tingling or numbness in the hands or feet with or without pain (peripheral neuropathy). Patients should undergo neurological examination at the start of treatment and every 6 months thereafter; Zavesca should be reassessed in patients who develop symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Zavesca may cause fetal harm if administered to a pregnant woman. Men should maintain reliable contraceptive methods and not plan to father a child while taking Zavesca and for 3 months after discontinuing treatment.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

REF:

1.Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Agriculture (USDA).