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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What should you know about taking Zavesca? Find answers to your most common questions here.
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Help yourself by making healthy choices.
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Simple Steps for making the most of Zavesca.
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To help reduce possible diarrhea and gas, you may also want to consider:
- Eating small healthy snacks between meals, especially if weight loss is a concern.
- Taking Zavesca at the same time each day. For instance, if your prescription is for Zavesca 3 times a day, then take it when you first wake up, in the early afternoon, and before going to bed (or as close to 8-hour intervals as possible).
- Taking Zavesca with or without food. Some people experience fewer side effects when taking Zavesca without food, while others see the opposite effect. Discuss with your doctor what works best for you.
- It's important to remember that different people react to Zavesca in different ways. After being on Zavesca for a while, you may be able to slowly bring certain foods back into your diet as your body adjusts to therapy with Zavesca. Discuss with your doctor when the time might be right for you to slowly reintroduce some of these foods into your diet.
Talk to your doctor first before making any changes to your diet.
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.
