Dimethyl Fumarate
Dimethyl fumarate is used to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS; a disease in which the nerves do not function properly and people may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control) including clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours), relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up from time to time), or secondary progressive forms (course of disease where relapses occur more often). Dimethyl fumarate is in a class of medications called Nrf2 activators. It works by decreasing inflammation and preventing nerve damage that may cause symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Dimethyl fumarate comes as a delayed-release (releases the medication in the intestine to prevent break-down of the medication by stomach acids) capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken twice a day. Take dimethyl fumarate at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take dimethyl fumarate exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Dimethyl fumarate may be taken with or without food. However, if you take dimethyl fumarate with food or with a non-enteric coated aspirin (325 mg or less) 30 minutes before taking dimethyl fumarate, there is less of a chance that you will experience flushing during your treatment.
Swallow the capsules whole; do not chew or crush them. Do not open the capsules or sprinkle the contents on food.
Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of dimethyl fumarate and increase your dose after 7 days.
Dimethyl fumarate may help to control multiple sclerosis, but will not cure it. Continue to take dimethyl fumarate even if you feel well. Do not stop taking dimethyl fumarate without talking to your doctor.
The last 20 years have seen the cost of medical care increase about 70% faster than the rate of general inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Healthcare inflation dropped to a historical low after 2010 but is again on the rise as of 2018, according to Bloomberg.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.
