The testimonial in this video is from an actual patient who has been compensated by Bristol Myers Squibb. Sam has been diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP).
Hi, I'm Sam. I'm from Texas, and I've been married for 23 years and have three children, two girls and a boy. Do sales myself so I'm fairly busy all the time, out and about, doing a lot of different things. So, along with my family, my job keeps me busy but do have the opportunity to have a lot of great family time with them as well.
SPRYCEL (dasatinib) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP). SPRYCEL may cause serious side effects, including low blood cell counts, bleeding problems, fluid retention, heart problems, pulmonary arterial hypertension, severe skin reactions, and tumor lysis syndrome.
Side effects of SPRYCEL that are considered most common in adults include diarrhea, headache, skin rash, shortness of breath, tiredness, nausea, and muscle pain. This is not a complete list of all side effects with SPRYCEL. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects while taking SPRYCEL.
Please see important safety information throughout this video and the patient information in the full prescribing information by clicking the link below.
My life was fairly your typical life. I was married, three kids, had a job, not a lot of thoughts or cares about my personal health in a lot of ways. Came to the point where I was getting annual physicals and had a company that would reimburse you and give you money back for your annual physical. So, that was a big incentive for me and had pushed it off to the end of the year. So I went back in and got my blood work again, and everything went good. I felt good. Didn't think much of it.
Call came two days later and it's the doctor on the phone saying, "Hey, we need you to come back and look at some things. There's just some things on your blood work didn't look quite right." Had me come down and talked to him and explained to me I had a elevated white blood cell count.
Kind of threw me off a little bit. Never came out and said exactly what I had but really kind of took the wind out of you. Your mind's going in a hundred different directions thinking about different things. So, it was definitely kind of a blow back. My wife was definitely a big support of mine and prayer. You've always heard the word leukemia or you heard different things, so I didn't know a lot about it. And my wife being in medicine, we kind of discussed it and always kept hope and just said, "Things are going to work out," and had a great, I still do, have a great oncologist that really helped help me through a lot of the things that I was going through.
I remember going in, meeting with him. He did blood work as well. We were able to discuss it. His demeanor and the way he talked in explaining to me, there are a lot of great medicines out there. And there's things that you can go on and still live a very productive and happy life. So, that put me at ease a lot. It really did. It kind of took a load off because you get thrown something at you that you really never had heard about before and to have him explain those things to you, coming from a professional, it really made me feel better.
When my oncologist discussed with me, he mentioned there was a few different options out there, and he discussed all of them and really kept coming back to SPRYCEL. Wanted to give me the opportunity to try it. He, probably more than anything, when he explained it to me and that it was a medicine, it was a pill that I was going to take. They discussed the dosage with me on the SPRYCEL. They discussed when to take it. You pick the time. It's taking one pill a day, any time during the day, and you don't have to worry about if you're eating or if you're not eating, which kind of made it very nice for me in a lot of ways. There wasn't a lot of things I had to think about, and I could focus on what I was doing and my family and my work and different things.
Important facts about Sprycel (dasatinib). This is a summary of important information that patients need to know about Sprycel your healthcare team can work with you to help answer any questions you may have about Sprycel.
Look out for the following icons as you read, talk to your healthcare provider, call a healthcare provider right away, helpful information to remember.
What is Sprycel?
Sprycel (dasatinib) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP). Adults with Ph+ CML who no longer benefit from, or did not tolerate other treatment, including Gleevec(imatinib mesylate). Adults with Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) who no longer benefit from, or did not tolerate other treatment. Children 1 year of age and older with Ph+ CML in chronic phase. Children 1 year of age and older with newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL in combination with chemotherapy.
Tablets are white to off-white with BMS appearing on one side. These letters may be followed by a number indicating the strength of the tablet, in milligrams. In addition, an identification number will be marked on the other side. Size and shape may vary by dose. Tablets are taken by mouth.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before starting Sprycel?
Talk to your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you have any of these medical conditions, problems with your immune system, heart problems, including a condition called congenital long QT syndrome, low potassium, or low magnesium levels in your blood lactose (milk sugar) intolerance.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are, pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Sprycel disatanib can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with Sprycel. If you are able to become pregnant, both you and your partner should use effective birth control during treatment and for 30 days after your final dose of Sprycel. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with Sprycel, talk to your healthcare provider right away.
Breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Sprycel passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed during treatment and for two weeks after your final dose of Sprycel. Females who are pregnant should not handle crushed or broken Sprycel tablets.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbal supplements, antacids. If you take an antacid medicine, take it 2 hours before or 2 hours after your dose of Sprycel. Sprycel may interact with other medicines you are taking. This can change the relative effectiveness of Sprycel or cause unwanted side effects. During treatment with Sprycel make sure you also talk to your healthcare provider before you begin to take anything new. Your healthcare provider can help identify any potential interactions and help find alternatives.
How should Sprycel be taken?
Take Sprycel exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Your healthcare provider may change your dose of Sprycel or temporarily stopped treatment with Sprycel. Do not change your dose or stop taking Sprycel without first talking to your healthcare provider. Do take Sprycel one time a day. Do take Sprycel with or without food either in the morning or in the evening at the same time each day. Setting an alarm clock or calendar notification is a great way to remember to take medication. Do swallow Sprycel tablets whole with water. If your child can not swallow tablets whole talk to your healthcare provider. Do not cut crush or chew the tablets. Do not drink grapefruit juice during treatment with Sprycel. Do not take St. John's wort during treatment with Sprycel.
What if I miss a dose of Sprycel?
If you miss a dose of Sprycel take your next scheduled dose at your regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time. Call your healthcare provider or your pharmacist if you are not sure what to do.
What if I take too much Sprycel?
Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
What are the possible side effects of Sprycel (dasatinib)?
Serious side effects. Sprycel may cause serious side effects, including those listed below. Call your healthcare provider right away. If you have any symptoms of the side effects below or any other concerns about these side effects.
Low blood cell counts. Low blood cell counts are common with Sprycel and can be severe, including low red blood cell counts, anemia, low white blood cell counts, neutropenia and low platelet counts, thrombocytopenia. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your blood cell counts regularly during your treatment with Sprycel. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment with Sprycel, fever, any signs of an infection.
Bleeding problems. Bleeding problems are common with Sprycel. Sometimes these bleeding problems can be serious and lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have unusual bleeding or bruising of your skin, bright red or dark tar like stools, decreased alertness, headache, or change in speech.
Your body may hold too much fluid, fluid retention. Fluid retention is common with Sprycel and can sometimes be severe. In severe cases, fluid may build up in the lining of your lungs, the SAC around your heart or your stomach cavity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment with Sprycel, swelling all over your body, shortness of breath, especially if this happens with low levels of physical activity or at rest dry cough, weight gain, chest pain when taking a deep breath.
Heart problems. Sprycel may cause an abnormal heart rate, heart problems or a heart attack. Your healthcare provider will monitor the potassium and magnesium levels in your blood and your heart function.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, PAH. Sprycel may cause high blood pressure in the vessels of your lungs.PAH may happen at any time during your treatment with Sprycel. Your healthcare provider should check your heart and lungs before and during your treatment with Sprycel. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, shortness of breath, tiredness, swelling all over your body, fluid retention.
Severe skin reactions. Sprycel may cause skin reactions that can sometimes be severe. Get medical help right away if you have any of these symptoms, skin reaction with fever, sore mouth or throat, blistering or peeling of your skin or in the mouth.
Tumor Lysis Syndrome, TLS. TLS is caused by a fast breakdown of cancer cells. TLS can cause you to have kidney failure and the need for dialysis treatment, as well as an abnormal heartbeat. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check you for TLS. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of these symptoms during treatment with Sprycel, nausea, swelling, seizures, vomiting, shortness of breath, weakness, muscle cramps.
Slowing of growth and development and children effects on bone growth and development in children have happened with Sprycel and can sometimes be severe. Your healthcare provider will monitor your child's bone growth and development during treatment with Sprycel get medical help right away if your child develops bone pain.
Most common side effects. The most common side effects of Sprycel (disatinib) in adults and children receiving Sprycel alone, include diarrhea, shortness of breath, muscle pain, headache, tiredness, skin rash, nausea.
The most common side effects of Sprycel in children receiving Sprycel with chemotherapy include swelling, pain and redness of the lining of your mouth, throat, stomach and bowel (mucositis), stomach (abdominal) pain infections, cough, low blood pressure, headache, decreased appetite, low white blood cell counts with fever, rash, allergic reactions, tiredness, shortness of breath, fever, constipation, nosebleed, diarrhea, abnormal heart rate, numbness or tingling of your hands and feet, nausea, high blood pressure, hypertension, vomiting, swelling, feeling confused or disoriented, muscle pain.
Sprycel may cause fertility problems in males and females. Talk to your healthcare provider. If this is a concern for you.
These are not all of the possible side effects of Sprycel. Tell your healthcare provider. If you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA by calling 1800-FDA-1088.
How do I store Sprycel?
Sprycel tablets should be stored at room temperature between 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about the right way to throw away outdated or unused Sprycel. Wear latex or nitrile gloves when handling tablets that have accidentally been crushed or broken. Females who are pregnant should not handle crushed or broken Sprycel tablets. Keep Sprycel and all medicines out of the reach of children.
This document has summarized the most important safety information for Sprycel. For more in-depth safety information, please read the patient information in the full prescribing information by clicking the link below.