Managing Your PAH

What lifestyle changes could I make?

Wondering how you can make living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) a little easier? Consider some of these small changes. They may add up to big differences in your day-to-day life.

• Keeping a journal
• Watching your diet
• Activity
• Quitting smoking
• Be consistent with your medications
• Getting support
• Working with PAH
• Traveling with PAH
• Your sex life and PAH
• The team approach

Remember: the best way to get advice about making lifestyle changes is to talk with your healthcare team. Your healthcare provider and the other members of your healthcare team are most familiar with your case history, and they are most qualified to give you the best advice.

Keeping a journal

All you need is a notebook and a pen to help monitor your progress. The details you record about your disease may help your healthcare team give you the best possible support and advice. You may want to write down:

• Lists of things to do, such as phone calls to make or household tasks
• Symptoms you have each day and their severity
• Questions for your healthcare team and then the answers you receive for future reference
• Dates of medical appointments
• Outcome of your appointments for future reference

Watching your diet

It's important that you eat a wholesome diet and get proper nutrition to keep your energy levels up. A healthy diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods, and lean chicken and fish while limiting fatty foods, including fatty meats. Always check with your healthcare provider before changing any part of your routine.

Activity

While certain physical activities may put too much strain on the heart and lungs, many patients with PAH benefit from some level of physical activity. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether starting or continuing an exercise program is right for you.

Quitting smoking

People with PAH should not smoke because it contributes to breathing difficulties caused by PAH. Smoking also causes the already narrowed blood vessels in your lungs to tighten even more—placing more stress on your heart.

Be consistent with your medications

One of the biggest lifestyle adjustments for people with PAH is to make taking medications a part of your routine.

• Ask your healthcare team the proper way to take your medicine and then be consistent.
• Be sure to tell your healthcare team about all other medications, vitamins and supplements, prescribed and over-the-counter, that you take or are thinking of taking.

Getting support

There is a network of support available to you that includes medical professionals, patients like yourself, family, and caregivers. Communicating with and relating to others who are "in your shoes" may help you cope better with your disease. Take advantage of support networks.

Find additional patient support resources

Working with PAH

Having PAH may not mean you have to quit your job. Many people with PAH continue their careers and are productive employees. Still, PAH may affect your ability to perform your job, so talk with your healthcare provider, monitor your on-the-job performance, and be sure to discuss with your employer any changes that need to be made.

Traveling with PAH

Traveling can sometimes be challenging. Before traveling, check with your healthcare team and discuss any changes you might have to make to your routine. Consider these helpful suggestions:

• Ask your healthcare team for a letter explaining your medical condition and treatment plan, and have the letter handy in case of an emergency.
• Bring a cell phone and provide any travel companions with emergency instructions and phone numbers.
• When flying, check with the airline to see if it requires advance notice if you wish to bring oxygen. Try to inform them of your condition well in advance. And ask your healthcare team if you should use supplemental oxygen while waiting in the airport.
• Altitude affects air density and may result in a more difficult breathing situation. Find out ahead of time if your destination is at a much higher altitude than your home.

Your sex life and PAH

Check with your healthcare provider if there are any limitations. Also, be aware of the importance of using contraceptives because the strain of pregnancy can be very dangerous, and some medications like Tracleer can cause birth defects to a fetus.

The team approach

Your medical team is called your medical team for a reason—you have to make the most of your treatment and manage your PAH successfully. Be proactive and come to every appointment prepared to discuss your questions, concerns, side effects and progress. Be willing to share your feelings and even frustrations. Make a list and don't be embarrassed to ask anything and everything.

Also, be sure to tell your healthcare team what you are currently able to do. This can help them determine your Functional Class and better manage your treatment.

Because PAH can be a complicated disease, lifestyle changes may differ from one person to the next. Always check with your healthcare team before changing any part of your routine.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Because of the risks associated with Tracleer, this medication may be prescribed by your doctor only through the Tracleer Access Program.

Liver damage: Tracleer can cause serious liver damage, including in rare cases liver failure and, in situations with regular liver testing, unexplained liver cirrhosis. So you must have a blood test to check your liver function before you start Tracleer and each month after that. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms of liver problems: nausea, vomiting, fever, unusual tiredness, abdominal (stomach area) pain, or yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice).

Serious birth defects: Tracleer is very likely to cause serious birth defects. It is important not to be or to become pregnant while taking Tracleer or one month after stopping treatment and to have a pregnancy test before you start the drug and each month thereafter. It is very important for you to use reliable forms of birth control while taking Tracleer. Hormonal contraceptives should not be used alone because they may not be effective in patients taking Tracleer.

Do not take Tracleer with glyburide because it may increase your chance of liver injury. Do not take Tracleer with cyclosporine-A because it may increase your chance of side effects.

Please see Additional Safety Information.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide.

Learn more about how to work with your healthcare team