TECFIDERA SHOULD NOT BE CRUSHED OR CHEWED

[Myoak]

TECFIDERA SHOULD NOT BE CRUSHED OR CHEWED

That would be an appropriate place for my post to be moved to. And hopefully begin a discussion on why it could be dangerous, possibly deadly, not following that direction. The lady who died after taking Tecfidera developed respiratory problems, even though she stopped taking it, she developed pneumonia and died.

One of the reasons dimethyl fumarate (the drug in tecfidera) was banned from consumer products in the EU was because some acute respiratory problems developed after breathing dimethyl fumarate from sachets of the drug shipped with leather goods (couches, shoes, toys); it is an industrial anti-fungal to prevent mold from growing on leather goods. The EU banned it in 2009 form consumer goods, but not from the medicine fumaderm, I believe.

The prescribing label on Tecfidera warns against crushing or chewing or sprinkling on food but they don’t tell you why.

Someone could potentially breathe minute particles (even by breaking) and potentially develop severe respiratory problems as a result.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-09-676_en.htm

I believe this is a very serious issue because many people seem to have difficulty going from 120 mg to 240mg and may be cutting or breaking the 240 pill in order to raise their dose gradually. It would be most interesting to know if the woman who died was crushing or breaking pills before her respiratory problems developed.

Thank you for your help in alerting MSers about all this. I’m sure we will learn more about it.
Thank you for whatever assistance can give to place my post in the most appropriate place you believe it should be.

[REG53]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this information!

This sounds very scary.

[Berserker1]

Pill?

Yes thank you for this information also.

I am a little confused though. You and others mention a Pill all the time? My Tecfidera is in a "delayed-release capsule".

They weigh next to nothing and you can hear the power shake. I have finished my first week of 120mg and am on my third day of 240mg. There is no difference between taking the 2 doses swallowing wise. So I was confused as to why people were having problems but if it is a pill then I now know.

Anyway my capsules filled with this powder seem even more of a concern?

[cvms]

When I was having stomach pain from the Tec in the beginning, I called my neuro and he said to open up my capsules and sprinkle some out then slowly work my way back to full capsules. I ended up following the advice here and never tried what he said. So thankful I didn't!!! That is scary!

[Bluebird44]

good info

I would think it would be hard to break the capsule in half What do you think about emptying some of the contents out and then putting the capsule back together? It would still be sealed. This news release on the death of this women has been on my mind since it came out. Thanks for the info.

[Myoak]

I didn’t mean to alarm anyone, rather to inform and give my perspective which may, or may not have value.
We should be aware of issues important enough to warrant an EU ban on dimethyl fumarate in consumer products, IMO.

Personally, I would avoid breathing dimethyl fumarate from any source, just as a precaution based on the EU ban and the articles which explain that ban. Anyone can search Google and find several articles related to the EU ban of dimethyl fumarate in 2009.

To me, it seems possible that small particles could escape and possibly be inhaled if a capsule was opened. Perhaps, acute respiratory problems were rarely seen and only in those few who breathed a great deal of dimethyl fumarate. But it is best to be careful.

The Tecfidera prescribing information states:
“Tecfidera should be swallowed whole or intact. Tecfidera should not be crushed or chewed and the capsule contents should not be sprinkled on food. Tecfidera can be taken with or without food.”

It is always a good idea to Google and read the prescribing information anytime a medicine is taken.

It perked my interest when a woman died of pneumonia after taking tecfidera because some cases of acute respiratory problems were mentioned in the article about the EU ban of dimethyl fumarate back in 2009.

To me, it just seems common sense to avoid breathing tecfidera if dimethyl fumarate got banned in part, for causing acute respiratory problems in some people. I have no specific knowledge other than what I have read and provided a link to above.

We need to be alert, not alarmed. Fear usually leads to making poor choices, IMO. Your own reading and your own doctor should be informing you on issues concerning you.

I don’t know if this one is a big issue, small issue, or not an issue. It tweaked my interest so I mentioned it, that’s all. Best!

[Remy9111]

Here is a link that gives more information on the patient's death in case anyone reading about this for the first time needs a reference.

http://www.firstwordpharma.com/node/...#axzz2ayvctKdl

She was on the drug for 5 weeks. Stopped it 2.5 weeks before death. Biogen states they don't think it was related. Of course, you can't trust anything they say, especially since it's a new medication, but it's hard to know what happened. The woman had a history of Irritable Bowel Disease (doesn't seem like a good candidate for the drug to begin with!!) and recurrent bronchitis infections.