Talk To Your Doctor

Make it an Informed Discussion for Both of You.

One of the best things you can do for your allergic asthma is have a productive conversation with your doctor. Speak your mind and take an active role in your treatment. Your doctor can give you a better diagnosis and treatment recommendation if you are open and tell him or her exactly how you are feeling.

Xpansions is designed to complement the support you're getting from a healthcare provider, who is your primary source of care and information, and should always be contacted for medical advice and treatment.


	A few tips to get you started

		Families matter — A family history of asthma or allergies is something that doctors look at to help determine if you might have allergic asthma. Since asthma is hereditary, your chances of having it increase depending on whether one—or both—parents have asthma.

		Set expectations — Be sure to ask your doctor what you can expect with treatment. You may even want to write down some treatment goals and ask your doctor if you will be able to reach them.

		Be open — Tell your doctor everything that relates to your condition and how it has impacted you. Your treatment and your relationship with your doctor will be more helpful.

		Ask about your IgE level — If you haven't been tested for IgE, take the time to ask your doctor for a screening. It's a blood or skin test that will help determine whether your asthma is caused by year-round allergens in the air.

		Taking XOLAIR? — Make note of anything different about your asthma attacks and symtoms. You can use a free tool to track your symptoms and record any changes in your asthma that may occur as a result of treatment. In addition, tell your doctor about everything that has happened since your last XOLAIR treatment. Share the list you created with changes in your symptoms. And don't forget to mention if you missed an injection appointment. These are all important in keeping to a treatment plan that's right for you.

		Not Taking XOLAIR? — Ask about it. If you are taking inhaled steroids, yet continue to have asthma attacks and symptoms, adding XOLAIR to your current asthma treatment plan with inhaled steroids, may help reduce the number of attacks you have if you have moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma triggered by year-round allergens in the air. Only a doctor can tell you if XOLAIR is the right treatment for you.

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Who is XOLAIR for?

XOLAIR^® (omalizumab) for subcutaneous use is an injectable, prescription medicine for patients 12 years of age and older. It is for patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma caused by year-round allergens in the air. A skin or blood test is done to see if you have allergic asthma. XOLAIR is for patients who are not controlled by asthma medicines called inhaled steroids.

XOLAIR helps reduce the number of asthma attacks in people with allergic asthma who still have asthma symptoms even though they are taking inhaled steroids.

Important Limitations of Use

XOLAIR has not been proven to work in other allergic conditions
XOLAIR is not a rescue medicine and should not be used to treat sudden asthma attacks
XOLAIR should not be used in children under 12 years of age

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

XOLAIR should always be injected in a doctor's office. You should read the Medication Guide before starting XOLAIR treatment and before each and every treatment.

A severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis has happened in some patients after they received XOLAIR. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition and can lead to death, so get emergency medical treatment right away if signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis occur after receiving XOLAIR.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, or trouble breathing
low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, rapid or weak heartbeat, anxiety, or feeling of "impending doom"
flushing, itching, hives, or feeling warm
swelling of the throat or tongue, throat tightness, hoarse voice, or trouble swallowing

Anaphylaxis from XOLAIR can happen:

right after receiving a XOLAIR injection or hours later
after any XOLAIR injection. Anaphylaxis has occurred after the first XOLAIR injection or after many XOLAIR injections.

Your healthcare provider should watch you for some time in the office for signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis after injecting XOLAIR. If you have signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis, tell your healthcare provider right away.

You should not receive XOLAIR if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a XOLAIR injection. Do not use XOLAIR if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

In clinical studies, a variety of cancer types, including breast, skin, prostate, and parotid (a type of salivary gland), were reported in more patients who received XOLAIR than in patients who did not receive XOLAIR.

XOLAIR is not a rescue medicine and should not be used to treat sudden asthma attacks.

XOLAIR is not a substitute for the medicines you are already taking. Do not change or stop taking any of your other asthma medicines unless your doctor tells you to do so.

Some patients on XOLAIR may have an abnormal increase in eosinophils (a type of white blood cells) in the blood or tissues, sometimes causing an inflammation of blood vessels, which can lead to rash, worsening of respiratory symptoms, heart trouble, and/or nerve pain and weakness.

Joint inflammation or pain, rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes have been seen in some patients taking XOLAIR after the first or subsequent injections. Talk to your doctor if you've experienced any of these signs and symptoms.

The most commonly seen side effects occurring more frequently in patients receiving XOLAIR than in patients who received placebo (an injection with no active medicine) were joint pain, pain (general), leg pain, tiredness (fatigue), dizziness, fracture, arm pain, itching, inflammation of the skin, and earache.

In asthma studies, the most common side effects in patients, who either needed to stop XOLAIR or needed medical attention, were injection site reaction, viral infections, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, headache, and sore throat. These side effects were seen at similar rates in XOLAIR-treated patients as in patients that did not receive XOLAIR.

There are other possible side effects with XOLAIR. Talk to your doctor for more information and if you have any questions about your treatment.

XOLAIR has not been studied in pregnant women. Pregnant women exposed to XOLAIR are encouraged to enroll in the XOLAIR Pregnancy Exposure Registry. You can get more information by calling 1-866-4XOLAIR (1-866-496-5247) or by speaking with your doctor.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide for additional important safety information.