Important topics to discuss with your patients
Symptoms may improve at different times or rates when taking WAKIX; it may take up to 8 weeks for some patients to achieve a clinical response.
WAKIX should be taken once daily in the morning upon wakening.
WAKIX should be individually titrated to the effective dosage.
WAKIX is not a stimulant.
WAKIX is not a controlled substance.
Helpful tips to discuss with your patients throughout their treatment with WAKIX
Introduce WAKIX
- Explain that WAKIX is not a stimulant or controlled substance
Describe dosing and titration
- Tell your patients WAKIX should be taken once daily in the morning, as soon as they wake up
- Spend time discussing the titration process and share that they will start at a lower dose of WAKIX, and that you may increase the dose each week for 2-3 weeks to find the right dose for them; remind them to always take WAKIX exactly as prescribed
Discuss expected response to treatment
- Share that everyone responds to medication differently; symptoms may improve at different times or rates when taking WAKIX and it may take up to 8 weeks for some patients to achieve a clinical response
- Recommend that they keep a journal for the first few months after starting WAKIX to track any improvements they are noticing
- Suggest identifying a few activities to use as benchmarks throughout treatment
- Review side effect profile and note that the most common side effects observed in clinical studies for WAKIX compared with placebo were insomnia, nausea, and anxiety
- Remind them to let you know of any medication changes or if they experience side effects
Revisit appropriate dosing and the titration process
- Confirm that they are taking WAKIX as prescribed: once daily in the morning as soon as they wake up
- Reiterate that the titration process can take a few weeks, but it's important to find the dose that's right for them
- Let them know you may be able to adjust their dose of WAKIX to find a dose that’s right for them
Review expected response to treatment
- Remind them that symptoms may improve at different times or rates when taking WAKIX and that it may take up to 8 weeks for some patients to achieve a clinical response
- Inquire about any improvements they have noticed as well as any potential side effects
- Ask if there are activities they can do now, that they were unable to do before because of their EDS or cataplexy
Ensure WAKIX is taken appropriately and at a tolerable dose
- Ask if they have been taking WAKIX once daily in the morning as soon as they wake up
- Let them know you may be able to adjust their dose of WAKIX to find a dose that’s right for them
Encourage patience for the first several weeks
- Share that it is important to give WAKIX a chance to work
- It may take up to 8 weeks for some patients to achieve a clinical response
- Tell them that it can sometimes be hard to recognize a response to treatment
- To help patients understand their progress, ask if there are activities they can do now, that they were unable to do before because of their EDS or cataplexy
- Ask about progress with their benchmark activities to help them understand how treatment may have helped
- If a close friend or family member is with the patient, ask if they have noticed any improvements in symptoms