Ofev, made simple.
Ofev is a twice a day capsule that slows down certain lung diseases that cause scarring. It does not undo scarring already there, but it can protect the lung function you have. This guide explains how it works, how to take it, and how to handle its most common side effect. A Mississippi pharmacist wrote it for you.
This guide is here to teach you. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or pharmacist. Always do what your doctor tells you, and ask a pharmacist before you change how you take any medicine.
Print this guide for your fridgeWhat Ofev is and why your doctor gave it to you
Ofev is a twice a day capsule. Its other name is nintedanib.
It is used for lung diseases where the lung tissue slowly stiffens and scars. That includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma-related lung disease, and other progressive scarring lung diseases.
Here is the honest part. Ofev does not reverse scarring that has already happened. What it does is slow the disease down, so your lungs decline more slowly than they otherwise would. That is a real and worthwhile thing, protecting the function you have, even though it is not a cure.
The simple version: Ofev slows the progress of lung scarring. It protects your lung function over time. It works only while you keep taking it.
How Ofev works
In these lung diseases, the body lays down scar tissue in the lungs faster than it should. Over time that scarring makes the lungs stiff and breathing harder.
Ofev blocks several of the signals the body uses to drive that scarring process.
By quieting those signals, Ofev slows how fast new scarring forms. It does not clear away old scar tissue, but it slows the rate of decline, which buys time and preserves function.
Your dose
Ofev is taken twice a day, about 12 hours apart. Take it with food, because food makes the stomach side effects much easier to handle. Swallow the capsules whole with liquid, do not chew or break them.
Your doctor picks your dose and your pharmacist checks it. This page will not tell you what dose to take. One thing to know: if side effects, especially diarrhea, become hard to manage, your doctor may lower your dose or pause the medicine for a short time, then restart. That is a normal adjustment, not a failure.
Timing, and what to do if you miss a dose
Take Ofev twice a day, about 12 hours apart, each time with food. Tie the two doses to two daily meals so they are easy to remember.
If you miss a dose:
- If you miss a dose, do not take an extra dose to catch up.
- Just take your next dose at its normal scheduled time, with food.
- Never take two doses at once.
- If you are missing doses often, tell your pharmacist so we can help.
Side effects, what is normal and what is not
Common.
- Diarrhea. This is by far the most common, affecting most people who take Ofev. There is a plan for it, see the special situations section below.
- Nausea, vomiting, or belly pain.
- Less appetite, and some weight loss.
- A headache.
Call your doctor if you notice:
- Diarrhea that is severe, or that lasts more than about a week despite treating it.
- Signs of liver trouble: yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, severe tiredness, or pain on the upper right of your belly.
- New high blood pressure.
- Unusual bruising or bleeding.
Go to the emergency room right away if:
- You cough up blood, have blood in your stool, or have a sudden severe headache.
- You have sudden chest pain, or sudden weakness on one side of your body.
- You have sudden, severe belly pain.
What to be careful with
Some medicines can make Ofev weaker, including rifampin, certain seizure medicines, and the herbal supplement St. John's Wort. Other medicines can raise Ofev levels. And blood thinners taken with Ofev can raise the chance of bleeding.
Because Ofev can affect bleeding and wound healing, tell your doctor well ahead of any planned surgery or dental procedure. Ofev may need to be paused beforehand.
The simple rule: before you start or stop any medicine or supplement, tell your pharmacist you take Ofev. Every single time. At Fairview, we check every new prescription against your list.
What it costs
The cost is different for every person, because every insurance plan is different.
Here is the honest way to find your price. If you pay cash, call Fairview and we will give you a price for your situation. If you have private insurance, there may be a coupon or a savings program from the maker of the drug that helps lower your cost, and we will check if one is available for you. The best step is to let a pharmacist look at your plan. We do this for every patient.
Do not let cost make you skip doses. Call us first. There is almost always something we can do.
There is also a generic version of many medicines. The generic is the same medicine. Ask your pharmacist if a generic is a good fit for you.
What should be checked
Ofev works best alongside some regular checks, especially in the first few months.
Your doctor should check:
- Your liver, with blood tests, especially in the first 3 months.
- How your breathing and lung function are holding up over time.
- Your blood pressure.
- How well you are managing diarrhea and keeping your weight up.
Your pharmacist can help by:
- Checking every new medicine against Ofev.
- Helping you set up a plan for managing diarrhea before it becomes a problem.
- Making sure your refills arrive on time.
- Helping with cost and assistance programs.
At Fairview, we keep an eye on our Ofev patients. If a refill is running late, we call you. And if diarrhea is wearing you down, talk to us, there is a lot we can do to help.
Special situations
Managing diarrhea.
Diarrhea is the most common side effect of Ofev, and most people get it to some degree. The good news is it is manageable. Take Ofev with food. Drink plenty of fluids so you do not get dehydrated. An over the counter medicine called loperamide, sold as Imodium, usually helps, and your pharmacist can guide you on using it. If diarrhea is severe, or lasts more than about a week despite this, call your doctor, because your dose may need adjusting. Do not just suffer through it.
Pregnancy.
This is important. Ofev can seriously harm a developing baby. If you can become pregnant, you must use reliable birth control while taking Ofev and for at least 3 months after your last dose. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Ofev should not be used while breastfeeding.
Surgery and dental work.
Ofev can affect bleeding and slow wound healing. Tell your doctor about any planned surgery or dental procedure well in advance, so the medicine can be paused if needed and restarted safely afterward.
Liver health.
Ofev is processed by the liver and can raise liver enzymes, especially early on. Keep your blood test appointments, and report yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusual tiredness promptly.
Cost should never be the reason you stop.
Ofev is expensive at full price, but there is strong help. The manufacturer copay program can bring the cost to nothing for many people with commercial insurance, and there is an assistance program for the uninsured and for Medicare patients. If cost is a worry, call Fairview before you ever skip doses.
How Fairview helps Ofev patients
When you fill Ofev at Fairview, here is what you get. This is normal care for us.
At your first fill:
- We check all your medicines and supplements against Ofev.
- We help you set up a diarrhea plan before it becomes a problem.
- We explain the food rule and the surgery precaution.
- We talk through cost and help you find any program you qualify for.
At every refill:
- We check your file for any new medicines.
- We ask how you are managing side effects.
- We make sure there is no gap before your next refill.
On our own, without being asked:
- If a refill is running late, we call you.
- If we see a medicine that does not mix with Ofev, we call your doctor.
- We check your cost at every fill to keep it as low as possible.
Questions people ask about Ofev
Ofev slows the worsening of lung diseases that cause scarring, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma-related lung disease, and other progressive scarring lung diseases.
Related guides
Have a question about your Ofev? Ask a pharmacist you can trust.
Living with a progressive lung disease is hard, and Ofev asks something of you in side effects. But slowing the disease is worth real effort, and you do not have to manage the rough parts alone. Fairview is here to help, especially with the day to day of side effects. If something made you wonder, ask us.