Dimethyl fumarate is used to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome (CIS; nerve symptom episodes that last at least 24 hours), relapsing-remitting forms (course of disease where symptoms flare up occasionally), or secondary forms. MS is a condition in which the nerves do not function normally and patients may experience weakness, numbness, loss of muscle coordination, problems with vision, speech, and bladder control (course of disease where relapses occur more often). Dimethyl fumarate belongs to the class of drugs known as Nrf2 activators. It functions by reducing inflammation and averting nerve damage that could result in multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Dimethyl fumarate is available as a delayed-release capsule to take orally. This prevents the medicine from being broken down by stomach acids. Typically, it is taken twice daily. Take dimethyl fumarate every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or chemist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Consume dimethyl fumarate as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

You can take dimethyl fumarate with or without food. There is less of a possibility that you will flush during your treatment if you take dimethyl fumarate with food or with a non-enteric coated aspirin (325 mg or less) 30 minutes beforehand.

Do not chew or crush the capsules; instead, swallow them whole. Never crack the capsules open or sprinkling the powder on meals.

Most likely, your doctor will put you on a low dose of dimethyl fumarate and gradually raise it over the course of 7 days.

Although it won’t cure multiple sclerosis, dimethyl fumarate may aid in controlling the disease. Dimethyl fumarate should still be taken even if you feel fine. Without first consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking dimethyl fumarate.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your chemist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or chemist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking dimethyl fumarate,

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the ingredients in dimethyl fumarate capsules, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. For a list of the chemicals, consult your chemist or the manufacturer’s patient information.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as vitamins, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements you are currently taking or plan to take while taking dimethyl fumarate. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Inform your doctor if you have any type of infection, including intermittent or persistent infections, chicken pox, herpes zoster (shingles, a rash that can develop in people who have previously had chicken pox), a low white blood cell count, or liver issues.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking dimethyl fumarate.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Side effects from dimethyl fumarate are possible. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Skin that is heated, red, itchy, or burning
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Heartburn

Some adverse effects may be severe. Stop taking dimethyl fumarate and seek emergency medical attention if you suffer any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty eating, breathing, itching, hives, rash, or hoarseness
• Edoema of the hands, feet, ankles, lower legs, cheeks, neck, tongue, lips, and eyes
• Infection-related symptoms such a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, uncomfortable and frequent urination, or other symptoms
• Headache, stiff neck, fever, light sensitivity, motion sickness, or disorientation
• Excessive fatigue, appetite loss, stomach pain on the upper right side, black urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Changes in your thinking, memory, walking, balance, speech, eyesight, or strength that continue for several days; a weakness on one side of your body that gets worse over time; clumsiness in your arms or legs; uncertainty; or a change in personality
• Skin sensitivity, burning, tingling, or itching on one side of the body or face, followed a few days later by a severe rash or blisters.

Further negative effects of dimethyl fumarate are possible. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right once.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from light, excessive heat, and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your chemist or the garbage/recycling agency in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Before you start therapy and throughout it, your doctor can request a blood test to monitor how your body is responding to the drug dimethyl fumarate.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding prescription refills should be directed to your chemist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.