How Does Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Affect Me?

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How IPF Impacts Lung Function

“Lung function” refers to:
- How well the lungs can breathe in and out and exchange gases such as oxygen
- Oxygen is vital to the body
IPF reduces lung function by causing permanent scarring around parts of the lungs. This scarring keeps the lungs from breathing in and transporting as much oxygen as they used to
It’s important to talk to your doctor about your lung function and how it impacts your body

With IPF, once damage occurs, it cannot be undone. That is why it is important to slow your IPF from progressing. The goal of treatment is to help slow progression of the disease.

Signs and Symptoms of IPF

Recognizing common IPF symptoms can help in taking early action

Many people only learn that they have IPF after experiencing symptoms for quite some time, or even after the disease has already progressed. That’s because early symptoms of IPF often resemble those of other conditions. Some of the early signs will be noticeable to you, while others may only be detected during an examination by your doctor.

Understanding the common signs and symptoms of IPF and discussing them with your doctor can often help to detect IPF early and give you more time to work with your doctor on a treatment plan. Esbriet^® (pirfenidone) does not treat the symptoms of IPF and does not reverse the scarring in your lungs.

Early symptoms of IPF

An ongoing cough that does not produce any phlegm
Feeling tired or weak
Having shortness of breath, even during normal daily activities
A doctor may also hear “Velcro^®-like” crackles at the bottom of your lungs

Additional symptoms may appear as IPF progresses

Shortness of breath, even at rest
A dry cough that becomes more hacking. It may include bouts of uncontrollable coughing
Tiring quickly, even during light activities
Clubbing (enlarging) of fingertips that develops over time
Decreased oxygen levels in the blood

Keep in mind that each person responds to IPF differently and may experience some or all of these signs and symptoms.

How Your Doctor May Test Lung Function

There are a few different types of tests that your doctor might do to check how your IPF is progressing. They include

Pulmonary function tests

There are tests that measure lung function. Your doctor can give you more information. One test your doctor may do is a forced vital capacity (FVC) test:

FVC is a test that measures the amount of air you can exhale with force after you inhale as deeply as possible. It measures how well the lungs work
A device called a spirometer measures FVC. You take in a big breath and blow out as hard as you can to generate a reading
Your treatment team may check your FVC at every visit. If your FVC measurement goes down over time, it may mean that lung function is decreasing and IPF may be progressing
Remember that no matter what your test results say, both you and your healthcare team want what’s best for your health. You’re both working toward the same goal

Exercise tests

Your doctor may have you do physical activities. For example, one type of test looks at how far you can walk in a set amount of time. Another test checks your oxygen saturation while you walk. A third one measures how quickly you recover after walking.

Lung scans

There are scans your doctor can do to see what is happening inside your lungs. One type of scan is called an HRCT scan.

Since everyone is different, your doctor will decide which tests are best for measuring how your IPF is progressing. Ask your doctor about which tests may be right for you.

Take action now and talk to your doctor.

Discuss ways to manage your IPF symptoms and to support a healthy lifestyle
Make a plan for how to treat IPF and discuss ways to hopefully slow the progression of IPF

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

Take an active role in managing your condition.

Learn More

NEXT: How Esbriet may help slow IPF

About Esbriet

Esbriet^® (pirfenidone) is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

It is not known if Esbriet is safe and effective in children.

Before you take Esbriet, tell your doctor if you:

have other medical conditions (particularly liver or kidney problems).
are a smoker.
are or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed (Esbriet has not been studied in these patients).
are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of Esbriet?

Esbriet may cause serious side effects, including:

liver problems. Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark or brown urine, pain on the upper right side of your stomach area, bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, or increased fatigue. Your doctor will also do regular blood tests to check your liver.
sun sensitivity and rash. When you are outside, use sunscreen (SPF 50) and wear a hat and clothes that cover your skin to avoid getting a sunburn.
severe skin reactions. Call your doctor right away if you have a severe skin reaction such as skin blisters, rash, sores in the mouth, hives or any other severe skin symptoms.
stomach problems. Esbriet may cause stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, heartburn, and stomach pain.

Your doctor may change your dose or discontinue Esbriet if side effects do not go away.

The most common side effects of Esbriet include upper respiratory tract infections, feeling tired, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, sinusitis, insomnia, or weight loss.

These are not all the possible side effects of Esbriet.

What should you avoid while taking Esbriet?

Direct exposure to sunlight, or light from sunlamps and tanning beds.
Other medicines that can make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
Smoking, which may affect how well Esbriet works.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch or to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

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

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- Genentech’s educators are called Clinical Education Managers. They do not provide medical advice. If you have questions about your health or treatment, you are encouraged to contact your health care provider.
  
  Genentech’s educators are called Clinical Education Managers. They do not provide medical advice. If you have questions about your health or treatment, you are encouraged to contact your health care provider.
- Zitter Health Insights. Policy & Access Tracking Tool for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Published September 2017.
  
  Zitter Health Insights. Policy & Access Tracking Tool for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Published September 2017.
- Independent co-pay assistance foundations have their own rules for eligibility. We cannot guarantee a foundation will help you. We only can refer you to a foundation that supports your disease state. We do not endorse or show financial preference for any particular foundation. The foundations we refer you to are not the only ones that might be able to help you.
  
  Independent co-pay assistance foundations have their own rules for eligibility. We cannot guarantee a foundation will help you. We only can refer you to a foundation that supports your disease state. We do not endorse or show financial preference for any particular foundation. The foundations we refer you to are not the only ones that might be able to help you.
- The Medicare Extra Help program is not a Genentech program. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. The co-pay amount for Medicare Extra Help changes each year.
  
  The Medicare Extra Help program is not a Genentech program. It is administered by the Social Security Administration. The co-pay amount for Medicare Extra Help changes each year.
- This Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program is valid ONLY for patients with commercial insurance who have a valid prescription for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication of a Genentech medication. Patients using Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state government program to pay for their medications are not eligible.
  
  Under the program, the patient will pay a co-pay. After reaching the maximum program benefit, the patient will be responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses.
  
  All participants are responsible for reporting the receipt of all program benefits as required by any insurer or by law. No party may seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received through this Program. The program is only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories. This program is void where prohibited by law and shall follow state restrictions in relation to AB-rated generic equivalents (e.g., MA, CA) where applicable. The patient, guardian, prescriber, hospital and any other person using the program agree not to seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received by the patient through the offer of this program. Genentech reserves the right to rescind, revoke or amend the program without notice at any time. Additional terms and conditions apply. Please visit EsbrietCopay.com for the full list of Terms and Conditions.
  
  This Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program is valid ONLY for patients with commercial insurance who have a valid prescription for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication of a Genentech medication. Patients using Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state government program to pay for their medications are not eligible.
  
  Under the program, the patient will pay a co-pay. After reaching the maximum program benefit, the patient will be responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses.
  
  All participants are responsible for reporting the receipt of all program benefits as required by any insurer or by law. No party may seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received through this Program. The program is only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories. This program is void where prohibited by law and shall follow state restrictions in relation to AB-rated generic equivalents (e.g., MA, CA) where applicable. The patient, guardian, prescriber, hospital and any other person using the program agree not to seek reimbursement for all or any part of the benefit received by the patient through the offer of this program. Genentech reserves the right to rescind, revoke or amend the program without notice at any time. Additional terms and conditions apply. Please visit EsbrietCopay.com for the full list of Terms and Conditions.
- To be eligible for free Genentech medicine from the Genentech Patient Foundation, insured patients who have coverage for their medicine must have exhausted all other forms of patient assistance (including the Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program and support from independent co-pay assistance foundations) and must meet certain financial criteria. Uninsured patients and insured patients without coverage for their medicine must meet different financial criteria.
  
  To be eligible for free Genentech medicine from the Genentech Patient Foundation, insured patients who have coverage for their medicine must have exhausted all other forms of patient assistance (including the Esbriet $5 Co-pay Program and support from independent co-pay assistance foundations) and must meet certain financial criteria. Uninsured patients and insured patients without coverage for their medicine must meet different financial criteria.
- Eligible patients will pay as little as $5 per valid prescription, subject to a maximum benefit of $25,000 for a 12-month period.
  
  Eligible patients will pay as little as $5 per valid prescription, subject to a maximum benefit of $25,000 for a 12-month period.