PART 1

Voiceover: You are about to meet Dr. Lucak, a gastroenterologist who practices in New York City. She provides comprehensive care for disorders of the gastrointestinal system, including irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). It’s important that you always talk to your own doctor about what treatment plan may be best for you.

[On screen] 
Dr. Susan Lucak, MD. Gastroenterologist 

Dr. Susan Lucak: Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation is characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort associated with constipation. People with IBS-C have hard or lumpy stools at least 25 percent of the time and loose and watery stools less than 25 percent of the time. IBS-C is a condition that is chronic, long lasting, intermittent and recurrent.

[On screen] 
While estimates vary, as many as 13 million adults in the U.S. may suffer from IBS-C

Dr. Susan Lucak: Although estimates vary, as many as 13 million adults in the United States suffer with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.

Dr. Susan Lucak:  Constipation is a very common symptom that we have all experienced in our lives but when constipation keeps coming back and it's long lasting, then we call it chronic constipation.

Dr. Susan Lucak: Chronic idiopathic constipation means that it's chronic constipation without an identifiable cause. Idiopathic means that the cause has not been determined.

[On screen] 
While estimates vary, as many as 35 million adults in the U.S. may suffer from CIC

Dr. Susan Lucak: Chronic idiopathic constipation affects approximately 35 million adults in the United States, although estimates vary.

Dr. Susan Lucak: The most common symptoms of IBS-C are abdominal pain or discomfort and constipation. Some patients with IBS-C suffer from having hard and lumpy stools and having a difficult time evacuating their bowels. 

[On screen] 
IBS-C Symptom checklist

• Belly pain
• Constipation
• Infrequent and incomplete bowel movements

Dr. Susan Lucak: They may have a sense of incomplete evacuation which means that they feel like they can't evacuate their bowels. They may also experience bloating, gas pains and straining when they're passing their.. uhm.. their bowel movement. These symptoms are long lasting or keep coming back. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: People with chronic idiopathic constipation suffer with symptoms of constipation including passing hard and lumpy stools, having a sense of incomplete evacuation and straining when passing their stool. Some patients may also experience abdominal discomfort. These symptoms are frequent and can be very bothersome.

[On screen]
CIC Symptom checklist

• Constipation
• Hard stools
• Infrequent and incomplete bowel movements

Dr. Susan Lucak: There is no cure for IBS-C or CIC but there are ways we can help manage the symptoms.

Dr. Susan Lucak: I suggest at first to my patients that they change their diet, they add more fiber to make the stools softer. Also they need to drink about six to eight glasses of fluid per day to again make the stools softer and exercise also has been found to be helpful in managing the symptoms of IBS-C as well as CIC.

Dr. Susan Lucak: Patients with IBS-C and CIC, when they make changes in their diet and exercise, they should speak first to their doctor to make sure that it's safe.

Dr. Susan Lucak: In addition to diet and exercise, over-the-counter laxatives and stool softeners are approved for the treatment of occasional constipation but these products are not intended as the treatment for chronic idiopathic constipation or IBS with constipation.

… I also explain to my patients that there are FDA approved prescription treatments for IBS-C and CIC.

PART 2

[On screen]
Hear Dr. Lucak talk about LINZESS^® after this important information.

[Text on-screen with voiceover]

Narrator:  LINZESS^® (linaclotide) is a prescription medication used in adults to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). “Idiopathic” means the cause of the constipation is unknown. It is not known if LINZESS is safe and effective in children less than 18 years of age.  

IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

• Do not give LINZESS to children who are less than 2 years of age. It may harm them. LINZESS can cause severe diarrhea and your child could get severe dehydration (loss of a large amount of body water and salt).
• Do not take LINZESS if a doctor has told you that you have a bowel blockage (intestinal obstruction).

Please see Important Risk Information at the end of this video.

[On screen]
Dr. Susan Lucak, MD 
Gastroenterologist 

Susan Lucak: LINZESS is a once-daily capsule that helps adults proactively manage their symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation.

[On screen]
How LINZESS works

Dr. Susan Lucak: LINZESS is not a laxative. LINZESS works differently from other available medications. It acts locally in the intestine, and based on non-clinical studies it is thought to work in two ways, by decreasing the activity of pain-sensing nerves in the intestine and by accelerating transit in the intestine. 

Dr. Susan Lucak:  I tell my patients to take one capsule of the medication on an empty stomach 30 minutes before their first meal of the day. 

[On screen]
Individual results and experiences may vary.

Dr. Susan Lucak:  If you have IBS-C, LINZESS may help you to reduce abdominal pain and help with constipation, causing you to have more frequent and complete bowel movements that are easier to pass.

Dr. Susan Lucak:  You may have an improvement in your constipation in one week, though it may take longer to feel improvement in your abdominal pain. 

Dr. Susan Lucak:  If you have CIC, LINZESS may help you have softer, more frequent and complete bowel movements. You may have improvement in your constipation symptoms within one week.

Dr. Susan Lucak: If you stop taking LINZESS it is possible that your symptoms could return in about one week.

Dr. Susan Lucak: Whenever I prescribe LINZESS I make sure that my patients understand the possible side effects they may experience. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: The most common side effect of LINZESS is diarrhea, which can at times be severe. It usually occurs in the first two weeks of treatment. If you experience severe diarrhea it's important to stop the medication and call your doctor right away. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: Other common side effects of LINZESS include gas, pain in your stomach area, swelling or a feeling of fullness or pressure in your abdomen, which is also called distension. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: It's really important to tell your doctor if you experience any side effect that bothers you or that doesn't go away so that he or she can work with you to address the side effect. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: For my patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation who are treated with LINZESS I typically see improvement in their bowel symptoms in one week. If they have any side effects uh.. I- I work with them to manage them.  

Dr. Susan Lucak: It is very important that patients are open and honest with their healthcare team about their symptoms, about how they feel and about side effects from treatments. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: We need a complete picture of how IBS-C or CIC symptoms are affecting you in order to determine the best treatment possible. 

Dr. Susan Lucak: LINZESS is an option that has worked for many of my adult patients with IBS-C or CIC, and you and your doctor can determine if LINZESS is the right medication for you.