Patient stories
about ZURZUVAE

BETHANY:

I think I’m a very involved mom. I have four kids. I’m always the one taking them to do social activities and playdates. After I had my third, my daughter…

I struggled to be an involved parent. I noticed that I was starting to feel really depressed.

I spoke to my OBGYN, and we decided I should try medication. I didn’t take it for long because I got pregnant again quickly. After I had my fourth child, I noticed that the symptoms got a lot worse.

I feel like in that time, there was just such a sadness that permeated everything. I was very irritable sometimes. I noticed I was starting to feel a lot more hopeless. I didn’t feel like I could do the things that I loved to do.

I’d started to withdraw from my friends and my family. I was exhausted, but as soon as it was time to go to bed, I was wide awake.

I had heard about things like postpartum depression and had heard that some women struggle to bond with their babies during that time, and I didn’t. I was able to bond with my babies very easily, so I really assumed that it couldn’t be postpartum depression.

I made the decision to get help because I felt like whatever was going on here was probably not something I could fix on my own. I had a six-week postpartum checkup coming up with my OBGYN, and so I decided this had to be my moment to talk to her.

She had looked up the information about my pregnancy and my mental health with my third child. She had asked me some questions about how similar it felt.

And I told her it did feel pretty similar, but I felt like this time around felt worse.

She had me do a couple of surveys and evaluations that are designed for postpartum depression, and after she looked at those and chatted with me for a little bit longer, she diagnosed me then with postpartum depression, or PPD.

The next day, my doctor called and said that she wanted to try me on this medication called ZURZUVAE (zuranolone). She and I discussed the most common side effects, which include…

… sleepiness, drowsiness, diarrhea, feeling weak, and having no energy.

The one that I was worried about affecting me the most was drowsiness. With the care of my baby, I was worried…

… how would I be able to take care of her if I wasn’t able to stay awake? She also told me not to drive for at least 12 hours after taking ZURZUVAE. I knew I would ask friends and family to help take care of my kids in the evenings during the 14-day treatment.

The moment I decided to go for it and take the ZURZUVAE was hard. If it doesn’t work, where do I go from here? If I didn’t try it, I felt like nothing would ever change.

With my treatment with ZURZUVAE, I actually started to notice a lifting in my mood probably about day three or four. I took ZURZUVAE at night after dinner and felt drowsy after taking the medication for the first few days. It was probably about five days to a week that people were really noticing and seeing a difference. But this is just my experience.

Everyone’s experience with ZURZUVAE may be different. I remember, about the fifth day, we loaded up my two-year-old and our little newborn, the teenagers who normally complain about going anywhere, and went down to the beach.

I found a nice spot on a fallen log, and I had my newborn all bundled up in my arms, and my teenagers were off taking selfies and laughing, and my two-year-old was chasing the waves back and forth across the water, and she was just giggling. The sun peeked out from those clouds, and it hit me, and I felt like it was the first moment in three years that I had felt any hope. Now, I’m back to having moments like that with my kids more often.

I tell women who have been diagnosed with postpartum depression that this isn’t their fault. I want other women to be aware of what PPD symptoms are and that not everyone experiences the same symptoms.

Only a healthcare provider can diagnose PPD, so I encourage women who are struggling with their symptoms to talk to their healthcare team as soon as possible. It can be really scary to ask for help, but there’s bravery and there’s courage in reaching out. There is hope out there.

VO:

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about ZURZUVAE^®?

ZURZUVAE may cause serious side effects, including:

• Decreased ability to drive or do other dangerous activities. ZURZUVAE may decrease your awareness and alertness, which can affect your ability to drive safely or safely do other dangerous activities.
  • Do not drive, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities until at least 12 hours after taking each dose during your 14-day treatment course of ZURZUVAE
  • You may not be able to tell on your own if you can drive safely or tell how much ZURZUVAE is affecting you
• Decreased awareness and alertness [central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects]. ZURZUVAE may cause sleepiness, drowsiness, slow thinking, dizziness, confusion, and trouble walking
  • Because of these symptoms, you may be at a higher risk for falls during treatment with ZURZUVAE
  • Taking alcohol, other medicines that cause CNS depressant effects, or opioids while taking ZURZUVAE can make these symptoms worse and may also cause trouble breathing
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any of these symptoms, or if they get worse during treatment with ZURZUVAE. Your healthcare provider may decrease your dose or stop ZURZUVAE treatment if you develop these symptoms

ZURZUVAE is a federally controlled substance (C-IV) because it contains zuranolone, which can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep ZURZUVAE in a safe place to protect it from theft. Do not sell or give away ZURZUVAE, because it may harm others and is against the law.

Before taking ZURZUVAE, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• drink alcohol
• have abused or been dependent on prescription medicines, street drugs, or alcohol
• have liver or kidney problems
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ZURZUVAE may harm your unborn baby
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. ZURZUVAE passes into breast milk, and it is not known if it can harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding and about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with ZURZUVAE

Females who are able to become pregnant:

• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant during treatment with ZURZUVAE
• You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ZURZUVAE and for 1 week after the final dose
• There is a pregnancy registry for females who are exposed to ZURZUVAE during pregnancy. The purpose of the registry is to collect information about the health of females exposed to ZURZUVAE and their baby. If you become pregnant during treatment with ZURZUVAE, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the National Pregnancy Registry for Antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or visit online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants/

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. ZURZUVAE and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. ZURZUVAE may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way ZURZUVAE works.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take antidepressants, opioids, or CNS depressants such as benzodiazepines.

What should I avoid while taking ZURZUVAE?

• Do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities until at least 12 hours after taking each dose of ZURZUVAE, because ZURZUVAE may make you feel sleepy, confused, or dizzy
• Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy or dizzy while taking ZURZUVAE without talking to your healthcare provider

See “What is the most important information I should know about ZURZUVAE?”

ZURZUVAE may cause serious side effects, including:

See “What is the most important information I should know about ZURZUVAE?”

• Increased risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. ZURZUVAE and other antidepressant medicines may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in people 24 years of age and younger. ZURZUVAE is not for use in children

How can I watch for and try to prevent suicidal thoughts and actions?

• Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions. This is very important when an antidepressant medicine is started or when the dose is changed
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings
• Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:

• attempts to commit suicide
• thoughts about suicide or dying
• new or worse depression
• feeling very agitated or restless
• trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• new or worse anxiety
• panic attacks
• new or worse irritability
• acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
• an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania)
• acting on dangerous impulses
• other unusual changes in behavior or mood

The most common side effects of ZURZUVAE include:

• Sleepiness or drowsiness, dizziness, common cold, diarrhea, feeling tired, weak, or having no energy, and urinary tract infection

These are not all of the possible side effects of ZURZUVAE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

What is ZURZUVAE?

ZURZUVAE is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with postpartum depression (PPD).

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

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.