Trikafta

No, Trikafta doesn't cure cystic fibrosis (CF). In fact, there's currently no cure for CF. But there are medications like Trikafta that help manage CF and help stop it from getting worse. Trikafta is made up of 3 CF medications: elexacaftor, tezacaftor, and ivacaftor. It works by helping abnormal CFTR proteins work properly again. This helps relieve certain symptoms of CF, like mucus buildup in the lungs. Studies showed that Trikafta helped improve lung function. Trikafta also improved symptoms like cough, mucus production, and trouble breathing.

In a study, people 12 years and older who took Trikafta had improved lung function in as early as 2 weeks. They felt their symptoms get better after a month of treatment. This included cough, mucus production, and ability to breathe. Lung function and symptoms continued to improve and lasted for the rest of the study (another 5 months). Keep in mind that everyone has a different experience with Trikafta. So, this might be different for you. Talk to your CF specialist if you're not sure if Trikafta is working for you.

Talk to your CF specialist about if you can drink alcohol while taking Trikafta. This medication isn't known to interact with alcohol directly. But drinking alcohol can make some symptoms of cystic fibrosis (CF) worse. For example, CF and a lot of alcohol can cause damage to similar parts of the body, like the liver, pancreas, and stomach. What's more, Trikafta also has a risk of causing liver damage. Be sure to tell your CF specialist if you drink alcohol regularly to see if Trikafta is safe for you. If it's hard for you to cut out alcohol completely, ask your care team about what to do and for resources to help you quit.

There's not much information about how long common Trikafta side effects, like headache, stomach pain, and diarrhea, last. But your care team can help recommend ways to manage them. Stay hydrated to help with headache and to manage any diarrhea. If needed, ask your care team about over-the-counter pain killers or antidiarrheals that might be right for you. They can also guide you to ways to relieve upper respiratory infections like a cold at home. Talk to your care team if you have any side effects from Trikafta and they start to bother you.

It's not clear how Trikafta affects mood. People with CF already have a higher chance of depression or anxiety. There have been studies looking at how Trikafta might affect mood, but results are mixed. One study has suggested that Trikafta might affect people's mental health. Another study found that it made mental health problems worse for a small group of people. Changes could be managed with appropriate medications or a lower Trikafta dose, though. But one other small study found that Trikafta might improve depression in some people. Talk to your CF specialist if you're worried about how Trikafta might affect your mental health.

It isn't clear if Trikafta causes weight gain because there isn't enough information. There are some reports of children and young adults who gained weight while taking Trikafta. After taking the medication for 3 months, they gained an average of 5.5 lbs from their weight 2 years earlier. This weight gain was made up of a gain in fat and lean body mass. It could possibly be linked to symptom improvement from treatment. The proportion of fat and muscles in your body can affect cystic fibrosis. So it's important to talk to your care team about what you might expect after starting Trikafta.

Maybe. Researchers from one study predicted that Trikafta can increase life expectancy. The study reported a median projected survival of 82.5 years for people who start Trikafta between the ages of 12 and 17. This is about double the lifetime of people who use only supportive care for cystic fibrosis. Remember, these are predictions. So speak to your cystic fibrosis specialist about what Trikafta can do for you.