PART 1

[On screen]
Elaine, 61, Diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) in 2012

Elaine: My name is Elaine. I live in Florida with my husband, Tom. We have four children and two grandchildren, and my grandchildren are the highlight of my life. We've lived in uhm.. Asia in the past and also Hawaii, and we've lived around the United States. 

Elaine: After I graduated from university I taught elementary school, mostly third through fifth grade. I taught regular uh.. education and special-needs children, mostly children with attention-deficit disorder and dyslexia. It's my favorite population to work with, because when they get it they get it, and the look on their face is pure delight, and it's really rewarding for them and for me. 

Elaine: So now that I'm not teaching anymore uh.. well, I am teaching. I teach bridge one day a week, and I play bridge three days a week, and I run a game one day a week. I also started a book club in my neighborhood, and uhm.. I visit with my daughter couple times a month, and we go up to see our grandchildren in Georgia.

Elaine: I've had constipation since I was a child. One of my earliest memories is my mother giving me an enema. Uhm.. I remember having terrible, terrible stomach aches walking to school, not being able to go…I would not go more than probably twice a week most- most of the time in my life, and uh.. I came to take this as normal. I didn't realize it wasn't. 

Elaine: When I feel the pain from being constipated it's often felt as sharp pain in my lower abdomen uhm.. not unlike uhm.. rocks in my lower abdomen, also sometimes like heavy, heavy pressure in my rectum. 

Elaine: When we returned to the United States after living in Asia and Hawaii for- for some time I went back to work, and during that time the symptoms of constipation were just horrible. I'd be in the middle of teaching, and I'd be doubled over and needing to go and not being able to go, so it really affected my ability to teach.

Elaine: When my symptoms were really bad I lost the desire to travel, because I was so uncomfortable anyway, but traveling seemed to make it worse. And Tom was-- would say "Where do you want to go?" and I'd say "Nowhere," because I knew that during traveling it would just be even worse than it was at home.

Elaine: When my first grandchild was born my symptoms were really bad, and it would cause me to feel like I had to go when I couldn't go, and I'd spend inordinate amounts of time in the bathroom when I could've been spending it with him. And when you're a grandparent nothing beats spending time with your grandchild. 

Elaine: So if somebody came to me and said that they were having these kinds of symptoms and that they were in a lot of pain I would say, "Talk to your doctor now. Don't wait. I know we're not supposed to talk about poop, but go and talk to your doctor about it now. There are all kinds of products out there, treatments, things you can use. Ask your doctor what's right for you. Don't suffer in silence.”

PART 2

[Text on-screen with voiceover]

Narrator: LINZESS^® (linaclotide) is a prescription medication used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults and functional constipation (FC) in children and adolescents 6 to 17 years of age. “Idiopathic” means the cause of the constipation is unknown. It is not known if LINZESS is safe and effective in children with functional constipation less than 6 years of age or in children with IBS-C 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]
Elaine, 61, Diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) in 2012

Elaine: After seeing my uhm.. primary care physician and my OB/GYN, who finally referred me to a gastroenterologist who I bonded with immediately, she diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.

Elaine: So after about a year of trying various products I had a particularly bad bout of constipation that ruined a dinner party, kinda made me go home early, tearing pain in my gut…

Elaine: A couple weeks later my doctor called and said "I've- I've just heard about this product, LINZESS, and I thought about you immediately. I want you to come in so we can talk about it." 

Elaine: I made an appointment with my gastroenterologist to talk about LINZESS, and after a discussion I decided that the potential benefits were worth the risks and decided to give LINZESS a try. 

[On screen]
Individual results and experiences may vary.

Elaine: Within about a week I noticed that I was having more frequent bowel movements, every day as a matter of fact. It wasn't perfect, because my stool was still hard

Elaine: As time went by I also noticed that the pain in my belly was decreasing. I still have pain from time to time, maybe once a month, but that also for me is new and different, and I'm very happy with my progress. 

Elaine: My doctor told me there could be side effects from LINZESS, including diarrhea, gas, stomach area pain, swelling or a feeling of fullness and pressure in the abdomen.

Elaine: I didn't personally experience any of these side effects, but I know that it's different for everyone. 

Elaine: So, if I were talking with someone who was telling me that they were having the kinds of symptoms I was having I would tell 'em "There's no reason to wait around or- or think that this is the way it has to be." I would say, "Go and talk to a gastroenterologist now.