How a pro athlete managed her acute pain with a nonopioid after major injury
(BPT) - In September 2025, when professional basketball player and standout guard DiJonai Carrington hit the court in the first round of playoffs, she was finally feeling like she was getting her rhythm back after previous injuries. She had returned to doing what she loves the most, but that quickly changed.
During Game 2 of the series, DiJonai sustained a major sprain to her midfoot that abruptly and prematurely ended her postseason.
"[Another player] stepped on my foot, and I felt a pop immediately. When I tried to walk again, I couldn't," said DiJonai. "I knew something was wrong."
DiJonai is no stranger to injury. Previously in her career, she tore her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in both knees and suffered a shoulder injury, but this time was different. The physical pain was challenging, of course, but the mental pressure to return to peak performance as quickly as possible was immense.
"I was disappointed and felt so guilty because my team needed me, and then I got hurt," she said. "I was blaming myself, wondering what I could have done differently to change the outcome, especially after playing the tape back."
The mental hurdles didn't stop there. As her teammates continued their playoff run, what was meant to be a pivotal moment in her career turned into the beginning of her recovery and pain management journey.
Taking control of her recovery
Following surgery to her foot, DiJonai was prescribed an opioid to manage her acute pain, but she did not like the way she felt after taking the opioid. After talking with her doctor about other pain management options, DiJonai was prescribed JOURNAVX® (suzetrigine), a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe short-term (acute) pain, including postoperative pain. It is not known if JOURNAVX is safe and effective in children.1
"As an athlete, I am mindful of what I put in my body," said DiJonai. "So, when JOURNAVX was introduced to me as a nonopioid option for moderate-to-severe acute pain, that really stood out to me."1
While patient experiences vary and side effects may occur, JOURNAVX worked to help reduce DiJonai's acute pain during a period that she said could have felt isolating.1
"I was able to focus on healing and moving through recovery one day at a time," she said. Patients should not take JOURNAVX if they take certain medicines that are strong inhibitors of an enzyme called CYP3A.1 Patients should ask their healthcare providers if they are not sure.1
The importance of having nonopioid options
For decades, patients experiencing acute pain were limited to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or opioids, creating a gap for patients and clinicians seeking other options.2
Each year, around 80 million Americans are prescribed a medicine for acute pain.3 Of these patients, half (about 40 million) are prescribed an opioid to treat their acute pain.3JOURNAVX is a nonopioid alternative for managing moderate-to-severe acute pain.1
Looking ahead
DiJonai feels grateful that JOURNAVX was an option for her. Following her recovery, she is looking forward to returning to what she loves - playing basketball.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that acute pain can happen to anyone, at any time, from sports injuries to household accidents to planned surgeries.4,5Patients deserve to feel empowered when making treatment decisions. Understanding options can help drive informed conversations with healthcare professionals, allowing patients to be more involved and in control of their care.
"Recovery is about controlling what you can and finding ways to continue to push and move forward," said DiJonai. "Choosing JOURNAVX during a time when everything else felt out of my control was important to me."
JOURNAVX may not be right for everyone; some people may experience side effects.1Talk with your doctor about what treatment option is right for you. Visit JOURNAVX.com to learn more.
This article was sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated and originally published on 10/13/2026.
What is JOURNAVX?
JOURNAVX is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe short-term (acute) pain, including postoperative pain.
It is not known if JOURNAVX is safe and effective in children.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not take JOURNAVX if you take certain medicines that are strong inhibitors of an enzyme called CYP3A. Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure.
Before taking JOURNAVX, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
• have liver problems. People with liver problems may have an increased risk of getting side effects
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JOURNAVX may temporarily reduce the chance of females becoming pregnant while on treatment
• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Taking JOURNAVX with certain other medicines may affect the way JOURNAVX and the other medicines work and may increase your risk of side effects. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of these medicines if you are not sure.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:
• hormonal birth control medicine (contraceptives) containing progestins other than levonorgestrel or norethindrone as they may not work as well during treatment with JOURNAVX. Use nonhormonal contraceptives such as condoms or other forms of hormonal birth control during treatment and for 28 days after you stop taking JOURNAVX
• medicines that are substrates of the CYP3A enzyme as they may become less effective during treatment with JOURNAVX. Your healthcare provider may need to adjust the dose of your medicine when starting or stopping JOURNAVX
What should I avoid while taking JOURNAVX?
Do not take food or drink containing grapefruit during treatment with JOURNAVX.
What are the possible side effects of JOURNAVX?
The most common side effects for patients treated with JOURNAVX included itching, muscle spasms, increased blood level of creatine phosphokinase, and rash.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all of the possible side effects of JOURNAVX.
Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, for JOURNAVX.
Sources
1. JOURNAVX [prescribing information]. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. Boston, MA; January 2026.
2. Blondell RD, Azadfard M, Wisniewski AM. Pharmacologic therapy for acute pain. Am Fam Physician. 2013;87(11):766-772.
3. Lopez A, Menzie AM, Kenderes M, Rubin JL. A real-world database analysis of the prevalence of pain medication use in the United States. PAIN Reports. 2026;11(1):e1396. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000001396
4. "Ouch, that hurts!" The science of pain. NIH MedlinePlus Magazine. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/ouch-that-hurts-the-science-of-pain
5. Pain management center. International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/toolkits/pain-management-center/chapter1/
JOURNAVX is manufactured for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.
JOURNAVX, Vertex, and the Vertex triangle logo are registered trademarks of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.
© 2026 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | VXR-US-43-2600419 (v1.0) | 10/2026
Source: BrandPoint
