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                        Healing Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis drugs are used to decrease inflammation in the colon. They decrease ulcerative colitis symptoms and help keep those symptoms under control for as long as possible. While each ulcerative colitis drug has its benefits, from providing symptom relief to putting the disease in remission, almost every one also comes with certain health risks that go beyond the drug’s expected side effects.

 

Medications for ulcerative colitis act on your body’s immune system to stop the inflammation that causes the disease. Once your immune system is affected, it doesn’t perform the same way it used to, making you more susceptible to infection. Some of the drugs may cause other problems that you should be aware of as well. The following information can help you make informed choices for your overall health and your colitis treatment.

 

Mesalamine: Has been linked to kidney problems, according to some studies, and people with existing kidney disease should carefully weigh this option with their doctor. Inflammation of the pancreas is also a rare side effect of this drug.

 

Prednisone: While they are quite useful in reducing inflammation, corticosteroids also compromise your immune system. That means they reduce the body’s effectiveness in protecting itself from bacteria and viruses, making you more susceptible to infection. Long-term risks of this class of drug depend on both the dose given as well as the length of time a patient is on the medication. Among the most serious health risks of corticosteroids are the development of osteoporosis (loss of calcium in your bones, leading to possible fractures), high blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased risk of infection, cataracts, and weight gain; you’ll need to be monitored for all these conditions while taking steroids. To counter the risk of osteoporosis, your doctor may have you take calcium and vitamin D supplements, or prescription medications that stop or reverse bone loss. Because corticosteroids cause your body to stop making cortisol, these drugs cannot be abruptly stopped after a long period of time; you have to slowly withdraw from them so that your body has time to ramp up its natural cortisol production. Also, 30 to 40 percent of ulcerative colitis patients become physically dependent on corticosteroids and cannot stop taking them without having flare-ups.

 

Imuran: Liver, kidney, and bone marrow functions can be impaired by any of the immunomodulators, and your doctor should perform regular blood tests to check for signs of all of these conditions. Health risks include hepatitis, lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), tremors, and tingling in the extremities. With cyclosporine A and tacrolimus in particular, high blood pressure is another risk, and should be checked out regularly.

 

Remicade & Humira: Because of their action on your immune system, biologics can leave you in a more vulnerable condition. Potential health risks include serious infections, particularly of the upper respiratory tract. Tuberculosis (TB), fungal infections, and sepsis, a very dangerous infection of the blood, have been associated with biologics. Infliximab doesn’t cause TB, but can allow a dormant, possibly unrecognized infection to become active if you have previously been exposed to the disease. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America recommends patients get tested for TB before beginning treatment with infliximab. Let your doctor know right away if you develop any infection, or infection- or flu-like symptoms such as fever and exhaustion. Although rare, cases of lymphoma have been associated with this therapy, too. As you evaluate the benefits and risks of these medications, remember that you may need to try a few different drugs before finding what works best for you, and during the course of your illness you may very well switch from one drug to another, or take them in new combinations. Be sure to communicate with your doctor about any concerns you have regarding your treatment plan. By working together, you will continue to fine-tune the ulcerative colitis treatments that work for you.