Posts In: Patients & Families

Infliximab REMICADE® WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED BEFORE I START IT? Pre-treatment screening is essential to check your suitability for treatment with Infliximab. Make sure our IBD team treating you know: If you have any history of tuberculosis (TB) or any recent exposure to people with TB. You…

Methotrexate WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED BEFORE I START IT? Before you start treatment you will need to have blood tests, including liver and kidney tests, as methotrexate can affect the blood count and sometimes cause liver problems. Your doctor may also request a chest x-ray, lung function tests, or liver…

Ustekinumab STELARA® WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED BEFORE I START IT? Pre-treatment screening is essential to check your suitability for treatment with ustekinumab. Make sure our IBD team treating you knows the following: If you have any history of tuberculosis (TB) or any recent exposure to people with…

Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED BEFORE I START IT? You should have levels of the enzyme thiopurine methyl transferase (TPMT) measured in your blood. This test can help to predict who is more likely to experience side effects with azathioprine or mercaptopurine, such as suppressed…

Steroids SIDE EFFECTS Although steroids are produced naturally by the body, steroid medications can cause unwanted side effects. Studies suggest around one in two people taking steroids experience side effects. Side effects can be minimized by using the lowest effective dose of steroids for the minimum period, and sometimes by taking the…

Vedolizumab ENTYVIO® WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED BEFORE I START IT? Pre-treatment screening is essential to check your suitability for treatment with Vedolizumab. Make sure our IBD team treating you know: If you have any history of tuberculosis (TB) or any recent exposure to people with…

Vedolizumab ENTYVIO® WHAT ARE THE MOST LIKELY SIDE EFFECTS? Like all drugs, vedolizumab can have side effects, although not everyone experiences these. Some side effects can happen almost immediately, in direct response to the infusion. Others may not appear for several days, weeks or even longer.

Steroids WHAT CHECKS WILL I NEED FOR LONG-TERM STEROID TREATMENT? Blood pressure and weight should be measured regularly, and children will need growth checks You may be offered blood tests to check your potassium level and for raised blood sugar and triglycerides after starting steroid treatment and then…

Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine WILL I NEED TO TAKE ANY SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS WHILE BEING TREATED WITH IT? Try to avoid close contact with people who have chickenpox infections. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine affect the way your immune system functions, which can make you more prone to infections. Also, even mild infections, such…

Steroids WHAT IS BUDESONIDE? Budesonide (brand name;Entocort) is a steroid developed more recently with special features to reduce side effects. It has been designed to be broken down more completely by the liver, reducing the amount of steroid in the blood affecting the rest of the body. Budesonide…