Posts In: Treatment

Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine HOW LONG I WILL BE ON IT? If you respond well to azathioprine or mercaptopurine, you should be able to keep taking it for some years, provided the results of your monitoring blood tests are satisfactory and you do not develop any serious adverse reactions. Research suggests that…

Vedolizumab ENTYVIO® HOW LONG I WILL BE ON IT? Most patients with IBD will be treated for a long period of time.If you are on a planned course of vedolizumab infusions you should be reassessed regularly to see whether ongoing treatment is still right for you.

Ustekinumab STELARA® HOW DOES STELARA WORK? Ustekinumab belongs to the class of ‘biological drugs’. Drugs in this class are further sub-classified, based on the way they act in the body (for example; Infliximab and Adalimumab are classified as anti-TNF biologic drugs). Ustekinumab acts in a…

Steroids ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES TO STEROIDS? Enteral nutrition (a special liquid only diet) can be used as an alternative to steroids to induce remission. People on this diet do not need to eat ordinary food or drink because the liquid diet provides them with all the necessary nutrients…

Vedolizumab ENTYVIO® HOW DOES IT WORK? Vedolizumab belongs to a group of medicines called Biological Drugs. Vedolizumab works in a different way to the anti-TNF drugs (Infliximab and Adalimumab), because it is a ‘gut-selective integrin blocker’. It binds to integrin α₄β₇. Blocking the α₄β₇ integrin…

CAN I ALTER THE DOSE OF IBD MEDICATIONS MYSELF? It is usually important to take the full dose to get the full effect. Some medicines must also be taken in particular ways – for example, at particular times of day, on an empty stomach, or with or after…

Methotrexate HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? Methotrexate has been used to treat CD for some 25 years. Research has found that a weekly dose of 25 mg by injection may induce remission in CD, while a lower dose of 15 mg per week can maintain remission. There is some evidence that…

Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine DO THEY AFFECT FERTILITY AND PREGNANCY? Tell your doctor if you are thinking of becoming pregnant or find you are pregnant, and either you or your partner are taking azathioprine or mercaptopurine. Manufacturers’ guidelines state azathioprine and mercaptopurine should not be given to patients who are pregnant or…

Steroids HOW EFFECTIVE ARE STEROIDS IN IBD? Treatment for IBD has two main goals – to lessen the symptoms of active disease or a flare-up, and to maintain remission (a period of time where you have no symptoms and feel well). Studies show that steroids help to control both…

Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine DOES TAKING THIOPURINES INCREASE THE RISK OF CANCER? People with IBD treated with thiopurines are at increased risk of cancer due to the drugs making the body’s tissues more susceptible and reducing the number of immune cells available to fight cancer. Studies suggest the overall risk of cancer for people…