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Crohns Medication Reviewed
Unfortunately, a cure has yet to be found for Crohn’s Disease. However, just because there isn’t a cure doesn’t mean there are limitations to treatments, or that medical researchers are not continuing their search to put an end to Crohn’s disease.
Currently, people suffering from Crhon’s treat their symptoms with prescribed or over-the-counter medications and controlled diets. Regardless of the treatments people use, the vast majority of medical professionals have 4 primary goals that they seek to achieve when prescribing medications to their patients. They are as follows:
1. Encourage remission
2. Maintain remission
3. Reduce negative side effects of treatments
4. Allow the person to go about a normal daily life
Let’s take a close look at the three common medications that are used to treat Crohn’s Disease, and see how they measure up to the above goals.
Prednisone
Prednisone is a steroid medication that is very similar to cortisol, which is a natural steroid produced by the body’s adrenal gland that works to reduce inflammation. The purpose of this medication is to reduce the swelling in the digestive track which helps to prevent the symptoms of diarrhea and bleeding from occurring.
Common side effects associated with Prednisone include moodiness, acne, night sweats, headaches, increase in appetite, swollen cheeks, hair growth, weight gain, etc. This medical treatment should not be used for the long term as it can cause bone density loss and cause steroid dependency.
Mercaptopurine
Mercaptopurine (also known as 6-mercaptopurine – 6-MP) is a medication that is specifically designed to weaken the immune system of the body by reducing the number of immune cells known as lymphocytes. Mercaptopurine is usually given in low doses to people who suffer from moderate to severe cases of Crohn’s disease. It is estimated that 70% of people who are given Mercaptopurine as treatment benefit from the drug.
Some side effects of Mercaptopurine include unusual weakness or fatigue, yellow skin or eyes, darkening of skin, headache, diarrhea, skin itching or rash, loss of appetite, blood in urine or feces, lower back pain, etc.
Another drug that is similar to Mercaptopruine which is also used to treat Crohn’s is Azathioprine.
Infliximab
Infliximab is a fast active and effective drug treatment for those with a serious case of Crohn’s disease. People who respond to infliximab treatments have experienced dramatic improvements of their condition. In some cases, the medication induces rapid healing of ulcers and reduces inflammation of the intestines, often with only one infusion.
Infusion? That’s right, Infliximab is injected directly in the vein and is an infusion treatment that lasts a minimum of 2 hours. It is done by a health care professional usually in a clinic or hospital.
Side effects that you should watch for include cold symptoms, unusual bleeding, chest pain, skin rash or hives, trouble breathing, yellowing of the skin or eyes, stomach pain, nausea and/or vomiting, fatigue, etc. Most side effects of Infiximab occur during an infusion, but sometimes allergic reactions to the medication does not occur until as late as 7 – 10 days after receiving the infusion.
Infliximab has also been known to effectively treat fistulas.
Not all medical treatments are ideal for everyone. When on strong medications such as those described above, you should be closely monitored by a gastroenterologist to make sure you are responding well to the medication and that the side effects aren’t making your condition worse. Make sure you fully read and understand the side effects of the medication(s) you take, and always notify your doctor if you experience any side effect.
If you’d rather go down the natural route to treat or want to supplement your prescribed meds have a look at the following natural remedies for Crohn’s Disease:
Gastronic Dr. and DigestAssist - a natural solution for acute and chronic digestive problems.