Ulcerative Colitis Treatment: Medication
The most common medication option is anti-inflammatory drugs. These can be used orally or topically to reduce inflammation of the colon and rectum.
Treating ulcerative colitis is a highly individualized process. At Johns Hopkins, we tailor your treatment to your specific needs and alter the medication as necessary. Your specific medication regimen will depend largely on the severity of your condition.
Other medications include:
-
Immunosuppressive medications: These drugs slow your immune system to stop the immune response that is causing the colon and rectum to swell.
-
Biologics: Like immunosuppressive medications, biologics target the immune system, but biologics act on specific immune system proteins that encourage inflammation.
Recognizing Symptoms Of Kidney Dysfunction From Crohns And Ulcerative Colitis
Having Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis both types of inflammatory bowel disease can put you at an increased risk of developing kidney disease. Research has shown that about 8 percent of people with either Crohns or ulcerative colitis experience some sort of kidney dysfunction, compared to less than 4 percent of the general population.
The direct correlation between IBD and kidney disorders is unknown, but experts believe kidney problems may be associated with side effects from IBD medication, inflammation, and metabolic disorders related to IBD. Heres how to recognize potential symptoms of kidney dysfunction in Crohns or ulcerative colitis.
What To Do During An Ulcerative Colitis Flare To Minimize Symptoms
Youll inevitably experience another UC flare-up at some point, despite your best prevention efforts. When this happens, there are a few ways youll need to tweak your normal routine to minimize the severity of your symptoms and get back into remission ASAP. Even some of your typically healthy habits like loading up on veggies may be a no-go. Here are a few natural remedies that may help:
You May Like: How To Tell Stomach Ulcer
Options For Adjusting Treatment
If your doctor feels its appropriate to adjust your treatment plan, she may increase the dose of your medication, change the interval between treatments, or try a different drug.
Your doctor may also suggest a short course of steroids to control your flares. But there has to be an exit strategy , Kane says. That strategy could be getting you back on the medicine you were taking previously or starting a new one. Steroids aren’t a long-term solution.
RELATED: The Pros and Cons of Taking Steroids for Ulcerative Colitis
If none of the drugs control your inflammation and keep you in remission, surgery to remove your colon may be the next step.
The important thing to understand is that nowadays we have many medical and surgical options, so do not give up hope if your UC is difficult to control. And contact your healthcare team to discuss treatment options, Philpott says.
Definitions Of Remission Used In Current Guidelines
All guidelines discuss disease remission, but not all are explicit in their definition, which compromises their utility. The World Gastroenterology Organisation Global Guidelines define remission as a UC-DAI2, which implies modest control of symptoms. By contrast, both the European Crohns and Colitis Organisation , and the International Organisation for the study of IBD define it as complete resolution of symptoms and endoscopic mucosal healing. Nevertheless, neither the Practice Parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology nor British Society of Gastroenterology defines remission.
Recommended Reading: Ulcerative Colitis And Lung Disease
Diet Tips During A Flare
A modified diet may help you manage and reduce your UC symptoms. Depending on the person, specific foods may trigger flare-ups or worsen symptoms. As a result, its important to identify and limit these foods.
Your doctor and a dietitian can work with you to find a diet that best manages your symptoms while providing the nutrition you need.
Many Disease Activity Indices Exist For Ulcerative Colitis But None Have Been Developed With Formal Patient Input
There is no consensus gold standard for the evaluation of disease activity in ulcerative colitis. This is illustrated in numerous recent clinical trials, in which investigators measured several different indices of disease activity, as no one index is considered sufficient. There are many indices for the measurement of ulcerative colitis disease activity, including Truelove and Witts classification of mild, moderate, and severe disease the St Marks Index, which empirically added endoscopy in 1978 simplified versions of the St Marks Index, including the Ulcerative Colitis Disease Activity Index and the Mayo Score and noninvasive versions, including the Seo Index and the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index .
The diversity of indices suggests that none of these has proven satisfactory, and none was developed with patient input. In addition, it has never been established that any of these indices actually measures all of the important symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
Ulcerative colitis lacks a validated measurement instrument such as the Crohns Disease Activity Index in Crohns disease . Furthermore, the indices that do exist for ulcerative colitis were not constructed in a patient-centered manner to attempt to capture the symptoms experienced by patients. Therefore, our study group aimed to investigate through focus groups that what symptoms does patients with ulcerative colitis experience during their disease process.
Recommended Reading: Is Ulcerative Colitis Considered An Autoimmune Disease
What Happens During These Ulcerative Colitis Tests
If youve ever found yourself with nothing but a thin hospital gown separating you from a room full of medical professionals ready to look in your colon, you probably know it can feel a little weird. But lets not scare those who havent been there yet. Its really not that bad. In the case of a colonoscopy, youll likely be sedated, and wont be aware of anything anyway.
That said, youll be asked to lay on your side with your knees tucked up by your chest. Your doctor will then insert the scope into your rectum and pump air or carbon dioxide as they move through, which inflates the colon so they can see the lining better. The camera sends images to an external monitor, where the doctor will look for any issues. Other tools can also be inserted to take a biopsy or remove abnormal tissue, such as polyps, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The exam itself can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to an hour for a colonoscopy. If you have a colonoscopy, youll have to stick around for an hour or so as the sedative wears off and have someone drive you home. As you recover, you might feel some abdominal cramping and the urge to pass gas. Our advice? Just let it go, everyone else in recovery is doing it too.
How Ulcerative Colitis Is Diagnosed
Once youve started noticing any symptoms that might be related to ulcerative colitis, youll want to make sure you visit your doctor. Although it can be tough to determine whether or not your symptoms are serious enough to need a doctor, its better to take action early than to wait and let the condition get worse.
When you visit your doctor, youll need to discuss your symptoms so your doctor can determine whether additional testing is needed. In order to diagnose ulcerative colitis, your doctor will evaluate your symptoms and try to determine where your symptoms stem from.
If your doctor determines that you do have ulcerative colitis, he or she will help you narrow down the condition by figuring out which type of ulcerative colitis you have. The types depend on where the condition is happening in the body, and the Mayo Clinic² lists them as:
Also Check: How To Reduce Bloating With Ulcerative Colitis
How Do I Know If My Uc Has Gone Into Remission
UC doesn’t have a cure. Instead, the goal of any treatment plan is to send the disease into remission.
When UC is in remission, you don’t experience as many symptoms and start to feel better. If your UC medications and lifestyle changes work well for you, remission may last for months or even years. There are several different kinds of remission:
- Clinical remission: When a patient isn’t experiencing symptoms and may feel better.
- Endoscopic remission: Testing of the intestinal lining shows no inflammation
- Biochemical remission: Blood and stool tests show no sign of inflammation
- Surgical remission: When UC goes into remission after surgery to treat it
- Histologic remission: When both clinical and endoscopic tests didn’t show signs of UC
With UC, it can feel like life revolves around symptoms. If UC symptoms keep coming back, it can be a sign that medications aren’t working. Consider taking part in a clinical trial researching an investigational treatment option for people living with UC.
Identifying And Avoiding Trigger Foods
According to the CFF, some people with UC experience an increase in cramping, bloating, and diarrhea after eating certain foods.
Although these trigger foods vary from person to person, some common examples include:
- fatty foods
of people with IBD have insufficient vitamin D levels.
Participants with low vitamin D also needed more medications, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and surgeries.
The authors also found that participants accessed health services less often after receiving vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D supplements are available for purchase online.
Probiotics
Research from 2018 suggests that an imbalance in intestinal bacteria may cause the inflammation that occurs in people with UC.
In a different analysis from 2019, researchers found that people who took probiotics and an aminosalicylate had higher remission rates than those who only took an aminosalicylate.
Probiotics may help reduce UC symptoms by:
- preventing the growth of harmful gut bacteria
- regulating the immune system
- reducing inflammation in the colon
- improving the function of the intestinal barrier, which prevents toxins and harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream
Probiotics are available for purchase online.
Curcumin
Some plants in the ginger family produce curcumin, a chemical.
In 2012, researchers investigated whether curcumin could help maintain UC remission.
Curcumin supplements are available for purchase online.
Don’t Miss: Medication For Ulcerative Colitis Flare Up
How Does Ulcerative Colitis Affect Your Life
As a relapsing and remitting disease you can expect to have periods where you are well and times when you are unwell from your ulcerative colitis. When your UC symptoms get worse this is known as a flare up and when there is no sign of your UC being active this is called remission.
It isnt yet known exactly what can cause you to have an ulcerative colitis flare up and it may feel like the symptoms come on very suddenly with little warning. Unfortunately due to the unpredictable nature of ulcerative colitis it does mean that you may live with some uncertainty when it comes to your day-to-day life and planning ahead. It can be difficult for other people to understand this so you may want to talk to your family, close friends and workplace about how it can affect you and so that you can come up with some plans for childcare, work etc in case you do become unwell at short notice. You could also consider taking out some specialist travel insurance for people with ulcerative colitis. This will probably be more expensive than standard travel insurance but will give you peace of mind in case you need to cancel holidays and trips due to your UC.
Its important that a treatment is found to get your ulcerative colitis under control and into remission so that you can live a better quality of life, but also to prevent some complications which can arise out of having active UC. You can find out more about some of these complications in this article: How serious is ulcerative colitis?
Treatment Of Kidney Infection
Most kidney infections need prompt treatment with antibiotics to stop the infection damaging the kidneys or spreading to the bloodstream.
You may also need painkillers.
If youre especially vulnerable to the effects of an infection , you may be admitted to hospital and treated with antibiotics through a drip.
Most people who are diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics feel completely better after about 2 weeks.
People who are older or have underlying conditions may take longer to recover.
Read Also: Can Ulcerative Colitis Cause Blood In Urine
Ulcerative Colitis: Towards Remission
The initial manifestations of ulcerative colitis, although unpleasant and discomforting, are not necessarily alarming. Stomach cramps, diarrhoea and even rectal bleeding can arise from various problems of the gastrointestinal system. But if such symptoms persist or worsen, they could represent the first skirmishes in a lifelong battle with this common form of inflammatory bowel disease .
The underlying causes of ulcerative colitis are murky and complicated. Genetic factors certainly play a part: 814% of people with the condition have a family history of IBD. But myriad environmental factors, including diet and lifestyle, as well as a persons psychological wellbeing, also make a considerable contribution. The influence of external factors and their interplay with genetics can be seen in studies of migrant families. Several such investigations have shown an increased risk of ulcerative colitis in the descendants of people who have moved from parts of the world with a low incidence of ulcerative colitis to areas with a higher incidence. Furthermore, although IBD has been most prevalent historically in Western nations, its incidence is now rising in countries in Asia and Latin America too.
Nature563, S33
doi:
This article is part of Nature Outline: Ulcerative colitis, an editorially independent supplement produced with the financial support of third parties. About this content.
How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated
Theres no cure for ulcerative colitis, but treatments can calm the inflammation, help you feel better and get you back to your daily activities. Treatment also depends on the severity and the individual, so treatment depends on each persons needs. Usually, healthcare providers manage the disease with medications. If your tests reveal infections that are causing problems, your healthcare provider will treat those underlying conditions and see if that helps.
The goal of medication is to induce and maintain remission, and to improve the quality of life for people with ulcerative colitis. Healthcare providers use several types of medications to calm inflammation in your large intestine. Reducing the swelling and irritation lets the tissue heal. It can also relieve your symptoms so you have less pain and less diarrhea. For children, teenagers and adults, your provider may recommend:
Children and young teenagers are prescribed the same medications. In addition to medications, some doctors also recommend that children take vitamins to get the nutrients they need for health and growth that they may not have gotten through food due to the effects of the disease on the bowel. Ask your healthcare provider for specific advice about the need for vitamin supplementation for your child.
You might need surgery that removes your colon and rectum to:
- Avoid medication side effects.
- Prevent or treat colon cancer .
- Eliminate life-threatening complications such as bleeding.
Don’t Miss: How Do They Check For Ulcers
Point: Maintenance Of Remission With 5
Colectomy rates in UC range from 9% to 25% within 10 years following diagnosis, with the vast majority performed to address unremitting disease activity. Though the use of 5-ASA agents has not been shown to reduce colectomy rates, these agents have been shown to lead to variable degrees of mucosal healing. Achieving mucosal healing has been associated with lower rates of colectomy in both retrospective and prospective studies,, though it should be noted that evaluating and treating for mucosal healing are not without risk and cost. Taking these data into account, it is reasonable to treat patients to potentially modify their disease course and prevent colectomy, especially when we consider the favorable safety profile of 5-ASA agents.
Now I Can Go About My Day Normally Without Many Preparations
Rosanne Mottola, 36, dealt with excruciating pain when she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis while in college in 2006. I was living with debilitating gut pain and having urgent and severe bowel movements 20 times a day, she tells SELF. Most of the time there was blood present.
Mottola was officially diagnosed with ulcerative colitis a few months before she graduated from college. I had to arrange for several of my finals to be given virtually since I couldn’t sit in a classroom for an hour to take my exams, she says. In addition to the gut symptoms, I was exhausted and anxious.
Mottola learned to manage her condition by taking extreme measures to try to avoid symptoms when she needed to be away from a bathroom. Anytime I had to go anywhere, I would wake up hours before I had to leave just to settle my stomach, she says. Often, prior to an eventsuch as my weddingI would load up on Imodium A-D to prevent having to go to the bathroom.
Recommended Reading: What Causes Ulcers On The Feet
Proctocolectomy And Ileoanal Anastomosis
Proctocolectomy is removal of the entire colon, including the lower part of the rectum and the sphincter muscles that control bowel movements. It can achieve a complete cure, but it is a last resort for ulcerative colitis that has not been helped by drug therapy.
Ileostomy
In some proctocolectomies, the surgeon creates an opening in the abdominal wall to allow passage of waste material. This part of the procedure is referred to as an ileostomy. The stoma is created in the lower right corner of the abdomen. The surgeon then connects cut ends of the small intestine to this opening. An ostomy bag is placed over the opening and accumulates waste matter. It requires emptying several times a day.
Ileoanal Anastomosis
Ileal pouch anal anastomosis , also simply called ileoanal anastomosis, has now largely replaced ileostomy because it preserves part of the anus and allows for more normal bowel movements. The procedure creates a natural pouch to collect waste, rather than using an ileostomy bag. The standard procedure involves:
Gi Issues Caused By Kidney Stones
Normally, kidney stones cause symptoms such as pressure and pain in your lower back, fever, frequent urination, discomfort urinating, and bloody or discoloured urine. However, sometimes kidney stones can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort.
If youre experiencing sudden low back pain and gastrointestinal discomfort, dont ignore the possibility that it might be kidney stones.
You May Like: Bone Broth And Ulcerative Colitis