Treatment for an Incurable IBD: Interview with a Crohn's Patient

This is the third in a series of articles based on an interview with a Crohn's patient. It is our hope that in exploring different aspects of Crohn's and other IBD's it will heighten awareness and understanding of IBD's.

In this interview we focus on the treatments of Crohn's, including side effects and insurance considerations. I think you will find this particular article enlightening in a nuymber of ways.

Thank you for sharing so openly with our readers about Crohn's, the IBD that you have lived with for many years. The diagnoses of Crohn's seem to be increasing.

It is one of increasingly identified autoimmune diseases that many people know little or nothing about, but we are learning. Your participation in this four part interview has been tremendously enlightening.

Crohn's is a complex condition. It presents in similar and different ways. Some patients are just learning to cope with Crohn's and learning to live with it, or other IBD's. The same is true of Colitis.

There are many stages of the disease and a variety of treatments. With your permission, I'd like to discuss current treatments and continuing research in the area of Crohn's. Rather than just disseminate information. We'd like to know how treatment and research impacts the lives of those with IBD.

Q. What is the current course of treatment for Crohn's?

A. The first thing your doctor will want to do is keep the IBD under control. The object of living with IBD, or Crohn's, becomes keeping inflammation at bay. To control inflammation most doctors start using 5-ASA agents, such as Asacol, Dipentum, or Pentasa. Possible side of these mesalamine preparations include nausea, vomiting, hearburn, diarrhea, and headache.

If 5ASA's don't work they will then try cortosteriods like prednisone and endocort. Cortosteriods help reduce inflammation.

Immuran and 6 MP are immuno-suppressants. They work by blocking the immune reactions to inflammation. A lot of times the doctors use these drugs along with cortosteroids to enhance the effectiveness of the cortosteroids.