Tag Archives: medication

Can You Stop Your Medication? - An IBD Community Poll

Can You Stop Your Medication? – An IBD Community Poll

Many inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients receive medication. Which drugs, in what dosage and their combination, is individualized.

Almost everyone would probably prefer to not take any medications at all. However, IBD is complicated to treat, and there is potential for serious complications with untreated Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. 

Still, there are some patients who want to discontinue their IBD medications. And this might be a valid goal — if they can get into deep remission.

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What to Do If Your Infusion Center Closes

What to Do If Your Infusion Center Closes

In this moment of physical distancing in order to flatten the curve of people being exposed to the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and developing the disease it causes, COVID-19, it may prove challenging to receive medication to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Certain medications that are given to manage Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are given by infusion. This is most often done at a doctor’s office, infusion center, or at a hospital.

People with IBD have questions about the safety of receiving infusions outside the home at this time. In addition, there have been reports of infusions centers closing for the indefinite future, leaving patients to find another location to receive their medication. All the major gastrointestinal organizations and IBD specialists are recommending that patients still receive their medication at this time. It’s currently thought that the focus should be on avoiding an interruption in care and running the risk of an IBD flare-up. This article will provide resources in order to help patients navigate the closing of an infusion center.

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About IBD Episode 67 - Tips on Getting An Infusion During the Pandemic

About IBD Podcast Episode 67 – Tips on Getting An Infusion During the Pandemic

We’re living through an usual time and people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have many questions about how the pandemic may affect them. IBD experts agree that it’s important to continue receiving medications during this time to avoid a flare-up. That might mean traveling to an infusion center, hospital, or doctor’s office for treatment. Julie Kennedy of The Semicolon Girl recounts her experience in receiving her infusion of her Crohn’s disease medication in the era of COVID-19, including how the procedure was different, and gives her tips on how to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

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About IBD Episode 61 - Reporting from Advances in IBD 2019: Getting Out of the Bathroom

About IBD Podcast Episode 61 – Reporting from Advances in IBD 2019: Getting Out of the Bathroom

In December 2019 I went to Advances in IBD, which is a medical meeting that’s focused entirely on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The understanding that IBD is more than a “bathroom disease” has finally hit home, and attendees (which include healthcare professionals such as nurses, dietitians, gastroenterologists, GI psychologists, and colorectal surgeons) were educated on a variety of topics. In this episode I provide some of the highlights of the meeting including sessions on diet, medication risks, and pregnancy. 

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