First, heres a little refresher on why these symptoms occur in the first place.
While there is no cure, treatments can reduce the inflammation and accompanying symptoms so you feel more comfortable.
Here are a few questions you should ask your doctor about this class of ulcerative colitis medications.
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Why did you choose this biologic for me?
check that you have ongoing conversations with your doctor about which treatment options may be best for you.)
Cost is typically a big deciding factor, explains Dr. Hanauer.
Often the insurance company will determine which medications patients can receive, he says.
Will my biologic fit my lifestyle?
Other biologics are self-injected under the skin.
(You should be able to request training on injecting if your doctor prescribes this form.)
Lately, Starshak has had a home nurse administer the IV treatments.
I treat it as me time.
But not everyone is able to set aside an hours-long window for treatments every few weeks.
Thats why its important to really involve the patient in shared decision making around treatment, Dr. Bhattacharya says.
What are the side effects?
Remember that side effects are not unique to biologicsevery medication comes with its risks.
The most common biologic side effects include reactions at the injection sitethings like pain, redness, or arash.
Will biologics help me achieve remission?
This is the goal of treatmentto induce and maintain remissions, says Dr. Bhattacharya.
Will my biologic stop working, and what do I do if this happens?
Your treatment may stop working at some point for a couple of reasons, explains Dr. Hanauer.
Sometimes yourimmune systemproduces antibodies to a biologic because it mistakes the drug for an invader.
(This is similar to the way your body reacts to the common cold.)
When this occurs, the biologic cant effectively treat your symptoms.
Not every shoe fits everyone.
Many people will respond to one form of biologic and not another, Dr. Bhattacharya says.
How will I know if my biologic stops working?
Usually youll know because your original symptoms will reemerge or get worse, Dr. Hanauer explains.
For instance, you might start to feel extremely tired and havefrequent diarrhea, Dr. Bhattacharya says.
If symptoms like intense fatigue start to impact your day-to-day life again, he recommends calling your doctor.
Monitoring your symptoms is just one way to tell if your medication works, according to Dr. Chen.
Can I take biologics if I plan to get pregnant?
