Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis Treatments

The first point to make is that treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) is a very complicated area and no amount of literature and on-line reading will replace a thorough discussion with your treating gastroenterologist.

New discoveries for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are being made all the time. All our specialists very much welcome the discussion of complex issues including long-term fertility; travel issues in patients who live with IBD; and newer therapies including monoclonal antibodies and newly approved oral therapies. If you have a more severe form of IBD, it may well be worth your while being enrolled in a trial that potentially can make huge differences in symptom improvements and prevention of long term complications.

Talk to your Gastroenterologist about smoking, about the classes of drugs including 5-ASA compounds and immuno-modifying therapies (Azathioprine, Mercaptopurine and Methotrexate). Ask your gastroenterologist how safe or unsafe it is to use Prednisolone and whether steroid therapy changes the natural history of IBD. Enquire about the extra-colonic disease that are often associated with inflammatory Bowel Disease including liver and bile duct complications, as well as the need for bone density monitoring.

The ultimate aim of our specialists in looking after patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is to avoid long term complications including bowel cancer, surgeries of the small and large bowel. The concept of bowel cancer prevention is an important discussion to make with your gastroenterologist and particularly the use of what is termed "chemo-prevention".

For further advice and information, you can request an appointment, or call our reception team on 5973 4444 (Mornington) or 5986 4444 (Rosebud) .