Crones Disease: What Do Your Medicines Do?

Side effects of medicines for Crones Disease are very common. The only really viable way of combating diseases such as Crones, is starting the other way around. If we improve our body's immune system and strength, our body will be able to bring back balance into the bacterial unbalance in our intestines which causes Crones Disease.

Mainstream doctors use mainstream medicines to try to improve the condition of their patients. In the case of Crones Disease, this means trying to stop or lessen the symptoms which are caused by the underlying disease. The medicines will not cure the disease though, and in many cases they will actually worsen the underlying cause. Most used are Aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, antibiotics, immunomodulators (to calm the immune system), and biologic therapies for moderate or severe Crones disease.

I studied the medicines which doctors subscribe for Crones Disease. I discovered that most of them have mild to sever side effects, especially when taken for a longer period of time. Actually, if I realize that my body does not have time to recover and regain it's own balance after taking a course of medicine, I start to see the course this whole thing is going to take... :-( Side effects are (amongst others): Diarrhea Headache, dizziness Increased risk of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract Indigestion, nausea, gas Hair loss Rash Decrease in white blood cells High blood pressure Mood swings, psychosis, insomnia Weight gain, moon facies Acne, increased facial hair, stretch marks Increased risk of infection Osteoporosis Vomiting Cough Sinus infections Sore throat

The problem of the Biologic Therapies is not only the side effects, but also the frequent injections (up to every 2 hours). The other medicines are normally taken orally, but can also be applied more locally targeted, in the form of enemas and suppositories.

I want to make a special note on corticosteroids. Some corticosteroids can also be given intravenously. Corticosteroids can have severe side effects, like an increased risk of infection, so even the mainstream doctors will hesitate to prescribe them for a longer period of time. If you want to stop taking corticosteroids, make sure you taper off them gradually. Stopping them suddenly can worsen side effects.

Antibiotics are said to be used to control bacteria levels in the intestine and reduce the symptoms of Crones disease. They can also resolve infections caused by the condition. If you think well about it, antibiotics probably kill all bacteria in your intestines, the good ones and the bad ones, and they do not leave a healthy level of good bacteria behind. They probably leave a not so healthy level of bad resistant bacteria behind if you have bad luck... If your good bacteria are wiped out by frequent antibiotic-use, it is quite probable that you develop inflammations on gut-level, simply because there is no shield of good bacteria any more which protects your gut form attacks from outside. The question is here is antibiotics solve a problem, or actually create a much bigger problem on the not so long run.

Some researchers believe that Crones Disease is caused by an over reactive immune system. When the other medicines do not work to control the swelling, they will try to use immunomodulators which diminish the immune response. Also patients with fistulas will be treated with these medicines, often in combination with corticosteroids. Because of their effect on the immune system, these medicines tend to increase the danger of other infections or other illnesses. The effect on bone marrow, liver and kidneys has to be monitored, because of likely side effects.

Biologic therapies are a new treatment for Crones Disease and they are also the most expensive. They are used for patients who do not respond to other treatments, but because of the possible severe side effects, doctors will be hesitant to apply them. Although the pharmaceutical industry tells us that the risks are small, they still warn for the effects of suppressing the immune response. There is some evidence that they increase the risk of conditions like blood infections, tuberculosis, and lymphoma.

Some medicines will interacts with other common drugs like birth control pills, and they can even break down vitamins or stop there absorption into the bloodstream. When you have diarrhea you will have to take medicines for that, and you will have to compensate the fluid loss.

To recap: Treating Crones Disease with medicines will not cure the condition, and on the long run even probably make it worse. If we have a way to boost our immune system and improve the balance of bacteria in our gut, we will feel better and the symptoms will start to subside. Medicines will be necessary in a lesser amount, and as a result the side effects will also be less. our overall condition will improve, and eventually the new approach could substitute the treatment using the mentioned medicines.

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Crones Disease is a "uncurable" disease which has a big impact on the patient and his family. Side effects of medicines can make life even worse; here you will find an alternative to help your immune system fight your Crones Disease.
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