Understanding Your Treatment Options

CD affects your body and your life

Because of the unpleasant and embarrassing nature of its symptoms, the impact of Crohn's disease (CD) can vary. Sometimes it may seem merely an inconvenience, while at other times it may become a debilitating condition that can significantly disrupt your everyday life.

That's why it's important to work with your doctor to find a treatment that's right for you. Because CD can have such a dramatic impact on your everyday life, it's important to learn as much as you can about its symptoms and approved treatment options.

When you have a chronic condition like moderately to severely active CD, it's important to keep looking for symptom relief and control that lasts. To expect more—like effective symptom control, inducing remission and maintaining it over time, even healing of the intestinal lining.

Choosing the treatment that's right for you

There are many different types of treatments available today for CD. Only you and your gastroenterologist can decide which treatment is right for you.

The goals of treating CD include:

  • Achieving remission (periods of very few or no symptoms)
  • Fast symptom control
  • Eliminate steroid use
  • Mucosal healing (healing the lining of the intestine)

CD treatments

Your doctor will select the treatment that's right for you. Treatments include:

 
 
Class Description Example
5-ASAs
Aminosalicylates		 Can reduce inflammation and help prevent flares. But for many people they are found to be ineffective. Asacol®* (mesalamine),
Pentasa®* (mesalamine)
Steroids Effective anti-inflammatory medication, and may help achieve short-term control over symptoms of CD Entocort® EC* (budesonide), prednisone
Immunomodulators Suppress the immune system, may be used to maintain remission and decrease the need for steroids. Imuran®* (azathioprine), Purinethol®* (mercaptopurine), methotrexate
Biologic Therapy Works to block a protein in your body that leads to inflammation and the painful symptoms of Crohn's. REMICADE®
 
 

*Indicated trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

REMICADE® is not for everyone

SELECTED IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

REMICADE® can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious and sometimes fatal events can occur. There have been reports of serious infections including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that have spread throughout the body. Lymphoma, including a fatal kind called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, and other cancers have been reported in children and adults taking REMICADE®. Some people with heart failure should not take REMICADE®. Other serious side effects include hepatitis B, liver injury, blood problems, allergic reactions, nervous system problems, or lupus-like syndrome. To learn more about these and other risks, please read the Important Safety Information and the Medication Guide, and talk with your doctor.

NEXT: About REMICADE®

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Only your doctor can recommend a course of treatment after checking your health condition. REMICADE® (infliximab) can cause serious side effects such as lowering your ability to fight infections. Some patients, especially those 65 years and older, have had serious infections caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria that have spread throughout the body, including tuberculosis (TB) and histoplasmosis. Some of these infections have been fatal. Your doctor should monitor you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with REMICADE®.

Unusual cancers have been reported in children and teenage patients taking TNF-blocker medicines. Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of fatal lymphoma, has occurred mostly in teenage or young adult males with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis who were taking REMICADE® and azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine. For children and adults taking TNF blockers, including REMICADE®, the chances of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase.

You should discuss any concerns about your health and medical care with your doctor.

What should I tell my doctor before I take REMICADE®?

You should let your doctor know if you have or ever had any of the following:

  • Tuberculosis (TB) or have been near someone who has TB. Your doctor will check you for TB with a skin test. If you have latent (inactive) TB, you will begin TB treatment before you start REMICADE®.
  • Lived in a region where certain fungal infections like histoplasmosis or coccidioidomycosis are common.
  • Infections that keep coming back, have diabetes or an immune system problem.
  • Any type of cancer or a risk factor for developing cancer, for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or had phototherapy for psoriasis.
  • Heart failure or any heart condition. Many people with heart failure should not take REMICADE®.
  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection or think you may be a carrier of HBV. Your doctor will test you for HBV.
  • Nervous system disorders (like multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome).

Also tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, including vaccines or Kineret (anakinra), Orencia (abatacept) or Actemra (tocilizumab) and if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are nursing. Adults and children should not receive a live vaccine while taking REMICADE®. If you have a baby and you were using REMICADE® during your pregnancy, tell your baby’s doctor about your REMICADE® use before the baby receives any vaccine.

What should I watch for and talk to my doctor about before or while taking REMICADE®?

The following serious (sometimes fatal) side effects have been reported in people taking REMICADE®.

You should tell your doctor right away if you have any of the signs listed below:

  • Infections (like TB, blood infections, pneumonia)—fever, tiredness, cough, flu, or warm, red or painful skin or any open sores. REMICADE® can make you more likely to get an infection or make any infection that you have worse.
  • Lymphoma, or any other cancers in adults and children.
  • Heart failure—new or worsening symptoms, such as shortness of breath, swelling of your ankles or feet, or sudden weight gain.
  • Reactivation of HBV—feeling unwell, poor appetite, tiredness, fever, skin rash and/or joint pain.
  • Liver injury—jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), dark brown urine, right-sided abdominal pain, fever, or severe tiredness.
  • Blood disorders—fever that doesn’t go away, bruising, bleeding or severe paleness.
  • Nervous system disorders—numbness, weakness, tingling, changes in your vision or seizures.
  • Allergic reactions during or after the infusion—hives, difficulty breathing, chest pain, high or low blood pressure, swelling of face and hands, and fever or chills.
  • Lupus-like syndrome—chest discomfort or pain that does not go away, shortness of breath, joint pain, rash on the cheeks or arms that gets worse in the sun. The more common side effects with REMICADE® are respiratory infections (that may include sinus infections and sore throat), headache, rash, coughing and stomach pain.
  • Psoriasis—new or worsening psoriasis such as red scaly patches or raised bumps on the skin that are filled with pus.

Please read the Medication Guide for REMICADE® and discuss it with your doctor. (Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®. Click here to download.)

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.