HOW DO IBD MEDICINES WORK?

Treatment for moderate to severe Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis usually involves a medicine that works by decreasing your body's overactive immune system. That's a main focus, since that overactivity causes at least part of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and its symptoms. These medicines include:

• Steroids
• Immune suppressants: Azathioprine (Imuran), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), methotrexate
• Anti-TNFs: Cimzia, Humira, Remicade, Simponi, biosimilars
• Other biologics: ustekinumab (Stelara), vedolizumab (Entyvio)
• Tofacitinib (Xeljanz)

While these medicines are quite effective for many to treat IBD and other autoimmune diseases, they can also decrease your body's ability to fight infections. So your doctor will want to know about past and recent infections and your vaccinations over the years.