IV infusions for Crohn’s disease are a vital part of treatment for those with moderate to severe symptoms. These treatments deliver essential medications directly into the bloodstream, improving inflammation at the cellular level as well as symptoms..
Knowing what to expect from Crohn’s treatments is tricky if you’ve never experienced them before — but here at Gateway Gastroenterology in Chesterfield, Missouri, we have you covered. Our team of experienced, compassionate gastroenterologists helps you through every step of the IV infusion process.
Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune inflammatory bowel condition that affects the GI tract from the mouth to the anus. It most often causes issues in the colon and small intestine.
People with Crohn’s go through times of remission with no symptoms, as well as flares with a varying intensity of symptoms. Treatment varies, but many people with moderate to severe symptoms require IV infusions to control flares.
The most prevalent IV treatments for Crohn’s are biologic medications, including infliximab (Remicade), vedolizumab (Entyvio), risankizumab (Skyrizi), and ustekinumab (Stelara). For some of these medications, the initial doses, or induction, are intravenous and the continued treatment will be either an infusion or a self-injection.
The benefits of IV medication therapy include faster symptom relief, less frequent dosing, and treatment that directly targets the problem.
The IV infusion process is very simple, but long. It’s important that you know you’ll be at the infusion center for several hours, so bring something to keep yourself occupied during treatment.
You may also want to have someone with you to take you home after the infusion. Although there’s no downtime, you may want to go home and rest afterward so the medication can take effect.
To start the procedure, an IV is inserted into a vein, typically in the arm. We also hook you up to a monitor to assess your vitals and keep tabs on how you’re doing during the infusion.
We attach the medication to the IV and begin the infusion. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the dosage and specific medication. We check on you frequently during the infusion to ensure you’re OK and don’t experience complications.
Not everyone who gets IV treatment for Crohn’s disease will have side effects — but it’s a definite possibility. Before undergoing IV therapy, talk to us about the possible side effects, so you know what to expect.
Most side effects are mild and short-lived, but they can still be worrisome if you’re not sure what to expect. The common side effects of Crohn’s infusion treatments include:
IV treatments for Crohn’s may increase your susceptibility to other infections. The latest treatments for Crohn’s are very gut-specific, which reduces the risk of immune suppression.
Everyone responds differently to IV infusions for Crohn’s disease. However, it can take several weeks for the medications to work.
Some people may experience some relief of symptoms within three weeks of the first infusion, while others may take up to six to eight weeks for noticeable improvement.
You will likely need repeat infusions depending on the medication used to control the disease. These infusions are administered several times a year to keep flares at bay.
To learn more about our Crohn’s infusions, call our office today to schedule an appointment or send the team a message on our website.