I just read that today Simponi was approved for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in the UK. This may be a successful treatment option for people that have not been able to obtain remission with mainstream treatments for the disease. Some people, like myself, have tried them all with no improvement. It's very frustrating to hit that wall and run out of effective treatments..... actually, safe effective treatments. If you just can't seem to get the inflammation and toll taking symptoms under control and you've taken into consideration the risks vs. the benefits, some people may find relief with this new drug. This particular article does include the potential health risks from TNF-blocking therapies, toward the end of the article.
If you are considering Simponi (or any immunesuppressing drug), please know everything about it before agreeing to the treatment. Everyone should know what the risks are versus the benefits before beginning any kind of treatment like this. Your doctor will not tell you everything about these drugs and from personal experience, most doctors down play the risks and don't even look at family history/genetics when deciding if these treatments are appropriate. It's disturbing when you know that the information you completed for your file, (providing family history) and screams *HIGH RISK*, and the doctor recommends the treatment anyway. Sadly, it's probably because the doctor didn't even scan over this little piece of information that says a lot. Another reason is because TNF-blocking therapies have become the conventional prescribing treatments for IBD now, despite their high side-effect profile.
If you are considering Simponi (or any immunesuppressing drug), please know everything about it before agreeing to the treatment. Everyone should know what the risks are versus the benefits before beginning any kind of treatment like this. Your doctor will not tell you everything about these drugs and from personal experience, most doctors down play the risks and don't even look at family history/genetics when deciding if these treatments are appropriate. It's disturbing when you know that the information you completed for your file, (providing family history) and screams *HIGH RISK*, and the doctor recommends the treatment anyway. Sadly, it's probably because the doctor didn't even scan over this little piece of information that says a lot. Another reason is because TNF-blocking therapies have become the conventional prescribing treatments for IBD now, despite their high side-effect profile.
Personally, I would never consider being treated with an immune suppressing drug of this potency because of the numerous possible health problems that could result. It's not worth it to me to put my entire body at risk of developing something life altering (conditions worse than what I'm treating) with the awareness that there are life changes that I can make that will encourage healing and repair of my digestive tract. It takes determination to make the changes that are necessary and it takes longer to heal, but in my opinion, it's my overall health that I care about. You will get there, I did.
Most doctors will say that diet is not a big contributor to IBD however, it infact makes a huge difference in respects to your success with reaching remission. What foods you choose to eat WILL affect your health negatively or positively, it's a decision that you can control that will have a significance on your overall quality of life. If you struggle with diet and need some guidance, send me an email. Years ago I was clueless about what to eat and what not to eat. I was blessed to have connected with a few very knowledgeable people that helped me in the area of diet. I'm always willing to help people that need some support and suggestions, so feel free to contact me if you need some support.
-- First and Only Subcutaneous Biologic Treatment Administered Every Four Weeks Approved for Ulcerative Colitis
