What Kind of Infusions Help With Ulcerative Colitis?
If you’re not responding to oral medications or need more advanced treatment, Biologic infusions for ulcerative colitis are a focused and powerful way to treat the disease. Medications your doctor may prescribe include:
- Remicade®
- Inflectra®
- Renflexis®
- Entyvio®
- Stelara®
How Ulcerative Colitis Infusions Work
Biologic ulcerative colitis infusions fall into three categories of monoclonal antibodies. These lab-made antibodies find and block specific parts of the immune response that cause inflammation in ulcerative colitis:
- Infliximab: Helps you stay in remission by blocking a protein called TNF-alpha, which causes inflammation
- Vedolizumab: Reduces inflammation in your gut by blocking certain immune cells from reaching your intestines
- Ustekinumab: Targets two proteins, interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, lowering immune system activity
All of these infusions are indicated for moderate to severe UC. Vedolizumab may cause fewer side effects, and ustekinumab is generally reserved for cases that aren’t responding to other treatments.
What Is the Ulcerative Colitis Infusion Process Like?
When you arrive at Healix Infusion Care, a nurse will check you in and review your medical information. They’ll take your vital signs, like blood pressure and temperature, to make sure you’re ready for your ulcerative colitis infusion treatment.
Next, the nurse will place a small IV in your arm, which slowly delivers the medication. During the infusion, the infusion team will monitor you closely for side effects.
You’ll sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet room. When your infusion is done, the nurse will remove the IV, check your vital signs again, and observe you for reactions for about an hour before you leave.