Fulminant Colitis: When an Ulcerative Colitis Flare Turns into a Medical Emergency

Fulminant colitis is an emergency. If you happen to’re experiencing extreme signs, you need to go to the hospital instantly. Don’t eat or drink, and cease taking any antidiarrheal medicines you’ll have been utilizing, as they may make fulminant UC worse.

When you’re there, the hospital could order imaging checks and probably a sigmoidoscopy to see what’s occurring inside your colon. You’ll even have blood and stool checks to test for markers of irritation and potential infections.

Your care workforce gives you rescue therapies to deal with the fulminant colitis, equivalent to:

  • IV fluids and electrolytes that will help you keep hydrated
  • IV antibiotics
  • IV immunosuppressant medicines, equivalent to corticosteroids
  • In some instances, a biologic drug or one other superior immunosuppresant remedy

You’ll be monitored intently for a number of days after beginning remedy. If medicines haven’t performed sufficient to manage the fulminant colitis after three to 5 days, your care workforce could suggest emergency surgical procedure, equivalent to an finish ileostomy or J-pouch surgical procedure, to take away your colon and rectum.

Due to the arrival of superior medicines, these emergency colectomies have turn out to be uncommon for individuals with UC.

 “Over the past 5 to 10 years, it’s not one thing that I’ve seen in apply,” says Bedford.

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