Though your gastroenterologist is in charge of your Crohn’s care, managing Crohn’s disease often requires a team approach, says Adelina Hung, MD, director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at Sinai Chicago. “Working together, this multidisciplinary team can help address the full impact of Crohn’s disease and improve your overall health and quality of life,” she says.
So which doctors should be in your lineup? Depending on your individual symptoms and concerns, here are the experts that gastroenterologists typically recommend.
1. Gastroenterologist
Your gastroenterologist will also coordinate with your primary care doctor, who’s typically in charge of preventive care that’s not related to Crohn’s disease, says Eric Molloy, MD, a gastroenterologist with the University of Kansas Health System in Overland Park. That might include things like routine health exams or helping you manage other health conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
2. Registered Dietitian
Ideally, you should see a dietitian right after you’re first diagnosed and during instances when your nutritional needs might change. That could include during a flare, after surgery, if you’re losing weight, if you have a nutritional deficiency, or if you run into any other food-related concerns, Dr. Hung says.
3. Mental Health Professional
Don’t hesitate to ask your gastroenterologist for help or for a referral to someone who specializes in Crohn’s or IBD. “If a patient is contemplating whether they need a mental health professional, then they probably do. I have a low threshold for recommending a mental health professional. There is no harm [in seeing someone],” says Dr. Molloy.
4. Rheumatologist
5. Dermatologist
Specifically, the American Gastroenterological Association recommends that people with IBD avoid excessive sun exposure and that those on certain medications, including immunomodulators, anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha biologics, and small molecule drugs, as well as anyone who’s ever taken thiopurine, get yearly full-body skin checks.
6. Ophthalmologist
You should let your ophthalmologist know immediately if you’re experiencing symptoms like eye pain, redness, sensitivity to light, and vision changes, as untreated inflammation can cause permanent damage. That said, “people with Crohn’s disease who do not have eye symptoms or a history of eye involvement do not need additional, IBD-specific ophthalmology visits beyond routine eye care,” Hung says.
7. Colorectal Surgeon
Having an early conversation with a surgeon can help you understand what situations could lead to surgery down the road and what options are available to you. And that can help you quickly make more informed choices later on. “If surgery is ever needed, decisions can be made by a team that already understands the patient’s history and preferences,” says Hung.
8. Hepatologist
“In many cases, a person’s gastroenterologist is also trained to evaluate and manage common liver concerns,” Hung says. But if your liver concerns become more complex, they may refer you to a hepatologist (a gastroenterologist with additional expertise in liver disease) for further care, she says.
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