Treatment failure can be frustrating. But there are other options for controlling ulcerative colitis. Your care team can help you decide on the right next step for you.
Depending on your treatment history and ulcerative colitis severity, your gastroenterologist might start with relatively conservative measures, such as adjusting the dose or frequency of the current medication, says Stanton. Alternatively, they might recommend trying another medication that works differently or adding a second medication to the existing regimen.
“[Surgery is] typically considered if multiple advanced therapies have failed or if inflammation remains severe, despite optimal medical management,” says Stanton, “or if complications, such as precancerous changes in the colon, arise.”
Know, too, that the treatment options for ulcerative colitis have gotten better in recent years, and experts predict that new, more effective medications and treatment strategies will continue to come to the market. “We hope that with the growth in therapeutic options, many people with UC can find options that work for them,” she says.
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