Newly Diagnosed with UC
New to the forum as I have had GI issues all my life but only just got diagnosed with UC (they previously thought I just had IBS). My diagnosis came about because I have had constant bleeding for 3 months and my pain has been worse than ever. My Gastro started me on mesalamine which hasn’t seemed to make a difference, but she said I likely have to try this for 4-6 weeks before moving onto a biologic. Any advice on how to start searching for the right biologic? The options and thought of so much trial and error are overwhelming!
Welcome,
, we're so glad you joined the community, although I'm sorry to hear about your new diagnosis. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people here can relate to being misdiagnosed and taking awhile to get a correct diagnosis. First off, I wanted to share these two articles our advocates put together with their tips for the newly diagnosed, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/so-youve-been-diagnosed-with-ibd-now-what, and https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/things-remember-once-diagnosed.
Also, starting a biologic can definitely be overwhelming. You're not alone. There is a lot of trial and error, which can make things challenging, and can add time to finding a treatment that brings relief. The good news though, is that there are so many treatment options that if one things doesn't help, you can try another!
That being said, I know you might like some community feedback about treatments, especially biologics. I hope that some of our community members can share their experiences with you, especially about the first biologic that they tried. Our advocate, Vern, wrote about his take on biologics that you might find helpful, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/biologics-for-perianal-crohns. Also, I wanted to share this article that has some general information about biologics, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/treatment/medications/biologic-therapies.
It is possible that your doctor might actually have a biologic in mind as a "first try" if you do decide to go down that route. And, unfortunately, your insurance might also have a protocol for medications that you have to follow. Definitely check in with your doctor, if you haven't already, about how they decide which biologic to start with. But, hopefully in the meantime, you can get some helpful feedback in the community here!
Please know that we are here for you and please don't hesitate to reach out here any time, whether you have questions, need to vent, or could use some support.
Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
