Are there also over-the-counter medications available?
The drugs of the normal therapy regime are all prescription. Since many of the drugs, especially cortisone and immunosuppressants, can cause serious side effects, they may only be prescribed by doctors. This enables the treating physician to regularly monitor the patient’s symptoms, as Ulcerative colitis in relapse is a serious threat. Alternative medical preparations, such as extracts of frankincense, are also available without a prescription on the Internet. However, such therapeutic procedures should only be used within studies, as they have not yet been sufficiently tested.
What do I have to keep in mind when stopping the medication?
Salofalk® can theoretically be set down without further measures. However, discontinuation should be well considered, as Salofalk® helps to minimise inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.Stopping the drug increases the risk of an inflammatory flare. With cortisone it is very important that the drug is not discontinued abruptly.
While taking cortisone, the body’s own production of cortisone in the adrenal gland is suppressed by a complex control circuit. If the cortisone is discontinued too quickly, the adrenal gland cannot start its own production fast enough and a cortisone deficiency could occur. Also immunosuppressants should only be discontinued by a physician in a controlled manner, as the suppression of the immune system is suddenly lifted and an inflammatory reaction develops.
