How Crohn�s Drugs Make Crohn�s Worse

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Posted on: 22nd Jan 2014

As the 750,000 or so people with Crohn�s disease in
the US can tell you, when you�re diagnosed with it, your
life all of a sudden becomes burdened with many uncertainties.

First there are the ins and outs of the condition itself.
You learn that your immune system is basically waging war on
your GI tract and causing inflammation deep into the tissues
of your intestines�and you feel completely defenseless against it.

Then your daily focus becomes centered on when you will
have your next flare-up. The typical symptoms of diarrhea,
fever, excessive gas and right lower quadrant pain can strike
anytime, anywhere.

It can also cause extreme tiredness and weight loss to the point
where you worry about losing time at work and/or school.

Crohn�s can also cause reduced nutrient absorption, so there�s the
uncertainty associated with that as well�will you eventually be
facing deficiency diseases?

The Treatment

Things don�t get any rosier when you see what your treatment options
are.

First of all, two out of three people with Crohn�s will require
surgery at some point in their lives. So for the majority the
question is not if but when will you have to go under the knife,
and how much of your GI tract will you lose when you do?

Plus even after you have surgery, Crohn�s can just �pack up and
move down the street� and fester somewhere else in the GI tract.
So you�re never completely out of the woods.

The other arm of the standard allopathic treatment of Crohn�s is
drugs that are designed to curb the inflammation and thus reduce
the symptoms.

But there�s no guarantee that drugs will be effective, and even
if they are, they come with a whole Pandora�s Box of potential
side effects that can add to your misery.

Here are the most common drug options for Crohn�s and some of
their potential side effects:

Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) � Designed to reduce inflammation
during acute flare ups. Side effects can include:
�Aching of joints or muscles
�Headache (continuing)
�Itching; skin rash
�Vomiting; nausea
�Constipation
�Chest pain
�Back, leg, or stomach pains
�Difficulty breathing
�Nosebleeds
�Unusual tiredness or weakness
�Aching of muscles
�Bloating
�Blood in the urine or stools; bloody diarrhea
�Dizziness; fainting spells
�Reduced sperm count in men

Mesalamine (Asacol, Rowasa) -- This drug is also designed to
reduce inflammation during Crohn�s flare ups and help prevent
recurrence. Its side effects are similar to Sulfasalazine and
can include:
�Abdominal or stomach pain (severe)
�Bloody diarrhea; rectal bleeding
�Blurred vision; dizziness
�Fever
�Headache (severe)
�Nervousness; anxiety
�Slow or fast heartbeat
�Unusual tiredness or weakness
�Back pain (severe)
�Chest pain, possibly moving to the left arm, neck, or shoulder
�Nausea; vomiting
�Shortness of breath
�Confusion
�Drowsiness (severe)
�Numbness of the feet, hands, and around the mouth
�Seizures

Corticosteroids (such as budesonide, prednisone, and prednisolone)
-- These drugs are intended to reduce inflammation as well but have
even MORE serious side effects than the other 2 choices I mentioned
above. Hang on to your hat:
�Glaucoma
�Fluid retention, causing swelling in your lower legs
�Increased blood pressure
�Mood swings
�Weight gain, with fat deposits in your abdomen, face and the back
of your neck
�Cataracts
�High blood sugar, which can trigger or worsen diabetes
�Increased risk of infections
�Osteoporosis
�Fractures
�Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production
�Thin skin, easy bruising and slower wound healing

Immunosuppressors -- These medications decrease inflammation by
shutting down your immune system. Examples include azathioprine
(Imuran), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab
(Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), natalizumab (Tysabri), and
cyclosporine.

In addition to not having the protection of your immune system against
viruses and infections and even diseases like cancer, immunosuppressors
can also cause:
�Abdominal or stomach pain
�Back or side pain
�Chest pain or tightness
�Bone or joint pain
�Dizziness; fainting
�Fever
�Headaches
�Hives; itching
�Muscle pain
�Nasal congestion; sneezing; sore throat
�Nausea; vomiting
�Difficulty breathing
�Unusual tiredness or weakness
�Diarrhea; constipation; blood in stools
�Vaginal burning or itching and discharge
�Hernia
�Change in mental status
�Convulsions; seizures

Antidiarrheal medications (such as diphenoxylate, loperamide, or psyllium)
� While these are aimed at easing diarrhea during a flare-up, they can slow
down the normal movements of the GI tract and even cause a life threatening
widening of your large intestine known as toxic megacolon.

Antibiotics � Antibiotics like Ciproflaxin (Cipro) and metronidazole
(Flagyl) are prescrembed to help treat fistulas�which are little �tunnels�
that form between your intestinal tract and the nearby organs. Wastes and
bacteria can leak from your intestines through a fistula and cause inflammation
and infection of surrounding healthy organs.

In addition to possibly causing nausea, diarrhea, bone and joint pain, numbness
in the extremities, vaginal yeast infections and a host of other symptoms, the
most common problem with antibiotics is that they destroy your friendly flora�which
is responsible for helping ensure smooth digestion and nutrient absorption (both of
which are concerns with Crohn�s) as well as housing 70% of your immune system!

So as you can see, my friend, the list of concerns for people with Crohn�s is very
long indeed.

But we�re not done yet.

Because recent research has now shown that 2 of the drug treatment options not only
can lead to nasty side effects, but can actually CAUSE Crohn�s or make it worse!

Here�s the scoop:

Antibiotics now suspected as a cause of Crohn�s

Prior to the 1950's, Crohn's was very rare and only seen in cases where there was a
family history of the disease.

That changed in 1953 when antibiotics were introduced to the world.

Since that time researchers have observed a parallel rise between the number of cases
of Crohn's and the number of prescriptions for antibiotics.

They theorize that antibiotic use has caused a surge in the development of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which in turn can attack the intestinal lining and lead
to the classic Crohn's inflammation.

That's not to say that antibiotics haven't truly been a medical miracle and saved lives
too, but sadly they have been prescrembed FAR too often, with children taking them
sometimes for YEARS to "prevent" ear infections, as well as teens and adults using
them for acne.

Steroids May Make Crohn�s Worse

Recently scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI)
identified a type of immune cell�a white blood cell called TH17 -- that may play a major
role in the development of Crohn's disease.

In the new study, the researchers found that a subset of these TH17 cells (called CD4+
cells) in humans express a pro-inflammatory protein called MDR1�which can promote
drug-resistance in tumors and is linked to the inflammation in Crohn�s patients.

So in other words, the more of your TH17 cells that are CD4+ cells, and the more those
CD4+ cells crank out the pro-inflammatory protein MDR1�the better your chances of drug
resistance if you�ve got a tumor and developing chronic inflammation.

The researchers stated that, with healthy people, only about 5 to 10% of their CD4+
cells are pro-inflammatory MDR1-expressing cells.

But when they looked at the tissues of people with Crohn�s, they saw that nearly 60% of
their CD4+ cells were MDR1-expressing!

Plus the MDR1-expressing cells are likely to have an unfair growth advantage over other
immune cells, especially when they are exposed to steroids!

So steroids can, therefore, provide a more fit environment for and encourage a heavier
population of pro-inflammatory cells�thereby in effect worsening the very thing they�re
supposed to �help.�

The study also showed that these cells are resistant to both natural and synthetic
steroids�so it matters not which kind of steroid you choose.

Now what?

If you or someone you love has Crohn�s, it�s very understandable if your head is spinning
right now, not knowing what to do.

But I can help.

Because I have three very good suggestions that can help you safely and naturally fight
back against Crohn�s.

And feel a whole lot better!

Here they are:

1- Reduce Stress On Your Intestines

When you reduce the stress that your inflamed intestines have to deal with, they are
far more likely to stay quiet and peaceful.

And a great way to keep your intestines stress-free is to eat meals that your body
can efficiently digest!

When digestion can be accomplished with ease, your wastes can move through the
intestines smoothly like they should--with less chance of constipation, diarrhea,
excessive gas or irritation.

Easy digestion = happy intestines!

And eating for great digestion is what I will teach you in the Great Taste No Pain
health system

In the Great Taste No Pain manual, I'll tell you exactly what to do, what to eat and
how to structure your meals so you'll nourish your body, encourage easy digestion,
minimize irritation and feel great after every meal.

Many people with Crohn's have reported relief from pain, diarrhea and bleeding almost
immediately after making just a few simple changes to their diet...and they're thrilled
beyond belief!

2- Strengthen The Wall

For people with Crohn's, it's essential to have a strong gut wall and help keep harmful
bacteria in check�especially if you�ve taken antibiotics for your Crohn�s or any other
reason!

Step 1 is having a nutritious diet (including vegetables, fruits and whole grains) to
nourish and encourage a healthy friendly flora base. Nothing affects your gut flora more
than your diet.

However, many experts also recommend supplementing with probiotic strains from both the
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species.

And Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula fits the bill for Crohn's sufferers and
ANYONE with a digestive challenge.

Super Shield contains potent, top-quality strains of both Lactobacillus (which reside in
the small intestine) and Bifidobacteria (that live in the large intestine), so you're
covered from "one end to the other!"

In addition, the amino acid glutamine has also been shown to help enhance gut wall
strength.

Glutamine is found in protein-rich foods such as beans, red meat, nuts and fish.
Supplements are also available in health food stores and many pharmacies.

3- Keep Inflammation Low

Keeping inflammation low in the intestines is vital for Crohn's sufferers, and having
efficient digestion (like I descrembed above) is a big help in this regard.

But that's not all--because if you still have an imbalance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 EFAs
in your system, your inflammation mechanism could be operating in overdrive.

And your gut could be on fire as a result!

There needs to be a specific balance between Omega-6's and Omega-3's in your body. When
they're in a ratio of between 3:1 and 5:1, they effectively control inflammation.

But many people (including Crohn's sufferers) can have a ratio of at least 10:1, 20:1
or worse.

So it's essential to help replenish your Omega-3 supply with a good pharmaceutical-grade
fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3.

Not only can Omega-3 fish oil help ease intestinal inflammation, but also help ease other
aches and pains as well, and even help lower blood pressure!

It�s true that the people with Crohn�s face many uncertainties in their lives.

But when you take the bull by the horns and help ease an protect your precious GI tract
naturally from within, you can see a difference in how you feel fast!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia
Natural Health Researcher
President, Holistic Blends, Creator of the Bestselling Great Taste No Pain System
Editor, Pain-Free Living

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