 |
General Health Maintenance & Flu Season
Hello everyone! Often, IBD patients tend to focus on building great ongoing relationships with their gastroenterologist. However, it is important to also continue general health maintenance with your entire health care team, including your:
- Gastroenterologist
- Primary health care provider
- And other specialists
The Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases has recently published articles discussing how a comprehensive, ongoing assessment of your health can prevent possible future complications and sustain your overall well-being. That comprehensive assessment should include such steps as maintaining:
- Colonoscopies
- Undergoing periodic blood testing
- And staying current with vaccinations
An important step in maintaining your overall health is getting appropriate vaccinations within the recommended time frame.
Currently the flu, in particular the H1N1 influenza virus, has received extensive news coverage, reinforcing the importance of maintaining vaccinations. Like the seasonal flu, swine flu can complicate chronic illnesses requiring immunosuppressive therapy, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, a yearly seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the H1N1 virus. Thus, both are recommended. Both live vaccinations and inactivated vaccinations are available.
Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of these flu vaccinations with your doctor if you are on any immunosuppressant therapies such as entocort, prednisone, 6-mercaptopurine, azathioprine or methotrexate and biologic therapies including Remicade, Humira, Cimzia, or Tysabri.
We have put together a list of key health checks that include a health care maintenance chart for you to review and keep updated as part of your personal medical records.
As always, we're here to help. If you have any questions please contact the Information Resource Center at 888.694.8872 and speak with an Information Specialist.
Ayesha Williams
Information Specialist
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
Read more: Moscandrew, M, Mahadevan, U, and Kane, S. General Health Maintenance in IBD. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. September 2009, 1399-1409
Other helpful items: CCFA Fact Sheet: "Influenza and IBD"
|
|
Learn more about diet, coping, and new treatments
Learn more about the latest research
|
|
