Diet & Nutrition Tips for UC Sufferers
This information is intended for U.S. residents only.
Nutrition
Although what you eat does not cause inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it may aggravate symptoms when the disease is active. Ulcerative colitis (UC) can deplete the body of essential nutrients, electrolytes and fluids. That's why it's essential, particularly during a flare-up, to replace lost nutrients and maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet. Talk with your doctor to evaluate what foods may irritate your UC symptoms. For some individuals, those foods include things high in fiber, dairy products, spicy foods and caffeine. It is also important to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to maintain fluid balance.
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Parenteral Nutrition
People who have UC can sometimes become mal- nourished, reducing the body's resistance to the disease. Parenteral nutrition (PN) may be indicated in some people to replace missing nutrients and provide nutritional support.
In PN, nutrients are delivered intravenously, usually through veins in the neck, and the gastrointestinal tract is bypassed entirely. PN is given through a venous catheter, which carries the liquid directly into the bloodstream, where the body absorbs it. The PN mixture contains water, proteins, fats, sugars, vitamins, electrolytes and trace elements and is usually given in a hospital, an extended care facility or a patient's home. You may also see the older terms "total parenteral nutrition (TPN)" or "hyperalimentation (HA)" used.
PN is usually given to patients with severe symptoms of UC, those with growth impairment (particularly children), those who are receiving intravenous glucocorticosteroids or those who have had a proctocolectomy (see section on surgery).
Most physicians believe that patients with UC may improve after a long period of PN because feeding directly into the veins gives their bowels a chance to rest and the balanced diet improves their condition.
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UC Diet Suggestions
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Try smaller meals and snacks.
- Eat bland, soft foods when your disease is active. Softer foods may cause less discomfort than spicy or high-fiber foods.
- Restrict caffeine when severe diarrhea occurs.
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COLAZAL® (balsalazide disodium) Capsules 750 mg are indicated for the treatment of mildly to moderately active Ulcerative Colitis in patients 5 years of age and older.
COLAZAL does not relieve symptoms in all patients; your patients' results may vary. In four well-controlled clinical trials, patients receiving a COLAZAL dose of 6.75g/day most frequently reported the following events
(reporting frequency > 3%): headache (8%), abdominal pain (6%), diarrhea (5%), nausea (5%), vomiting (4%), respiratory infection (4%), and arthralgia (4%). Withdrawal from therapy due to adverse events was comparable to
placebo. In the pediatric trial, patients most frequently reported the following adverse events: headache (15%), abdominal pain upper (13%), abdominal pain (12%), vomiting (10%), diarrhea (9%), colitis ulcerative (6%),
nasopharyngitis (6%) and, pyrexia (6%). COLAZAL is contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to salicylates or the components of COLAZAL capsules or balsalazide metabolites. The safety and effectiveness of
COLAZAL beyond 8 weeks in children (ages 5-17 years) and 12 weeks in adults have not been established.
Consult with your physician to see if this product is right for you.
For complete Prescribing Information, please click here.
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