Hi @meggie1135, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Getting a new diagnosis is scary and I can imagine that this is a lot to take in. Here's some information about Crohn's Disease from Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353309

Which medications are recommended depend on the individual, how they respond to the medication and side effects and doctors will also take into consideration other factors like age and related conditions you may have.

You may have noticed that I moved your message to an already existing discussion on Connect related to the question that you ask. I did this so that you can meet others talking about the medications they are taking for Crohn's. Click VIEW & REPLY in the email notification to read through the past messages.

Meggie, you mention that each GI doctor has so many different recommendations. It sounds like you've been see several specialist before you finally got a diagnosis. What medication is being suggested by the specialist who diagnosed you yesterday?

Hi @meggie1135,

You will find many members here, on Connect, who can certainly appreciate your worry about being on anti-inflammatory drugs. I’d encourage you to view the Gastroenterology & GI surgery Page on Connect - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/ and browse through the videos and posts about Crohn’s disease, by Mayo Clinic experts.
For instance...
– Vedolizumab Safe for Inflammatory Bowel Disease https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed-post/vedolizumab-safe-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease-1/
– Biologic Therapy in Pregnancy Does Not Affect Infant Vaccines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed-post/biologic-therapy-in-pregnancy-does-not-affect-infant-vaccines/
– FDA Approves Biosimilar to Humira https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed-post/fda-approves-biosimilar-to-humira-1/

With regard to Crohn’s medication, there are a lot of choices out there to consider. Has your doctor discussed the use of a biologic treatment?

Hi meggie. In an earlier contribution to this group I related that I am taking no meds - just managing my Crohns entirely by diet. I want/need to say that I did not take this route until after I had been on prescribed meds for approximately one year, and changed regimen while slowly cutting back the meds. I didn’t reject the meds because I have no faith in their efficacy - they do work well for most people. But I didn’t fancy the risk of the, possible, long term side effects, which the dietary approach avoids. And, the case studies of the dietary approach did seem to show a high success rate. It certainly has worked for me. What I am saying is, that, for most newly diagnosed patients there is no need to be scared of the prescribed meds, so long as you are closely monitored - they did relieve my symptoms and they gave me time to research Crohns and it’s management. It was when I learned the recurrence rate with patients on meds that I believed there was something missing in the drugs approach - and that was a serious alteration in our diet. I knew that the drugs would always be there if I were to have a relapse so I reckoned the dietary route would be worth trying. I have to say also that I worked with the approval, and in the full knowledge, of my doctor and consultant. There are many patients who have survived well on meds for a long time and ongoing research may well throw up new, less risky, meds, so if you do stick to management with drugs there may be little reason to worry about adverse outcomes. The determining factor will be how you respond to the present meds and how much successful self-management you can find for your personal Crohns. I wish you good luck.