Crohn’s disease is increasing in prevalence worldwide. While getting the right treatment can be a challenge, with the right care and diagnosis, relief is possible.

Bradley M. Morganstern, MD, medical director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, specializes in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and sees patients at NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Lake Success and NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Bethpage. He speaks with HealthCentral about the waiting window for Crohn’s disease medications to start working, depending on the medication that is being used. “Some drugs are relatively fast-acting, and we may know in less than two months, where it may take other drugs up to three or six months before we know if they are working,” says Dr. Morganstern.

Keeping track of what you experience is very important, but feeling “less bad” is not the only indicator that medications are working. Some of the things that your doctor will monitor for during your treatment include elevated blood markers, visual inflammation, increased fatigue and weight loss, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and adverse reactions.

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