• Microscopic Colitis is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease that affects the large bowel (colon and rectum).
• There are two main forms of Microscopic Colitis – Lymphocytic Colitis and Collagenous Colitis. These are very similar conditions and are commonly referred to under the single name ‘Microscopic Colitis’.
• Microscopic Colitis is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that affects the large bowel - the colon and rectum.
• It isn’t always as well-recognized as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, other forms of IBD.
• It can take to time to get a diagnosis of Microscopic Colitis. And dealing with watery poo, tummy cramps, and rushing to the toilet can all be hard to manage.

Treatment:

Before you’re offered any treatment for Microscopic Colitis your doctor will review the medicines you already take for other conditions.

There may be several options for treatment depending on the severity of the symptoms patient experience;

• Loperamide: Prescribed If patient have mild Microscopic Colitis, medicines to stop diarrhoea, such as loperamide, can be effective too.
• Bile Acid Sequestrants: These include colestyramine, colestipol or colesevelam, if Microscopic Colitis is related to bile acid malabsorption (BAM).
• Budesonide: This steroid has been found to be an effective treatment if patient has moderate to severe Microscopic Colitis. Around 8 out of 10 people have been shown to improve when taking this medicine and there are usually few side effects.

Symptoms may start to get better within one or two days but for some people it can take around three to six weeks.

Most people get better with these approaches but if they don’t work for you other treatments may be tried.

Biologic Medicines:

• Infliximab and adalimumab have been shown in small studies to improve symptoms for some people where budesonide hasn’t been effective. Small studies also suggest that vedolizumab could be helpful.These medicines are taken by infusion or injection.
• Immunosuppressants. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine have been shown to be effective for some people where budesonide hasn’t worked.

Surgery is very rarely needed, but for the few people where other approaches haven’t been successful this can be an option.