How long will it take for the steroids to work?
Oral steroids normally improve symptoms within one to four weeks, while intravenous steroids take four to 10 days. Around one in five people shows no response to steroid treatment (this is known as being steroid refractory). If your condition is not improving, contact your IBD team.
There are many reasons why steroids may not work including people not taking them as prescribed and genetic differences. It could also be that your symptoms are not caused by active IBD, but by a separate problem, such as underlying infections (Cytomegalovirus, Clostridium difficile), or another condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or lactose intolerance. If your symptoms are definitely being caused by inflammation, but are not responding to steroids, then your IBD team might suggest alternative treatments, such as biologic therapy (infliximab, adalimumab or vedolizumab) or an immunosuppressant, such as azathioprine. For more information, see our drug information sheets.
