Posted 7/5/2019 7:24 AM (GMT 0)
It's a good question, but I'm afraid I don't have a good answer for you. I don't think there *is* a good answer for you.
I was prescribed Voltaren a few years ago and of course also wondered if it is safe for a person with IBD.
I couldn't find any info one way or the other, and all doctors were totally wishy-washy about it.
The way I see it, most recommendations are to avoid oral NSAIDs because they are known to increase one's risk of flaring. I say "most" because some research has shown that int the increased risk is overstated and overblown, and that NSAIDs aren't nearly as risky as some may think. But the conventional wisdom is to avoid them because the bulk of the data says they increase risk.
That "increases risk," of course, is different from "definitely will cause a flare." They very well might not.
As for the topical NSAIDs, less of it is absorbed and therefore less of it makes it to the bowel compared to oral NSAIDs.
I'd say it's a risk, but a pretty small risk, that it would exacerbate existing IBD. So is it worth taking that small risk? How effective is Voltaren for the pain you have? From what I read there, it varies in how effective it is.
If it works well for you, it's probably worth using. But the only way to know is to try it. So you're in a catch-22 situation.
So it's really a guess and up to you whether or not to try it. I'd say the odds of it making your UC worse are pretty small but not zero.