Need advice on next step

Two years after first being diagnosed with Crohn's Colitis, I have been in my first flare for the past two months. For two years I was on Lialda (3.6 g or 4.8g). After a month into my flare, my GI put me on on Prednisone (40mg) and has recently started tapering my dosage as my flare is now under control with relatively regular bowel movement. Two weeks ago, I also had a colonoscopy and there is some active inflammation in my left colon and my right colon is relatively unaffected.

My GI wants to put me on 6-MP as maintenance therapy. But, he left the final decision to me as he said I could also try tapering prednisone and see if I flare up again control with Prednisone when it occurs again and then go on 6-MP. He says these days GI's generally treat Crohn's aggressively to prevent regular flare ups and preserve colon and prevent resections.

My questions to experienced Crohn's patients are:

1) what do you recommend I do? Go on 6 MP now or wait till I flare again control with Pred and then go on 6MP?

2) what are the long-term side effects of 6MP?

Thank you and stay strong!

I have had cd for 40 years now, only recently did I go onto heavy biologic's (rem) I also take pain med's. pred was evil to me, really evil. I was pretty freiked out when my gi said this. but since, I've had 5 infusions. it has helped tremendously in my mouth and throat, so-so on small bowel. has kept me from going to ER for pain shots when Iget those blockages, vicodin has greatly helped in that department. I'm not to familar with 6-mp. but I agree with dr on aggressively going after this disease, and I would stay away from pred.(JMHO)

AG