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coming off Asacol question

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/24/2008 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
thanks for the responses everyone. I see everyones point of view.
Posted 1/24/2008 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Icanrace - I forgot to say my Aunt had one or two flareups several years ago and took asacol and predisone and after the flares stopped the predisone and tapered to 3 asacol 3 times a day for a year, then 2 asacol 3 times a day for a year and then lowered one pill every couple of weeks and she has been off of it for 5 or six years with no problems. This was against her doctors advise but my doctor definitively thinks that some of people can eventually go to no regular medicine
Posted 1/24/2008 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
icanrace,
Last time I got off asacol was in the 1990's. Shortly after stopping asacol I had a severe flare for 4 years and then, on off severe flare for the next three. Thats 7 years of pain because I wanted off of
asacol. Be carefull.
Posted 1/24/2008 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
i went to my doc today. normal checkup, i havent been flaring and have been taking my asacol on a regular basis. out of the blue in the middle of an unrelated conversation he strongly advised not to stop takin my pills. im looking at it right now as "its working so dont mess with it"
Posted 3/24/2008 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
one thing keeps coming back to my mind.  when i initially got it, my doctor said people usually take asacol for up to two years or so, after they get off the stereoids and have become healthy.  my other doctor said to stay with it.  i don't know, but..the first guy keeps popping up in my mind.  meaning it's possible to get off and be ok.  ..?
Posted 3/25/2008 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Icanrace - I do not know you personal history as in "how long" you have had UC and what meds your on. So Im going to say what I would do..

I wouldnt do it - I have had UC for 8yrs now - originally was on sterioids - weened off them - which was my main goal - but I still take Asacol and Mecaptopurine - and my theory is this:
If taking a couple of pills for the rest of my life, maintains me to a level were I am in control of my UC - then power to those tablets - Im taking them lol
What you may think of doing is speaking to your specialist and asking their advise. Also remember that tablets are an artifical substance - for instance with prednizone (sp) that took forever to flush out of my system - kinda hard to explain -but look it up online - explains it better.
But my choice - I would opt for the maintain and keeping the tablets......
Posted 3/25/2008 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Latarina, that's a decision we each have to make for ourselves. As you can see, some people feel they've successfully stopped the medications. Others have paid dearly for trying to do so. Only you can decide whether to take that risk. It's your body and your decision. If you do decide to stop it, definitely taper it slowly.

As for me, it took me almost five years to get into remission, so I'm not going to stop any part of my regimen that allowed me to have a life again.
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