Might ask my GI if I can start Remi

I've been in remission since March 2006. I'll occasionally get a little rectal inflammation if I take antibiotics, but those are controlled with hydrocortisone suppositories when they occur. Here's an article that discusses success statistics:

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-technology-1/New-Analysis-Shows-Efficacy-of-REMICADE-28R-29-in-Treatment-of-Ulcerative-Colitis-in-Patients-with-Recent-Disease-Onset-or-Long-Standing-Disease-2135-6/

There isn't a set time. In theory, some people should be able to take it for the rest of their lives. I know there are people with rheumatoid arthritis who have been on it for more than ten years with no problems. Some people, on the other hand, will have an allergic reaction the first time. Like everything else with this disease, it's individual.

Shadam, I started Remicade in 2007, after becoming steroid dependent. It was a miracle drug initially- within a day after my first infusion I felt so much better & had such fewer symptoms it was amazing. My overall health was very poor (due to constant bad flare for 1+ year) when I started the med, & immediately after that first infusion I developed strep pneumonia, sepsis, & drug induced hepatitis. This resulted in ICU for a week, & a long recovery. I did go back on Remicade- I was terrified to get that 2nd infusion, but the first had worked so well how could I not try again? My loading doses were all screwed up, but it still worked great for about 6 months. Then the effectiveness lessened, & we upped the dose to 10mgs/kg every 6 weeks- which I'm still on. Sadly, my last infusion seems to have done NOTHING.... I'm miserable right now, & have 3 weeks to go 'til my next infusion. Remicade started to lose effectiveness for me almost immediately- yes, it definitely lessened my sympotms & made them manageable, but I've never been in remission on the drug- clinically or personally. It bought me time, which is what I wanted. I'm giving it one more shot, & if this next infusion has little to no effect, I'll start Humira. I wish I had told my GI I wanted to start it already, so we could get the insurance ball rolling, but I'll try the Remicade once more. It's hard to tell when someone will develop antibodies to it- you could try to do some research, & ask your GI what their experience has been with patients on the drug. On this particular forum most people have had good luck with it- on other forums, like CD or Ostomies, most people had little to no luck with it! I would try it, without a doubt- if nothing else, it'll probably buy you some time. And best case scenario, it'll put you into remission!

It went pretty quick- it needs a prior auth, which can take a couple days. But it will be approved, since it's FDA approved for use in UC- I think with insurers it's just a formality because of the staggeringly high cost of the med. Then you just schedule the infusion- which shouldn't have that long a wait time. I guess the scheduling depends on where you get your infusion- I go to the hospital my GI is affiliated with, so I just call their central scheduling dept. & make my own infusion appt's. Once we decided to give Remicade a go, it was only a matter of a week or so, maybe 10 days 'til I got the first infusion.

Good luck, Shadam. I can't answer any of your questions, but I hope you reach remission soon.

Thanks everyone!

I have an appt with my GI this Friday in which I'll ask him if I can jump on it.  I need something to work for me at this point.  My GF told me over the weekend that she wants to take a "break" after 2 years of dating.  I feel complete drained and not good right now. 

I really hope this works.