Opinions Please - Bleeding

I've been on Remicade since April, every four weeks since September (was having breakthrough symptoms).

When I was flaring badly, I was passing blood/mucus alone, had major urgency, constipation with 2-6 crampy movements per day and incredibly painful tenesmus.

Since late April, those symptoms have mostly stopped. I've improved with every infusion. However, I continue to have a bit of bleeding - bright red blood - on stool and occasionally a tiny bit in the bowl, when I strain. I have 0-2 movements per day, can eat pretty much what I want, and only really have urgency/cramping when I have my period. But the blood on stool is always there if I strain.

Based on the toilet paper (sorry!), I *think* the blood is coming from an external hemi, but can't be positive. I have had one calprotectin test that was just above normal (April) and then another that was more elevated (September, right before we increased my infusion frequency). We are going to do another one this week.

1. Is the increased urgency/cramping during my period normal, even if I'm in remission?
2. Does anyone else see blood from hemis that looks different from the larger quantities of UC bleeding? I feel like if that was UC bleeding, it would have other symptoms with it, but question it because bleeding obviously freaks me out.
3. My GI says remission should feel "perfect." But my normal has never been "perfect," not even as a kid (I was diagnosed at 40). I have always felt a bit crampy and uncomfortable in the bathroom, and was always pretty constipated. Should remission make me textbook-perfect, or "normal for me perfect?"

Thanks!

I'm in a similar situation, if I didn't see blood a couple times a week then I'd say without a doubt that I am in a remission. Normal CRP, no urgency, only a couple bms a day or less.

Is Remicade the only UC medication you are on? You could always add back Rowasa and see if it clears up.

That is exactly what i have. Remicade works perfectly for 6 months after major pan colitis. CRP is below 1. I feel great. However, the last month when i strain i have a very small amount of blood at the very end of my BM.
I want it to be a hemmy but i just don't believe it. It only happens i would suggest once a week. I started taking cortifoam and it seems to help. The real question i would have is why with colitis would it only have traces of blood when you strain and not at all times like prior to my remicade use??