Stopping Medication is it possible

Can I ask why you want to stop taking Asacol? It’s one of the UC medications with the fewest side effects if you tolerate it, and is largely topical. I’ve been in remission for years but I can’t imagine any reason to stop taking my Asacol. I assume it strongly helps keep me in remission.

it's possible -

but only if you have a plan to treat you UC some other way -

Certainly it's possible but chances are high that you'll flare and Asacol will never work again and you'd have to move up the meds ladder and keep taking stronger meds... I'd stay on it if I was you.

One can cherry-pick successes without meds, and hope that is them too. Odds are it isn't you, you'll flare badly and then need stronger medications going froward (read many stories of that over the years). Sounds risky and foolish to stop your meds. The vast majority of us need maintenance meds, there's a small minority who can get by without them. I suppose every kid wants to be a pro-athlete, but few do (same with being med-free, I hate meds but quickly findout that they're essential as skipping a few days and my symptoms instantly get worse.).

You might get by a few weeks, a month or several without meds. However, it will catch up with you. Untreated inflammation spreads slowly and without us noticing. Once the inflammation reaches a critical-mass, the flare symptoms return with a vengeance. Studies have shown that those who remain compliant with their meds, have the longest remissions, shortest and most infrequent flares.

I'm going to add....many don't recognise subtle symptoms of extremely mild inflammation, and tolerance or confusion lead to ready acceptance.

If you want to go off meds....go for it. If you have no clue about your symptoms, then it's a decision mostly from aversion and not common sense.

We all struggle with many issues on a contiual basis....some are more sensitive than others. One constant of what's happening and what to do is a relief. Because when life gets in the way and the game changes bigtime....one has absolutely no clue of what to do.

respectfuly,
q

I was in remission from 1997 to 2018, taking Asacol, Apriso and or Lialda the entire time, usually ~ 4.8 gms. No known side effects. My colitis was re-awoken due to two months of pelvic radiation for cancer last year. I'm trying to cool it down now.

My suggestion is 'stay the course', suufhg.

I was dx'd with UC in 2005. I have had ONE flare since then (that is, in 24 years) and it was when I went off my Asacol because I was worried (needlessly, it turned out) about taking it while breastfeeding. Fortunately, going back on Asacol and Rowasa stopped that flare. I have never yet had to take anything else.
In fact, I have had such good luck with Asacol 400 mg that when it stopped being made in the US, I started buying it from Canada because I didn't want to change anything.
It interests me that several of you take as much as 4800 mg of Asacol daily. Is that considered a maintenance dose? It seems high, though I have taken that much (and even more) at times in the past.

Are there any noticeable or subtle differences between Lialda, Asacol HD, and Apriso??

That is interesting, iPoop (love the name iPoop).
I have been on 9 x 400mg daily for awhile. My dr. wants me to go down to 6 X 400 after a clear scope. I've been VERY gradually reducing for a long time. I had always thought it wasn't a big deal to take Asacol, so I was surprised he thought it was important to try to reduce to 6 (esp. since I've taken it for 24 yrs with no problems). I'm curious what your or other drs. have said about this.