Getting off Remicade?

I was on Remi for over 5 years, and because of the Remi my last colonoscopy showed that my colon was free of ulcers. During my last two infusions, I had a reaction, so I decided to stop the Remi and am just on Asacol, 8 per day. After my cscope in August 2009, my GI actually told me that we could wean off of the Remi and just start maintenance meds. I was leery of weaning off because the memories of being so sick were still fresh in my mind! So, a year later my body decided for me that it was time to say goodbye to the Remi. I'm feeling better than ever now and my suggestion to you is this (what my doc and I discussed, and you should discuss this with your doc as well); have a colonoscopy to see where your colon is at. If the Remi has done it's job and healed the ulcers, then wean off of it slowly from 8 weeks to every 12 weeks and so on. Start the maintenance meds along with weening off the Remi. Good luck, and I hope the Remi has been successful for you.

I am similar to Lonie, minus the reaction at the end. I was on Remi for about 5 years, had been totally symptom free for those 5 years. I started doing my Remi every 10 weeks to see if I held or started having any slight symptoms after 8 weeks, I was fine, so then I went to almost 12 weeks between and still fine. My doctor was not for it, but his nurse practitioner agreed with me. I preferred her anyways, I only saw the doc when I was sick enough to be in the hospital or needed a scope. I went on sulfasalazine as maintenance and last symptom free for almost 3 years from when I stopped the Remi. My first flare off Remi we treated successfuly with just an increase in the sulfa, but then months later I had another flare that needed Pred and it got pretty bad, but now I am fine just took me awhile.

I agree with above. See if you can space out your infusions to see if you are ok after 8 weeks and have a scope to see how healthy your colon is.