TNF suppressants... how dangerous!?

I've tried every ASA, 6MP, even antibiotics and probiotics, and am still in my 6th month of flare-up... I'm really young and afraid that letting this go on too long not treated properly will have really bad repercussions, but I am afraid to start my doc's recommended course of Humira/Remicade because I feel like I need my immune system to stay strong, especially as I volunteer often with folks who don't get regular health care and am currently living in poor commune living conditions (a bunch of teenagers together in a house...). What are the risks of starting this medication or not starting it? How can I best preserve my health? Help, some wise forum people... help...

I don't know what the risks are because I've never taken any of those medications but I have heard many patients and doctors prefer them over the older medications like 6mp and imuran. I have also seen a lot of positive feedback from people who are using remicade and humira here.

The thing that scares me about these medications is that they don't seem to help for an extended period of time in many. There are a few people here who have been using remicade for 5 years but I don't think I've seen anyone using it much longer than that. Are the longterm effects really known? Is it just a bandaid short-term solution or is there a possibility it could help you for many years? These are reasons I opted for 6mp over biologics even though I have heard a lot of good things about biologics.

Sorry I can't offer too much info. Hopefully someone who is taking them can offer input on the risks.

There are some alternative therapies, there is a resources thread with some medical options on the top of the forum.

I have been on remicade since July 2009 and I just had a scope that showed my left side is completely healed and my right only has mild inflammation. It took my colon longer to heal, I had a scope after a year and it was hardly healed. I choose to stay on remicade longer and it worked. It helped with my flare almost right away. I wasn't perfect but I can have a life on it. I was going 10-15 times a day with frequent accidents. Now I go about 4 times a day. I have urgency but not accidents. I need to find a bathroom when I have to go but I have time. I also know when I go. Usually in the morning, my worse time, after lunch and maybe after supper, usually I don't go after supper and not at all at night.  I tried the 5 asa's and 6mp and i was allergic to all of it. I was in a flare for years and this is the only thing that helped. The cancer risk with remicade is there but I was told this. If you are prone to get cancer your body might not fight it off. Remicade doesn't give you cancer. My doc said one in 1,500 get cancer and they are usually on 6mp with the remicade. I had my remicade does upped to 7.5kg every eight weeks in August and I have noticed I get sick more. I've had a sore throat for 6 weeks now. It is nothing severe but I seem to get more colds. I have three kids though and help out at their school.  I don't have the luxury of not being around sick people. I am scared being on it but i have no other choice. Surgery i can have but I'm hoping to get a couple years out of the remicade until my youngest is older. Surgery also scares me. You just have to decide if you can live with the side effects of it or with the symptoms you have now. Or you can go the surgery route. Best of luck