Thinking about stopping your IBD medicine

Key points

• Never stop an IBD medicine on your own. Talk to your IBD team first, and stop only with a plan.
• Lowering or stopping is only considered when your bowel has healed on a scope or scan, not just when you feel well.
• After stopping a biologic like infliximab or adalimumab, about 1 in 3 people flare within a year, and about half within a few years.
• If a flare happens, restarting the same medicine works for most people, but not everyone.
• If you take two medicines together, dropping one of them is often safer than stopping the biologic.
• If you stop, plan for stool and blood tests about every 3 months in the first year, even if you feel well.
• If you have taken azathioprine or mercaptopurine, keep getting a skin check every year, even after you stop.
• Know your rescue plan: who to call and what happens if symptoms come back.