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Stopping birth control, anything I need to know

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Posted 3/30/2008 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Ladies.. I have been taking prednisone since November, I am slowly tapering. My periods are almsot every 2-3 weeks since starting the Prednisone. I am looking to start trying to get pregnant within the next 6-8 months, or after the meds have been d/c. I am thinking of just not taking my birth control after the month supply is gone. what do you think ? Hubby and i use a backup method anyhow b/c of being on the pred and Imuran i am too nervous about something happening while on meds. so i figure why not stop the pill now and get my body used to being without it since the effect of the pill is questionable with the use of prednisone anyhow...  Anything I should think about when doing this ? thanks
Posted 3/30/2008 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hello ,
I saw your posting and thought that some of my info might help you out a little. I am now 33 but was diagnosed with chrons since age 12 (21 years ago). I have had 9 major surgeries over the years and now have a permanent iliostomy. about three years after my husband and i got married i was on alot of meds amd we wamted to start trying . i was on prednisone for years between 75 and 80mg a day. i stopped my birth controll about a year before we started trying and got off all the meds except the ones i really needed ( thyroid med, bp med). To tell you the truth my body wasn't ready and we had a miscarrage 3mths into my first pregancy. We were devistated but knew the Lord has a reason for everything. i waited 6 mths and then started trying again, and a year later we got pregnant for our daughter Ava and a year and a half later found out we were ecpecting our son ethan. my point is dont rush your body i give it time to heal and make sure to take prenatal vitamins a year before you try it will help soooo much !!!!!
If i can help you with any other questions please let me know.
einwad
Posted 3/30/2008 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
You can stop B/C pills anytime, and it's good that you're using a back-up until you're done with pred and give your body a chance to re-coupe from being on pred...I had 2 pregnancies, one before CD and one after and they were both extreamly easy conceptions (and I was flaring quite bad with the second one) and super easy, perfect pregnancies....and babies too, both my kids were big babies, my daughter was 8lbs 15oz, she was my first before I got CD and my son was 8 lbs, 3 oz with a bad CD flare, so CD doesn't necessarily cause pregnancy issues, infact pregnancy can even bring on remission because of the hormonal changes, it can also cause flares or keep things the same as they were.

Good luck!

:)
Posted 3/30/2008 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
I would call your GI and make sure it's okay with him.

My current GI, whom I ADORE, told me to just call once I get the big positive sign and we'd discuss if we needed to change anything from then on. He was okay with me trying anytime on the meds I'm on (even with short stints on Prednisone).

I had a GI a few years ago that didn't even want me pregnant on Remicade but couldn't tell me why.
Posted 3/30/2008 5:05 AM (GMT 0)
Re: stopping your Birth Control (more so than the getting pregnant...)

I have stopped and started birth control a couple of times since my diagnosis. This last round ended in April of last year. I waited until August before getting pregnant, but unfortunately miscarried at about 7 weeks. My boyfriend and I get married next month, and we plan on trying to have a baby right away... we're hoping for better luck this time!

My words of caution...
When I first stopped my birth control, everything seemed fine. As the months progressed, I started to notice that my periods were getting heavier, and more importantly, that my periods were starting to have a larger and larger effect on my gut. I don't "flare" each period exactly, but from what I understand it is quite normal for us ladies to experience an increase in GI symptoms at the onset of our periods. This is DEFINITELY the case with me. It's not the end of the world, but it's definitely something you should know from the get go so you don't panic and think you're flaring. This might happen to you even with your birth control, but I thought I'd throw a word of warning out just in case!
Posted 3/30/2008 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your responses. Congrats to all of you who have gone on to have healthy little babies ! I am finishing graduate school in August so I am not in any rush to do anything before then. I do like the idea of giving my body some time to heal up after the prednisone. Any suggestions on how long the prednisone takes to get out of your system after your last dose? I go back to the GI in 3 weeks, I know we will begin to taper from 20 mg then and I realize it will be another 2 months at least before I am off completely. I will mention it to my GI also when I go abotu stopping the birth control also, I agree I have so much faith in my GI and I like him to be involved in every decision I make !!

Posted 3/30/2008 1:21 PM (GMT 0)

Hello and good luck :-)

You get great advice here,my only 2cents would be to make sure that your OB and GI work together with your meds,it will be best for you and the upcoming little one.

Posted 3/30/2008 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
I wish you all the best and totally agree to having all your docs on board with your medical procedures medications and decisions .........

I am not sure about the time for pred but I would imagine someone will post som input for you or check the search engine ...you are better to ask your doc really about medicines and the effects as we are not professionals and it all works the same yet different on each of us ..DID that make sense ........lol........

CONGRATS to all those with babes and wanting babes!!!!!!!!!!!!
LYN
Posted 3/30/2008 3:24 PM (GMT 0)

You should probably discuss it with your gyno and GI before you do totally stop.

I stopped last July, after 6 years of taking the pill. Overall I'd say it was a positive change. For one thing, my mood has improved. Since stopping my periods have gotten a little heavier and last a few days longer, but are still are mostly cramp-free so I'm happy.

Now I get a day or two of mild, crampy pelvic pain about ten days after my period ends. Not sure how long you were on the pill, but for me it was long enough that I forgot what it was like to ovulate...so that took me by surprise.

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