Starting Remicade...no Baby!

Well I went back to my Colo-Surgeon yesterday because my Fissures are as bad as they have ever been in the last 4 months of having them.  She wants to put me on Remicade(so does the GI) but she told me not to try and get pregnant! =:::(

Not what I wanted to hear.  She just said that there are no human studies to report what the long term effects on the baby would be & in her opinion it is not something I should risk.  I agree and I would never want to put my baby in harms way but we were already trying and it sucks to have to stop especially not knowing how long I will be on this medication for.  My intestinal inflammation is under control it seems since I don't have pain or D anymore but now I need to take care of the fistula and 2 fissures and since surgery is not an option, this seems to be the only way to go!  We just really wanted to get pregnant by the end of the year and I feel like my heart has just been thrown for a couple of loops!

She said no because of the Remicade. She says that even though women can and have had normal pregnancies and babies there is no proof of the long term effects on the baby. I definately want to talk to my GI about this. I left that office yesterday in tears. Do you mind if I ask the name of your Dr? I recently moved to Naples from Miami and am so dissapointed in the doctors here! I felt like I had so many more options and opinions in Miami. I do want to give this drug a try and see if I can get the fissures to heal before I have a baby just because of the pain but I never thought I would have to completely stop trying. I want to do a little more research and especially now that you have told me about it not crossing the placenta until 30-32 weeks and take it to my OBGYN. You don't know how much better you have made me feel today, thanks!

I think one of the concerns is that although lots of people have had healthy babies, the drug hasn't been around long enough for these babies to grow old and find out if there are any later in life implications, particularly in puberty. However, if no one has babies on rem we will never find out. I guess its hard to think of ones own child as a guinea pig but the only reason the medical field has progressed the way it has is because of the trail blazers willing to give something a try. Follow your heart, make educated decisions, and leave the rest to God or whatever you believe in.

sorry, but why chance it?

gachrons she doesn't have a fistula she has a fissure. Decrapster I really think you should get some other opinions on that no baby thing. There have been so many women on this board who have had Remi babies and Imuran babies and all the babies have been born completely healthy. I would get a 2nd and maybe even a 3rd opinion. Good Luck and God Bless!

I started remicade in June and thought I would never have a baby. If it doesn't start working that's probably true because I am not getting better so how could I carry a baby? My main problem is they are not even sure I really have crohn's.......

Anyway, I have gotten conflicting answers about this. My GI is very conservative and said no babies-ever. Go on remicade and stay on it because if I go off to have a baby, it may not work again. My OB/GYN said it would be fine, though and she would be looking out for the baby's health. So who do I believe? Plus, there are lots of women on the board who have had remicade babies......

I have an appt. at MT Sinai in NYC in Nov. with a Dr. who specializes in CD and women's issues. I am going to wait and see what she says. Not that I don't trust my GI but if I can see one of the top Drs. at one of the top hospitals in the country I am going to try to see if it is safe. I'll let you know. I have been doing a lot of research and there is no real answer,unfortuatley.........

Like Fitzy said, there just isn't enough research on long term effects. And I love her last line so I second that point.....

Best of luck with everything

Ginger

Thanks everyone!

Fitzy- You are absolutely right. I hope to be one of those trail blazers someday!

Chronie 42- What if I had to be on this medication for the next 3-4 years? I can afford to wait but my Husband is 16 years older than I am...I don't want him having his first baby when he's 50! If I can be off of this med in a year or so then I have no problem waiting but I can't have my life on hold for 3-4 years. If I decide that it is not worth the risk then I won't do it, but I need to make an informed decision.

gacrohns- I have a fistula and 2 fissures. My fistula is right above my butt hole and it doesn't attach to any other organ. It goes from inside the rectum to the skin. My 2 fissures are what is killing me now. I hardly ever remember that I have a fistula. What got to me was that she did not tell me not to get pregnant or wait a while until the fistula & fissures heal before I get pregnant, she doesn't want me to try and get pregnant while on remicade. I would completely understand about waiting until they heal but that is not her concern.

Nanners- Thanks! I do have a fistula but like I said it's not what is killing me, the 2 fissures are! I am going to get a few other opinions.

Stef- I will e-mail you, thanks!

Ginger- Good luck and let us know..hope it gets better for you!

Ok, now that I have typed all of this I feel like it is pointless because I just got a call from my OBGYN's office and I asked about the Remicade and the fact that I have mild cervical dysplacia... they said that the Remicade could effect my Dysplasia and make it worse which means turning into severe dysplacia and possibly cervical cancer. They are counting on my immune system to battle the pre-cancerous cells and an immune suppressing drug would do just the opposite! =( God really wants to test me lately...I am really going to have to send him an e-mail about this!!