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Pregnant with a flare...any suggestions?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/30/2008 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
I would take the prednisone and I speak from experience.  During a previous pregnancy I started a bad flare around 11 weeks> It took me a week to figure it out because we happened to have a stomach virus going through the house and the prenatal vitamins made the stool so dark I did not immediately notice the blood. I saw my OB and Gastro and we upped my colazal. I was offered Prednisone at the time but was scared to take it. It took about  10 days for the Colazal to work, but it did get things under control.  However,  when I went in for my  appointment at 17 weeks we found that the baby had apparently struggled and had died  a few days before. The equivalent of an autopsy was done including about 30 different blood tests and no known cause or link was found except my flare. The blood loss had caused me to be anemic(which caused my OB great concern).  To this day the doctors still don't blame the flare, but both doctors and a perinatalogist I have since consulted have all stressed that getting the flare under control is far more important than

the medication risks. As the host for your little one, the stress your body experiences can definetely affect the baby. At the time I was offered pred and declined, my doctor went over the statistics of how pred has been used in pregnancy for years and he considered safe and that the flare was much more harmful.  Well I hate pred, having taken it before and took a wait and see approach.  I don't want to scare or worry you in any way(it is the last thing you need), but I wish that someone could have kicked me at the time and said take the prednisone ( I respond very quickly to it). It may have not made any difference in the outcome but I will never know. I was so careful about what I ate drank took etc. that pregnancy and was scared of the meds(esp. pred), but my research since the loss has convinced me that the flare risk is much worse and if we ever have a child again and I experience a flare, I would be very aggressive about getting it under control.

Posted 5/2/2008 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
I flared mildly when I was 3 months pregnant.  We tried asacol and I felt worse so my OB/GYN consulted a high risk specialist and said I could go on 6mp with no ill effects to the baby because I was past the twelve week mark.  I only stayed on it a couple months til my flare subsided and had a healthy baby girl Jan 2006. 
Posted 5/2/2008 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
How long did you flare for even with treatment?  I can't wait to get this under control and start feeling better.  Thanks for your response.  I have a dr. appt today so I am hanging on til then!  THanks again!

 

Posted 5/2/2008 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe about a month but I noticed improvement probably after the first week.  I can't do steroids or asacol and at the time they still thought I had Crohns colitis so that's why we went the 6 mp route.  I also went on the have my another baby girl who was born Feb 07 and I didn't flare with her. 

Posted 5/2/2008 3:11 PM (GMT 0)

that's great news.  i've been on canasa for over two weeks, with slight improvement, but the urgency just won't stop.  to me that is the most frustrating part of it all.  it's also really nice to hear that you didn't flare at all with the second child.  thank goodness.  thanks again for your posts!

Posted 5/2/2008 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
I hope you feel better soon. I know how scary it can be. I haven't been sick in awhile so I tend to forget. Let me know what your doctor does. (((hugs)))
Posted 5/2/2008 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
thanks again!

Posted 5/2/2008 9:54 PM (GMT 0)

So i just got back from the dr and they put me on entecort? and cortifoam and still on the colazol.  anyone ever tkae these medications?  Any side effects?

Posted 5/28/2008 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
been on entocort for almost 4 weeks with no real improvement. they are considering pred.  anyone take pred and get gestational diabetes?
Posted 5/28/2008 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
That's too bad the Entocort isn't working, that is what I was going to suggest. They put me on it while I was pregnant, and for me it has been my miracle drug. It worked within a few days. Sorry to hear it's not working for you. I do hope prednisone works for you and you have few side effects. Pregnant and prednisone, terrible combination. But, YOU need to be healthy for that baby.
Posted 5/28/2008 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
is there something worse than the gestational diabetes?  i'm just wondering.  they want me to try entocort 9mg/day for one more week before they decide on the next course of action.  i just wish it was better. I'm nearing the 2 month mark.  Anyway, thanks for the information!

 

Posted 5/28/2008 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
Well there are serious bone problems with long term use of prednisone. I don't know much about that though, there are some users on here that suffer with that. If you're very worried about taking prednisone then maybe you should listen to your instinct. Ask your GI if there's anything else. How about increasing your colazol or the entocort??

I understand your hesitations. For me prednisone was the WORST drug ever. I had serious problems trying to get off of it. And it never really did anything. But it does work wonders for many others. I think the chances if developing diabetes are slim. Don't let your doctor push it down your throat if you don't want it.
Posted 5/28/2008 10:54 PM (GMT 0)

thank you!  they are going to wait until monday to make a decision because then it will be overa  month on the entocort.  i'm hoping by some chance it will get better by then.  i hear such great things about entocort.  i just wish it would work for me. thanks again!

Posted 5/28/2008 11:45 PM (GMT 0)

Hi JEG, i have been following you.

I took pred (as prev. mentioned) and did not have ges. diabeties.  I really think you would benifit w/ a consult w/ a perinatologist. They would be able to answer all your ? much better than your ob or your gi per the pred/pregnancy. They should be able to give u stats on each thing u want to know, (ie, risks to u or to baby). 

How far along are u now? If you are past development stages, then i would highly recommend trying it. Of course, you have to what is right for you, but i honestly worry about your flare. I guess as long as your baby is on target right now, you could probally wait. I hope that they are giving u bi weekly u/s and hope u have had a level ll u/s already (by 20wks). And you should also be having biophysical u/s fairly often to. So, if u r not getting all this, u should really see a peri. They are much more equipt to deal w/ a pg, flaring woman/baby.

good luck, shannon

Posted 5/29/2008 12:52 AM (GMT 0)

I've only had 2 ultrasounds since I've been pregnant.  They are doing all the blood tests and everything but no ultrasounds.  I have another dr appt on june 12.  i might look into a peri though.  i'm talking to my gi again on monday.  that is when he is makinghis final decision on whether or not to put me on pred.  I'm trying not to worry.  That will only make things worse.  i can fell her moving and stuff. i just hope she is doing ok.

thanks for your response!

Posted 5/29/2008 1:09 AM (GMT 0)

If adjusting your other med's doesn't work and you end up back on Pred, you may not have any problems.  I was diagnosed with my first UC flare during early pregnancy.  I was put on 40 mg of Pred initially because I was in such bad shape.  I tried the entire pregnancy to taper off, but never could.  Ended up back to the original 40 mg dose every time.  I did have high sugars during the initial round of testing but did NOT have gestational diabetes.  I had a healthy baby.  It can be done with little complications although I think we can all agree, no one wants PRED normally let alone being pregnant.....UGH 

Posted 5/29/2008 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
of course it's great news that u feel baby active! good luck w/ the gi, i will be looking for your update. As for the u/s, it is not common to do that many u/s but since u r flaring, it is important to do level ll u/s often to make sure that ur baby is growing properly and is forming properly in light of the flare. again, if ur ob can not provide this level of care, get to a peri. If your ob is willing to make the occamidations, then u could probally stick w/ him. Also be aware that a flare w/ UC and cause contractions (ctx) , which it did for me starting at 16wks, and i started meds for ctx by 18wks in addition to the pred. So, if u notice tightening of the belly, please report it, even if u think it's the UC...i had many times that i thought it was my UC, but i was actually have steady ctx.

anyway, good luck at the docs and i will be looking for ur update. shannon
Posted 6/3/2008 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
ok, they put me on 20 mg pred yesterday.  i was doing better, but still haven't gained any weight and was still getting up at least twice in the middle of the night so that's why the doc decided to put me on it.  i see him again next week and i also see my ob so i'm going to see if they can just do a quick ultrasound since they have the machine.  i can feel her moving a lot more now though so i'm not too worried.  has anyone ever been on just 20 mg?  i was wondering about the side effects. he also said i should see some real improvement in about 5 days.  i know that pred is not good as far as side effects go, but for the last 2 mos i've been in such pain and basically have been a prisoner in my own home, i'm ready to start living my life again. thanks again for all your help.
Posted 6/7/2008 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
sad

JEG,

I am 7 weeks pregnant with my first child and it seems like since the day of conception my symptoms started. By 5 weeks I had a full flare up the worst I have ever seen. I have noticed a flare up trend every May so I am not sure if it is the baby that caused it or just the calendar. I have always taken Asacol but the past few times it hasn't worked so my GI started me on 40 mg of prednisone and 9 asacol a day. I started feeling a little better after a few days, but I was getting palpitations and feeling weird so I split my dose to 20 mg twice a day. I have been on it for 10 days and I have gone from about 20 bowel movements a day to about 3-4 with only a small amount of bleeding. I too am worried what effects the prednisone will have on the baby. I am feeling nauseous all day (worse at night) since starting the drug, but I don't know if it's from the baby or not. I am going to start tapering down the prednisone at the end of this week if I can. I have read a lot of other people had healthy babies while on the pred. I have my first ultrasound in 4 days so I am a little nervous about that. I hope everything goes well with your baby.
Posted 6/7/2008 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
i keep hearing the same thing that 1/3 of people stay in the same, 1/3 get better and the last unfortunate 1/3 get worse.  i guess we fall in the latter.  my dr. is mostly concerned about the possibility of gestational diabetes.  he didn't think that the pred would bother the baby.  my flare seems to be a little better, have been on 20 mg for 6 days.  no less blood but less bowel movements.  good luck at the dr!  everyone says to treat the flare b/c that could be worse for the baby than the drugs, so that's my mission.  keep us posted, and take care!

Posted 6/8/2008 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
I can't speak to the Pred, but I can say that I had gestational diabetes w/ my 2nd son. I know that it can definitely have complications, but for me it wasn't that big of a deal. I just had to eat healthy, eat often, and watch my sugar/carb intake. I didn't have to use medication to keep my blood sugar down. I did have a big baby, though (but all 3 of mine were big and the other 2 I didn't have GD with). Anyway, I just wanted to give you some reassurance that you can still have GD and have a healthy pregnancy! I did not have my UC with my pregnancies, but I can't even imagine how awful that must be - my heart really goes out to you. I would think the stress of the UC and the disease itself would be more dangerous than the drugs! Good luck and keep us posted!
Posted 6/8/2008 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Do the steroid enemas have the same side effects as oral steroids? I'm 8 weeks pg. and considering trying enemas - my GI has never mentioned enemas. I tried oral 5ASA's prior to becoming pg and I think I'm allergic to Mesalamine so I stopped taking all Rx meds. With VSL#3 I have showed improvement but I still need more help. Suggestions please. confused
Posted 6/8/2008 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
my gi had told me that the reason he didn't offer them to me is b/c most people don't like to use them.  I used the cortifoam and it seemed to work pretty well.  it at least helped.  i didn't find it hard to use either.  my doc had no problems with putting me on them right away when I asked.  he did however wait almost 2 mos to wind up putting me on prednisone.  it seems to me the enema steroids treat the area instead of your entire immune system so i don't think they are supposed to have anywhere near the side effects of oral systemic steroids like pred.  i never noticed any side effects with cortifoam.  i'm not noticing anything yet with pred, but i'm not noticing much change in symptoms either.  good luck!
Posted 6/9/2008 12:06 AM (GMT 0)

Im glad to hear that the doc got you on pred. I know you really wanted to try w/o, but as u reported a lessoning of BM's, it was probally the best move.

As for symptoms, at 20mg, i don't have to many symptoms. I took 40mg during my pg and did have palpataions, night sweats, moodiness, increased appitite.

Hopefully your sugars will be fine, i never had a problems w/ it, so hopefully u will be fine to! keep us updated! GL

Posted 6/16/2008 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
I'm feeling so much better! Finally...i have been on 20 mg of Prednisone for two weeks with no side effects so far (knock on wood.) No more D and no more urgency, just 1-2 semi-normal bms a day for the last 3 days. I see my GI again on Wednesday! I'm so happy to be feeling better. Thanks to everyone for all your good info and advice and support. Now I just hope things stay ok through the taper and after delivery. Thanks again!
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