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Anyone with UC gone through pregnancy?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/27/2009 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hey there. I am 28 years old and 30 weeks into my first pregnancy. I have had one minor flare up to this point. On April 14th I went into the hospital with pre-term labor. Everything was fine and they got the contractions to stop. Well I checked back in 2 days later with a HORRIBLE flair up and tested positive for c-diff. I guess the antibiotics they gave me the week before caused this. I have had c-diff before, but I am so scared with the baby.

Does anyone have any advice or pregnancy success stories? I am terrified to have a baby and be confronted with a flair up when she is little.

Thanks!

Posted 4/27/2009 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I started my first flare in mid-November 2008 when my son was about four weeks old and wasn't diagnosed until the end of January. I did have a couple of weeks in December when my symptoms eased a lot, though. I'm not going to lie...it was really, really, really hard. I was really sick (urgent diarrhea 15-20 times a day at my worst), I lost my milk supply (that was really disappointing), and my husband had to take on a lot of the burden of keeping the house running and taking care of our son because I couldn't. We also live across the country from our family, so didn't have help readily available.

However, since you know you have UC, you can be really aggressive at treating it if you start to flare after the baby is born. Also, I was horribly disappointed when I lost my supply when my son was 8 weeks old, but, he's perfectly happy and healthy as a formula-fed baby. I guess what I'm saying is that if you plan to breastfeed, but have to quit in order to get yourself healthy, then do it. You, your baby, and the rest of your family will be much better off if you feel good than if you feel bad and continue to breasfeed.

Good luck and congrats!! You're almost there!
Posted 4/27/2009 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
I had c.diff while pregnant. I was never on antibiotics and I didn't have UC until after I got c.diff. I had c. diff for my entire 2nd trimester - 3 long months! My baby was never in any danger and was born perfectly healthy (4 days late). What finally worked to get rid of the c.diff after trying Flagyl and Vanco was to do pulse dosing with Vanco and Sacchromyces Boularrdi. It was something like 3 days on Vanco, then 2 days off all while taking S. Boularrdi.
Posted 4/27/2009 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I understand your worries completly espically with it being your first baby I agree with fruitgirl completly,if you feel really unwell dont feel guilty if you can't breastfeed for too long,as it really takes alot out of you I had to stop after one month with my third baby because I started on Immuran,I was so upset about it at the time as I had fed my other two for a fullyear,accepting that I was not well enough was hard.
also if you do flare after the baby is born,as I did, remember newborns well, untill around three months are gennerally not that hard work they sleep quite a bit and you can put them down and they can't move, I think women struggle with newborns more because of all the other things they have to do as well,like housework,shopping cooking husband,The best advice I can give let everything else ride its not important dont try and do anything apart from looking after baby if you don't feellike it, eat drink and sleep when baby sleeps,dont try and rush round doing jobs! wishing you all the best I'm sure you'll be fine Anna
Posted 4/27/2009 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
For you moms...did you have v-birth or c-section?
Posted 4/27/2009 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
I had a vaginal birth. Other than getting hemmies from pushing, my recovery from that was really easy. I only had a first degree tear that healed really quickly (thanks to my doctor pouring lots of hot water on that area and massaging the tissue) and I only pushed for a little over a half an hour. I got an epidural because I had back labor that NOTHING (different positions, jacuzzi tub, walking) helped.
Posted 4/27/2009 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
I had a v-birth both times. No problems at all.
Posted 4/27/2009 7:22 PM (GMT 0)

I had a vbirth but wish I would've had a c-section.  I had a 4th degree tear and ended up with c. diff again right after I delivered.  Because of the strain from going to the bathroom a million times a day, my tear didn't heal properly.  I ended up with a fistula that my OB tried to repair but wasn't able to repair it properly.  I'm not having anymore kids but if I were to have another one, I would have a c-section next time.

Posted 4/27/2009 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Yes me too I had a V birth no probs,and I can tell you I've put up with similiar pain from UC, the cramping and waves of nauseating pain,but I quite severe UC,at least child birth is pain with a purpose and you get a beautiful little bundle at the end of it,having UC should not make your labour any worse,it might even prepare you a bit in terms of pain tolerence.
Oh I did poop myself abit with the last one,which I was quite shocked about but aparently that can happen anyway.
Posted 4/27/2009 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, yeah, the pooping happens whether or not you have UC! I don't know for sure if I pooped or not, but don't think I did because DH said he didn't notice anything. I mean, it's kind of hard to push the kid out w/o using the muscles to push poop out, so it just happens! The nurses and doctors are quite used to it happening (I used to visit a forum for expecting/new moms regularly, so that's how I know about it), so definitely don't worry about it! The nurses just clean it up and go on like nothing happened.
Posted 4/27/2009 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
hi there. my son is 14 wks old. i did flare late in my 2nd tri despite maintenance meds. i went into remission by the time i gave birth (v-birth, no problems) using cortifoam. my stressful time came when i went into a horrible flare when my son was 6 weeks old. many women flare after birth - hormones may be the reason. also, stupid me thought i may get away with stopping all meds to breastfeed. anyhow, i was determined to continue breastfeeding and i was lucky enough to not loose my supply like some others here so i did a fast round of prednisone and went back on asacol and canasa (2 400mg pills twice per day and 1 canasa suppository at night). i am now in remission and off the pred and will stay on the maintence meds and continue to bf as my son has had no adverse reaction to the mesalamine. asfor flaring with a newborn - it is hard, no doubt. but like others said say, do what you need to to get healthy so you can be available and calm for your little one.
Posted 4/28/2009 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
I was lucky that when i got pregnant my UC went into remission. But i stayed on my meds the whole time anyway, asacol and immuran. The only problems i had were some bleeding and my kid decided at 34 weeks he wanted to come on out! So i had to do the bedrest and that med to stop the labor thing. It stopped but i ended up 3 cm dialated and stayed that way. I also got sometype of infection in my girlie parts, apparently its one that is common in pregnant women, and had to take an antibiotic! i freaked, but it didnt cause any problems, whew. That was at 33 weeks so thats probably why he tried to come early from the infection and our AC broke (in late May, in the south) and i got so hot and that can cause preterm labor too, so it wasnt UC related.
Anyway, the labor pain HURTS, but its worth it, and like someone said the UC pain prepares you for it and at least the labor pain leaves you something to show for it.
I had back labor too, so i got an epidural. i didnt see any reason to suffer, lol.

Shortly after my son was born i went into a horrible flair though. I was never able to breastfeed because of another med i was taking and i didnt get any milk anyway. It didnt really bother me that i couldnt.
But it was hard to be sick with a newborn, i am lucky that my mom lives literally next door and my grandma lives less than 4 minutes away. Plus my sis and her fiancee ended up having to move in with us for 2 months while their house was being built, so i had ALOT of help in the first few months.
But it was still hard, the worst thing was being in the bathroom and havign to take him with me. I just put a bouncy seat in there and put him in it.
You being healthy is very important to the health of your baby, so be sure to keep up with whatever you need to. If you need to hire some help do that. Alot of times college students will work in exchange for doing laundry and a few meals. And as long as you are actually there with them, its not so scary having someone with your kid.
Anyway, having my child was what prompted me to get surgery.
Good luck with your pregnancy and baby!
Posted 4/28/2009 2:42 AM (GMT 0)

As for the pooping on the table problem, if you have time - I was induced with #1 - you can request an enema or something along those lines that will "clean you out." It worked like a charm and it was very quick. It's very common. I tore big-time with the delivery of #1 and the doctor had to resew it four months later which was just about as painful. Sidenote: Make sure your doctor takes his or her time with the delivery. (I pushed for less than five minutes - good but not good) I switched doctors and my new doctor - who I really like - told me that if I tore again I could be incontinent for the rest of my life. That sold me. I can only imagine what that plus UC would have been like. I opted for a c-section for #2 and #3 and was so glad I did. Try to get as much help as possible - husband, parents, in-laws - anyone you can pull in. turn The good thing about newborns is they sleep alot. Good luck!

Posted 4/28/2009 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
i should have mentioned this, some drs will go ahead and cut, instead of letting you tear, you may ask your dr to do that. A cut is easier to deal with and heals faster and is more predicable.
Posted 4/28/2009 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
OK girls I think this is beginning to sound a little bit scary,for someone expecting their first baby!
We are all agreed that anything we've been though before during or after birth,was more than worth it are'nt we and we'd go through it all again and worse for just one cute little smile that makes our hearts melt !
Posted 4/28/2009 7:10 PM (GMT 0)

With my first pregnancy I wasn't aware I had colitis and suffered dearly with symptoms from week 17 til 27 until an OB caught what was wrong when I lost half my blood volume, my doctor was dumb.

From week 27 to 29 I was hospitalized at our local hospital and given Prednisone to control my colitis but it didn't work so they decided to send me to Toronto to see the best specialist and they were going to try remicade which is a last resort drug at that point the only other option was sugery.  By week 31 I was better and sent home but was to attend the maternity unit at our hospital weekly for NST and monthly ultrasounds. 

I was schedule to be induced at 38 weeks because my blood levels were dropping again but when I went in I was already in labour just didn't know it because I was so used to pain at that point.  My doctor gave me a Spinal EPI in case a c-section was needed but I vaginally delivered my son 6 hours after my water broke.  He was a normal weight and size.

I was never able to breast fed though I tried pumping for 1 month and couldn't produce more than 2 ml of milk at a time and it start decreasing, both my GI and OB suspected I wouldn't be able to.

Goodluck and try not to worry and don't be afraid to ask for help

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