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Flares after pregancy

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Posted 10/19/2009 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Well finally had our little girl early Wednesday morning.  Now I'm worried and just waiting for my flare to get even worse like it did last time.  My GI dr is going to start tapering me off of prednisone (yay!!!!!) and Lialda and put me on Immuran to hopefully control it better. 

Is it normal to have a flare get worse a few weeks after delivery? 

Posted 10/19/2009 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your little girl!!! After I had my first daughter my UC never went out of remission. I had my second daughter in Jan and developed a post partum infection and had to go on antibiotics, that made my UC very angry. I don't think I would have flared if it weren't for the antibiotics.

Take care of yourself and rest as much as you can. Take probiotics and fish oil. Good luck with Immuran. :-)
Posted 10/19/2009 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
I don't think it's normal, as for myself I just had a baby 9mths ago I was fine for a few weeks after and then things started to act up.  I think it was hormones, lack of sleep and the stress of having a third child.  I increased my probiotic intake morning and evening and exercised daily and things settled down quickly.  I did have to use cortifoam and the hycort for a couple weeks so things wouldn't get worse and it seemed to work.
Posted 10/19/2009 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your sweet baby girl! My first flare started shortly after my son was born. I got really, really, really sick, but I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that it took a long time to be diagnosed...if I'd known I had UC, I would have been able to up my meds and such.

I'd definitely add some rectal meds right now if I were you, though!
Posted 10/19/2009 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations! Glad all went well.

I ditto....strongly....the rectal meds.

q
Posted 10/19/2009 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your little girl! I hope your family is settling in well.

I didn't flare until 3 months postpartum, when I stopped bfing in order to take Remicade again. Those three months were awesome - never felt better. I even had ice cream. :)
Posted 10/19/2009 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
I recently had my first baby in sept and am currently in the hospital for a flare. I just started on remicade on friday and definitly feeling better. My doctor was pretty sure i would flare post partum due to hormones. Plus i think the stress and non sleepind didn't help. I am hoping for good results with the remicade and get back to a normal life to enjoy my son. Good luck and congrats on the baby!!!! It is crazy what pregnancy does to you.
Posted 10/20/2009 9:46 AM (GMT 0)
grats on the bubby!

i read (dont know from experience) that breast feeding can contribute to a flare.
not sure if its true, just read that a large percentage of women with UC will flare while breast feeding compared to those who bottle feed.
Posted 10/27/2009 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations! I'm a lactation counselor and breastfeeding mom with UC, so let me chime in on this one. Many of us enjoy pregnancies free from UC because during pregnancy your body naturally suppresses your immune system so the growing baby isn't rejected. Suppressed immune system = reduced UC symptoms for most of us. After your baby arrives, some mothers can experience a flare because of their immune system returning to normal and the dramatic change in your hormones.
HOWEVER, breastfeeding can help balance out those hormones and help prevent a flare that way. Breastfeeding also helps prevent your baby from developing the autoimmune issue that we have! (In my book, that's HUGE!) IF, for some reason, you are breastfeeding and you flare and nothing else is working and you must take remicade or a similar medication, you can "pump& dump" for a few days after the injection/IV, then resume normal BF.
I hope this helps clarify some of the BF/preggo/UC details out there : )

Lauren

UC since ‘95
Various & sundry meds & alternatives – strongly favor alternatives
LC & BF mom of two
Posted 10/27/2009 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations! I had my first baby in March. Like one of the others stated, my healthiest time as far as UC goes was when I was pregnant. I only flared 2x during the whole pregnancy, and they were relatively mild. Since the baby though I've had 2 really nasty flares and my health has suffered for the worse overall with constant sore throat, sleeplessness and fatigue. I think it started with the lack of sleep and stress of being a new parent and it just all went downhill from there. My advice to you is, as much as possible get rest and don't sweat the small stuff. The house is going to go to crap and that's better than trying to keep up your old routine and being run down.

Enjoy your baby girl!
Posted 10/27/2009 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
I had my first real flare after giving birth and was diagnosed with UC a few months after my daughter was born. My GI said it was not uncommon to flare after giving birth.
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