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Lialda and trying to conceive...Need info..Please help!

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Posted 4/16/2010 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello

I am new to the group. 

I am hopeing you guys can help me out!

I was just recently diagnosed with UC & am in the process of trying to conceive.

I am a little concerned & have a couple questions.

1 - Can Lialda affect my chances of getting pregnant at all? Does it affect my fertility?

2- If & when I become pregnant, is it safe for my baby? Do i have to stop for 9 months?

PLEASE advise!
THanks

D

Posted 4/16/2010 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Dawnie, and welcome!

First, are you in remission? If you're not, I really encourage you to get in remission before you get pregnant...it's the best thing for you and your baby.

Second, if you are in remission, go ahead and start taking a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid. It's most critical in the very early stages of pregnancy, so it's best to just go ahead and take it when you start trying.

Third, yes, Lialda is VERY safe to use during prenancy. It should not affect your fertility...flaring (which would likely happen if you stop Lialda) would be much more likely to affect your fertility. Do NOT stop taking it when you get pregnant. The worst thing you can do is flare when you're pregnant. There have been many, many, many babies born to moms on mesalamine (the active ingredient in Lialda).

Basically, studies show that 1/3 of women with UC get better when they get pregnant, 1/3 stay the same, and 1/3 get worse. So do be prepared that you might start to flare when you get pregnant. You might want to ask your doctor about rectal meds, as using them in conjuction with oral meds also help prevent a flare.

There's an article in the UC resources "sticky thread" (at the top of the main page) that talks all about IBD in pregnancy...I encourage you to read it.

Good luck!
Posted 4/16/2010 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
Oh wow! Thanks SO much for the quick reply!

I am not bleeding right now, if thats why you mean in remission. Sorry I am new
with this UC. As long as I take my medication, I am fine, but I do notice that if I miss a dosage, I will bleed again the next day. I haven't seen any blood for a couple weeks now. Does
that mean i'm in remission?

I have taken meds rectally, but as soon as i'm done with the prescription & stop taking it,
the bleeding starts again. Grrrrr Does this mean when you have UC u have to be on the
medication for the rest of your life??

My doctor said I can continue trying to conceive but have to let him know if & when i do.

So sorry for not knowing much about this yet, but when you say flare, do you mean when i start
bleeding again? This stuff isn't fun! :-(

Thanks SOO much for your welcome & quick reply!
Posted 4/16/2010 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
:) We tend to respond very quickly around here...this forum moves fast!

To me, remission means that you aren't having any UC symptoms (no bleeding, mucus, urgency, diarrhea) and are not on prednisone (it's not safe for long-term use, and is not a maintenance med). You should absolutely be on maintenance meds...I don't ever plan to not be on a maintenance med of some sort. How are your bowel movements (we talk about this kind of stuff on here, so don't be squeamish!)?

I really encourage you to stay on rectal meds even when in remission. I use mesalamine enemas twice weekly (and I'm in remission), because studies show that peopel who use them in conjuction with oral meds stay in remission for longer than those who only use oral meds. It's totally worth it to me to use an enema twice a week for that benefit!
Posted 4/16/2010 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
It is great that you guys reply back so quickly.

Oh ok I get it now, sorry, so new to this stuff! The only symptom of UC that I ever had was blood coated stool. So does that make me lucky? hahah I don't haven't had any blood for a few weeks now, so i guess that means I am in remission?? :-)

U ask about my bowel movements, ummmm they are a little loose lately, i've noticed since I started taking Lialda. Could that be a symptom of the medication? Before Lialda, my movements were normal.....Since Lialda, I notice a change in my movements.

Ok maintenance meds? U lost me again! haha SOO sorry!
Posted 4/16/2010 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, you're REALLY lucky that your only symptom is some blood. When I was flaring (so far, I've just had one, so I'm lucky in that regard), I had 15-20 really urgent (as in I had to dash to the toilet, and didn't always make it) episodes of diarrhea a day. But, that's why it's important for you to stay on meds...if you do, your chances of it getting that bad are lower. I hope that I won't ever flare that badly again.

Lialda can cause looser stool, but if it's not that bad, don't worry too much about it. Some people are sensitive to mesalamine, so I would mention it to your GI if I were you.

Maintenance meds are those used to keep UC in check when in remission (ie, maintain remission). For the large part, they're the same as the ones you use to treat a flare. Off the top of my head, the steroids (prednisone and entocort) are the only meds that are not used as maintenance meds.

I encourage you to go to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America website (www.ccfa.org) and read about UC. It's a good idea to educate yourself, even though it seems you have a really mild case.
Posted 4/16/2010 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
Very little of mesalamine (the active in lialda) is actually absorbed. It should not affect your fertility and is considered safe for pregnancy as far as I know.
Posted 4/16/2010 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
Oh wow Fruit, 15 - 20 episodes a day? THat's horrible! I did have that happen to me last week one morning when i didn't make it to the bathroom! I was morified hahah

Yes I guess I am very lucky to only have blood. I wil mention the looser stool to my doctor. I am due to go back end of May. I am very sensitive to ALL medications i ever took, so i'm sure i'm sensitve to the Lialda too.

Thanks SO much for all your replies on this. You have answered all my questions.
Thanks Malka as well!
Posted 3/15/2017 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
i just want to share light on my experience about me giving birth to my first child after marriage, shout it loud, go out and reach others who have not heard of it was what got on my mind after i saw the result of my pregnancy test i did which was positive. mother iya basira is really doing a great works within and outside just try it and you will testify just as i am testifying now, i have this infection that lead to womb blockage and there was no hope at all the hospital i went said nothing but that there on hope for 4 years that i have waited no child then i came across mother iya basira recommended to me by my sister and she is a wonderful native herbalist who told me she can do it but i was scared because she was a lady but since i had no child i have to comply with how she will help with her powerful medicine and i carried my child in three weeks in contact with her and using her herbs, just try it and see your time to celebrate has come for women who seek permanent solution to their giving birth problem .

(I removed the facebook url and email address)

Post Edited By Moderator (iPoop) : 3/15/2017 9:44:53 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/16/2017 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
who is "mother iya basira"? Do I know her? smile
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